Download UNIT 4: The First Global Age

UNIT 4: The First Global Age
1450-1770
Mesoamerican Civilizations
1. Olmecs -1400-500 BC
a. First major American civilization.
b. Tropical forests on coast of modern day Mexico.
c. Built pyramid shaped temples, used a calendar.
d. Developed writing system.
2. Mayas – 300-900 AD
a. Southern Mexico
b. Mostly farmers.
c. Taxes paid with food to support temples and cities.
d. Profitable trade throughout Central America.
e. Priests and religions very important; it was thought they could influence crops and
battles
f. Each city ruled by a chief, followed by nobles, and then the farmers (majority of people)
g. Pyramid temples, raised farm beds to hold and drain water (advanced agriculture),
picture system of writing, books made of bark, 365 day calendar (use of astronomy),
understood mathematical concept of zero before Europeans.
h. Millions of people in Mexico and Guatemala still speak Mayan languages.
3. Aztecs -1200’s-1500’s AD
a. Covered most of Mexico.
b. Spread empire through alliances and war against smaller states.
c. Ruled by an Emperor, followed by nobility, warriors, peasants, and slaves.
d. Religion important to keep the Gods happy. They thought this would avoid hardships.
Large use of human sacrifice.
e. Accurate calendar, recorded historical events, had schools, advanced medicine (treat
broken bones and dental work), large organized cities (Tenochtitlan), advanced
agriculture (floating gardens, fertilizers, conversion of swamps to farmland).
4. Incans
a. Andes Mountains (along the Western Coast of South America).
b. Centralized government - Ruled by and Emperor, Nobles ruled provinces, organized tax
collection, law enforcement, people’s lives controlled by the government.
c. Religion was a big part of daily life.
d. Road system stretching 12-14,000 miles (including over and through parts of the Andes),
terrace farming (flat areas cut into the side of the mountain for farming), advanced
medicine (surgeries), use of herbs as medicines, used a calendar.
Ming Dynasty – China Mid 1300’s to 1600’s
1.
2.
3.
4.
Mongols had ruled since 1279, Overthrown by the Ming in 1368.
Brought back civil service system.
Confucianism became important again.
Zheng He – Explorer and Admiral made trade contacts with distant cultures, sought tribute
from “inferior” cultures.
a. After his death large shipbuilding was banned, ending exploration.
b. Zheng he’s exploration was not profitable
c. Leaders did not want the superior Chinese culture (ethnocentrism) to become
corrupted by foreign cultures.
d. Repaired canal system to improve internal trade, improved production of porcelain,
tools and paper.
5. Increase in Western Trade
a. Europeans had an interest in Chinese goods.
b. Chinese had little interest in Western goods.
6. Influence over Korea and Japan
a. Korea
i. Chinese culture influenced Korean culture. Korea adapted Chinese ideas and
developed and maintained their own culture.
1. Used civil service exams, printing, Confucianism, artistic styles.
b. Japan
i. Korea was a “cultural bridge between China and Japan.
ii. Chinese ideas originally introduce by Korean missionaries.
iii. Japanese nobles later traveled to China to study their culture.
iv. Chinese ideas were adapted and blended with traditional Japanese culture (ex- Zen
Buddhism from Buddhism)
7. China similarly influenced parts of Southeast Asia.
Ottoman Empire
1. 1453 Ottoman Turks overthrew the Byzantine Empire, renamed Constantinople as Istanbul
and made it the capital of their Muslim Empire.
2. Expanded into the Balkans and Russia and Egypt. Empire had parts of three continents.
3. Blended Byzantine (Greco-Roman) culture with Muslim culture.
4. Rulers called Sultans.
a. Suleiman (the Magnificent) – expanded the empire, strengthened government,
improved justice system.
5. Diverse (Multiethnic) Empire.
a. Class structure – Highly educated, Military, businesspeople, farmers/herders (top two
were Muslims only)
b. Other religions were allowed to practice their religion as long as they obeyed Ottoman
law.
c. Janissaries- children of conquered people, who were taken, converted to Islam and
trained to be elite soldiers in the military.
6. Decline
a. Multiethnic makeup eventually causes problems. Peoples try to break away and form
their own nations based on their own culture (nationalism).
b. Europeans became more powerful; by 1700 Europe was more advanced militarily and
economically than the Ottomans. Europe’s economy became based on Industry while
the Ottoman's was still based on Agriculture.
European exploration and Imperialism
1. Spanish Reconquista
a. Ferdinand and Isabella united all of Spain as a Christian state and forced the Muslims
out of their last Spanish stronghold (Spanish Christians had been fighting since the 700’s
to achieve this). Financed the voyages of Columbus, brought great wealth to Spain.
b. Political unity helped support exploration, as well as a desire to bypass Muslim
controlled trade routes (trade through the Ottoman Empire (formerly the Byzantine
Empire and Constantinople) was more expensive.
2. Portugal and Spain searched for ocean routes to bypass the overland routes controlled by
Muslims and Italians.
3. Technology
a. Printing press spread ideas and information more rapidly (like geography)
b. Military technology (ex- gunpowder, canons) helped Europeans win control of ocean
trade routes.
c. Cartography (map making) and Astrolabe (navigation) made travel easier. Caravels
(ships that could sail against the wind) used by Portuguese.
4. Early Exploration
a. Portuguese established trade route to India by Sea around Africa.
b. Columbus, sponsored by Spain, reaches the Americas.
c. Early Imperialism – 1500’s-1700’s—this is the smaller first stage of European
Imperialism. The next stage is called The New Imperialism starting in the 1800’s and is
carried out on a much bigger scale.
i. Africa1. Portugal built forts along the west coast and captured port cities in the East, but
never pushed into the interior of Africa.
