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AP WORLD HISTORY SAMPLE QUESTIONS

Period 4 Document-Based Question Scoring Guidelines and Notes Explain the contributing factors to the patterns of the global silver trade between 1550 and 1800.

Curriculum Framework Alignment

Learning Objectives Historical Thinking Skills

Key Concepts

ECON-12: Evaluate how and to what extent networks of exchange have expanded, contracted, or changed over time.

ECON-3: Assess the economic strategies of different types of states and empires.

ECON-9: Explain and compare the ways in which economic philosophies influenced economic policies and behaviors.

ECON-11: Explain how the development of financial instruments and techniques facilitated economic exchanges.

ECON-13: Analyze how international and economic institutions, regional trade agreements, and corporations — both local and multinational — have interacted with state economic authority.

Targeted: Causation

Additional Skills: Analyzing Evidence Argumentation Contextualization Synthesis

4.1 I 4.1 II 4.1 IV 5.1 II

Scoring Guidelines

Maximum Possible Points: 7

Please note:

Å Each point of the rubric is earned independently, e.g., a student could earn the point for argument development without earning the point for thesis.

SAMPLE QUESTIONS 1

© 2016 College Board



SAMPLE QUESTIONS 2

▶ Unique evidence from the student response is required to earn each point, e.g., evidence in the student response that qualifies for the contextualization point could not be used to earn the point for synthesis or the point for sourcing the documents.

A. Thesis and Argument Development (2 points)

Targeted Skill: Argumentation (E1, E4, and C1)

1 point Presents a thesis that makes a historically defensible claim and responds to all parts of the question. The thesis must consist of one or more sentences located in one place, either in the introduction or the conclusion.

Scoring Note: Neither the introduction nor the conclusion is necessarily limited to a single paragraph.

1 point Develops and supports a cohesive argument that recognizes and accounts for historical complexity by explicitly illustrating relationships among historical evidence such as contradiction, corroboration, and/or qualification.

0 points Neither presents a thesis that makes a historically defensible claim and responds to all parts of the question nor develops and supports a cohesive argument that recognizes and accounts for historical complexity.

B. Document Analysis (2 points)

Targeted Skills: Analyzing Evidence: Content and Sourcing (A1 and A2) and Argumentation (E2)

1 point Utilizes the content of at least six of the documents to support the stated thesis or a relevant argument.

1 point Explains the significance of the author’s point of view, author’s purpose, historical context, and/or audience for at least four documents.

0 points Neither utilizes the content of at least six of the documents to support the stated thesis or a relevant argument nor explains the significance of the author’s point of view, author’s purpose, historical context, and/or audience for at least four documents.

C. Using Evidence Beyond The Documents (2 Points)

Targeted Skills: Contextualization (C3) and Argumentation (E3)

Contextualization

1 point Situates the argument by explaining the broader historical events, developments, or processes immediately relevant to the question.


Scoring Note: Contextualization requires using knowledge not found in the documents to situate the argument within broader historical events, developments, or processes immediately relevant to the question. The contextualization point is not awarded for merely a phrase or reference, but instead requires an explanation, typically consisting of multiple sentences or a full paragraph.

Evidence Beyond the Documents

1 point Provides an example or additional piece of specific evidence beyond those found in the documents to support or qualify the argument.

Scoring Notes:

Å This example must be different from the evidence used to earn other points on this rubric.

Å This point is not awarded for merely a phrase or reference. Responses need to reference an additional piece of specific evidence and explain how that evidence supports or qualifies the argument.

0 points Neither situates the argument by explaining the broader historical events, developments, or processes immediately relevant to the question nor provides an example or additional piece of specific evidence beyond those found in the documents to support or qualify the argument.

D. Synthesis (1 point)

Targeted Skill: Synthesis (C4, C5, or C6)

1 point Extends the argument by explaining the connections between the argument and ONE of the following.

a. A development in a different historical period, situation, era, or geographical area.

b. A course theme and/or approach to history that is not the focus of the essay (such as political, economic, social, cultural, or intellectual history).

c. A different discipline or field of inquiry (such as economics, government and politics, art history, or anthropology).

0 points Does not extend the argument by explaining the connections between the argument and the other areas listed.

