1. The Rise of the West

2. Essay Format
Your thesis should be the first sentence of your essay!! It should sound somewhat like this…
Many developments throughout history have contributed to the rise of the west.

3. Essay Format
Your proofs should follow your thesis statement followed by a concluding sentence
Body paragraphs should give facts that are straight to the point and relate topic to the rise of the west
Concluding paragraph is simply a restatement of your opening paragraph

4. Reasons for the Rise of the West
Renaissance
State-building
Trade
Exploration
Conquest
Colonization
Each of these reasons should be a separate paragraph describing who was involved, how it happened, and how it contributed European domination!!

5. Renaissance
The Renaissance happened in Europe because trade made the Europeans very wealthy. This resulted in them not having to work as much and gave them more time for education and the arts. Artists used new concepts to make their works look 3D and their was a lot of great literature written in this time (Shakespeare). The Renaissance in Europe is significant because it happened in Europe and no where else. They had an intellectual advantage in the arts, literature and science over everyone else.
Leonardo da Vinci- “Renaissance Man”

6. State-Building
France and England- to make up for expenses from the 100 Years War, the king levied high taxes. Authority was given to a centralized government over nobility. Strong armies were maintained
Spain- with their wealth, they were able to establish a strong army and finish the Conquista. Wealth also allowed them to project their authority (i.e. Columbus’ voyage)
Italy- gained wealth through trade and industrial production and were able to strengthen their authority within their borders
All of this is important because it led to a centralized power and colonization which made the West more powerful

7. Trade
Brought wealth to Europe and allowed them to focus on specialized activities
Helped them spread Christianity and, consequently, disease
Trade posts were established along trade routes which gave countries power over who used trade routes because they charged the merchants using the routes
Led to joint-stock companies which allowed investors to make profits while limiting the risks of their investments
Trade was important to the rise of the west because it gave them an economic advantage

8. Exploration
In order for the Europeans to project their power beyond their borders, they began to explore new territories. They were looking for new lands for cash crops, trying to establish new trade routes, and trying to expand their Christian religion. The explorers de Gama, Columbus, Magellan, and Cook opened many doors for the European countries as they explored the world discovering new places for opportunity. These explorations also led to new technologies for the mariners as they needed more efficient ways to navigate and travel. The explorations of the Europeans allowed them to control the world markets and much of the world.

9. Conquest
Spanish conquistadors led conquests with a high military advantage. They conquered new territories by defeating the locals with their advanced weapons and most importantly, disease. Cortes conquered the Aztecs in Mexico, while Pizarro invaded Peru and conquered the Incas. These conquests allowed Spain to own more territories which increased their power.

10. Colonization
Finally, colonization gave the Europeans political power. The Spanish, French, and British colonized in the Americas and in Canada giving them access to new lands to govern with more resources. The people were looking for cash crops. The fur trade was very popular to the Europeans and furs were sent from the Americas back to Europe. This colonization gave the people more territories to rule over and govern giving them more power than any other country in the world.

11. Conclusion Your concluding sentence can be something like this…
The rise of the West happened because of many factors which ultimately gave Europe an intellectual, economic, and power advantage.