Introduction+to+The+Early+Modern+Period

I. The development of a new global economy --> This included various regions of the world (including the Americas) that became tied together through economic partnership. II. Biological exchange --> Europeans benefited from introducing new crops like corn and potato in Europe, while Native Americans were decimated by diseases brought by European settlers. III. New empires --> New empires continued to challenge traditional holders of authority and some began to exert overseas influence (particularly those from Western Europe).
 * Main Idea - The World Map Changes**: The key changes that occurred during the Early Modern Period was the formation of new empires (particularly from Western Europe) that replaced smaller political units and the development of new oceanic trade routes that Europeans had almost a virtual monopoly on as well.
 * Triggers for Change:** Revival of empire building (with the most notable example being the Ottomans Turks), Christian leaders worried about Muslim influence and power, European exploration off the Atlantic coast, and new navigational and military technology all spurred the creation of a new world economy with Europeans at the forefront.
 * The Big Changes:** Three major changes occurred in the Early Modern Period:
 * Continuity:** During the Early Modern Period, there were no real cultural revolutions, and gender roles remained more or less the same. Also, there was no real new technological innovation, outside of the creation of new navagational technologies (shipbuilding, etc.) and warfare technologies (cannons, guns, etc.)
 * Impact on Daily Life - Work**: Millions of people were reduced to squalid conditions during the Early Modern Period, including many Chinese that were forced to pay unreasonable taxes, Africans that were captured and enslaved, and Native Americans subject to European brutality. In addition, there was also a "growing pressure to work harder"; in order to continue the rapid growth of the world economy, laborers were forced to increase their productivity in an exciting time for capitalists around the word.