Download Worlds of Encounter WHAP/Napp Do Now: “In 1368, a new dynasty

Worlds of Encounter
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“In 1368, a new dynasty, the Ming, came to power. Especially in the early years of the
dynasty, Ming emperors adopted policies of expansionism by land and self-assertion by sea.
The Ming Emperor Yongle (r. 1402-24) dispatched a series of seven spectacular ocean
voyages under the Muslim eunuch, Admiral Zheng He. The first voyage set out in 1405
with sixty-two large junks, 100, smaller ships, and 30,000 crew. The largest ships were 450
feet long, displaced 1600 tons, held a crew of about 500, and were the largest ships built
anywhere up to that time. They carried silks, porcelains, and pepper. The first expedition
sailed as far as Calicut [‘the pepper capital of the world’], near the southwest tip of India.
In six further missions between 1407 and 1433, Zheng He sailed to ports all along the
Indian Ocean shores, at least twice reaching the East African ports of Mogadishu, Brava,
Malindi, and Kilwa. Interested in exotic treasures that could not be found in China,
Emperor Yongle seemed most pleased with a giraffe sent to him by the sultan of Malindi on
the fourth voyage, in 1416-19. These colossal expeditions demonstrated both the skill of
Admiral Zheng He and the vision of Emperor Yongle. On the basis of these
accomplishments, many historians believe that the Chinese would have been able to cross
either the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean – had they wished. But they did not push their
expeditions any further, and in 1433, the Ming emperor terminated the great, statesponsored Indian Ocean voyages.
Why did the emperor terminate these voyages? Why did China not dispatch its own
missions to Europe, and even the western hemisphere? It appeared to have the
technological capability to do so. Why did Chinese emperors choose only to receive
European shipping – rather than to dispatch their own ships – beginning with the
Portuguese in 1514?
Many answers appear plausible. The Ming turned their energies inward, toward
consolidation and internal development. At first they pushed the Mongols further north
from the Great Wall, but an invasion of Mongolia failed in 1449. Thereafter, the Ming
limited their military goals, rebuilt the Great Wall, and restricted their forces to more
defensible borders.” ~ The World’s History
1- What Chinese dynasty came to power in 1368 and what did it initiate?
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2- Who was Zheng He and why was he significant?
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3- Describe the Ming fleet under Zheng He.
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4- What most pleased Emperor Yongle?
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5- What did the expeditions of Zheng He demonstrate?
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6- Why was Calicut a significant city?
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7- Why did the expeditions of Zheng He come to an end?
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I. The Ming Dynasty (1368-1644)
A. After a century of Mongol rule and reduced population due to plague
B. Promoted Confucian learning and reestablished civil service examination
C. Highly centralized: power was concentrated in hands of emperor while a cadre of
eunuchs (castrated men) loyal to the emperor exercised great authority
D. Repaired damage of Mongols: rebuilding canals/reclaiming land for cultivation
1. Economy rebounded, trade flourished, and population grew
E. Undertook largest and most impressive maritime expeditions world had ever seen
1. Enormous fleet, commissioned by Emperor Yongle, launched in 1405
2. Followed over the next twenty-eight years by six more such expeditions
3. Visited ports in Southeast Asia, Indonesia, India, Arabia, East Africa
4. Led by Muslim eunuch Zheng He to enroll distant peoples in tribute system
5. Served to establish Chinese power and prestige in Indian Ocean
6. However, did not seek to conquer new territories or spread culture
7. Most surprising feature of voyages: abruptly ended
a) After 1433, Chinese authorities simply stopped the expeditions and allowed
enormous and expensive fleet to deteriorate in port
b) Part of the reason: death of emperor Yongle, chief patron
c) Many officials believed expeditions were a waste of resources; believed China
was the “middle kingdom” – outside world had nothing of value to offer
d) Also believed that real danger came from north: nomadic barbarians
e) Viewed voyages as project of court eunuchs, whom officials despised
II. Meanwhile A Highly Fragmented Western Europe
A. Independent, highly competitive states
B. States learned to tax their citizens more efficiently, to raise standing armies, and to
create more effective administrative structures
C. Small Russian state centered on the city of Moscow emerged in fifteenth century
D. Much of this state building was driven by the needs of war
E. The Hundred Years’ War (1337-1454) between England and France over rival
claims to territory in France
F. A renewed cultural blossoming, known as the Renaissance celebrated and reclaimed
a classical Greek tradition
1. Began in the commercial cities of Italy (between 1350 and 1500)
2. Belief of the wealthy elite that they were living in a new era removed from the
religious confines of feudal Europe
3. Humanism: the belief in the inherent dignity and worth of the human
4. Machiavelli’s (1469-1527) The Prince: power by any means necessary
5. Secularism (non-religious perspective) challenged otherworldliness of Christian
culture; individualism led to rise of capitalism – private entrepreneurs
6. 1415: Portuguese maritime voyages explored west coast of Africa
7. 1492, Columbus to Americas - 1497, Vasco da Gama to India
8. But Europeans seeking gold of Africa and Asia as well as converts and
competing states ensured continued rivalry and more expeditions
9. Chinese withdrawal from the Indian Ocean facilitated European entry
III. Vastly different Points of View: China versus Western Europe
1- Identify the dates of the Ming Dynasty.
