What rises out of collapse of classical civilization and interactions developing between new states
Growth of long-distance trade
Overview of World’s Major Religions in 1200
Most events are connected to religion
Key Points:
Most belief systems still are impacting history
Most major religions have divisions = subgroups and sects (focus more on overall religion)
Understand theological basis of belief systems and impact of belief systems on social, political, cultural, military developments
Origin and spread of belief systems - cultural interactions
Religious Mysticism
Religious Mysticism: adherents within religions focusing on mystical experiences that bring them closer to divine - prayer, meditation, etc.
Buddhism
Cultures: India, China, Southeast Asia, Japan
Context:
Founded by Siddhartha Gautama, a young Hindu prince - lived in Nepal from 563-483 BCE, rejected wealth and world possessions and became Buddha (Enlightened One)
No supreme being
4 Noble Truths:
(1) all life is suffering
(2) suffering caused by desire
(3) can be freed of desire
(4) freed of desire following a prescribed path
Death of Buddha (483 BCE) = Buddhism split - Theravada Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism
Theravada Buddhism: meditation, simplicity, nirvana as renunciation of consciousness and self
Mahayana Buddhism: great ritual, spiritual comfort - more complex but with greater spread
Impact:
rejects caste system - appealed to those of lower rank
India: reabsorbed in Hinduism
China, Japan, Southeast Asia: Buddhism continued to thrive
Further: spread via trade routes
Christianity
Cultures: started as group of Jews, quickly expanded through Europe, northeastern Africa, Middle East
Context:
Based around Jesus of Nazareth, a figure who claimed to be Messiah the Jews had awaited - teachings of devotion to God and love for others
Jesus was crucified by Roman and Jewish leaders in 30 CE and his followers believe he rose from dead into heaven
Based on Bible teachings
Believe Jesus is the Son of God - forgiveness of sins, everlasting life is achievable through him
World was created by God, but world has fallen from God
Believers should seek God and care for him and others
Impact:
compassion, grace through faith appealed to lower classes and women
Became most influential religion in Mediterranean basin by 3rd century
Became official religion of Roman Empire, then branching north and west
Connection with Roman Empire had profound impact on global culture
Confucianism
Cultures: China (400 BCE+)
Context:
Founded by Confucius, educator and political advisor - thoughts and sayings collected in the Analects
Deals with how to restore political and social order, not with philosophical or religious topics
5 fundamental relations build society and make it orderly
(1) ruler and subject
(2) parent and child
(3) husband and wife
(4) older sibling and younger sibling
(5) friend and friend
Impact:
Compatible with other religions, causing it to flourish
Led to distinctive Chinese culture of tight-knit communities
Stayed within Chinese culture
Hinduism
Cultures: India
Context:
Belief in one supreme force called Brahma who created everything - gods are manifestations of Brahma (Vishnu = preserver, Shiva = destroyer)
Goal of believer is to merge with Brahma - believe it takes multiple lives to accomplish and believers live to determine who they will be in their next life
Following the dharma (rules and obligations of your caste) will move you towards Brahma - moksha is highest stake of being (internal peace and release of soul)
No sacred text - Vedas and Upanishads guide Hindus
Impact:
Religion and social caste system, which has prevented global acceptance of religion
Recently, Hindus are rebelling caste system
Spawned Buddhism
Islam
Cultures: caliphates (Islamic kingdoms), North Africa, central Asia, Europe
Context:
7th century - Muslims are the believers
Allah presented words through prophet Muhammad, whose words were recorded in the Qur’an
Salvation is won through submission to God
5 Pillars of Islam:
(1) confession
(2) prayer 5 times a day
(3) charity
(4) fasting during Ramadan
(5) pilgrimage to Mecca
2 groups, Shia and Sunni, who disagreed who should succeed Muhammad
Impact:
Rapidly spread to Middle East
Judaism
Cultures: Hebrews
Context
God selected a group of holy people who should follow his laws and worship them
Unique relationship with God
World is for them to enjoy, free will - destiny of world is paradise