2. Dutch set up a colony on the Southern Tip of Africa (Cape Town Settlement).
The settlers were known as Boers and either enslaved Africans or pushed them
off the best land.
ii. Asia1. Portugal controlled the Indian Peninsula Trade network, took control of the
Malayan Peninsula. Destroyed Arab ships at sea, controlled the spice trade from
Asia. Power declined in the late 1500’s
2. Dutch (Dutch East India Company) established trade links with Asia in the late
1500’s. Captured Portuguese port cities and took control of the spice trade with
Asia (particularly China).
3. Magellan claimed the Philippines for Spain in the 1500’s, used it as a trading base
to trade with China.
4. By the 1700’s England and France (British and French East India Companies)
established bases in India. The British and their sepoy army pushed out the
French and their sepoy army. British East India Company forced the Indian
Mughal Empire to allow it to collect taxes in India.
iii. Americas1. Spanish Conquistadors arrive in America searching for Gold and to spread
Christianity.
2. Cortes made alliances with enemies of the Aztec empire and conquered it by
1521.
3. Pizzaro destroyed the Incan empire in modern day Peru in 1532.
Spanish Empire
1.
2.
3.
4.
Spanish Empire stretched from modern day California to South America.
Extremely profitable for Spain.
Viceroys (Spanish government officials) ran the colonial empire for the King.
Catholic Church was very influential in the colonies, helping to run the government and
convert many of the natives.
5. Encomienda System- Conquistador was given land and the right to force the natives to
work for him. After disease and overwork killed many natives, Africans were brought in as
slaves.
6. A new culture developed that blended Native American, European and African traditions.
7. Social Structure- Peninsulares (Spanish born people) Creoles (European descent but born
in the colonies) Mestizos (mixed Native American and European descent) mulattoes
(mixed African and European descent) Native Americans and Slaves.
Triangle of Trade
1. Slave trade became profitable because of the need for slaves in the Americas.
2. Trade involved Africa, Europe, and the Americas (Sea routes between the continents
formed a triangle).
3. Slaves went to the Americas, Raw Materials went to Europe, and finished goods went to the
Americas and Africa.
a. The trip enslaved Africans were forced to take from Africa to America was called the
Middle Passage. Millions of Africans died from disease, being killed, or suicide
b. 10-15 million Africans sent to the Americas as slaves. Local wars were fought in Africa
as tribes tried to capture rival tribe members to sell or trade to Europeans.
Governments were weakened. Some small societies disappeared forever.
Columbian Exchange
The Global exchange of goods, people, animals, plants, ideas, diseases, and technology (cultural
diffusion), especially between Europe and the Americas, which started with the voyages of
Columbus.
Mercantilism and Capitalism
1. More trademore capitalism (investing money for profit) and more joint stock companies.
Middle Class merchants grew very wealthy. Nobles (wealth was in land) were weakened.
2. Europeans adopted Mercantilism building on exporting more than you import.
3. Colonies important as sources of raw materials and markets for finished goods.
Absolutism
1. As feudalism declined Monarchs were trying to centralize their power more. By the 1500’s 1600’s this had led absolutism- autocratic rulers who had complete control over the nations
and the lives of the people.
2. Mughal India
a. Akbar the Great- Strengthened the empire, was tolerant of religions. France and Britain
were able to take over parts of India after his death (later rulers were not effective).
3. Spain
a. Philip II- Expanded Spanish territory, Strengthened the Catholic Church. Believed in
divine right (the power to rule comes from God). Supported the arts, ruled during a
Golden Age. Spent too much money, caused Spain to start sliding into near bankruptcy.
4. France
a. Louis XIV- Known as the Sun King (Sun was a symbol of his power). Built the Palace of
Versailles with tax money, fought several wars to increase French power, and
persecuted the protestant Huguenots. He left France with massive debt and social
unrest.
5. Russia
a. Peter the Great- Reduced power of nobility, brought Russian Orthodox Church under his
control. Forced the country to Westernize in an attempt to become as strong as
Western European countries. Expanded territory, but never got a warm water port.
Catherine the Great, a later absolute ruler achieved that goal.
6. England
a. England did not become an absolute monarchy like other European countries
b. Parliament was able to limit the monarch’s power over time.
c. Stuarts
i. James I- attempted to centralize more power in the monarchy, clashed with
parliament. Had conflict with Puritans who wanted to “purify” the Anglican Church.
Dissolved parliament, imposed his taxes without parliament approval.
ii. Charles I- Much the same as his father. Had to call parliament in 1640 for funds to
put down rebellions in Scotland. Parliament went to war with him.
1. English Civil War- Cavaliers (royal supporters) vs. Roundheads
(parliament/puritans).
a. Parliament won led by Oliver Cromwell.
b. Charles I executed.
c. Cromwell takes over England. Set up The commonwealth (monarchy
abolished).
d. The commonwealth became a dictatorship under Cromwell and the Puritans.
e. The Restoration- after Cromwell died, the monarchy was restored.
f. Charles II and James II- Absolutist and Catholic tendencies scared parliament
into inviting William and Mary (protestant daughter of James II) to take over
the monarchy. The Glorious Revolution, when William and Mary arrived in
England, caused James II to flee to France. This nonviolent, bloodless
overthrow was called the Glorious Revolution.
i. William and Mary had to accept the English Bill of Rights, making
parliament more powerful than the monarchy. England became a limited
monarchy.