Download Chapter 10

The West &
the Changing Balance of Power
Chapter 15, pg. 324-341
Decline of the Old Order
► Byzantine
& Arab decline,
Turk & Mongol rise
Social & Cultural Change
► Science
& philosophy increasingly
struggle in the face of faith
 example: Ibn Rushd & rise of Sufi
Economically & Politically
► Agricultural
productivity & trade
dominance decline in Middle East
► Decline is less complete & chaotic
than Roman fall
Power Vacuum Internationally
► No
clear successor to old powers
► Two likely candidates:
 China
 Western Europe
China
► Ming
dynasty (1368-1644) replaces Yuan
► New expansionist policies
 Secure borders, reestablish influence, sponsor
trading expeditions (Zhenghe)
► History
may have been different, but…
expansionist policies are ended
 Marks crucial shift to internal concerns:
►Consolidating
rule over territory
►Continuing development of economy, industry, & ag
The Rise of the West
► Emergence
is surprising b/c of the
West’s problems:
Sources of Dynamism
► Positives




continue despite challenges:
Feudal monarchy strengthened
Military organization improved
Commercial capitalism continue to development
Technological advances made
Imitation & International Problems
► Imitation
 W. Europe = ideal position to benefit from
Mongols
► Problems
 W. Europe = trade imbalance
 W. Europe fear of Muslims & need for alternative
route
Renaissance
► Based
on Roman traditions
► Focused on art with nonreligious
themes & personal achievement
► Innovation in realism of art &
neoclassical architecture
► Weaknesses of Renaissance:
 Still largely elite, Italian, & medieval
► Strengths
of Renaissance:
 New government trends, innovative explorer
spirit
Renaissance
Iberian Spirit of Religion
► New
regional monarchies established
 Ferdinand & Isabella
► Effective
► Strong
militaries
religious promotion
Western Expansion: Experimenting
► Emergence
is surprising b/c of the
West’s problems:
Early Explorations
► Positives




continue despite challenges:
Feudal monarchy strengthened
Military organization improved
Commercial capitalism continue to development
Technological advances made
Colonial Patterns
► Spain
& Portugal: further exploration &
use of explored lands
► Henry
the Navigator
 Symbolic of period
► Development
of colonies
 West introduces cash crops
 West creates new use of commercial slavery
Outside the World Network
Americas
► Political
include:
issues
 Aztecs =
Resentation builds
among subjects
from exploitation
 Incas =
Growing tension b/t
central & local gov
Polynesia
► Culture
spread to
Hawaii & New
Zealand
 Hawaii =
 Maori =
Global Connections
Changes
► Muslim
trade & Indian
Ocean-based trade
↓
► Mongol interruption &
land-based trade
↓
► Rise of Chinese activity
& sea-based trade
↓
► Leadership in flux
Continuity
► Growing
dependence
of interregional trade
QUESTION SLIDE
West & Changing Balance of Power
► In
what ways does the compass
symbolize the themes of the chapter?
QUESTION SLIDE
Retrospective: Contacts & their Limits
► What
are the hallmark characteristics
of the postclassical period?
► After studying the period, do you
agree will the periodization? Should
the time periods have been grouped
or divided differently?