Islamic Empire from 750-1258 CE - early mid-9th century golden age
Capital in Baghdad (modern-day Iraq)
Centre for arts and sciences - mathematics (Nasir al-Din al Tusi), medicine, writings (House of Wisdom library)
Built around trade - used receipt and bill system
Decline of Islamic Caliphates: Internal Rivalries and Mongol Invasions
Challenged by revolt of enslaved Turkish warriors, new Shia dynasty in Iran, Seljuk Turk Sunni group, Persians, Europeans, Byzantines, and most importantly Mongols
Mongols overtook and destroyed Baghdad in 1258
Ottoman Turks would later reunite Egypt, Syria, and Arabia in new Islamic state until 1918
Mamluks: Egyptian group that defeated Mongols in Nazareth, helping preserve Islam in Near East
Developments in Europe
Middle Ages: fall of Rome before Renaissance - complicated time
Eastern Roman Empire became Byzantine Empire
Western Europe: collapsed entirely - Christianity remained strong
European Feudalism: Land Divided
Feudalism: European hierarchy social system of Middle Ages
King: power over whole kingdom
Nobles: had power over sections of kingdom in exchange for loyalty to king and military service
Vassals: lesser lords with sections of Noble land who could divide it further - estates were called fiefs or manors (self-sufficient)
Founded three-field system: 3 fields for fall, spring, and empty one to replenish nutrients
Conflict between lords was regulated with code of chivalry which condemned betrayal and promoted mutual respect
Male dominated: women could not own land and land was passed down to eldest son (primogeniture), their education was limited to domestic skills
Peasants or Serfs: worked the land
Had few rights or freedoms outside of manor
Skilled in trades, which helped them break out of feudal mode as global trade increased - led to middle class emergence of craftsmen and merchants
Emergence of Nation-States
At end of Middle Ages, people began moving from feudal kingdom organization to linguistic and cultural organization - emergence of modern countries
Achievement of statehood in 13th century took different paths
Germany: reigning family of emperorship died out, entering a period of interregnum (time between kings) - merchants and tradespeople became more powerful
England: English nobles rebelled against King John and forced him to sign the Magna Carta - reinstated the nobles, laid foundation for Parliament
Later divided into House of Lords (nobles and clergy - legal issues) and House of Commons (knights and wealth burghers - trade and taxation)
France: in 12th century, England began to occupy many parts of France which spurred revolts - Joan of Arc fought back English out of Orleans
Hundred Years’ War (1337-1453): unified France, leading to England’s withdrawal
Spain: Queen Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon married to unite Spain in a single monarchy and forced all residents to convert to Christianity - Spanish Inquisition
Russia: taken over by Tartars (group of eastern Mongols) under Genghis Kahn in 1242 until Russian prince Ivan III expanded his power in 1400s and became czar - Ivan the Terrible became a ruthless ruler utilizing secret police in 1500s
Developments in Asia
China and Nearby Regions
Song Dynasty (960-1279)
Confucianism justified subordination of women - foot binding: women’s feet bound after birth to keep them small
Neo-Confucianism: Buddhist ideas about soul, filial piety, maintenance of proper roles, loyalty to superiors
Ming Dynasty (1368-1644): after brief period of Mongol dominance
Religion: influenced by Nestorianism, Manichaeism, Zoroastrianism, Islam, and especially Buddhism in two of its forms
Mahayana: peaceful and quiet existence apart from worldly values
Chan or Zen: meditation and appreciation of beauty
Japan
Relatively isolated from external influences outside Asia for many years
Feudal Japan (1192):
Emperor
Shogun (chief general)
Daimyo: owners of larger pieces of land, powerful samurai (like knights)
Followed Code of Bushido code of conduct - loyalty, courage, honour
Lesser samurai (like vassals)
Peasants and artisans
Women had little rights and esteem
India
Delhi Sultanate: Islamic invader kingdom in Delhi
Islam took over Northern India - clash between Islam monotheism and Hinduism polytheism
Islam rulership brought in colleges and farming improvements
Rajput Kingdoms: several Hindu principalities that united to resist Muslim forces from 1191 until eventual takeover in 1527
Southeast Asia
