AP World UNIT 3 REVIEW [Everything You NEED to Know!]

Focus on land-based empires, their expansion, administration, and belief systems.
Definition of land-based empire: An empire whose power derives from territorial holdings.

Founded in the 14th century, expanded rapidly due to the adoption of gunpowder weapons.
- Controlled much of Southwestern Europe and Anatolia.
- Major event: Conquest of Constantinople in 1453, leading to the expansion into Eastern Europe.
Utilized enslaved Christians from the Balkans, converting them into elite soldiers known as Janissaries, enhancing military strength.

Established in the early 16th century, rapidly expanded under Shah Ismail.
- Utilized gunpowder weapons and established a military of enslaved Christian soldiers from the Caucasus.
Major distinction: The Ottomans were Sunni Muslims, while the Safavids were Shia Muslims, leading to significant conflicts.

Emerged in the first half of the 16th century after the defeat of the Delhi Sultanate by Babur.
- Expanded further under Akbar, who promoted tolerance among Hindus and Muslims, resulting in a prosperous empire despite religious tensions.

Established after the fall of the Ming Dynasty in the mid-17th century, with a focus on military expansion using gunpowder weapons.
Distinction: Established by the Manchu, an outsider group, ruling ethnically Han Chinese.

All empires were land-based and experienced rapid expansion using gunpowder.
Ethnic differences between rulers and subjects (Qing and Mughal) vs. religious distinctions (Safavid vs. Ottoman) shaped their dynamics.

Series of territorial wars over Afghanistan, with deep-seated religious tensions between Sunni and Shia Muslims contributing to the conflict.

Bureaucracy: Formation of large bureaucratic systems to enforce laws, exemplified by the Ottomans' devshirme system for training administrators.
Military Professionals: Development of trained military forces, such as the Janissaries.
Art and Architecture: Use of art and monumental structures to symbolize power (e.g., Emperor Kangxi's PR campaign in Qing, and the Inca Sun Temple).
Tax Collection Systems: Innovations such as the Mughal zamindar system, Ottoman tax farming, and Aztec tribute lists to generate revenue and maintain control.

Catholic Church's power challenged by corruption, leading to Martin Luther's 95 Theses and the Protestant Reformation.
- Resulted in a split in Christianity with the emergence of Protestantism, while the Catholic Church initiated its own reforms at the Council of Trent.

Intensification of the Sunni-Shia split, especially under Shah Ismail of the Safavid Empire, with brutal enforcement of Shia Islam.

Emerging syncretic faith combining Hindu and Islamic beliefs in South Asia.
- Retained ideas of one God and reincarnation, while discarding gender hierarchies and caste systems.

The period 1450-1750 was marked by significant changes and continuities in political power structures and belief systems across major land-based empires.