Scoring Note: The synthesis point requires an explanation of the connections to a different historical period, situation, era, or geographical area, and is not awarded for merely a phrase or reference.

SAMPLE QUESTIONS 3



On Accuracy: The components of this rubric each require that students demonstrate historically defensible content knowledge. Given the timed nature of the exam, the essay may contain errors that do not detract from the overall quality, as long as the historical content used to advance the argument is accurate.

On Clarity: These essays should be considered first drafts and thus may contain grammatical errors. Those errors will not be counted against a student unless they obscure the successful demonstration of the content knowledge and skills described above.

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Scoring Notes

Note: Student samples are quoted verbatim and may contain grammatical errors.

A. Thesis and Argument Development (2 points)

a) Thesis

Responses earn one point by presenting a thesis that makes a historically defensible claim that responds to all parts of the question (1 point). While the thesis does not need to be a single sentence, it does need to be discrete, meaning it cannot be pieced together from across multiple places within the essay. It can be located in either the introduction or the conclusion, but not split between the two.

Examples of acceptable theses:

Å A basic thesis: “Between 1550 and 1800 CE, the patterns of global silver trade were a consequence of high demand, a large market (which caused horrifying working conditions for miners), a government desire for high income from taxes, and a desire for profit.”

Å A more sophisticated thesis may focus on the role of specific regions in contributing to the patterns of the global silver trade: “Between 1550 and 1800 silver was traded globally. Currency used to be based on rice or goods one could produce, but then silver took the place of that, especially in places such as China. The silver trade led to the new almost worldwide currency of silver coin. These European powers found the Potosi silver mine in Bolivia, South America. Now that silver came into Portugal, Spain and other European powers, China began to cooperate and trade. This brought riches to Europe and China, all because of the exploration and colonization of the Americas.”

Examples of unacceptable theses:

Å A general statement about global economies and vague factors not clearly contributing to global silver trade: “The discovery of the Americas in early modern sparked a new global economy from 1550 to 1800. High prices and travel contributed to the global silver trade making positive effects on places such as Europe.”

Å A statement that only addresses the location of silver mines and does not make a claim regarding larger patterns of trade: “The silver trade occurred after the Europeans finally pulled themselves out of the dark ages and discovered America. The Spanish empire established after the discovery of America now stretched throughout Latin American and the Spanish discovered they were loaded with silver. Japan also at the same time discovered a huge silver mine and thus the silver trade began. During 1550 to 1800 the silver trade was in full effect and impacted European and Asia greatly.”

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b) Argument Development

To earn this point, responses must move beyond a single sentence or a listing of facts in support of the thesis or argument; they must explain the relationship of historical evidence to a complex and cohesive thesis or argument and do so throughout the essay (1 point). Evidence can be related to the argument in ways such as contradiction (e.g., using evidence to address a possible counterargument to the main argument in the essay), corroboration (e.g., combining multiple pieces of evidence to support a single argument), or qualification (e.g., use of evidence to present an argument that is subsequently made more complex by noting exceptions).

Unacceptable argument development would include:

Å Responses that do not develop a cohesive essay

Å Responses that simply parrot the documents or list the documents in order

Å Responses that fail to organize documents in any meaningful way

Å Responses that do not reconnect the evidence of the essay back to a thesis or argument

Example of acceptable argument development:

Å The student utilizes all of the documents to deploy a complex and cohesive argument about the factors that contributed to patterns of the global silver trade between 1550 and 1800. The argument begins with the limited supply: “The only places producing large quantities of silver during this period were South America and Japan.” The response accurately references Documents 2 and 3 as evidence of the source of silver. The response claims that the profits from controlling limited sources of silver motivated their trade: “Since Spain ran the silver production in South America, they highly benefited from the wealth accompanying silver production” as evidenced in Document 6. The response also asserts the Spanish expanded their empire as a means of promoting the silver trade: “The Spanish had also conquered the Philippines, silver was brought there to trade with the rest of the world” as evidenced in discussion of Document 1. The essay continues to develop using further evidence from the documents to assert that the demand for silver came from China where they were able to change to a silver-based currency because of new availability: “The Chinese were constantly seeking silver because they now had to pay their taxes in silver…and for services” as illustrated in Document 5. This drove Chinese merchants to seek out silver as illustrated in Document 4 and to fully absorb silver into their economy as currency as illustrated in document 7. The response as a whole uses evidence throughout to corroborate the thesis.

