1450 1750 O Verview

1450 17501450 1750The West and the Changing The West and the Changing

World BalanceWorld Balance By 1400, shifting world balanceBy 1400, shifting world balance Islam declining—fall of the AbbasidsIslam declining—fall of the Abbasids Mongols in declineMongols in decline Ming step into vacuum for a whileMing step into vacuum for a while But West was most dynamic contenderBut West was most dynamic contender Italy, Spain, and Portugal take Italy, Spain, and Portugal take

leadership rolesleadership roles Americas and Polynesia also Americas and Polynesia also

experience big changesexperience big changes

Decline of the Old OrderDecline of the Old Order

Byzantium and Byzantium and Abbasids crumbledAbbasids crumbled

Byzantine Empire Byzantine Empire pressed by pressed by Ottoman Turks, Ottoman Turks, falls in 1453falls in 1453

Abbasids Abbasids destroyed by destroyed by Mongols in 1258Mongols in 1258

Fall of Constantinople, 1453

Social & Cultural Change in Social & Cultural Change in Middle EastMiddle East

Islamic leader focus on religion rather than Islamic leader focus on religion rather than poetry, philosophy, and sciencepoetry, philosophy, and science

Landlords seize power over peasants Landlords seize power over peasants leading to fall in agricultural productivityleading to fall in agricultural productivity

Tax revenue decrease, merchants lost Tax revenue decrease, merchants lost ground to European competitorsground to European competitors

Islamic decline gradual and incompleteIslamic decline gradual and incomplete Muslims remain active in Indian Ocean Muslims remain active in Indian Ocean

networknetwork Ottoman Turks building one of world ‘s Ottoman Turks building one of world ‘s

most powerful empiresmost powerful empires

Chinese Century & Chinese Century & WithdrawalWithdrawal

Ming replace YuanMing replace Yuan Influence in Mongolia, Influence in Mongolia,

Korea, Viet Nam, and Korea, Viet Nam, and TibetTibet

State-sponsored trading State-sponsored trading expeditions to India, expeditions to India, Middle East, and eastern Middle East, and eastern AfricaAfrica

Led by Zheng HeLed by Zheng He Missions halted in 1433 Missions halted in 1433

because of high costs and because of high costs and Confucian oppositionConfucian opposition

Withdrawal opened Withdrawal opened opportunities for opportunities for European expansionEuropean expansion

Zheng He’s treasure ship

Rise in the WestRise in the West West still backward West still backward

in 14in 14thth and 15 and 15 centuriescenturies

Medieval culture Medieval culture and Catholic Church and Catholic Church under attackunder attack

Population Population outstripped food outstripped food supplies and supplies and famines recurrent famines recurrent after 1300after 1300

Black death cost Black death cost Europe 1/3 of its Europe 1/3 of its populationpopulation

Sources of Dynamism in Sources of Dynamism in the Westthe West

Despite reverses, Europe still dynamicDespite reverses, Europe still dynamic Strengthened feudal monarchs provide Strengthened feudal monarchs provide

effective leadershipeffective leadership Hundred Years War stimulated military Hundred Years War stimulated military

innovationinnovation Spain drove back Muslim occupiersSpain drove back Muslim occupiers Urban growth spurs commerceUrban growth spurs commerce Church accepts key capitalistic conceptsChurch accepts key capitalistic concepts Technology, esp. in ironworking and Technology, esp. in ironworking and

timekeeping continued progresstimekeeping continued progress

Imitation and International Imitation and International ProblemsProblems

Earlier rise of Mongol empire gave Europe Earlier rise of Mongol empire gave Europe access to Asian knowledge and technologyaccess to Asian knowledge and technology

Elites sought Asian luxury productsElites sought Asian luxury products Paid for them with export of raw materialsPaid for them with export of raw materials Created unfavorable balance of trade, had Created unfavorable balance of trade, had

to be made up in goldto be made up in gold Rise of Ottoman empire further threatened Rise of Ottoman empire further threatened

