Practice Free Response Essay 1

 Analyze the various effects of the expansion of the Atlantic trade on the economy of
Western Europe in the period circa 1450–1700.

Around 1450-1700 Western Europe expanded their Atlantic trade.  They began exploring other parts of the world, and even building colonies in some of these places.  They began to explore Africa as well as the Americas.  Western Europe gained many things from this new land, which they were able to use in order to enhance their own economy.  Western Europe’s expansion of Atlantic trade, through exploration and colonization, not only improved their own economy, but also the economy of America, through sharing new trade products and crops as well as beginning the slave trade.

Western Europe began exploring other parts of the world around the mid-1400s.  They first started out with primarily explorers from Portugal and Spain.  Some of these people were Christopher Columbus, Francisco Pizarro, and Hernando Cortez.  These explorers discovered areas in the Americas.  Christopher Columbus came to the New World in 1492; Francisco Pizarro discovered what is now Florida; and Hernando Cortez fought the Incans in Peru.  Without these people discovering the New World, Europe would not have been able to build and expand their power into the colonies, which was so important to their economic success as a continent.

Europe was able to gain so many prominent crops and trade products from the New World.  They were able to gain things like corn and potatoes, but they also brought crops and trade products along with them to the Americas.  They introduced horses as well as wheat and cotton.  The expansion of trade to the Americas not only benefited Europe, but also benefited the New World by introducing trade crops that are still huge in America today.  Without the discovery of these products, Europe’s economy would not have skyrocketed and they would not be as prominent a continent as they are today.

The slave trade began around the mid-1600s with the European colonies that were built in the Americas.  The slave trade had a lot to do with the Treaty of Utrecht which gave Europe a trade route right into the Americas through they could import the slaves.  If this treaty had never occurred the slave trade may not have even happened.  Though the slave trade was a terrible time in the history of Europe and the Americas, without the economy of Europe and the Americas would not have been the same.  Europe basically gained control over most of the world including America with the beginning of the slave trade.

It is hard to imagine what the world would be like today if Europe had never expanded trade across the Atlantic Ocean and into the Americas.  Europe’s economy was so hugely boosted that they became the leading continent out of the entire world.  They also had a great impact on the future economy of America by giving it so many useful crops and trade products which are still greatly used today.  Through Europe’s exploration of the New World, they gained what they needed to become the prime leaders of the world at that time and far into the future.