lecture 13 - worlds of 15th century

give some context about north America and australia

• many maintain hunter-gatherer lifestyles

  • Abundance of food and relative isolation = no reason to practice agriculture

• After the 15th century, most of these people are conquered by the new empires

  • Europeans + Asian Powers begin to colonize the world and change the landscape

similarities between the Igbo and the iroquois

• Both of these civilizations did not incorporate large areas or create kingdoms

  • “The Igbo have no kings”

  • Iroquois developed in tribes that joined together into the “Five Great Nations”

explain Igbo trade

• traded extensively with outside nations, yet still chose to stay in their stateless society.

• ends bc of Trans-Atlantic Slavery

describe social structure of Igbo and iroquois

• Social structures develop different from the civilizations that develop kingdoms

  • Iroquois society is much more matricharical than other societies - women decide rulers

who are the timurids

• Turkish tribes led by Timur, or Tamerlane try to revive the Mongol Empire (1350-1405)

  • Tried to emulate Chinggis Khan

  • Conquered Persia, the Middle East, and some of India

how did the timurids fall

• When Timur dies, the Empire falls apart quickly, but many of his successors try to emulate Timur.

  • The area was heavily influenced by both Turkish culture and Persian influences

  • One of the last major conquests by Pastoral Peoples

describe the yuan dynasty

• Kublai Khan established the Yuan Dynasty

  • Incorporates themselves into Chinese Customs

  • Mongols lead the armies

  • Chinese Bureaucrats run the government

impact of mongol trade

• black death, decimates Chinese populations. (12 million by modern estimates)

  • Heavy Mongol influence in the upper echelons of Chinese society

describe the ming dynasty

Dynasty after Yuan, return to Orthodox ways

Emperor Yongle

Return to Chinese Values

• Civil Service Exam

• Government Eunuchs - bureaucrats who were exclusively loyal to Emperor

• Rebuilding China after Mongol neglect

what did emperor yongle do

• Encyclopedia - Trying to compile all knowledge - specific focus on Confucian values

• Built Beijing - Forbidden City

describe Zheng He’s travels

• Emperor Yongle built a massive fleet

• Attempted to make new Tributary states all throughout South Asia

  • Zheng He was a Muslim Eunuch

  • Many kingdoms did send back tributary missions - no long lasting tributaries though

how did the black death impact europe

• kills half of the population of Europe

  • Lack of population = less total resources

  • Governments improve taxation

  • Monarchies secure and expand power

describe relations between rising monarchies in europe

kills half of the population of Europe

• Lack of population = less total resources

• Governments improve taxation

• Monarchies secure and expand power

describe trade in Europe after the formation of monarchies

• Trade begins in earnest again, partially due to Mongol influences

  • Trade through the Middle East slows as the Ottomans take hold

describe the Renaissance of europe

• Major trading cities such as Florence and Venice are spending money on culture

• Study of the ancient Greco-Roman arts and literature expand

  • These had been disapproved of by the Catholic Church

• Renaissance writers don’t look from Christian view

describe the significance of Machiavelli’s The Prince

• argued for brutal methods for maintaining power

  • Amoral and without regard for church

why did European powers like portugal start sending state sponsored voyages around Coast of West africa

• Merchant activity

  • Ottomans begin cutting off European merchants to Silk Road Trade

• Tax collection

• Monarch Prestige

• Conversion of others to Christianity

describe the nature of European expeditions

• Lots of profit to be gained

• No centralized authority to cancel

• Chinese voyages weren’t as profitable, China already had large trade networks.

• Inter-state rivalry - Portugal vs Spain vs England vs France

describe ottoman establishment of empire

Cross into Europe around 1350 - surrounding Byzantines

• Control end points of the Silk Road

• Establishes themselves as the leaders of the Muslim world

  • The Sultan takes on the title of Caliph as well

  • Rules many Arabian people

how did ottomans deal w christians

• Janissary - Christian slave soldiers - First Standing Army!

• Conquer Constantinople - begin invading much of Southern Europe. 

Religious freedom to the Christians, Jizya exists still

describe the safavids

• after timurids, Founded by Sufi orders.

• Embraced Shia Islam

  • Creates conflict between Ottomans and Safavids

  • Embraces Turkish Language and continues a distinctive Persian/Iranian culture

describe the Songhai empire

• heavy Muslim ruling class

• Regular people did not convert to real Islam.

• City of Timbuktu was a center for Muslim learning, had lots of trading connections

• Conquered many nations

• Tons of money from Gold

describe the mughals

• Muslim Turkish people invade Northern India

  • Mughal = Persian term for Mongols

  • Unify most of India under one state, creates incredible wealth and splendor

• remains mostly Hindu, but Muslim leaders attempt to blend together Muslim and Hindu beliefs to form a cohesive Government

• Maintains power until French/British expansion in India (1700’s)

what r the 3 gunpowder empires dominating from 1300-1700

safavids

mughals

ottomans

describe the strait of malacca

Most of the Indian Ocean Trading network is fully Muslim by 1500

Malacca - a major port city that grew rapidly. Blends Hindu+Buddhist+Islamic traditions

who are the aztecs

semi-nomadic warriors at capital - Tenochtitlan

• Extremely proficient at fighting - conquered most of Mesoamerica.

  • Treated conquered people with contempt - sm rebellions

describe tenochtitlan

• popular, splendor impresses europe

• Huge amount of trade occurring

  • Pochteca- Private Aztec Merchants

why did the Aztecs conquest

The Aztec Empire was at constant conflict with its neighbors.

• Wanted to acquire tribute from neighbors

• Also wanted to collect human sacrifices

describe the Inca empire

• along the entire length of the Andean Mountains

  • Emperor - Absolute + Divine Ruler

  • Governors exist for 80+ provinces

  • Extensive and very detailed bureaucracy

describe bureaucracy of the inca

• Maintained extensive records on quipus

• Resettlement Program - Separated conquered people, Rewarded loyal local rulers

• worked with and reformed institutions already in place of conquered peoples

• Mandated work on State-Run farms or other government entities

describe trading networks during this era

• Most populated parts of the world are connected.

  • expanding routes and activity

  • new technologies spread.

• The rise of the Ottoman Empire

  • Ottomans begin raising prices of trade between Silk Road and Europe

  • Europeans begin seeking new ways to connect to Asia