1. CCOT Essay
Analyze the social and economic continuities and transformations that occurred in the Atlantic world as a result of new contacts among Western Europe, Africa, and the Americas from

2. Patterns of Interaction at the Beginning of Time Period
Americas were isolated from the rest of the world and all the Afro-Eurasian advances
Asia was the powerhouse of the world and dominated trade (especially Arabs and Indians – China had recently withdrawn from trade)
European interest in spice trade led to overseas exploration

3. Social and Economic Continuities
What is staying the same during this time period?
Patriarchies (male dominated societies) – European values imposed on Americas
Spread of religions is constant (Christianity)
Importance of corn, beans, squash in providing food in Americas

4. Social Changes Social classes in Americas based on race Slave trade
Peninsulares, creoles, mestizos/mulattoes, Native Americans and Africans
Slave trade
Led to decreased population in Africa
Weakened remaining African civilizations and hurt the potential rise of new ones
Spread of disease (smallpox)
Decimated Native American populations
Encomienda system further decreased populations

5. Social Changes
Christianity blends with traditional Native American and African beliefs
Voudou in Haiti
Santeria in Cuba
Gods replaced by saints, but some old traditions remain (e.g. bloodletting)

6. Economic Changes Mercantilism Columbian Exchange Triangular trade
Europeans grow wealthy at the expense of colonies/Native Americans and Africans
Columbian Exchange
Spread of plants, animals, ideas between Europe, Africa and Americas
Triangular trade
Facilitated mercantilism and Columbian Exchange
Global economy

7. Global Context
What is going on during this time period that is allowing these changes and continuities to take place?
Rise of and competition among nation-states in Europe (eventual rise of absolute monarchs)
Protestant Reformation and rise of Ottoman Empire led to expansion of Catholicism in Americas
Advanced weapons of Europeans (guns, germs, and steel) allowed colonization (a result of geography)

8. Sample Thesis
As Europeans came to economically dominate trans-Atlantic trade, their influence over the social customs of Native Americans and Africans also expanded.

9. Sample Thesis
While Europeans benefitted from the expansion of economic activities into the Americas, this era of trade and conquest brought about social changes to the populations and customs of Native Americans and Africans.

10. Sample Thesis
As Europeans came to economically dominate trans-Atlantic trade, their influence over the social customs of Native Americans and Africans also expanded.

11. Intro (Thesis)
Over the course of this time period, Europeans exerted increasing economic dominance over the Americas and Africa, which led to many social changes within the Atlantic world.

12. Don’t forget to analyze!!
Make sure that you are not only stating what the changes and continuities are, but also WHY they happened.