| 1. |
Focus Question: What was the Mercantilist Theory? How did it contribute to European Economic Expansion? |
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What role did governments play in mercantilism? What was the primary concern of the mercantilist writers? What was the role of colonies in mercantilist theory? How did the mercantilist statesmen and traders regard the world, and how did this contribute to international conflict? By the early 18th century, what problems were clear with mercantilist ideas in practice? |
| 2. |
Focus Question: How did a small group of Europeans manage to conquer the great native empires of the Aztecs and the Incas? |
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How did Moctezuma attempt to deal the Cortés and his forces? How did the Spaniards treat with Moctezuma? When did Cortés conquer "Tenochtitlán"? How Francisco Pizarro deal with Atahualpa? What advantages did the Europeans possess that aided in their conquest of native American empires? |
| 3. |
Focus Question: What was the role of the Roman Catholic Church in Spanish America? |
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In what way did the Castilian reconquest of the Iberian peninsula provide a "model" for the role of the Church in the Americas? Why was the relationship between political authority and the propagation of religious doctrine even closer in the New World than on the Iberian peninsula? Which religious orders were most active in the American missions? What tension existed between the early Spanish conquerors and the friars? What role did the Church play in Latin America by the end of the 16th century onward? |
| 4. |
Focus Question: How did the Spanish and Brazil Empires function? |
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What was the primary economic interest of the conquistadores? What percentage of the income did the Spanish crown receive from mining operations? What was the chief difficulty did the Spaniards have in making its New World lands profitable? What impact did European conquest have on native American populations? What political structure did the Spanish crown establish to rule its colonies? What was the function of the Casa de Contratación? How did the Portuguese colonies differ from that of the Spanish? Why was slavery so important in Brazil? |
| 5. |
Focus Question: How did the French and British North American Colonies of North America differ from those of the Spanish and from each other?
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Where did the French establish their N. American colonies and what was primary economic resource for transatlantic economy? Where were the British colonies and how was religion reflected in their establishment? How did the English relate to the native populations? What was the largest economic activity of the English colonies? What was the predominant religious, political and social attitudes of the American colonists until about 1760? |