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Example of unacceptable argument development:

Å A response that fails to develop an argument and instead merely restates the document without developing an argument: “In Doc. 7, an English scholar says that this trading can really bring them together.”

B. Document Analysis (2 points)

a) Document Content

Responses earn one point by utilizing the content of at least six of the documents to support the stated thesis or a relevant argument (1 point). Responses cannot earn a point by merely quoting or paraphrasing the documents with no connection to a thesis or argument. (See the document summaries section below for descriptions of document content.)

Examples of acceptable utilization of content from a document to support a thesis or relevant argument:

Å Utilization requires that the student deploy the document in support of an assertion or argument.

Å Document 1: “Silver changed many societies’ economies from the start with changes in pricing and operating. As the Spanish extracted more and more silver, Asia raised their prices because of the surplus amount of silver Spain had (Doc. 1).”

Å Document 2: “Along with the European discovery of the Americas came many resources which could be exploited and then traded on a global scale. In Potosi, Bolivia, the Spanish operated a large scale silver mine (Doc 2). This mine supplied a large proportion of the world’s silver from 1550-to 1800.”

Å Document 3: “The main reason for the growth of silver trade was its demand in China and the demand for Chinese goods in Japan and Europe. In doc. 3 it explains how China traded a lot of things to Japan for silver such as white silk, gold, perfume and porcelain. It also explains how the Portuguese sell silver to China for gold, perfume, silk and copper that they take to Japan.”

Å Document 4: “The Chinese demand for silver and Spanish control and taxation of goods in the port of Manila led to millions of pounds of silver being shipped in and tons of luxury goods flying out of China. Document 4 tells of how many ships, large ships, came and traded in Manilla from China; as well as how all oft those ships went back with silver to support the Chinese demand. The document also says there was a 3% tax, that was important because the Spanish government made a lot of income from the trade a major motivation for them to carry out the trade of silver globally.”

Å Document 5: “The demand for silver after it was introduced in the eastern hemisphere leads to the extensive silver trade. As Xu Dunqiu writes, people in the cities of China are required

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to pay for everything with silver when they used to be able to pay with rice or wheat or chickens (doc. 5). Because the people in China are required to pay with silver, there is a very high demand which stimulates the silver trade.”

Å Document 6: “The Spanish extraction and transportation of silver from the mines at Potosi fed the growing global demand for silver trade as seen in Doc. 6. Potosi has a lot of wealth taken out and counted 326 million silver coins extracted, not even counting the non-regulated ones. Potosi feeds an incredible amount of silver to the global trade and European merchants and the Spanish crown profits.”

Å Document 7: “The Chinese did everything they could to obtain silver… Charles D’Avenant writes that the Chinese not only trade for mainly gold and silver, but that silver is buried and never returns (Doc. 7). By this he means that the silver wasn’t used in trade again and therefore the flow of silver was completely determined by the Chinese.”

Examples of unacceptable utilization of content from a document to support a thesis or relevant argument:

Å Using a document in a way that shows a misreading or misunderstanding of the document’s content.

i An assertion that the document does not illustrate maritime technology, nor provide strong evidence of the role of maritime technology in the development of the global silver trade: “In Doc. 2, Potosi, a Bolivian silver mining town is depicted. This painting shows the natives labor for the extraction of silver but also shows how important maritime technology is. Without the maritime technology used by the Europeans silver extraction and the discovery of the Americas would not have been possible.”

i Assuming or interpreting information from a document that is not present: “Japan felt as if they were not getting their money’s worth through this silver trade. Many Asian commodities were given in exchange for silver (Doc. 3).”

Å Restating or paraphrasing without supporting a claim.

i The description never moves beyond a restating of the document text: “Antonio Vazquez, Spanish priest one wrote about the silver in Potosi 326 million silver coins have been taken out. (Doc. 6) This shows that the Spanish have extracted so much silver.”

b) Significance of Point of View, Purpose, Context, and/or Audience

Responses earn one point by explaining the significance of the author’s point of view, author’s purpose, historical context, and/or audience for at least four documents (1 point). (See the document summaries section below for description of point

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of view, purpose, historical context, and audience for each document.)

