Chapter 22 Review and Discussion

Why was Central Asia important to the land-based Eurasian empires? Land based empires were vulnerable to attack from central Asia and therefore tried to absorb Central Asian territory and make it self-supporting and profitable by developing agriculture and mining Also it was expensive to maintain garrisons of troops there because everything had to be brought in. This was accomplished through the use of forced labor and the cooperation of government. Land Empires V. Sea Based Empires Land empires were at a disadvantage in competition with the sea-based commercial empires of Europe more despite the fact that they developed the largest economic and administrative systems in the world. Much more expensive to defend and had fewer choices with regard to direction for possible expansion

The Cossacks were a diverse group How did the Russians combine different cultural elements in their empire? Use the Cossacks as an example. The Cossacks were a diverse group They were a combination of Turks, Poles, Hungarians, and Mongols. Military They were enrolled in special military regiments and allowed to live in autonomous villages in return. Combined “Turkic” horsemanship and military skills with Russian language and Christian beliefs The Cossacks were an example of how Russia combined “Turkish” and “Russian” elements. Defense and Expansion The Cossacks performed valuable service for Russia by defending against the Swedish and Ottoman invasions as well as leading campaigns for exploration, conquest, and settlement. Led the expansion into the East into Siberia to dominate the fur and shipping industries of the north Pacific

Russian Expansion Peter the Great r.1689-1725 “Great Northern War” broke Swedish control over the Baltic and established direct contact between Russia and Europe Built a new capital at St. Petersburg and attempted to Westernize Russia To strengthen the Russian state and its autocracy (not interested in political liberalization) Brought Russian Orthodox Church under his control and increased the burden of taxes and labor on the serfs

The mission of the Jesuits was to Discuss the impact of the Jesuits in Europe, China, and Japan from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century. The mission of the Jesuits was to produce converts to Catholicism. They were successful to a degree, particularly among the elite of the Ming. Tolerated Confucian ancestor worship to gain converts Cultural Diffusion Also brought European ideas and technology to Asia—for instance, mapmaking and metallurgy (for cannon). Transferred to Europe the ideas of inoculation against smallpox Japan Came in late 1500s and had limited success in converting regional lords, but had greater success in converting farmers of Southern and Eastern Japan Rural rebellion in the 1630s was blamed on Christians which led to persecutions, ban on Christianity, and closing on Japan in 1649

What did the Qing government do to stimulate the economy? Qing emperors repaired roads and waterworks, lowered taxes, rents, and interest rates, and resettled people into areas depopulated by earlier peasant revolts. Foreign threats and trade The Qing eliminated potential external military threats, making further recovery possible. This new territorial control encouraged the reopening of overland trade routes, which created an influx of resources and knowledge, reinforcing Qing recovery. The long-term effectiveness of this recovery was due to the Qing’s ability to incorporate and adapt the ideas and technologies of far-flung areas. Cultural diffusion Examples of Qing adaptation include the Mongol system of political organization; the Tibetan practice of religious legitimation for rulers; Korean and Chinese agricultural policies; and European mapping and technology.

European frustrations Describe the trade relationship between Europe and China in the late sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Trade Trade increased significantly by the end of the sixteenth century, particularly in Chinese goods such as tea, silk, and porcelain. The Europeans provided transport in their growing shipping fleets. Trade restrictions The desire to protect the agricultural sector, as well as concern about smuggling and piracy, led the Qing to restrict and regulate foreign involvement in trade. This regulation extended from limiting camel caravans to restricting Europeans to Canton. European frustrations Europeans, eyeing huge potential Chinese markets, were unable to appeal to Chinese consumers with any known product, and the consequent trade imbalances angered them. The corrupt and inefficient British East India Company only made matters worse. George Macartney’s (1793-1794) mission to China is an example of British attempts to open a more advantageous trade with China. Was a big failure, as were similar diplomatic embassies sent by the Dutch, French, Russians

“Forty-seven Ronin” incident 1702 Tokugawa Japan practiced a form of government referred to as “controlled decentralization.” What was the ultimate result of this form of government for the Tokugawa Shogunate? Government Japanese emperors had no political power and that they remained in virtual exile The shoguns wielded most of the power and lived at Edo, the new capital. The Tokugawa system of regional lords, who resided part of the time at Edo, required well-maintained roads, which in turn helped develop new trade and manufacturing centers. economy Because both the lords and their followers were paid in rice, an economy using rice as a medium of exchange blossomed. Merchants and financiers converted rice into currency, lent money to samurai, and wielded increasing power as a result. Tokugawa shoguns tried to limit the power of the merchant class, but the decentralized system of rule by regional lords thwarted such efforts. However, the decentralized system did stimulate economic growth through agricultural mechanization, light industry, finance, and transport. “Forty-seven Ronin” incident 1702 Showed basic flaw in the Shogunal government Forced the military, to obey the civil law in the interests of building a centralized, standardized system of law (transformed from a military to a civil society)