World History 1450-1750 Lesson: Key Events & Political Changes

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Updated: Apr 7, 2025

Lesson

Lesson Overview

World History 1450–1750: European Maritime Exploration
World History 1450–1750: Fall of Constantinople
World History 1450–1750: Centralized Monarchies
World History 1450–1750: Protestant Reformation
World History 1450–1750: Tokugawa Shogunate
World History 1450–1750: Atlantic Slave Trade
World History 1450–1750: Mixed-Review Quiz
Timeline of Key Events (1450-1750)

World history 1450–1750 covers the rise of global empires, religious shifts, centralized monarchies, and the expansion of trade routes that reshaped political power and cultural exchange worldwide.

World History 1450–1750: European Maritime Exploration

World History 1450–1750: Causes of European Maritime Exploration

European nations, especially Portugal and Spain, launched voyages to find new sea routes to Asia. These efforts led to colonization and long-term control of trade networks in the Americas, Africa, and Asia.

World History 1450–1750: Maritime Exploration Example

In 1492, Columbus reached the Caribbean while trying to reach Asia. This voyage began centuries of European expansion and empire building.

Quick Tip: Most explorers were funded to find trade routes, not conquer land at first.

Mini-Quiz
What was a key reason for early European maritime exploration?
A) Religious freedom
B) Access to Asian trade
C) Escape from war
D) Spread of democracy
Correct answer: B

FAQ

Why did European states begin maritime exploration during 1450–1750?
They wanted faster sea routes to reach Asian markets and bypass land tolls.

World History 1450–1750: Fall of Constantinople

World History 1450–1750: Effects of the Fall of Constantinople

The Ottoman Empire captured Constantinople in 1453. This event disrupted overland trade between Europe and Asia, leading European states to explore sea routes.

World History 1450–1750: Fall of Constantinople Example

After the Ottomans took control, they taxed goods heavily along the Silk Road. European merchants turned to the Atlantic for new trade paths.

Quick Tip: The fall didn't stop trade completely-it raised its cost.

Mini-Quiz
What did the fall of Constantinople in 1453 lead Europeans to do?
A) Stop exploring
B) Search for sea trade routes
C) Convert to Islam
D) Join the Ottoman army
Correct answer: B

FAQ

What effect did the fall of Constantinople have on world history?
It pushed Europeans to find maritime trade routes to bypass Ottoman-controlled land.

World History 1450–1750: Centralized Monarchies

World History 1450–1750: Rise of Centralized Monarchies

Monarchs in France, Spain, and England consolidated power by weakening the nobility, creating professional armies, and expanding bureaucratic control.

World History 1450–1750: Centralized Monarchies Example

Louis XIV of France built Versailles and controlled the nobility through court life, reducing their independent influence.

Quick Tip: A centralized monarchy means one ruler has direct power over most decisions.

Mini-Quiz
What defines a centralized monarchy?
A) Rule by elected nobles
B) Strong royal control over government
C) Complete religious freedom
D) Power split equally with local lords
Correct answer: B

FAQ

What does a centralized monarchy mean in early modern Europe?
It means the monarch held concentrated authority over law, military, and taxation.

World History 1450–1750: Protestant Reformation

World History 1450–1750: Impact of the Protestant Reformation

The Protestant Reformation began with Martin Luther's 95 Theses, challenging Catholic practices. It led to religious division, new denominations, and wars across Europe.

World History 1450–1750: Protestant Reformation Example

Luther criticized indulgences and rejected papal authority, inspiring others to form Protestant churches in Germany, England, and Switzerland.

Quick Tip: The Reformation wasn't just about religion-it affected politics and society too.

Mini-Quiz
What was one major result of the Protestant Reformation?
A) Unification of Christian Europe
B) Religious fragmentation and conflict
C) Collapse of monarchies
D) End of literacy
Correct answer: B

FAQ

What impact did the Protestant Reformation have on world history?
It divided Europe into competing Catholic and Protestant regions.

World History 1450–1750: Tokugawa Shogunate

World History 1450–1750: Tokugawa Shogunate and Isolation

The Tokugawa Shogunate unified Japan and enforced strict isolation. It limited foreign trade and restricted internal movement to maintain order.

