World History Review
Chinese Isolationism and the Qing Dynasty
- Emperor Kangxi returned China to isolationism, cutting off trade and contact with outsiders.
- This policy was intended to protect China from foreign influence and maintain its cultural identity.
- In 1644, the Manchu invasion of Beijing ended the Ming Dynasty, leading to the Qing Dynasty.
- The Qing Dynasty was the last imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912.
- New American crops like corn and potatoes led to a dramatic increase in the Chinese population.
- These crops were highly productive and allowed for greater food security.
Population Growth in China
- The introduction of new crops from the Americas, such as corn and potatoes, led to a significant increase in the Chinese population.
- These crops had a higher yield and were more resistant to local diseases.
- Population figures during different dynasties:
- Han Dynasty: 20-60 million
- Tang Dynasty: 50-80 million
- Song Dynasty: 100-123 million
- Yuan Dynasty: 60 million
- Ming Dynasty: 60 million
- Qing Dynasty: varied, with increases over time
- During the Qing Dynasty, the population grew from approximately 150 million in 1700 to over 400 million in the 19th century.
Religious Syncretism
- Religious syncretism is the blending of religions.
- It occurs when different religious beliefs and practices are combined or assimilated.
- Zen Buddhism is an example, combining Shinto and Buddhism.
- Zen Buddhism emphasizes meditation and mindfulness, incorporating elements from both Shinto and Buddhism.
Feudal Systems in Japan and Europe
- The feudal systems in Japan and Europe were similar.
- Both systems were decentralized and based on land ownership and loyalty.
- Both had powerful landowners who exchanged land for military service.
- Lords and daimyo provided land and protection to vassals and samurai in exchange for military support.
Unification of Japan
- Three powerful daimyo, known as the “Three Unifiers,” unified Japan and ended feudalism.
- These leaders used military strength and strategic alliances to consolidate power.
- Oda Nobunaga
- Toyotomi Hideyoshi
- Tokugawa Ieyasu
Japanese Isolationism under Tokugawa Ieyasu
- Under Tokugawa Ieyasu, Japan had a policy of strict isolationism.
- This policy was known as Sakoku, and it aimed to eliminate foreign influence and preserve Japanese culture.
- Dutch ships were allowed to trade at Deshima in Nagasaki Bay.
- The Dutch were allowed limited trade because they were primarily interested in commerce and did not attempt to spread Christianity.
Gunpowder Empires
- From 1300 to 1700, three “Gunpowder Empires” dominated parts of Europe, Africa, and Asia:
- These empires utilized gunpowder technology to expand their territories and establish dominance.
- The Ottoman Empire (Turkey)
- The Safavid Empire (Iran)
- The Mughal Empire (India)
- These empires conquered neighboring people using strong armies with rifles and artillery.
- Their military strength allowed them to build vast empires and control important trade routes.
- All three empires were Islamic and ruled by Muslim leaders.
- Islam played a central role in the political, social, and cultural life of these empires.
Ottoman Empire
- Ottoman rulers were called sultans and governed with absolute power.
- Sultans controlled all aspects of government and were considered the supreme religious and political leaders.
- Suleyman the Magnificent was the greatest Ottoman sultan, coming to power in 1520.
- His reign was marked by significant territorial expansion, legal reforms, and cultural achievements.
- Sultans maintained power by executing, blinding, or jailing rivals, leading to weaker leaders.
- This practice of eliminating potential threats often resulted in less capable successors.
- By World War I, the Ottoman Empire was weak and nicknamed the “Sick Man of Europe.”
- Internal conflicts, economic problems, and external pressures contributed to the empire's decline.
Mughal Empire
- Mughal leader Akbar created the Divine Faith, an example of syncretism, blending ideas from Islam, Hinduism, Christianity, and Zoroastrianism.
- The Divine Faith, or Din-i-Ilahi, was intended to unite the diverse religious communities within the Mughal Empire.
Absolute Monarchs and Divine Right
- Absolute monarchs believed in divine right: God created the monarchy, and kings answered only to God.
- This belief gave monarchs unlimited authority and justified their absolute rule.
- Absolute monarchs like Louis XIV of France and Peter the Great of Russia made all government decisions without the consent of their people.
- These rulers centralized power and implemented policies without consulting representative bodies.
Peter the Great and Westernization
- Peter the Great of Russia sought to modernize Russia through Westernization, adopting ideas and technologies from Europe.
- He implemented reforms to modernize the military, expand education, and promote economic development based on Western models.
- Peter the Great built a new capital city, St. Petersburg, as a symbol of Russia's modernization and openness to the West.
- St. Petersburg was designed with European architectural styles and urban planning principles.
Scientific Revolution and Enlightenment
- The Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment were overlapping movements that transformed Europe.
- These movements emphasized reason, individualism, and human rights, challenging traditional beliefs and social norms.
- The Scientific Revolution focused on understanding the natural world through observation and experimentation.
- Scientists like Isaac Newton and Galileo Galilei made groundbreaking discoveries that challenged established scientific theories.
- The Enlightenment applied reason and logic to understand human society, politics, and ethics.
- Thinkers like John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau advocated for individual rights, democracy, and the separation of powers.
Enlightened Monarchs
- Some absolute monarchs adopted Enlightenment ideas and became known as “enlightened despots.”
- These rulers implemented reforms to improve education, promote religious tolerance, and modernize their states.
- Frederick the Great of Prussia
- Catherine the Great of Russia
- Maria Theresa of Austria
- These rulers believed that they could use their power to bring about positive social and political change, while still maintaining absolute control.
French Revolution
- Enlightenment ideas inspired the French Revolution, which began in 1789.
- The French Revolution sought to overthrow the absolute monarchy and establish a more democratic and egalitarian society.
- Causes of the French Revolution included social inequality, economic problems, and political oppression.
- The French Revolution was influenced by Enlightenment thinkers like Rousseau and Montesquieu, who advocated for popular sovereignty and the separation of powers.
- The French Revolution led to the Reign of Terror, during which radical revolutionaries executed thousands of perceived enemies of the revolution.
- The Reign of Terror was a period of extreme violence and political repression, as factions within the revolutionary government struggled for power.
- Napoleon Bonaparte rose to power in the aftermath of the French Revolution, establishing himself as Emperor of France.
- Napoleon implemented legal and administrative reforms, expanded French territory, and spread revolutionary ideas across Europe.
Latin American Revolutions
- The French Revolution and Enlightenment ideas inspired revolutions in Latin America.
- Colonial populations in Latin America sought to overthrow Spanish and Portuguese rule and establish independent nations.
- Toussaint L’Ouverture led a revolution in Haiti, which became the first independent black republic in the world.
- The Haitian Revolution demonstrated the power of enslaved people to fight for their freedom and inspired other independence movements in the Americas