Religion spread and established different states
Khmer Empire (9th-15th century): Hindu Empire in modern day Cambodia, Laos, Thailand
Beliefs were carried through Indian Ocean trade network
Crafted the Angor Wat temple
Developments in Africa
Islamic Empire spread to North Africa in the 7th to 8th centuries - travelled through Sahara Desert and reached the wealthy sub-Saharan
An explosion of trade began
Hausa Kingdoms: off Niger River, series of state system kingdoms
Islam region, achieved economic stability and religious influence though long trade (salt and leather) - notably city of Kano
Political and economic downturn in 18th century due to internal wars
Developments in Americas
3 great civilization in Central and South America: Maya, Incas, Aztecs
Aztecs: Trade and Sacrifice
Arrived in Mexico in mid 1200s
Tenochtitlan: capital city (modern Mexico City)
Expansionist policy and professional, strict army
Empire of 12 million people with flourishing trade, many of people enslaved
Women were subordinate, but could inherit property
Inca: My Land is Your Land
Andes Mountains in Peru
Expansionist - army, established bureaucracy, unified language, system of roads and tunnels
Many people were peasants
Capital of Cuzco had almost 300000 people in late 1400s
Women were more important and could pass property to their daughters
Polytheistic religion with human sacrifice - Sun god was most important
People were mummified after death
Military was very important
Temple of the Sun and Machu Picchu architecture
The Mayans
The Mayans (textbook does not go into detail)
Unit 2: Networks of Exchange
Height of the Middle Ages: Trading and Crusading
Merchants emerged in towns - referred to as Burghers, became politically powerful
Towns often formed alliances with each other
Hanseatic League (1358): trade alliance though northern Europe to drive toward nationhood, increase social mobility and flexibility
Architecture: Romanesque to Gothic - especially reflected in cathedrals
Flying buttresses: tall windows and vaulted ceilings
Often had art and sculpture, music
Scholasticism: growth of education and knowledge - founding of universities for men; philosophy, law, medicine study; ideas of Muslims and Greeks - came in conflict with religion
Crusades (11-14th century): military campaigns by European Christians to convert Muslims and non-Christians, combat religious questioning
Combat Heresies: religious practices/beliefs not conforming to traditional church doctrine
Pope Innocent III: issued strict decrees on church doctrine - frequently persecuted heretics and Jews, unsuccessful 4th crusade
Pope Gregory IX: Inquisition (formal interrogation and prosecution of perceived heretics with punishments like excommunication, torture, execution) - church often referred to as Universal Church or Church Militant
Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274): Christian theologian who made advancements in Christian thought - faith and reason aren’t in conflict
Urbanization
Trade led to the growth of urban culture - cities usually were around trade routes
Silk Route cities were the most populous - Baghdad, Merv, Chang’an
Constantinople before 1400 and Paris and Italian city-states after 1400 were big European cities
The Rise and Fall of the Mongols
Set of tribes and clans that were superb horseman and archers
Genghis Kahn: unified the tribes in Mongolia in the early 1200s to expand their authority over other societies - first invaded China in 1234
Mongol Empire: spanned from Pacific Ocean to Eastern Europe - spit into hordes after death of Genghis Kahn, ruthless warriors destroying cities but remained peaceful after settling into cities
Golden Horde: conquered modern-day Russia
Kublai Khan: Genghis Kahn’s successor - ruled China
Didn’t really have a set culture - didn’t enforce religion or way of life on conquered nations, but did make any cultural advancements
Timur Lang: Mongol leader who took over India and destroyed everything - grew Islam in the nation
If any residents of society the Mongols took over resisted, they would immediately kill them, so most had no choice but to give in - they were ruthless fighters, organized and mobile
Impact:
Great diffusers of culture
Prevented Russia from culturally developing
World trade, cultural diffusion, global awareness grew as they spread through Europe, the Middle East, and Asia
Mali and Songhai
Mali had a lot of gold that Islamic traders were interested in