Example of acceptable explanation of the significance of the author’s point of view:

Å “An English scholar said that Europe sent gold and silver to Asia but got nothing of use in return (Doc. 7). But because the author was writing this for a debate on a bill in parliament to restrict Indian textiles, it’s possible that he could have been embellishing the situation to make Asian trade seem useless to persuade them to restrict trade.”

Å “These silver mines greatly contributed to the wealth of the Spanish empire and they extracted about 326 million silver coins out of Potosi (Doc. 6). But because he is a Spanish priest, and he mentions the foolery of stolen silver sent to Spain, China and Manila, it is possible that he despises this work of mining because it is terrible for the workers who work long hours for minimal pay.”

Example of unacceptable explanation of the significance of the author’s point of view:

Å Doc. 5: “This is reliable since the writer is Asian, so he would have a first hand experience.”

Å Doc. 2: “Since this painting was painted by an anonymous painter it is possible that the scale of the mine is exaggerated to show how much silver they produced.”

Example of acceptable explanation of the significance of the author’s purpose:

Å Doc. 3: “This is a British merchant describing his travels, but is talking about the Portuguese trade patterns. His reason for writing this is perhaps so a British trader or merchant will also take up such arrangements and improve their country’s wealth as well. It could be seen as collective learning as they all look at each others’ patterns and trade habits.”

Å Doc. 4: “This document is useful in its exemplification of how much China yearned for silver. The author of this document is fairly reliable since it is from a lawyer and bureaucrat for the Spanish Crown in the Philippines who would most definitely know about exports and imports concerning their hottest commodity, silver. It is possible that this document was written to reaffirm the monarchy of the Spanish grip on the silver trade.”

Example of unacceptable explanation of the significance of the author’s purpose:

Å Doc. 2: “This document could be wrong because it is a painting and could have just been drawn for fun.”

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Examples of acceptable explanation of the significance of the historical context of a document:

Å “Silver trade was increased due to the increased production of silver, especially in South America after the Spanish conquered parts of South America. A lot of silver was mined in Potosi, Bolivia (Doc. 2). This means much more silver was available for trade. The reason Spain could mine so much silver was because of the cheap labor the remaining natives provided. Spain was able to adopt the traditional labor system in the region, the mit’a system, in order to get natives to mine for them providing cheap and abundant labor.”

Examples of unacceptable explanation of the significance of the historical context of a document:

Å Historical context of slavery and gender imbalance not clearly linked to this particular document, an image of Potosi in 1585: Doc. 2: “In the early modern time slaves increased vastly due to the need of workers in silver plantations. Mainly males would be exported, creating a gender imbalance in Africa.”

Examples of acceptable explanation of the significance of the audience:

Å “Silver was Potosi, Bolivia’s main contribution to the world economy as many countries relied on them for their production. However, because the illustration (Doc. 2) is a painting, it is possible the Spanish artist exaggerated Potosi’s silver mines in order to attract more investment or more people to trade with the Spanish.”

Å “In Doc. 4 the junks are the way that Manila is able to profit so heavily form the Chinese goods. It seems like a good reliable account since the author oversees the coming of the ships with goods, however, since this is an account of the Philippines it may be biased due to making the islands look better than they really are since the author’s boss might read the account.”

Examples of unacceptable explanation of the significance of the audience:

Å Misstating the position or significance of the document based on the audience. Doc. 7: “Because Antonio Vazquez de Espinosa wrote to a Spanish audience, he wanted to convince his readers of how positive the silver trade was and that there was even more money to be made if they collected more taxes.”

Using Evidence Beyond the Documents (2 points)

a) Contextualization

Responses earn a point for contextualization by explaining the broader historical events, developments, or processes immediately relevant to the question (1 point). To earn the point, the essay must situate the thesis, argument, or parts of the argument by accurately and explicitly connecting the

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contributing factors to the global silver trade between 1550 and 1800 to larger global historical processes. Examples might include:

Å Transoceanic travel, maritime and military technological innovations

Å Rise of the Indian Ocean Trade, global trade networks

Å Discovery of the Americas by Europeans, Columbian exchange, European maritime empires

Å Mercantilism, joint-stock companies, and other new government and economic interventions

Examples of acceptable contextualization:

Å “During the Early Modern and the Modern times trade was rampant throughout the Globe. The European desire to be a part of the Indian Ocean Trade world was the reason that they stumbled across the Americans in the Early Modern period. Once there, the introduction to new goods sparked the Columbian Exchange, where European countries colonized the Americas, cultivated goods, which were then sent back to Afro-Eurasian societies. The Imperial drive of the Europeans caused them to march all over the Americas looking for places to conquer, this cause them to find the Incas and also silver. Between 1550 and 1800 the Americas were controlled by Europeans, which led to the uncompromising stronghold the Europeans possessed on the silver trade.”

