The Acceleration of Global Contact
Initial Post
In my weekly reading, I came across the article on The Acceleration of Global Contact 1450-1600. The topic focuses on how the Europeans efforts of trading Asian goods created a discovery within the Western Hemisphere. It describes how the era of globalization was marked with economic exchange, new political systems, and cultural assimilation. ‘Chapter 16’ (2017) explains that there were equally different reactions with an individual’s options for conversion while others resisted. The Afroeurasian trade was, for instance, discussed where trade was given much priority at the time. Here, it was analyzed on how it enhanced European exploration. People’s culture is well described by practices such as in the Indian Ocean, such as how women were given much respect in the commercial sphere.
I got to relate well with the idea of how the European voyages were discovered and their intentions of expanding it. Europeans came in by introducing technology, which they used in the fifteenth century to make the seagoing vessels. It allowed them to navigate different parts of the world. I equally got to relate to how the Portuguese ended up in Africa and Asia intending to spread Christianity, get slaves, and in search of wealth (Chapter 16, 2017). The topic also focuses on the letter composed by Christopher Columbus, which facilitated his first voyage.
The topic resonated well with me, considering that I could relate to a lot that occurred in history. I was able to understand the efforts of Europeans to navigate and explore both African and Asian countries. The fact that it addresses a lot of things that occurred during the fifteenth century, I managed to get a good understanding of some of the events that took place at the time. I also was able to gain familiarization of the global transformations that took place by describing the famous character of the era.
Reference
Chapter 16: The Acceleration of Global Contact. (2017). https://prod-cat-files.macmillan.cloud/CMS/SampleChapters/NDP000DEJ/1692_16_WIE_05895_ch16_436_467_r3jm%20(1).pdf