Mansa Musa: Malian ruler who built the capital of Timbuktu and expended the kingdom beyond Ghana
Sonni Ali: Songhai ruler that conquered region of west Africa in 15th century - became a major cultural centre until 1600
Chinese Technology
Song Dynasty: bureaucratic system built on merit and civil service examination creating a lot of loyal government workers, improved transportation and communication and business practices
Concentrated on creating an industrial society - improved literacy with printed books which increased productivity and growth
Review of Interactions Among Cultures
Trade Networks and Cultural Diffusion
Trade exploded from 1200-1450
Improved with better transportation and monetary systems
Main Global Trade Routes:
The Hanseatic League
The Silk Road
The land routes of the Mongols
Trade between China and Japan
Trade between India and Persia
The Trans-Saharan trade routes between west Africa and the Islamic Empire
Bubonic Plague: started in Asia in the 14th century and carried by merchants - killed about 1/3 people
Indian Ocean Trade
Dominated by Persians and Arabs - western India to Persian Gulf to eastern Africa
Great Zimbabwe: trading empire in Africa from 11th to 15th centuries
Vibrant Indian Ocean Communities
Sailors marrying local women created cultural intermixing
Silk Road
China to Mediterranean cultures in early days of Roman Empire and from 1200 to 1600
Cultural exchange through travellers stopping at trade towns - Kashgar, Samarkand
Silk, porcelain, paper, religion, food, military technologies
Hanseatic League
Made up of over 100 cities
Created substantial middle class in northern Europe
Set precedent for large, European trading operations
Expansion of Religion and Empire: Cultural Clash
Both natural spread of religion through contact over trade and intentional diffusion through missionary work or religious war
Other Reasons People Were on the Move
Ran out of room in certain places, but cities were always increasing in size as opportunities grew in them
New cities and empires drew people in
Muslim pilgrimages
Notable Global Travellers
Xuanzang: Chinese Buddhist monk - through T’ang Dynasty to India to explore Buddhism
Marco Polo: merchant from Venice, to China and Europe
Ibn Battuta: Islamic traveler, through Islamic world to India to China
Margery Kempe: English Christian, through Europe and Holy Land
Unit 3: Land-Based Empires
Major European Developments
After 300 years of development, Europe become the dominant world power
Revolutions in European Thought and Expression:
1300s: Europe had been Christian for over a thousand years
As countries began to unify and connect more, especially with countries who had preserved their history, Europe expanded its worldview and explored its past and 4 cultural movements happened
The Renaissance
As trade increased, people moved to the cities and an influx of money was experienced - a lot of money went to studying the past
Humanism: focus on personal accomplishment, happiness, and life on earth instead of living for the goal of salvation
Afterlife remained dominant in the Catholic Church
Arts have a comeback
People could afford art again - Medici family patrons of Michelangelo and Brunelleschi
Artists focused on realism - Leonardo da Vinci and Donatello
Western writers have an audience
mid-1400s: Johannes Gutenberg invents the printing press - made books easy to produce and affordable, and accessible to everyone
led to more literate people
The Protestant Reformation
Catholic Church was one of the most powerful organizations in the Middle Ages - power in politics and society - undisputed authority
Church capitalized off its many followers with indulgences: paper faithful could purchase to reduce time in purgatory
Nobles and peasants began getting increasingly frustrated by the church’s exploitation and noticed its corrupt nature
Martin Luther: German monk who published his list of complaints against the church - most significantly proposed salvation was given directly through God, not through the church, which significantly reduced the church’s influence
Pope Leo X: excommunicated Luther when he refused to recount his idea
Christianity split - Luther’s ideas led to many others to come forward
Lutherans: Luther’s followers - separated from Catholic Church
Calvinism - John Calvin: predestination - only a few people would be saved by God, great influence in Scotland and France