Å “Globally, the beginning of the integration of the Eastern and Western hemispheres of the world following the “discovery” of the Americas around 1450CE and the colonization of those areas by European powers led to a huge increase in trade, especially over the Atlantic Ocean. The further development and refining of maritime technologies from the previous period led to smoother travels, encouraging trade. During this period, the trans-Atlantic slave trade and the Columbian exchange were also vibrant.”

Examples of unacceptable contextualization:

Å Incorrect historical contextualization: “The discovery of the Americas by the Europeans and their arrival to the Indian Ocean because of the industrial revolution technology they were able to integrate to the world trade.”

b) Evidence Beyond the Documents

Responses earn a separate point for providing an example or additional piece of specific evidence beyond those found in the documents to support or qualify the argument (1 point).

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Example of providing an example or additional piece of specific evidence beyond those found in the documents to support or qualify the argument:

Å Provides an additional piece of evidence about the cause of the supply of silver beyond the documents. “Silver trade was increased due to the increased production of silver, especially in South America after the Spanish conquered parts of South America. A lot of silver was mined in Potosi, Bolivia (Doc. 2). This means much more silver was available for trade. The reason Spain could mine so much silver was because of the cheap labor the remaining natives provided. Spain was able to adopt the traditional labor system in the region, the mit’a system, in order to get natives to mine for them providing cheap and abundant labor.”

Å Provides an additional piece of evidence about Chinese currency leading to the demand for silver beyond the documents. “Silver demand skyrocketed when the paper money system collapsed in Ming China. The government had to collect taxes, but paper money was worthless, so they demanded silver from global trade.”

Example of improperly providing an example or additional piece of specific evidence beyond those found in the documents to support or qualify the argument:

Å Use of an ahistorical piece of evidence inappropriate for the period such as “industrial technology” when referring to silver mining in the 16th century: “The discovery of the Americas and having industrial technology the Europeans were able to extract silver from one of the largest trading posts, Potosi, located in Peru.”

Å Inaccurate representation of triangle trade or trans-Atlantic trade with slaves and silver being exchanged: “The Americas, once discovered and colonized by Europeans, became an economic resource hotspot. Natives were forced to work in mines and plantations but once the native population began to deplete, Europeans imported slaves from Africa. This established an exchange between Europe and the Americas, as Europeans would take the silver and leave behind more slave laborers.”

C. Synthesis (1 point)

Responses earn a point for synthesis by extending their argument in one of three possible ways (1 point).

a) Responses can extend their argument by appropriately and explicitly connecting the contributing factors to the patterns of the global silver trade between 1550 and 1800 to other historical periods, situations, eras or geographical areas. (Synthesis proficiency C4). These connections must consist of more than just a phrase or reference.

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Example of acceptable synthesis by appropriately connecting the argument to a development in a different historical period, situation, era, or geographic area:

Å “The diffusion from the discovery of silver can correlate with the emergence and establishment of the transregional exchange network across Eurasia, the Silk Roads. The making of silk in China and its value in Roman and other empires provided a unique form of trade as it was like “silver” in itself. The trade rapidly diffused and many empires in the 2nd wave civilizations desired the silk as a luxury good. The silk on the Silk Road was a much more small-scale diffusion of where silver was diffused, but it can be related because of its immediate value and the desire to have it.”

Example that did not accurately connect the argument to a development in a different historical period, situation, era, or geographic area:

Å This example might have worked had the student used direct linking language showing how supply and demand for oil is related to supply and demand for oil in the contemporary world: “This can relate to the present economic topic of supply and demand of oil in the Middle East. The West needs oil (demand) and OPEC have it (supply).”

