AP World History Unit 3: Land-Based Empires

C. 1450 - 1750 AP Exam Weighting: 12-15%

Manchu Empire (1450-1750, Central and East Asia)

A land-based empire that expanded into Central and East Asia, utilizing gunpowder and centralized administration.

Mughal Empire (1450-1750, South and Central Asia)

A major land-based empire in South and Central Asia that relied on military expansion and bureaucratic systems like the zamindar tax collection.

Ottoman Empire (1450-1750, Southern Europe, Middle East, and North Africa)

A vast land-based empire that controlled regions across three continents, known for the devshirme recruitment system and tax farming.

Safavid Empire (1450-1750, Middle East)

A Middle Eastern land-based empire whose rivalry with the Ottomans intensified the Sunni-Shi'a split in Islam.

Gunpowder Empires (1450-1750, Global)

Empires that relied on the increased use of gunpowder, cannons, and armed trade to establish and maintain large territorial holdings.

Devshirme (1450-1750, Ottoman Empire)

A recruitment system used by the Ottoman Empire to create bureaucratic elites and military professionals from Christian populations.

Salaried Samurai (1450-1750, Japan)

Military professionals employed by the state to help rulers maintain centralized control over populations and resources.

Divine Right (1450-1750, Europe)

A religious idea used by European rulers to legitimize their authority by claiming their power came directly from God.

Zamindar Tax Collection (1450-1750, Mughal Empire)

A system used by the Mughal Empire to generate revenue by collecting taxes from the peasantry through local officials.

Tax Farming (1450-1750, Ottoman Empire)

An administrative method used by the Ottoman government to collect taxes by auctioning the right to collect taxes to private individuals.

Qing Imperial Portraits (1450-1750, East Asia)

Artistic works used by the Qing dynasty to legitimize the ruler's power and display imperial authority.

Sun Temple of Cuzco (1450-1750, Incan Empire)

Monumental architecture used by the Incan state to demonstrate power and religious legitimacy.

Versailles (1450-1750, Europe)

A monumental palace in France used by European monarchs to display wealth and centralize political power.

Protestant Reformation (1450-1750, Europe)

A movement that marked a break with existing Christian traditions, leading to the growth of both Protestant and Catholic branches of Christianity.

Sunni-Shi'a Split (1450-1750, Middle East)

A religious division intensified by the political and military rivalries between the Ottoman and Safavid empires.

Sikhism (1450-1750, South Asia)

A belief system that developed in South Asia as a result of the cultural interactions between Hinduism and Islam.

Safavid-Mughal Conflict (1450-1750, Central and South Asia)

A state rivalry driven by political and territorial disputes between the Safavid and Mughal empires.

Songhai-Morocco Conflict (1450-1750, West Africa)

A state rivalry involving the Songhai Empire and Morocco, illustrating the political tensions of the era.

Mexica Tribute Lists (1450-1750, Mesoamerica)

A system of revenue generation where the Mexica state collected goods and resources from conquered territories.

Ming Tax Reform (1450-1750, East Asia)

The practice of collecting taxes in hard currency, used by the Ming dynasty to stabilize state finances.

Songhai Promotion of Islam (1450-1750, West Africa)

A method used by the Songhai Empire to legitimize their rule through the promotion of a major religion.