Political Transformations: Empires & Encounters, 1450-1750 Chapter 13 Short Answer Possibilities

European Empire Building Europeans at all levels of the social hierarchy were highly motivated to gain access to Eurasian commerce Thus all groups in European society had incentive to participate in empire building after 1200 Rival monarchs Nobles (poor & rich) Competing merchants Commoners Christian missionaries Persecuted minorities

European Empire Building Europeans were much closer to the Americas than their potential competition from Asia Adoption of improved seafaring technology from the Islamic and Chinese worlds of Indian Ocean commerce made trans-Atlantic travel much easier Highly organized European states and trading companies Able to mobilize human & material resources Able to finance exploration & settlement

European Empire Building European ironworking technology, gunpowder, weapons, and horses were unknown to and unparalleled in the Americas Divisions within and between societies in the Americas provided information and allies for Europeans European diseases and germs decimated societies in the Americas because Native Americans had no immunity to them

Economic Foundation of Colonial Rule in Mexico and Peru In both Mexico and Peru, the basis of colonial economies were commercial agriculture and mining for precious metals The work was performed by forced labor and cheap wage labor from the indigenous populations

Economic Foundation of Colonial Rule in Mexico and Peru The economic base of agriculture and mining led to a distinctive social hierarchy that mimicked the Spanish class system It also incorporated Native Americans, Africans, and the growing number of racially mixed peoples

Economic Foundation of Colonial Rule in Mexico and Peru The major social groups in the former Aztec and Incan lands were: Spaniards Mestizos (European & Native American mix) Native Americans African slaves and freemen were far less numerous in Mexico and Peru than elsewhere in the Americas Society was dominated by Europeans, but with a more fluid and culturally diverse society than the racially rigid societies of North America

Differences in Plantation Societies In Brazil and the Caribbean there was a continuous importation of slaves from Africa More slaves were voluntarily set free by their owners than in North America Free blacks and those of mixed descent had greater opportunities than their counterparts in North America

Differences in Plantation Societies In North America there was less racial mixing and less willingness to recognize children of race mixing as a distinct class in society Slavery was less harsh in North America than in the sugar colonies By 1750 slaves in North America had become self-reproducing By 1850 nearly all North American slaves had been born in the New World

Differences in Plantation Societies North America Brazil and Caribbean Any African ancestry at all made a person black Race was the only criteria determining class status An individual of African and non-African ancestry was considered to fall into another mixed race category, not black. Color was only one piece of class status, along with economic standing and education

Creating a Russian Empire Russia’s expansion into the Steppes to the south and east of the Russian heartland (Muscovy) was initially for the purpose of security from pastoral warlike people from the steppes Frequently raided Russian Territory Sold Russians off into captivity Tatars exacted tribute from Moscow & ruled over Russia

Creating a Russian Empire Russian expansion into Siberia was driven by worldwide demand for furs Leaders (Tsars after 1547) cited the need to protect the frontiers for the Russian people, to enhance the power of the Russian state, and the need to bring Christianity, civilization and education to the Russian people as reason to continue to expand

Chinese Empire Building China vastly enlarged the size of its territory driven by security concerns This brought a large number of non-Chinese people into the empire Conquered areas of Central Asia were governed through the use of local nobles separately from the rest of China Chinese officials did not want to assimilate local people into Chinese culture They did show a great deal of respect for the Mongolian, Tibetan, and Muslim cultures over which they ruled

Mughal Attitudes & Policies Towards Hindus Akbar recognized Hindus made up the majority of the population of the Mughal Empire He acted deliberately to accommodate Hindus Allowed the Hindu princesses he married to keep their faith Incorporated Hindus into the political & military elite Supported the building of Hindu temples Imposed an empire wide policy of toleration Removed the special tax on non-Muslims Promoted a cult of the empire that drew upon Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, & Zoroastrianism

Mughal Attitudes & Policies Towards Hindus Aurangzeb reversed Akbar’s policies of accommodation Banned Hindu music and dance at his court Destroyed some Hindu temples Reinstituted the special tax for non-Muslims Posted “censors of public morals” in large cities to enforce Islamic law Forbade the practice of Sati

Ottoman Empire Represented a military threat to Europe Important trading partner for Europe Impressed European intellectuals because of its religious tolerance Allied with France against the common Austrian Hapsburg enemy