Å An attempt that might have worked had the student extended the argument explicitly to show how global sugar trade relates to silver trade. Instead the attempt is too vague to be successful: “This silver trade can be compared to the sugar trade because both include large demands by places, and both are used as wealth.”

b) Responses can extend their argument by appropriately and explicitly connecting the contributing factors to the patterns of the global silver trade between 1550 and 1800 to course themes and/or approaches to history that are not the main focus of the question (Synthesis proficiency C5). These connections must consist of more than just a phrase or reference. Responses for this question could earn a point for this type of synthesis for using a theme or approach that is not economic history, for example, social history.

Example of acceptable synthesis by connecting the argument to different course themes and/or approaches to history that are not the main focus of the question:

Å A student might connect their essay to the diffusion of culture that occurred during the same period or the environmental degradation that occurred as a result of the mining both in Potosi and Japan: “The global trade in silver reflected a growing global economy that exploited the environment, especially natural resources in order to feed global demand. Whether it was unsustainable predatory hunting for pelts in North America, mercury poisoning due to metal mining and refining

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in South America, or deforestation encouraged by the booming lumber, shipping or simple demographic changes in Asia, as global interactions increased, so to did humans’ impact on our environment.”

Å A student can achieve synthesis by connecting key causes of the patterns of global silver trade to another course theme such as State Building, Expansion and Conflict: “The silver trade eventually collapsed. This left a vacuum, with no state on top, there was a race for the next big resource. Expansion of and exploitation of colonies for raw materials would be harder for nations. So in the early 1900s colonial powers turned to the last place yet to be truly colonized and the Scramble for Africa began. While African nations were eventually independent, many are still brutally controlled by Neo-colonialism, with other countries exploiting their resources and people for the next big product, just as some South American resources and people were exploited for silver.”

Example that did not appropriately connect the argument to course themes and/or approaches to history that are not the main focus of the question:

Å The essay attempts synthesis by referencing social hierarchy, but it does not clearly link to the argument regarding causes of patterns in global silver trade networks: “This subject can be tied with the theme of social hierarchy because the amount of silver you had or traded depended on how high of a social status you would be, which would later end up turning into social revolutions and revolts from the lower classes, demanding justice and equality.”

c) Responses can extend their argument by using insights from a different discipline or field of inquiry to explain the contributing factors to the patterns of the global silver trade between 1550 and 1800 (Synthesis proficiency C6). These connections must consist of more than just a phrase or reference.

Examples of acceptable synthesis by using insights from a different discipline or field of inquiry to extend the argument:

Å An essay might extend the argument by using insights from cultural history or labor history: “The extraction of silver at Potosi and other Early Modern mines highlights issues of social and racial inequalities in the extraction of natural resources that fed the global trade in silver. As silver mines were filled with underpaid workers, who were almost exclusively of indigenous or African origins, the Europeans were able to implement a system of labor based on race and ethnicity. Today, while perhaps a more diverse pool of persons mine for silver, miners are often poorly paid for dangerous work and they themselves do not benefit from the luxury trade they help to produce. This highlights an on-going theme of social inequality and exploitation of labor in global trade.”

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Examples that did not appropriately use insights from a different discipline or field of inquiry to extend the argument:

Å A student might use insights from post-colonial theory or sociology to evaluate the role of perceptions of race or “the other” in this trade, but they must clearly connect the statement to the patterns in global silver. This response does not provide enough analysis to make the connection between exploitation within the silver trade and exploitation in the opium trade due to perceptions of race: “This period of time can be compared to the modern era when the British due to race had no problem exploiting the Indians and Chinese with opium.”

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Document Summaries

The following pages present the DBQ documents along with the key aspects of each that students might offer in support of their arguments. Also provided are some of the major subjects, concepts, themes, or processes mentioned in the course that students might use to contextualize their arguments.

Document 1

Source: Tomás de Mercado, Spanish scholar, Manual of Deals and Contracts, Seville, 1571.

Summary of key points explaining content of source or argument made by the author:

Å Description of trade between China and Spanish Philippines.

Å The demand for Asian/Chinese commodities led to high prices paid to China in silver.

Å The price revolution or high inflation in Europe is directly connected to Chinese demand for silver currency.

Å The author notes through the image of ballast enough to pave the streets that the weight of goods coming to Spain weigh less than the silver returning to China.