World History 1450–1750: Tokugawa Shogunate Example

By 1639, Japan allowed only Dutch trade at Nagasaki, expelled missionaries, and punished Christians to preserve stability.

Quick Tip: The Tokugawa feared foreign influence would disrupt Japan's internal control.

Mini-Quiz
What was a main goal of Tokugawa isolation policies?
A) Promote Christian missions
B) Preserve political stability
C) Expand into China
D) Increase foreign trade
Correct answer: B

FAQ

Why did the Tokugawa Shogunate isolate Japan during 1450–1750?
They wanted to reduce foreign influence and keep internal control.

World History 1450–1750: Atlantic Slave Trade

World History 1450–1750: Development of the Atlantic Slave Trade

The Atlantic slave trade was a system where European ships transported enslaved Africans to the Americas. This supported plantation economies and created long-term racial and social hierarchies.

World History 1450–1750: Atlantic Slave Trade Example

Enslaved Africans endured the Middle Passage, where cramped, unsanitary conditions led to high mortality (Source: UNESCO).

Quick Tip: The slave trade was organized and profitable, not random or small-scale.

Mini-Quiz
What describes the Atlantic slave trade?
A) Migration of settlers
B) Forced transport of Africans for labor
C) Religious pilgrimage
D) Trade of gold for salt
Correct answer: B

FAQ

What was the purpose of the Atlantic slave trade in world history?
It supplied labor to plantations in the Americas through forced migration.

World History 1450–1750: Mixed-Review Quiz

1. What motivated early European maritime exploration?
A) Military conquest
B) New trade routes to Asia
C) Religious conversion
D) Climate study
Correct answer: B

2. What was a result of the fall of Constantinople?
A) Rise of the Catholic Church
B) European search for ocean trade routes
C) Discovery of gold mines
D) End of the Ottoman Empire
Correct answer: B

3. What is a sign of a centralized monarchy?
A) Local lords controlling armies
B) Monarch gaining direct control over governance
C) Elected officials ruling
D) Rule by religious councils
Correct answer: B

4. What was a result of the Protestant Reformation?
A) Peace across Europe
B) Religious division and war
C) Complete end to religion
D) Papal expansion
Correct answer: B

5. What policy did the Tokugawa Shogunate enforce?
A) Territorial expansion
B) Isolation from most foreign influence
C) Religious freedom
D) Military alliance with China
Correct answer: B

6. What defines the Atlantic slave trade?
A) Voluntary African labor
B) Forced migration for plantation labor
C) Trade among African kingdoms only
D) European slavery in Africa
Correct answer: B

The world history 1450–1750 period brought major political and cultural transformations. From European exploration to empire centralization and transatlantic slavery, these changes shaped modern global systems and power dynamics that still affect the world today.

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Timeline of Key Events (1450-1750)

Let's summarize with a chronological timeline of key events to clarify sequencing:

Year	Event	Significance
1453	Ottoman conquest of Constantinople	Ends Byzantine Empire; Ottomans control trade.
1492	Columbus's first voyage	Europe reaches the Americas; global contact begins.
1498	Vasco da Gama reaches India	Establishes sea trade route from Europe to Asia.
1500s	Columbian Exchange starts	Global trade of crops, animals, and diseases reshapes societies.
1517	Martin Luther's 95 Theses	Protestant Reformation begins; religious divisions intensify.
1521	Fall of the Aztec Empire	Spain takes over Peru; and controls silver-rich Potosí.
1533	Fall of the Inca Empire	Expand trade, colonization, and economic power.
1543	Copernicus's heliocentric theory	Scientific Revolution challenges Earth-centered view.
1600	British East India Company founded	Manchus take over China; the dynasty lasts until 1912.
1607	Jamestown founded	First permanent English colony in North America.
1644	Qing Dynasty begins	A constitutional monarchy established, limiting royal power.
1683	Ottoman siege of Vienna fails	Marks Ottoman expansion limit in Europe.
1688	Glorious Revolution in England	A constitutional monarchy was established, limiting royal power.
1700s	Enlightenment peaks	Reason and rights fuel future revolutions.
1703	St. Petersburg founded	Russia modernizes under Peter the Great.
1750	Period ends	Europe dominates trade; empires rise and decline.