Europe’s balance of tradeEurope’s balance of trade City-state of Venice begins explorations to City-state of Venice begins explorations to

bypass Muslim dominated routes to Asiabypass Muslim dominated routes to Asia

Iberian Spirit of Religious Iberian Spirit of Religious MissionMission

Spain key center for changeSpain key center for change Castile and Aragon established Castile and Aragon established

regional monarchies by 1400regional monarchies by 1400 Untied through royal marriage Untied through royal marriage

in1469in1469 Rulers developed religious and Rulers developed religious and

military agendamilitary agenda Mission to convert or expel Mission to convert or expel

Muslims and Jews to maintain Muslims and Jews to maintain doctrinal puritydoctrinal purity

Western Expansion: Western Expansion: experimental Phaseexperimental Phase

Late 13Late 13thth century, Europe century, Europe begins efforts to begins efforts to explore Atlanticexplore Atlantic

Early Early discoveries discoveries leads to colonial leads to colonial systemsystem

Early ExplorationsEarly Explorations

Focused on search for route Focused on search for route to Indiesto Indies

Hindered by technological Hindered by technological barriers until 1430 so ship barriers until 1430 so ship hugged coasthugged coast

After 1430, better ships and After 1430, better ships and learning from Arabs use of learning from Arabs use of Chinese compass and Chinese compass and astrolabeastrolabe

European mapmaking European mapmaking improvedimproved

Colonial PatternsColonial Patterns Portuguese and Portuguese and

Spanish began to Spanish began to exploit discovered exploit discovered territories of territories of Azores, Maderias, Azores, Maderias, and Canariesand Canaries

Prince Henry of Prince Henry of Portugal reflected Portugal reflected intellectual intellectual curiosity, religious curiosity, religious fervor, and financial fervor, and financial interest that interest that stimulated stimulated European expansionEuropean expansion

Colonial PatternsColonial Patterns Land grants given to Land grants given to

colonist who brought colonist who brought along Western plants, along Western plants, animals and diseasesanimals and diseases

Laboratory for later Laboratory for later imperialismimperialism

Large estates Large estates produced cash cropsproduced cash crops—sugar, cotton —sugar, cotton tobacco—for western tobacco—for western marketsmarkets

Slaves introduced for Slaves introduced for crop cultivationcrop cultivation

Outside World NetworkOutside World Network

International framework developed International framework developed during Postclassical period left out during Postclassical period left out regions and peoplesregions and peoples

Americas and Polynesia not part of Americas and Polynesia not part of international exchangeinternational exchange

Political Issues in the Political Issues in the AmericasAmericas

Aztec and exploitation of subject Aztec and exploitation of subject populations created opportunities populations created opportunities for outside interventionfor outside intervention

Inca created tension between Inca created tension between central and local leadershipcentral and local leadership

European invasion changed European invasion changed AmericasAmericas

"Cortez and Montezuma at Mexican Temple"

Expansion, Migration, and Expansion, Migration, and Conquest of PolynesiaConquest of Polynesia

Between 600 and 1400, Polynesia Between 600 and 1400, Polynesia experienced spurts of migration and experienced spurts of migration and conquestconquest

Result—spread people far beyond Result—spread people far beyond initial base of Society Islandsinitial base of Society Islands

Some go to Hawaiian IslandsSome go to Hawaiian Islands After 1400, Hawaiian society cut off After 1400, Hawaiian society cut off

from Polynesiafrom Polynesia Warlike regional kingdoms formedWarlike regional kingdoms formed

Adding up the ChangesAdding up the Changes 1400 was time of transition in world history1400 was time of transition in world history Marked most important shift since fall of Marked most important shift since fall of

classical empiresclassical empires Rise of west was part of complex events all over Rise of west was part of complex events all over

worldworld Shifts in international trade leadership, in Shifts in international trade leadership, in

power relationships, and civilization dynamism.power relationships, and civilization dynamism. Although sub-Saharan Africa continued Although sub-Saharan Africa continued

independent paths of evolution,, changing world independent paths of evolution,, changing world patterns draws it into new relationship with patterns draws it into new relationship with EuropeEurope