Examples of author’s point of view:

Å The author is a learned Spaniard writing a book about Spanish trade. He is concerned with the economic condition of Spain in light of inflation or what is known as the price revolution. He also is concerned that silver is flowing out of Spanish coffers to the Chinese with little of value flowing back to Spanish traders.

Example of author’s purpose:

Å The author is a scholar writing a manual for Spanish merchants on how to do business legally.

Å It can be inferred from the tone of the document that the author hoped to draw attention to the imbalance in trade between Spain and China.

Examples of historical context:

Å The galleon trade between the Philippines and Acapulco, Mexico began in 1565, the author was making his observations within the first decade of that trade.

Å The Spanish price revolution of the 16th century was caused in part by the influx of new silver and gold from the Americas. That influx resulted in inflation in Spain likely observed by the author of the document.

Å Present day Manila was founded in 1571 by Spanish Conquistadors and immediately became the center of Spanish trade with China and East Asia.

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Examples of audience:

Å The audience is Spanish merchants or businessmen who wished to do business in the Spanish empire.

Document 2

Source: Anonymous Spanish painting depicting silver extraction and processing in Potosi, Bolivia, 1585.


Å A Spanish painting depicting the Cerro Garda de Potosí location of the most important silver mines and processing facilities in the Spanish empire. While this is an anonymous piece, the artist demonstrates the complex and multifaceted aspects of silver mining and processing including the labor of Indians and Spanish, the importance of the environment including the mountains with silver deposits, and the use of llama and mule trains in transporting people and supplies/products.


Å The point of view is that of a Spanish artist interested in the imperial and economic significance of the silver processing facilities at Potosí and their significance to the Spanish empire.


Å The purpose of the work is to demonstrate the significance of the site as a center of wealth and industry and to illustrate for Spanish audiences the most important source of Spanish silver in their empire.

Å The purpose might be for propagandistic reasons demonstrating the wealth and industry of the Spanish empire.


Å The mines at Cerro Rico, Potosí, were established in 1545 and by the time of this painting they were the most important source of silver in the world, producing roughly 60% of the world’s silver mined between 1545 and 1600.

Å The mines at the time of this painting were supplied mainly with Native American labor, much of which was forced labor conscripted through the mita system. Because of the harsh and deadly conditions of the mines, requests for African slaves to serve in the mines were made to the Spanish crown starting in the early 17th century.


Å A small elite group of government officials, scholars and merchants who would have access to such a work for purposes of studying the Spanish empire, expanding the economic interests of the Spanish crown, or perhaps promoting the

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Spanish empire as powerful, wealthy and advanced among its European competitors.

Document 3

Source: Ralph Fitch, British merchant, an account of his travels to the East Indies, published in 1599.


Å A merchant observing Portuguese trade between Macao , Japan and Portugal. He lists commodities and bouillon traded between each region and sees the Portuguese as benefitting from their role in this East Asian trade. He is likely concerned about Britain’s role in global trade and interested in having British merchants gain access to trade with East Asia.


Å As an early English merchant in Asia, he is observing a trade dominated by Portugal, he likely is interested in having British access to these markets.


Å Fitch’s report was a very early English account of trade in Asia. He would have been reporting back to fellow merchants and government officials who would have wanted to expand English trade in China and Japan.


Å Fitch publishes his account in 1599, one year later the British East India Company is chartered demonstrating the significance of accounts like his in creating interest in trade in Asia.

Å The Chinese export trade (export of silk, jade, tea, porcelain) was restricted to Macao and Canton, Macao was controlled by the Portuguese during this period, they first arrived in Canton in 1517 and established Macao in 1535. The Portuguese were rewarded for assisting the Chinese in suppressing Japanese piracy.

Å Japan was one of the largest silver producing countries in the world during the 16th century.


Å English merchants, government officials interested in Portuguese East Asian trade.

Å Any Europeans interested in travel literature and understanding the origins of the increased European access to Asian luxury goods.

Document 4

Source: Antonio de Morga, lawyer and bureaucrat for the Spanish Crown in the Philippines, Account of the Philippine Islands, c. 1600.

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Å Spanish official in the Philippines describes the process of inspection and tariff led by royal officials, perhaps Chinese, of Chinese junks at the Manila harbor.


