1. Welcome to World History 
If you have reading notes over the Winter Break reading, please take those out – we are going to finish the quick review of the chapter. If you have no notes, then feel free to take out paper and something to write with.

2. Building Context for the Early Modern Era
The Worlds of the Fifteenth Century
Review & Discussion

3. Getting started...
What evidence can you provide as proof that it was not yet a global trade network?
Afro-Eurasian peoples were not connected to Americas. Neither had sustained connections with Pacific Oceania.

4. What was the “single most important event of the 15th century”?

5. What others were mentioned?
Invasion of Timur/Tamerlane
Emergence of Russian Empire
The Renaissance
The Chinese fleet across the Indian Ocean Basin
Ottoman Empire completes conquest of the Byzantine Empire
Reconquest of Spain by Christians
Growth of the Aztec & Incan Empires

6. In the 15th century, which of the following types of communities were still in existence? Hunters and gatherers Villages of agricultural people Chiefdoms and small states Pastoral communities Empires
On reading quiz, I’ll ask you to give me an example of each of these types of societies.

7. Paleolithic Persistence
Where were these communities visible? Australia, Siberia, Arctic coast lands, parts of Africa and America Did they manipulate their environment? If so, how so? Did they trade?

8. What was different about that “very different” type of hunter/gatherer society on the Northwest Coast of America?
“Complex” or “affluent” gathering and hunting cultures
They had…
Permanent village settlements
Economic specialization
Ranked societies (and slavery)
Chiefdoms
Extensive storage of food

9. Agricultural Village Societies Example of the Iroquois
Conflict triggered remarkable political innovation
A Confederation (loose alliance of five tribes) called the Iroquois League of Five Nations
Agreement = Great Law of Peace
Allowed them to:
Stop warfare
Organize response to Europeans
Interesting… conflict has always been a part of society…

10. Iroquois League of Five Nations
Pushed values of
Limited government
Social equality (even in gender relationships and politics)
Personal freedom
Women had unusual level of authority
Sim to checks and balances – women can select and depose leaders

11. What’s the point? Why did the book even bring up “agricultural people like the Iroquois and the Igbo”?
These people over the next several centuries would be brought into larger empires of Western Europe, Russia, China, and India Note: Just like previous people had brought under control of “the powerful embrace” of earlier powers (Persians, Egyptian, Mesopotamia, Roman, Indian, Islamic, and Chinese)

12. What about Pastoral People?
Notable: Had more impact on civilizations than hunter gatherers/ agricultural village people

13. Who was Timur and why does he matter?
As Mongol empire declined, there was one last attempt to restore
Turkik warlord from Central Asia that constructed a significant empire (controlling area between Persia and Afghanistan during the 15th century)
Brought even worse devastation to Russia, India, Persia
Significant because…
Last great military success of the nomadic people from Central Asia
In the centuries that followed… (you know the rest!)

14. In the BIG timeline of world history, what development occurs after Timur’s death?
The balance of power “TURNS DECISIVELY” from INNER EURASIA to OUTER EURASIA

15. What’s going on in Africa?
Will revisit.
The book is giving you bits and pieces to show you that in Africa you have the existence:
Many types of communities that are interacting with one another at different levels
The spread and modification of Islam
A trade network
Growing use of slavery and slave trade (mostly from non-Islamic states to Islamic North Africa)

16. What about the city and state-based societies
What about the city and state-based societies? How do they compare to these other groups?
Larger
More densely populated
More powerful & innovative
Much more unequal in terms of class and gender
Note: The majority of the world’s population lives in these types of civilizations

17. Ming China… just a summary!
14th – 17th century
Early decades:
Eliminate foreign rule
Promote Confucian philosophy & “orthodox” gender roles
Relocated capital to Beijing
Built the imperial residence known as the “Forbidden City” as well as the Temple of Heaven
Politically:
Highly centralized (emperor & eunuchs w/ lots power)
BIG IDEA: CHINA WAS LOOKING TO ITS PAST CULTURALLY

