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The first part of the reading assignment was Chapter 7. The main idea here is trade’s effect on the Atlantic world, arguing that economic gain was what enabled the Europeans to dominate the Atlantic world. Along Atlantic coastlines, cities and dense urban populations built up. This was influenced by commerce, discovery of prized goods like gold, and resulted in intercultural mingling, helping to shape relations between Atlantic nations. One notable interaction is between the Europeans and African nations, by which many Africans transitioned their reliance on trade and transportation across the desert to the sea. Such examples reinforce the argument with which I would agree.
The other half of the reading was chapter 8. The main idea for this chapter is the cultural interactions within the Atlantic world, arguing culture and race created new cultures, new racial identities, and hierarchies, which I would agree with. The chapter points out how many coastal ports and cities developed mixed races, cultural practices, which ultimately challenged the cultural standards and racial identifications at the time. A few examples would be the blending of religions, languages, and world views. These interactions drove relations in the Atlantic, but they were not always friendly, with one side resisting or opposing the other. Sometimes cultural and racial blending resulted in good trade relations, other times acquisition of slaves, and other times direct conflict. Cultural and racial factors were certainly influences in Atlantic history, but I would not put it at the top. Between the two ideas , I would give trade preeminence.
Classmate Marrissa Cervantes points out the relation of this reading with the Saltwater Frontier. This is demonstrated in these chapters with the trade relations between Europeans and the Americans, coupled with the idea that native populations were equal if not more advanced than Europeans in several ways. One new example from this chapter is the use of muskets, which are often mistakenly viewed as desired by natives, but did not meet their needs, and were often faulty.