Å As a government official overseeing Spanish Crown interests in the region, his perspective was to see the importance of the growing Chinese trade in the region.


Å As a government official overseeing Spanish Crown interests in the region, his perspective was to see the importance of the growing Chinese trade and also to present an orderly account of inspection and tariff implementation to officials in Spain.


Å The galleon trade between the Philippines and Acapulco, Mexico began in 1565. Morga served as a government official overseeing this trade in Manila where Chinese commodities were exchanged for American silver.

Å Growing tariff and tax policies during the mercantilist period included European taxation of colonial goods.


Å The Spanish crown, merchants who he wanted to provide a heroic account of Spanish colonial interests in the Philippines.

Document 5

Source: Xu Dunqiu Ming, writer, in his essay in The Changing Times, about the commercial city of Hangzhou, 1610.


Å Xu Dunqiu writes about the changes from a barter economy to a silver-based market economy in Hangzhou.

Å His title “The Changing Times” illustrates that his text is intended to map the major changes he has seen in his community as a result of the changing economy.


Å One can infer from the tone and the title “The Changing Times” that Xu Dunqiu sees the new silver-based market economy as more restrictive and cumbersome than the previous barter economy.


Å The author offers a mild protest against the changes that have occurred in Hangzhou’s economy due to the introduction

SAMPLE QUESTIONS 19



of silver-based currency through an illustration of what has changed in the cloth dying industry.


Å The Ming government had begun to pay all salaries and accept all tax payments in silver.


Å Other Chinese scholars and readers interested in an account and analysis of why and how things had changed in China during their lifetime.

Document 6

Source: Antonio Vazquez de Espinosa, a Spanish priest, Compendium and Description of the West Indies, 1620s.


Å Antonio Vazquez de Espinosa comments on the “huge” wealth that has been removed from Potosí, some of it clandestinely without proper 20 percent taxation and into the galleon trade.


Å As a Spanish priest observing wealth produced by mining silver at Potosí, Vazquez de Espinosa seems both impressed by the wealth that has been generated, but also suspicious of other merchants. The focus on the illicit removal of silver from Bolivia by merchants returning to Spain or carrying out the galleon trade might be an example of his suspicion of the capitalist or economic gains of colonization over his own interests in the moral, Church focused motivations for colonization of the Americas.


Å The author seems to want to focus on impact of the silver trade. In particular, he notes the tremendous monetary value the mines have had, but also raise questions as to whether persons have personally profited at the expense of the Spanish government by avoiding taxes.


Å The mines at Potosí are the largest in the world at the time and are fueling the global silver economy, but it is unclear if this flow of silver is having a positive impact on the Spanish economy. Potosí quickly became one of the world’s largest cities and the reference to illicit activity might reflect the larger question of how well Spain was able to manage its colonies.


Å Other members of the Catholic Church, merchants interested in the West Indies and Americas, or the Spanish Crown and government officials.

SAMPLE QUESTIONS 20



Document 7

Source: Charles D’Avenant, an English political economist, An Essay on the East-India Trade regarding the debate on a bill in Parliament to restrict Indian textiles, 1697.


Å D’Avenant describes the trade in luxury goods for silver bullion between Europe and Asia from a mercantilist perspective. He places England’s role in global trade in the context of competition from other European countries. He describes the demand for luxury goods in Europe and silver in China.


Å While D’Avenant seems critical of the lack of “usefulness” of the trade items, it can be inferred that the author, an economist, believes that the silver-luxury market is not “useful”, but is the result of consumer demand. He also seems to be concerned about the Dutch who have monopolized the spice trade.


Å The author is writing an essay as part of a Parliamentary debate regarding restricting Indian textiles. He highlights that while English manufactures might not like the competition, the demand for these goods and also the demand for silver in Asia are economic forces that must be addressed and will be addressed by other European countries like the Dutch if England doesn’t conduct the trade.


Å Economic theorists of the 17th century develop mercantilist understandings of global trade. Mercantilism and joint-stock companies were new government interventions used by Europeans to control economies competing in global trade.

Å The British and Dutch East India Companies were rivals for access to Asian markets.


Å The audience would have been those involved in these economic and political debates of the late 17th century, specifically those who were protectionist or open to the argument.

SAMPLE QUESTIONS 21