18. What were the major achievement under the Ming Dynasty?
Planted a BILLION TREES – COOL!
China recovered from disruption caused by Mongol rule & the plague
Population grew & trade flourished
Becomes the best governed & most prosperous of world’s major civilizations
Undertook the largest and most impressive maritime expeditions the world had ever seen

19. What was their goal? Enroll people in Chinese tribute system
It was NOT: to conquer territory, establish settlements, spread their culture
Why?
Sense of superiority. Didn’t “need” anything from outside world. Considered selves a self-sufficient Middle Kingdom

20. China’s 15th century developments and comparison with Europe
Where we left off…
China’s 15th century developments and comparison with Europe
How different from Columbus?
Religious beliefs?
How did he summarize his achievement?
How has China remembered him?
Stopped here 4th hour

21. Zheng He – Important person! Why haven’t we heard of him?
How was he different from Columbus?
2. What were his religious beliefs? How did they change as he grew up?
3. How has China remembered him?  THIS IS IMPORTANT
Reminder: the terms “resurrected” “appropriated” and “distorted” were used in the reading
How different from Columbus?
Religious beliefs?
How did he summarize his achievement?
How has China remembered him?
Stopped here 4th hour

22. CRAZY TO THINK ABOUT – WHAT IF THEY HAD MET
CRAZY TO THINK ABOUT – WHAT IF THEY HAD MET?!?! Zheng He meets Vasco da Gama? World history could have been SO DIFFERENT!
1497

23. What was the most surprising thing about these expeditions?
That they suddenly stopped!
Merchants & craftsman continue but without government
China turned its back on what was in reach – a large scale maritime empire in Indian Ocean Basin.
But why?
Tension of high officials w/ eunuchs
Simply thought it was a waste… “what can they give to us when we are the best of the best?”
Stopped here 1st and 2nd hour

24. What was different about their maritime experiences?
China’s fleet is WAY BIGGER
“All of the ships of Columbus and da Gama combined could have been stored on a single deck of a single vessel in the fleet that set sail under Zheng He”
Different motives
European’s seeking wealth but China required little from others
Euro. Wanted to convert others, Chinese feels no need to share culture or religion
Euro. Wants allies against Muslim strength, there was no equivalent power out there

25. What was MOST different about their maritime experiences?
One ends 1433 and another continues! Why?
Reasons already stated
European not unified (so no power to end & rivalry pushed them to continue)
European elite were interested, while rich guys in China not so much
Finally… “China was very aware of their own antiquity, believed strongly in the absolute superiority of their culture, and felt with good reason that, should they desire something from abroad, others should BRING IT TO THEM.”
Europeans see wealth to be gained from outsiders and want to spread “one true religion”
Also… Chinese withdrawal actually helps European entry

26. What similar processes are taking place in Europe?
Both had been destroyed by plague but during the 15th century they witnessed…
Demographic recovery
Political consolidation
Opportunity for cultural development
Overseas expansion

27. But what was different…
China developed a “unitary state” (centralized, one ruler)
Europe develops separate, competitive states
Will tax citizens more efficiently
Have more effective administrative structures
Raise standing armies (that fight A LOT over territory)
Europe’s “cultural flowering” is not just about bringing back what was in the past, it’s about SURPASSING the past…
We’ll come back to this 

28. Reveals another similarity/difference…
Both were dealing with population growth and land shortage but handle them differently:
Chinese – rice cultivation & expanded into Central Asia
Europeans – expand agriculture w/ new lands

29. 15th Century Americas – Both the Aztec and Inca people
Aztec & Inca were new larger, more politically unified expressions of earlier civilizations
Both were work of marginal people who forcibly took over and absorbed other cultures
Were decimated by Spanish conquistadores & disease
Incorporated traditions of earlier people (Aztecs – Toltecs and Teotihuacan) (Inca – Chavin, Moche, etc.)