When the pope refused to annul King Henry VIII’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon because a heir wasn’t produced, he declared himself the head of religious affairs - presided over Church of England/Anglican Church
Jesuits - Ignatius Loyola: prayer and good works leads to salvation
Catholic Reformation (16th century)
Catholic church attempts to remedy some of their controversies and regains some of its credibility - still wanted authority and control
Council of Trent: reinstated pope authority, punished heretics, reestablished Latin as only language in worship
Caused wars
Scientific Revolution
Expanded education led to world discoveries
Copernican Revolution: Nicolaus Copernicus - discovered earth and other celestial bodies revolved around the sun and the earth rotated on its axis
Galileo: built off Copernicus’s theories and proved them - forced to recant by the Catholic Church and put under house arrest
Scientific Method: shift from reasoning being most reliable means of scientific meaning to scientific method (theory, documentation, repetition, others experimenting)
Tycho Brahe, Francis Bacon, Johannes Kepler, Sir Isaac Newton
Led to Industrial Revolution, and many rejecting the church - atheists (believe no god exists), deists (believe God exists, but is passive)
Deism: became popular in 1700s - God created the earth but doesn’t interfere in its workings
European Rivals
Spain and Portugal
Spain became very powerful, supporting exploration, expansion of Spanish language and culture, and having a large naval fleet
Under Charles V, Spain controlled parts of France, the Netherlands, Austria, Germany, Spain, America
Under Charles’s son Philip, the Spanish Inquisition to oust heretics was continued, the Dutch Protestants under Spain revolted to form independent the Netherlands - lost a lot of money in mid-17th century and was poised to be defeated by England and France
Portugal focused on dominating costal Africa, Indian Ocean, Spice Islands - lost control to Dutch and British
England
Henry VIII never succeeded in having a male heir - his daughter Elizabeth I became Queen
Elizabethan Age (1558-1603): expansion, exploration, colonization in New World - golden age
Muscovy Company: first joint-stock company - British East India Company
James I: succeeded Elizabeth in 1607 - England and Scotland under one rulership, reforms to accommodate Catholics and Puritans failed
Charles I: succeeded James in 1625 - signed Petition of Rights (limiting taxes and forbidding unlawful imprisonment) - ignored it for the next 11 years
Scottish invaded England out of resentment for Charles in 1640 - called the Long Parliament into session (sat for 20 years), which limited the powers of the monarchy
Parliament raised an army, under Oliver Cromwell, to fight the King after he tried to arrest the
Parliament defeats the king and executes him - began the English Commonwealth (Oliver Cromwell known as the first Lord Protector)
Oliver Cromwell: intolerant of religion, violent against Catholics and Irish - highly resented
Charles II: exiled son of Charles I invited by Parliament to reclaim the throne as a limited monarchy after Cromwell died (Stuart Restoration)
Agreed to Habeas Corpus Act: prevents people from arrests without due process
James II: succeeded Charles II after his death - highly disliked, fear he would make England a Catholic county - driven from power by Parliament (Glorious Revolution)
Succeeded by his daughter Mary and her husband William - signed English Bill of Rights (1689)
France
Unified and centralized under strong monarchy after Hundred Years’ War (1337-1453)
Largely Catholic, but French Protestants started to emerge (Huguenots) and fought with the Catholics
Henry IV: issued Edict of Nantes (1598) (environment of tolerance between religions) - first of Bourbon kings who ruled until 1792
Cardinal Richelieu: chief advisor to the Bourbons who compromised with Protestants instead of fighting with them
Created the bureaucratic class noblesse de la robe, succeeded by Cardinal Mazarin
Louis XIV: reigned from 1642-1715 - highly self-important and grandiose, condemned many Huguenots, never summoned the French lawmakers, appointed Jean Baptiste Colbert to manage royal funds - France almost constantly at war to increase empire
War of Spanish Succession (1701-1714): Louis’s grandson was to inherit the Spanish throne, so England, Roman Empire, and German princes united to prevent France and Spain from combining
German Areas (Holy Roman Empire?)