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2- What dynasty did the Ming overthrow?
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3- What did the Ming rulers reestablish in China?
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4- Who were the eunuchs and why did they wield enormous power?
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5- Why do you think conflict existed between Confucian scholar gentry and eunuchs?
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6- How did the Ming rulers improve China?
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7- Identify the dates of the expeditions of Zheng He.
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8- To which lands did Zheng He travel?
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9- What was the purpose of the expeditions of Zheng He?
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10- What was not a purpose of the expeditions of Zheng He?
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11- What was the most surprising feature of the expeditions?
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12- Why did the expeditions abruptly end?
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13- How did Western Europe differ from China during this period?
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14- Why did state building occur in Western Europe during this period?
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15- What was the Hundred Years’ War?
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16- Where did the Renaissance begin and why did it begin in this region?
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17- Who was Machiavelli and what did he write – what did he state?
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18- Define humanism.
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19- Define secularism.
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20- Describe the route and goal of Portuguese exploration.
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21- Identify the accomplishments of Columbus and Vasco da Gama.
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22- What motivated Western European exploration?
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23- How did Western European exploration differ from Chinese exploration?
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1. Who was the great voyager and explorer
of early Ming China?
A. Yongle
B. Zheng He
C. Sun Tzu
D. Marco Polo
E. Zhu Yuan-chang
2. The illustration above shows which of the
following about the fifteenth century?
(A) The relative number of ships produced
by the Hangzhou shipyards and the Genoese
shipyards
(B) The beginning of a long period of
Chinese domination of the Indian Ocean
trade
(C) The meeting of Vasco da Gama and
Zheng He
(D) The relative size of the European
caravel and the Ming treasure ship
(E) The use of the lateen sail
3. Which of the following was the primary
goal of Zheng He’s expeditions?
(A) To eliminate foreign trade with China.
(B) To establish Chinese trading cities on
the Indian Ocean.
(C) To impress foreign people with the
power and might of the Ming dynasty.
(D) To establish diplomatic relations with
the Muslim states in the Indian Ocean.
(E) To offer military protection and support
to Chinese merchants in the Indian Ocean.
4. A Renaissance humanist is one who
(A) Seeks to reconcile Christian values with
a public life.
(B) Considers Christianity to be an
outmoded superstition.
(C) Holds that personal glory is the only
true value.
(D) Withdraws from the world to study
ancient texts.
(E) Rejects the past and embraces all that is
new.
5. Chinese naval expeditions were abruptly
ended in 1433 because
(A) Zheng He was suspected of building his
personal power.
(B) Maintaining the fleet was considered a
needless waste of national resources.
(C) The voyages had led to several
humiliating defeats.
(D) The large Chinese vessels proved to be
unseaworthy.
6. Under Hongwu, the Ming dynasty was
established as
(A) A feudal state dominated by warlords.
(B) A military state with a puppet emperor.
(C) A constitutional monarchy.
(D) A decentralized empire with
considerable autonomy for local authorities.
(E) A highly centralized, autocratic state.
7. Which label best characterizes the Italian
Renaissance?
(A) A political movement
(B) A cultural movement
(C) A religious movement
(D) A mass movement
(E) A global movement
Thesis Practice: Comparative
Analyze the similarities and differences in motives and methods of exploration in Ming
China and Western Europe during the European Age of Exploration.
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