Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Chapter 13:The worlds of the 15th century

Major Developments around the world during the 15th Century.

Central, East and Southeast Asia :

  • Ming Dynasty in China
-Effective government
-Confucian/Daoist philosophy
-Major Buddhist presence
-Sophisticated artistic achievements 
-During the Mongol rule: for a century China's civilization was disrupted. This caused the population to drastically decreased.
 -During the Ming Dynasty China was able to recover.
-During the early Ming Dynasty there was a lot of effort in eliminating foreign ruling
-Reestablished of the civil service examination system that was neglected during the Mongol rule
-Rebuilding of canals 
-Population grew
-Both international/domestic trade flourished.

  • Conquest of Timur
-Proved to be the LAST great military success of nomadic people from Central Asia
-Immense devastation to Russia, China, India.
-Timur died in 1405 while preparing to invade China
  • Zheng He's maritime voyage 
-His expeditions served to establish Chinese power prestige in the Indian Ocean an to exert Chinese control over the foreign trade
-wanting to enroll   distant people and states in the Chinese tribute system
-
  • Spread of Islam into Southeast Asia
  • Rise of Malacca
  • Civil War among competing warlords in Japan
South Asia/India :

  • Timur's invasion of India 
  • Various Muslim sultanates in Northern India
  • Rise of Hindu state Vijayanagar in Southern India 
  • Founding of Mughal Empire
 Middle East :

  •  Expansion of Ottoman Empire
  • Ottoman seizure of Constantinople
  • Founding of Safavid Empire in Persia
  • Ottoman siege of Vienna
Christendom/Europe : 
  • European Renaissance
-Reflected the belief of wealthy elite that they were living in a wholly new era
-great artist were born this time
-
  • Portuguese voyages of exploration along West Africa coast
  • Completion of reconquest of Spain, ending Muslim control
  • End of the Byzantine Empire
  • End of Mongol rule in Russia; reign of Ivan the Great
Africa :
  • Songhay Empire in West Africa
  • Kingdom of the Kongo in West Central Africa
  • Expansion of Ethiopia state in East Africa
  • Kingdom of Zimbabwe/Mwene Mutapa in Southern Africa
The Americas/Western Hemisphere :
  • Aztec Empire in Mesoamerica
  • Inca Empire along the Andes
  • Iroquois confederacy (NY state)
-Agreement to settle differences peacefully by a confederation council of clan leaders some of them had the authority to adjudicate disputes and set reparation payments
-Iroquois -speaking people had only recently become fully agricultural, adopting maize and bean farming techniques (originated from Mesoamerica)
By adapting agriculture:
- the population began to grow
-Size of settlement increased
-Distinct people emerged (Onondaga, Seneca, Cayuga, Oneida and Mohawk)
-Warfare erupted among them
-The Iroquois League gave expression to values of limited government social equality, and personal freedom, concepts that some European colonists found highly attractive.

  • "Complex" Paleolithic societies along the West Coast of North America 
-300 edible animal species and abundance of salmon and other fish, extraordinary bounteous environment.
-They had permanent village settlements 
-Large and sturdy horses
-ranked societies : at times included slavery
-extensive food storage


Pacific Oceania :
  • Paleolithic persistence in Australia 
-People in Australia mastered their environment
-"Fire-stick farming"= to set fires, they described it as "cleaning up the country"
the controlled burns served to clear the underbrush
-This made it easier for hunting 
-It encouraged the growth of plant and animal species 
-They exchanged goods among themselves and over distances of hundred of miles away
-Ritual Practices
-Created a elaborate mythologies 
-Developed sophisticated traditions (sculpture and rock painting)


  • Chiefdom's and stratified societies on Pacific Islands
  • Yap as center of Oceania trading network with Guam and Palu



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