30. Aztecs: Known for: their expansionist policy and professional army
Allowed them to dominate nearby states and demand heavy taxes and captives
Starts with small semi-nomadic group (Mexica people)
Then…
Military grows  as mercenaries  Negotiate marriage alliances  built Tenochtitlan  form important Triple Alliance in 1428
Will launch a “highly aggressive program of military conquest”
What did they accomplish?
Brought more of Mesoamerica within a single political framework than ever before w/I 100 years
Interesting… once powerful, who did they link their ancestry to?
Toltecs and Teotihuacan people

31. Aztecs: Political situation:
Loosely structured, unstable conquest state (frequent rebellions)
Conquered people were required to provide labor for Aztec projects & provide goods
Process was overseen by tribute collectors
But, no elaborate administrative system

32. Aztecs:
Economy:
Marketplaces in various cities supported commercial activity with immense range of goods (impressed Spanish)
Pochteca = professional merchants = “magnates of the land”
Goods obtained included slaves (often for sacrifice)
What was the role of sacrifice? Remember… need to know more than this!
“Unusually prominent in Aztec public life”
Religious justification (story on page 525)
“Growth of empire became means for maintaining cosmic order and avoiding utter catastrophe”

33. What did they mean by “human sacrifices were carried out in the service of politics?” How did it served them politically? Impressed enemies, allies, and subjects with the immense power of the Aztecs and their gods

34. Interesting Comparison!
Aztecs & Romans!
Both tied empires together by building roads. Both allowed people they conquered to govern themselves as long as they paid taxes or tributes.
Because of the improved transportation systems and diversity of cultures under their control, both the Aztecs and the Romans were able to adapt ideas from people they conquered and use them for their own purposes.
In other words, the Aztecs and the Romans
WERE CONQUERORS BUT ALSO BORROWERS.

35. The Inca Empire Notable:
It is the largest IMPERIAL STATE in the Western Hemisphere
Short life: 15th and 16th centuries – encompassed the whole Andean civilization
Who did the reading compare the Inca Empire to (in its speed of creation and the extent of its territory?)
The Mongols
Along Andes
10 million people (much larger than Aztec state)

36. The Inca Empire Political, economic, and social situation:
state owned land & resources (but controlled by wealthy nobility)
Most people are peasants – required to support ruling class/give portion of harvest
Labor service = mita system (had to work for state)
Had a bureaucratic empire with a divine emperor (descended from the sun)
80 provinces each with governor
Oversee local officials
Separate “inspectors”
Size of empire = need to be flexible and allow some local people into lower levels of government
Mutiny & conspiracy severally punished
Engaged in large resettlement program – moving ¼ + of conquered to new locations
“efforts at cultural integration” (taught Quechua)
Had to acknowledge Inca deities but then could do whatever
Quipus – knotted cords, accounting device, data recorded

37. Other points of comparison?
Different political and economic relationships
Inca provides little opportunity for social mobility, Aztec does (merchants, artisans, etc.)
The Inca state controlled and provided far more than Aztecs
Similar in gender systems, sometimes called gender parallelism
Note: “gender complimentary, but not equality”
Basically: separate but “equally” significant in theory, although… (what examples?)
Over time, Inca leans towards patriarchy
Men on top, men infidelity not punished as harshly
Men descent from fathers, women from moms
Children belonged equally to mothers and fathers

38. Brief Review – The Islamic World
Will see changes and continuation of earlier patterns
Biggest change = political realm  Transforms from many fragmented regions into four major states or empires
Ottoman, Safavid, Songhay, and Mughal

39. Short Comparison
Southeast Asia & West Africa Islam was introduced by traveling merchants and solidified by activities of Sufi Holy men UNLIKE Middle East, India, and North Africa where is was established by Arab and Turkish Conquest
Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal empires had Turkik origins, while the Songhay Empire did not
The Ottoman and Safavid ruled over heartland of Muslim world, where majority of subjects followed Islam. The Mughal and Songhay ruled over regions were Islam was a minority faith.
The rulers of the Safavid Empire were the only ones to impose a Shia version of Islam as the official religion of the state