Holy Empire was in present day Austria/Germany - weak due to the mixed dynamics, rulership, and religion of the surrounding area
Lost parts of Hungary to Ottoman Turks in early 16th century
Devastated by Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648)
German states were gaining power by 18th century
Peace of Augsburg (1555): intended to bring end to conflicts between Catholics and Protestants
Thirty Years’ War: began when protestants in Bohemia challenged Catholics - violent and destructive
Peace of Westphalia (1648): German states affirmed to keep the peace
Russia
Russian leaders were overthrowing reigning Mongols in late 15th century
Moscow became centre of Orthodox Christianity
Ivan III refused to pay tribute to Mongols and declared them free from their rule - lead Russians, later Ivan IV did too
Recruited peasants freedom from boyars (their feudal lords) if they conquered their own land themselves
Ivan IV (Ivan the Terrible): strong leader feared by many - executing people who were threats to his power
Battle for throne after Ivan IV died without an heir - Time of Troubles (1604 to 1613): killing those who tried to rise to the throne
Michael Romanov was elected by feudal lords until 1917 - Romanovs consolidated power and ruled ruthlessly
Peter the Great: ruled from 1682-1725 - redesigned and adapted Russia in to westernized fashion
Catherine the Great: ruled from 1762-1796 - education and Western culture - serf conditions were of no importance to her
Islamic Gunpowder Empires
Ottoman Empire precedes 1450 - founded by Osman Bey as the Mongol Empire fell
Eventually invaded Constantinople in 1453 and ended Byzantine Empire (Constantinople now named Istanbul)
Ottomans were Islamic and solidified rule over territory from Greece to Persia to around Mediterranean into Egypt and northern Africa by giving land (timars) to Ottoman aristocrats to control
Employed practice called devshirme: enslaved Christian children and turned them into warriors called Janissaries
Selim I: came into power in 1512, led much of the empire growth, made Istanbul centre of Islamic civilization
Suleiman I: succeeded Selim I in 1520, build Ottoman military and arts - golden age from 1520-1566
Took over parts of Hungary, but could not successfully take over Vienna
Babur: Mongol leader who invaded northern India in 1526 - Mughal Empire (dominated for next 300 years)
United entire subcontinent
Akbar: succeeded Babur from 1556 to 1605 - united India further with religious toleration, did give Muslim landowners (zamindars) power to tax
Hindus and Muslims lived side by side in a golden age of art and thought - under Shah Jahan, the Taj Mahal was built
Aurangzeb: emperor who ended religious toleration and waged wars to conquer rest of India - Hindus were persecuted
Europeans arrived in early 17th century to trade and spread ideas - after 1750 is when Britain turned into an imperial superpower
Africa
Starting in 10th century, wealth accumulated from trade - Songhai, Kongo, and Angola became powerful kingdoms
Songhai:
Islamic state
Sunni Ali: ruler 1464-1493 - navy, central administration, financed Timbuktu - fell to Moroccans
Asanti Empire: arose in 1670 - avoided invasion and expanded its territory
Kongo:
King Alfonso I: Catholic, and converted his people
Mostly destroyed by previous allies Portugal
Angola:
Established by Portuguese around 1575 for the slave trade
Queen Nzinga resisted Portuguese attempts to further their control for 40 years
Isolated Asia
China
Ming Dynasty was restored until 1644 after kicking out Mongols in 1368
Built huge fleets in early 15th century to explore Asia and Indian ocean - Zheng He: famous Chinese navigator
Economy started failing due to silver currency inflation, famines in 17th century, peasant revolts
Qing warriors were invited to help Ming emperor but instead ousted him in 1644
