HIS 102 midterm prep

CHAPTER 14 OVERVIEW QUESTIONS

1. How and why did Europe's economic growth begin to surpass that of the Islamic world in the century after the Black Death? - After the Black Death, Europe’s economic growth surpassed the Islamic world due to population recovery, increased agricultural productivity, and the rise of banking and trade, while the Islamic world faced political fragmentation and economic stagnation.

2. Did the economic revival across Eurasia after 1350 benefit the peasant populations of Europe, the Islamic world, and East Asia? - The economic revival benefited European peasants somewhat due to labor shortages increasing wages, but peasants in the Islamic world and East Asia largely remained under oppressive feudal or imperial systems.

3. How did the process of conversion to Islam differ in Iran, the Ottoman Empire, West Africa, and Southeast Asia during this period? - Conversion to Islam varied: Iran saw forced conversions under the Safavids, the Ottoman Empire was more tolerant, West Africa blended Islam with local traditions, and Southeast Asia adopted Islam through trade and Sufi influence.

4. What political and economic changes contributed to the rise of maritime commerce in Asia during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries? - The rise of maritime commerce in Asia was driven by stable empires, increased demand for luxury goods, advancements in shipbuilding, and the decline of overland trade routes due to Mongol collapse.

Ch. 14 MAKING CONNECTIONS

1. What social, economic, and technological changes strengthened the power of European monarchs during the century after the Black Death? - The power of European monarchs grew due to centralized taxation, standing armies, and new technologies like gunpowder, which reduced the influence of feudal lords.

2. How and why did the major routes and commodities of trans-Eurasian trade change after the collapse of the Mongol Empires in Central Asia? - The collapse of Mongol rule led to a shift in trade routes toward maritime networks, increasing the prominence of Indian Ocean and European traders.

3. In what ways did the motives for conversion to Islam differ in Central Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and the Indian Ocean during this era? - Motives for conversion to Islam varied: in Central Asia, it was linked to political control; in sub-Saharan Africa, it facilitated trade; and in the Indian Ocean, it was spread by merchants and Sufi missionaries.

4. In this period, why did the power and status of the samurai warriors in Japan rise while those of the warrior nobility in Europe declined? - The samurai rose in power due to Japan’s feudal wars and centralization under the shogunate, whereas European nobles lost influence as gunpowder weapons empowered centralized monarchies.

CHAPTER 15 OVERVIEW QUESTIONS

1. In what ways was cultural diversity in the Americas related to environmental diversity? - Cultural diversity in the Americas was shaped by environmental factors such as climate, geography, and available resources, leading to varied ways of life from nomadic tribes to complex civilizations.

2. Why was it in Mesoamerica and the Andes that large empires emerged in around 1450? - Mesoamerican and Andean empires emerged due to dense populations, surplus agriculture, and strong centralized leadership enabling large-scale organization and conquest.

3. What key ideas or practices extended beyond the limits of the great empires? - Ideas like agricultural techniques, religious beliefs, and trade practices spread beyond empire boundaries, influencing smaller societies.

Ch. 15 MAKING CONNECTIONS

1. Compare the Aztec and Inca Empires with the Ming (see Chapter 14 and/or Chapter 20). What features did they share? What features set them apart? - The Aztec, Inca, and Ming empires shared strong central rule and tribute systems, but the Aztecs and Incas relied more on military conquest, while the Ming focused on bureaucracy.

2. How did Aztec and Inca sacrificial rituals differ, and why? - Aztec sacrifices were frequent and tied to warfare and religious cosmology, while Inca sacrifices were state-controlled and often involved children in sacred ceremonies.

3. What were the main causes of warfare among native American peoples prior to the arrival of Europeans? - Warfare among Native American groups was driven by resource competition, territorial disputes, and capturing enemies for sacrifice or adoption.

CHAPTER 16 OVERVIEW QUESTIONS

1. What were the main biological and environmental consequences of European expansion into the Atlantic after 1492? - European expansion caused widespread disease, deforestation, and the introduction of new crops and animals, reshaping ecosystems and societies in the Americas.

2. What roles did misunderstanding and chance play in the conquests of the Aztecs and Incas? - Misunderstanding and chance played key roles in the conquests, as the Aztecs and Incas misinterpreted Spanish intentions, while internal conflicts and smallpox outbreaks weakened resistance.

3. How did Eurasian demand for silver and sugar help bring about the creation of a linked Atlantic world? - High demand for silver and sugar fueled forced labor systems in the Americas, linking Europe, Africa, and the New World in a global trade network.

Ch. 16 MAKING CONNECTIONS

1. How did Spanish and Portuguese imperial aims differ from those of the Incas and Aztecs (see Chapter 15)? - Spanish and Portuguese empires sought resource extraction and religious conversion, whereas the Aztecs and Incas focused on tribute and control of regional trade.

