ch 14 (first half)

• In the fifteenth century, Europe's population grew and countries like Spain, Portugal, England and France started learning how to tax their subjects more efficiently. 
• Those European countries also learned how to build substantial military forces equipped with gunpowder weapons.
• Europeans were required to pay cash (gold or silver) for Asian spices or textiles. 
• Portuguese voyages along the West African coast were seeking direct access to African goldfields. 
• Most Indian Ocean merchant ships were not heavily armed and lacked onboard cannons.
• The Portuguese saw this as an opportunity to outgun and outmaneuver competing naval forces.
• The Portuguese created a "trading post empire" in the Indian Ocean and aimed to forcefully take control of commerce. 
• They were unable to take control of commerce so they began assimilating themselves to Asian and African cultures.
• Spain was the first to challenge Portugal's position.
• The Dutch and English both entered the Indian Ocean commerce in the seventeenth century.
• The Dutch controlled the shipping and production of cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and mace.
• Both the Dutch and English became heavily involved in trade within Asia.
• Japanese traders began operating in Southeast Asia in the seventeenth century.