Similarities

• The Ottomans, Safavid, Manchus (Qing), and Mughals all utilized gunpowder weapons to create and expand their territories, have a strong patriarchal structure, and the growing economic and military presence of Europe play major roles in their declines

• All were established by an outside group

  • Ottomans, Safavid, and Mughals from Turks originating in Central Asia

    • Leads to similarity of Turkish Steppe traditions and succession problems

  • Qing established by the Manchus from Manchuria to the Northeast of China.

• Common across the building of empires was the use of bureaucracies and professional armies

  • EX. Ottomans and the Devshirme and the Qing and use of the Civil-Service Exam

  • Ex. Tokugawa and Salaried Samurai and Aztec and Jaguar Warriors

• Safavid, Mughals, and Qing where minority group rulers in their areas

• Old world empires actively suppressed technological innovations

Similarities - Legitimizing Their Rule

• Leaders of Major Empires legitimize their rule through religion, art, and monumental architecture

  • EX. Divine Right (Europe), Mandate of Heaven (Manchu/QIng), Human Sacrifice (Mexica), Caste System (Hinduism/India)

  • EX. Ways leaders were depicted in art - Qing Portraits, European Monarchs

  • EX. Inca Sun Temple, Taj Mahal, European Palaces (EX Versailles)

• Political and religious disputes caused rivalries and conflicts between states

  • Ottomans (Sunni) vs Safavids (Shi’a)  and Safavids (Shi’a) vs Mughals (Sunni).  Also both fought for political control over regions.

  • Protestants vs Catholics culminates in the Thirty Years War

  • Sikhs vs Mughals

Differences

• Ottoman Bureaucracy and Military Elites were essentially slaves

• Mexica relied heavily on human sacrifice

• Mexica didn’t build their empire with the use of gunpowder or cavalry

• The Islamic Empires have several examples of women heavily influencing political decision making despite a very patriarchal society.

Meanwhile, in other World News…..

• The America’s are stumbled onto early in this period and rapidly begins to transform the world as both hemispheres knew it

  • The social impact on the Old and New World as well as the impact on trade cannot be understated

  • Existing religions will continue to expand and change as they come into contact with new people/ideas

• But more on this in the next unit...