Qing/Manchus ruled China until 1911
Not ethnically Chinese so had to affirm legitimacy - displayed imperial portraits with Chinese historical items
Kangxi: ruled from 1661 to 1722 and conquered Taiwan, Mongolia, central Asia, Tibet
Qianlong: ruled from 1735 to 1796 and conquered Vietnam, Burma, Nepal
were both Confucian scholars
Did not interact a lot with surrounding nations, protected their culture
Japan
Shoguns ruled Japan in 16th century, but Christian missionaries came in and Jesuits took control of Nagasaki - westernization
Tokugawa Ieyasu: established Tokugawa Shogunate (Edo period) from 1600 to 1868 - strict government that instituted a rigid social class model
Moved capital of Japan to Edo (modern-day Tokyo)
National Seclusion Policy (1635): prohibited Japanese from traveling abroad and prohibited most foreigners
Japanese culture thrived - Kabuki theatre and haiku poetry became popular
Resistance
Key rebellions in 17th and 18th centuries:
Ana Nzinga’s Resistance (Kingdoms of Ndongo and Matamba) - 1641-167
Resisted Portuguese colonizers
Cossack Revolts (Modern-day Ukraine) - 17-18th century
Resisted Russian Empire but were eventually defeated
Haitian Slave Rebellion (Haiti) - 1791-1804
Resisted France and eventually achieved independence for Haiti
Maratha (India) - 1680-1707
Resisted Mughal Empire and defeated them starting the Maratha Empire
Maroon Societies (Caribbean and Brazil) - 17th-18th century
Resisted slave-owners in Americas and avoided attempts to be recaptured and sold
Metacom’s War (US) - 1675-1678
Resisted British colonists over unfair trade practices
Pueblo Revolts (US) - 1680
Resisted Spanish colonizers and their encomienda system, but victory was temporary
Unit 4: Transoceanic Interconnections
European and Expansion
Portuguese and Spanish controlled major shipping routes in Indian Ocean, Indonesia, Atlantic Ocean
Portugal financed explorations
Prince Henry the Navigator (King John I’s son)
Vasco da Gama: explored eastern Africa, India
Spain also did:
Financed Christopher Columbus: explored Americas
Treaty of Tordesillas (1494): agreement between Spain and Portugal to split colonized land between them
England, Netherlands, France launched own explorations to acquire new colonies - caused rise in nationalism and powerful monarchies
Explorers
Amerigo Vespucci (1500): South America
Ponce de Leon (1513): Florida
Vasco de Balboa (1513): Central America
Ferdinand Magellan (1519): South America to Philippines
Giovanni da Verrazzano (1524): North America
Sir Francis Drake (1578): circumnavigated the globe
John Cabot (1497): North America
Henry Hudson (1609): Hudson River
Products that aided new explorations:
Sternpost Rudder: invented in China - better control of ships
Lateen Sails: invented in Roman Empire - allowed directional control of ships
Astrolabe: navigation device that measured distance between sun and stars on horizon to determine latitude
Magnetic Compass: developed in China - determine direction
Three-Masted Caravels: large ships fit for longer journeys
The New World: Accidental Empire
Spanish explorers found great wealth in Aztec and Inca Empires
Hernando Cortés: landed on coast of Mexico in 1519 - sought to exploit the Aztec Empire of their gold and spices
Neighbouring states were willing to help Spanish conquer Aztecs as they had taken over a lot of the neighbouring communities - or those who didn’t cooperate were forced or killed
Became very hungry for wealth and quickly seized Montezuma and began a siege of Tenochtitlan
Disease: Ultimate Weapon of Mass Destruction
Spanish brought smallpox to the Aztec Empire which reduced their population from 20 million in 1520 to 2 million in 1580 - Spanish were able to take control in 1525
Francisco Pizarro took over Inca Empire in 1531 partially due to spreading disease to them