Chapter 15 Expanding Worlds: Recovery in the Late Fourteenth and Fifteenth Centuries

Focus Questions WHY WERE some African empires able to expand on such an impressive scale during this period? WHAT ROLE did geographic diversity play in the Inca and Aztec empires? WHAT STRONG new empires arose on the Eurasian borderlands? WHY DID China turn away from overseas expansion in the fifteenth century? WHY DID Europe begin to reach out and cross the oceans in the late 1400s?

Empires in Eurasia Rise of the Turks Empire of Timur the Lame Ottoman Empire Rise of the Turks Empire of Timur the Lame Adaptation of new military technologies Invasion of the Balkans Building of a fleet Seizure of Constantinople (1453) New source of wealth Defeat of old Christian rival System for rule

Ivan “the Terrible” (r. 1462-1505) Married Byzantine princess Russian Empire Center at Moscow Ivan III, first tsar Ivan “the Terrible” (r. 1462-1505) Married Byzantine princess Moscow the Third Rome State grows to encompass entire Volga region Begins to expand to the east Colonization Fur trade China Renewed: The Ming dynasty (est. 1368) Peasant rising in 1351 and instability of Mongol elite Chu Yüanzhang proclaims Ming dynasty Capital moved to Nanjing Many of the foreign advisors and former government officials retained. Exam system and ancient traditions restored.

Yongle Emperor (r. 1402-1424) Moved capital back to Beijing Buildt Forbidden City Voyages of Zheng He Muslim eunuch, representative of assimilated old foreign administration Sets out to establish Chinese dominance and gain new tributary allies for China. Increase knowledge of the outside world Massive fleets and ships: 7 voyages between 1404 and 1433 Opposition by Confucian elites (loathed commerce) Voyages ended with Zheng’s death; ships and records destroyed. Confucian opposition, military threats to the empire, and astronomical cost of the voyages China becomes increasingly inward-looking.

Empires in the Americas Inca in South America Rise of the Inca during late fifteenth century Military organization, use of colonies and road building to maintain control Ecological diversity of land Precarious nature Struggles within the Inca elite Resentment of local populations Size of the empire itself: communication problems, economic problems, etc.

Arose during the fourteenth century. Aztec (Mexico) Arose during the fourteenth century. Based on military prowess of the Aztec military Centered on its capital at Tenochtitlan, built in the middle of Lake Texcoco Dependent on tribute from subject peoples, many of whom deeply resented Aztec rule Size of the empire led to communication problems, risk of collapse if too many tributary states rose at once, etc.

Empires in Africa East West Ethiopia Mwene Mutapa Both connected into Indian Ocean trade system West Mali Empire (13th to early 15th century) In decline with the rise of Songhay Wealth in gold, ivory, and slaves

Europe Hardship of navigation in the Atlantic Portugal Hardship of navigation in the Atlantic Early exploration of the Atlantic by the Portuguese Role of trial and error in technological development Development of sugar plantations Development of trade contacts with West African kingdoms Rounding of Africa in 1488 Spain Christopher Columbus Voyage of 1492

The building of an overseas trading empire by the Portuguese was unprecedented in its connection of Europe with the Indian Ocean trading system and was a harbinger of things to come. The empires of sub-Saharan Africa and the Americas represented states not unlike earlier ones, though larger in size but still with limited outside contacts and life spans. The Ming dynasty restored native rule to China and for a time suggestion a new outward-looking view that might have challenged European traders coming into the Indian Ocean, but it turned inward instead – the consequences for all were enormous.

Modern ecological imperialism? Today’s Question Modern ecological imperialism? Consider The U.S., with 6% of the world’s population, accounts for over 25% of the world’s energy consumption. This energy profligacy not only drives political policy in the oil-rich Middle East, but also makes economic growth in the less-developed world even more problematic ecologically. Countries such as Brazil might ask why they should not be allowed to exploit their natural resources (such as the Amazon rain forest) the same way the U.S. exploited its resources earlier. Does U.S. energy consumption constitute a new ecological imperialism, forcing the rest of the world to deal with the impact of the U.S., whether they want to or not? Is forcing the consequences of our lifestyle a form of imperial arrogance?