Analyzing history, it can be seen that the consequent event are always interrelated with many factors that affect the further development of a nation or a society. In that regard, the dominance of Europe in the economic and the political world, between 1400 and 1700, can be seen as an example of such factors, where European dominated despite other parts of the world, such as China being equally developed. Thus, this module’s theme is “European domination of Trade and Christianity influence on culture of Africa, Asia and the Americas”, stating that the combination of religion and trade were the driving force for Europe at that time.
The religion were diverse on either parts of the world, where in addition to Abrahamic religions, people in Southeast Asia practiced a kind of animism, a belief that “spiritual powers inhabited natural objects.” (McKay, p. 430). Religion practices included Hindu, Buddhism and Confucianism, however, none of these religions can be said to have the religious expansion ideas that Christianity and Islam had. In that regard, Christianity competed with Islam for religious beliefs of South Asian people.
Religion itself was not the only factor for expansion, where the trade has been a major factor for Europe at the time, eager for luxury goods from and east, and specifically spices (p. 434). In that regard, the Europeans had dual goals, which are spreading Christianity, and trading goods. Similarly, relating the religion to trade it can be seen, that Islam also played a role in that matter, where they spread their religion invading parts in South East Asia and Africa, heavily influencing the slave trade in the latter. The competition for such dominance can be seen as a factor for the technological development, where “[t]echnological developments in shipbuilding, weaponry, and navigation provided another impetus for European expansion”(p. 436).
The vision of expansion sponsored by the government was also a combination of the trade and the religion factors, where based on such motives the new world was discovered. Although trade can be seen among the main factors and consequences in the settlement, among the non intended consequences of the settlement of the new world was bringing European diseases to American continents, which killed millions of the native population. Among the consequences of such phenomenon was the shortage of labor in the new world, which combined with the capture of Constantinople by the Ottoman Turks, created a demand for slaves, the trade of which, drastically expanded.
The same consequences affected Africa as well, which became a major source for slave trade during that period. Although the largest portion of slave trade was involving the Atlantic slave trade to the Americas, there were many slaves that were brought to Europe working as servants. Accordingly the Africa was also dominated by the combination of religion and trade were religious competition took place between Christianity and Islam, while the trade factor took labor as the main valuable goods in the African continent. These consequences resulted in that Africa experienced a demographic and economic decline, compared to Asia and Europe.
It can be seen, that the factors of trade and religion were the most influential in development, and in which Europe definitely won. Relating these factors to medieval history, it can be seen that the crusades were perfect examples were the religion factor played its role in the expansion, while the development can be seen among the consequences of such expansion passing the achievements of Islamic Golden Age to Europe.
Works Cited
McKay, John P. A History of World Societies. 8th Ed. ed. Boston: Cengage Learning, 2008.