CBSE Class 11 History – Confrontation of Cultures

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11th

11th - History

Confrontation of Cultures

Chapter Overview

This chapter explores the period of European exploration between the 15th and 17th centuries, focusing on their encounters with indigenous peoples of the Americas. It highlights how these confrontations reshaped societies, economies, and environments across the globe, especially through conquest, colonization, and the transfer of crops, animals, and diseases.

Important Keywords

  • Age of Exploration: A period during the 15th–17th centuries when European powers explored and mapped the world.
  • Colonialism: Control of one nation by another, leading to cultural domination and economic exploitation.
  • Conquistadors: Spanish conquerors like Hernán Cortés and Francisco Pizarro who overthrew American civilizations.
  • Columbian Exchange: The transfer of plants, animals, people, and diseases between the Old and New Worlds.
  • Encomienda System: A labor system where Spanish settlers were granted land and indigenous laborers.

Detailed Notes

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