2. How would you compare the Spanish conquest of Mexico with the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople discussed in Chapter 14? - The Spanish conquest of Mexico involved disease and indigenous alliances, while the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople relied more on military siege tactics and strategic naval power.

3. What role did European consumers play in the rise of the American plantation complex? - European consumers’ demand for sugar and tobacco drove the growth of plantations, increasing reliance on enslaved labor.

4. How did global demand for silver affect the lives of ordinary people in the Spanish colonies? - Silver demand enriched colonial elites but forced indigenous and African laborers into brutal working conditions in mines.

CHAPTER 17 OVERVIEW QUESTIONS

1. How did ecological diversity in western Africa relate to cultural developments? - Ecological diversity in West Africa influenced cultural diversity, leading to varied economies, languages, and religious practices across regions.

2. What tied western Africa to other parts of the world prior to the arrival of Europeans along Atlantic shores? - West Africa was connected to global trade through trans-Saharan routes, Islamic scholarship, and gold and slave exports.

3. How did the Atlantic slave trade arise, and how was it sustained? - The Atlantic slave trade arose from European demand for labor, African political dynamics, and a growing plantation economy, sustained by European guns and manufactured goods.

Ch. 17 MAKING CONNECTIONS

1. How does the Moroccan conquest of Songhai compare with the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs (see Chapter 16)? - The Moroccan conquest of Songhai, like the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs, used superior weaponry and internal divisions to achieve victory.

2. How did gender roles differ between the kingdoms of West Africa and those of North America's eastern woodlands (see Chapter 15)? - West African kingdoms had structured gender roles with influential queen mothers, whereas North America’s eastern woodlands had more gender fluidity and matrilineal societies.

3. How did the Portuguese experience in Africa differ from events in Brazil (see Chapter 16)? - The Portuguese in Africa engaged in trade and diplomacy, while in Brazil, they focused on plantation slavery and territorial control.

4. How did growing European competition for en-slaved Africans alter the nature of enslavement and trade in Africa itself? - Growing European competition for enslaved Africans intensified warfare, increased raiding, and shifted African societies toward economies dependent on the slave trade.

CHAPTER 18 OVERVIEW QUESTIONS

1. What environmental, religious, and political factors enabled trading enclaves to flourish in the Indian Ocean basin? - Favorable monsoons, religious tolerance, and powerful merchant networks allowed Indian Ocean trade enclaves to thrive.

2. How did the rise and fall of India's land empires reflect larger regional trends? - The rise of land empires like the Mughals reflected broader regional centralization, while their decline mirrored political fragmentation seen elsewhere.

3. How did Europeans insert themselves into the Indian Ocean trading network, and what changes did they bring about? - Europeans entered Indian Ocean trade through military force and alliances, disrupting traditional networks and monopolizing key ports.

Ch. 18 MAKING CONNECTIONS

1. In what ways did Indian Ocean trade differ from the contemporary Atlantic slave trade (see Chapter 17)? What role did Africa play in each? - Indian Ocean trade was more peaceful and merchant-driven, while the Atlantic slave trade was more exploitative and focused on forced labor, though Africa played a crucial role in both.

2. How did traditional kingdoms such as Vijayanagara differ from those of the Americas prior to the Spanish Conquest (see Chapter 15)? - Vijayanagara was a centralized Hindu kingdom, unlike pre-conquest American civilizations, which had more decentralized religious and political structures.

CHAPTER 19 OVERVIEW QUESTIONS

1. To what degree was religious diversity embraced or rejected in early modern Europe and the greater Mediterranean, and why? - Religious diversity in early modern Europe and the Mediterranean was often rejected due to sectarian conflicts like the Reformation and Inquisition, but the Ottomans maintained relative tolerance through the millet system.

2. What accounts for the rise of science and capitalism in early modern western Europe? - The rise of science and capitalism in Western Europe was fueled by the Renaissance, increased global trade, and technological advancements.

3. How did Christian Europe's gunpowder-fueled empires compare with that of the Ottomans? - Christian Europe’s gunpowder empires relied on centralized monarchies and professional armies, similar to the Ottomans, though Europe had more internal religious and political divisions.

Ch. 19 MAKING CONNECTIONS

1. How did battles for control of the Mediterranean compare with those for control of Indian Ocean trade (see Chapter 18)? - Mediterranean conflicts involved naval power and Christian-Muslim rivalry, while Indian Ocean trade was more commercially driven with less direct military confrontation.

2. How globally important was the Protestant Reformation? - The Protestant Reformation reshaped European politics, weakened papal authority, and contributed to the rise of nation-states.

3. In what ways were the Barbary pirates similar to the Atlantic slave traders (see Chapter 17)? How were they different? - Barbary pirates and Atlantic slave traders both exploited human labor for profit, but Barbary pirates focused more on ransom and naval raids, while the Atlantic slave trade was systematized for plantations.