1. Chapter 16 THE WEST AND THE CHANGING WORLD BALANCE – The West The shifting balance of power among civilizations in Asia, Africa and Europe changed the nature of international contact

2. The church under attack Time of disarray – plague, famines
Rise of West
14th & 15th centuries – were backward
Medieval institutions changing
The church under attack
Time of disarray – plague, famines
(population outstripped food supplies and
no new productions techniques to
increase production)
Demographic and economic disruptions

3. Stronger feudal monarchy – provided effective government
AND YET… Key advances in medieval society made it possible for Western Europe to rise to a power
Stronger feudal monarchy – provided effective government
Military innovations – military organization, non-aristocratic soldiers for pay due to Hundred Years’ War – strengthened central government
Growth of cities and urban economies spurred commercial sector
Church accepted capitalist principles such a profit making
Technological innovations – ironwork, clocks

4. explorations to find alternative routes to Asian goods that avoided
Additional factors favoring the rise of Western Europe
Copying Asian
technologies
and knowledge
Unfavorable
balance of trade
Fear of Ottomans led to
explorations to find alternative routes to Asian goods that avoided
Muslim routes
gold shortage

5. Italian Renaissance more secular art & literature
cultural & political movement
- from urban vitality & commerce
city-states support merchants seeking new markets

6. cultural movement
begins in Florence
realistic paintings
perspective
Inspired by ancient
Greece and Rome
early – not a full break from Medieval ideals
the individual is central
little impact outside of Italy
culture not science
innovations in music
Italian commerce increases – personal glory

7. Iberian Peninsula change stimulates west’s surge into world
Castile & Aragon
- regional monarchies
religious & military agenda
- convert or expel Muslims & Jews
link between church & state

8. Exploration late 13th century - Atlantic
south along West African coast
Chinese compass & astrolabe (Arabs)
better ships
map making improves
colonies – Azores, Canary Islands

10. Prince Henry of Portugal
- gave land grants
- colonists took plants, animals
& diseases to new areas
key factors for exploration
- scientific and cultural curiosity
- spread Christianity
- financial gain
Introduced colonization:
- Madeiras and Canaries
- glimpse into the future;
what would happen
later in larger scale
- cash crops produced
for western markets;
sugar, cotton,
tobacco
- slaves introduced

11. Americas not part of international exchange
disadvantage when outsiders intervene
Americas
Aztecs cresting resentments among subjected peoples
Incas have tension between central & local leadership
European invasion changed dynamics of Americas

12. What accounts for the relative rise of the west?
strengthening of feudal monarchies
more effective governments
military innovations (100 years war)
growth of urban areas
technology advances (weapons, ironwork, clocks)
church accepts capitalistic ideas of profit making
imitate technology from China
desires for Asian luxuries
fear of Ottoman Empire
find other routes to East

13. Describe the nature of the Italian Renaissance
Describe the nature of the Italian Renaissance. In what way was it a strictly Italian experience?
more secular ideas for art, literature
realism & perspective in art
cultural movement
architecture from Gothic to classical Greek & Roman
focus on high culture, not popular culture
little interest in science
beginning of exploration & desire for personal glory
Italian b/c more contact with Roman tradition, led Europe in banking & trade, commerce & cities led to more wealth to sponsor culture

14. What was the nature of early western exploration and colonial patterns?
Atlantic
islands off of North Africa (Canaries, Azores, Madeiras)
along African west coast
1430 – technology helps further exploration (compass, astrolabe)
grant land to colonists (plants, animals, diseases)
produce cash crops to sell in Europe
slaves

15. What accounts for the relative decline of civilizations outside the world network?
Aztec disunity, resentment from subjects
Inca trying to control vast areas (central leadership vs. local control)
Polynesian spread
isolation

16. Summarize the transitions taking place in world history ca. 1400.
new technologies ( opportunities to copy Asian)
European initiative in weapons & ships
role of individuals
decline of Arabs reduces Africa’s contact with international world
Europeans becoming more adventurous, taking over world trade
China isolates itself
Ottoman empire not concerned with trade (decline of Muslim influence in trade)

17. more change than absolute decline
Respond to the statement that the relative rise of the West after the 14th century was not so much the result of Western innovation as the decline of civilizations in the Middle East & Asia.
more change than absolute decline
end of Abbasid, rise of Seljuk Turks, disruption of Mongols led to rise of Ottoman Turks
Muslim trade empire disintegrates –Ottomans not interested in it
door opens for western trade expansion
China – no political disruption brief expansion of trade then withdrawal
left opportunities open for west in Asia
fear of Ottomans led to exploration & new trade routes

18. Discuss the differences between the world of 1500 & that of 1250.
demise of Mongol empires led to disruption of links connecting eastern hemisphere
relative decline in ME as trade empire fragmented
rise of Ottoman empire major political factor
Russian independence from Mongols creates new civilization
Ming reasserts traditionalism
Aztec & Inca empires disintegrating from internal problems
Polynesian groups remain isolated & primitive
Renaissance in Italy challenges medieval culture
Westerners beginning to explore and attempt to gain control of worldwide trade
beginning of change in international leadership & dynamism