AP World History: Unit 3 - Land-Based Empires (1450-1750)

Introduction

• Focus on land-based empires from 1450 to 1750
• Land-based empires derived power from territorial holdings
• Compared to sea-based empires which gained power from maritime control
• Expansion fueled by militaristic use of gunpowder ("Gunpowder Empires")

Common Characteristics of Land-Based Empires

• Territorial expansion
• Militaristic use of gunpowder weapons
• Emerged after the fall of the Mongol Empire

Major Land-Based Empires

Ottoman Empire

• Most significant Islamic empire of the period
• Founded in the 14th century, post-Mongol Empire
• Strategic control of the Dardanelles, aiding expansion campaigns
• Significant achievements:
  • Sack of Constantinople in 1453
  • Renamed Constantinople to Istanbul
  • Expanded across Southwestern Europe and Anatolia

Safavid Empire

• Established in the early 1500s in the Middle East
• Founded by Shah Ismail
• Declared a Shia Muslim state, causing tension with Sunni neighbors
• Significant military expansion under Shah Abbas
• Adopted gunpowder weapons

Mughal Empire

• Replaced the Delhi Sultanate in the 16th century
• Founded by Babur, expanded by grandson Akbar
• Notable for religious tolerance under Akbar
• Prosperous and administratively advanced

Qing Dynasty (China)

• Followed the decline of the Ming Dynasty
• Ming Dynasty was ethnically Han
• Qing Dynasty established by Manchu people in 1636
• Manchu conquest reclaimed Ming territories
• Not ethnically Han, leading to tensions

Conflicts Among Empires

• Expansionist goals led to inevitable clashes
• Often rooted in religious and political conflicts

Safavid-Mughal Conflict

• Series of wars in the 17th century
• Expansion goals in Persian Gulf and Central Asia
• Religious rivalry: Shia Safavid vs Sunni Mughal
• No clear victory

Songhai-Moroccan Conflict

• Songhai Empire weakened by internal issues
• Moroccan invasion to control trans-Saharan trade routes
• Moroccans succeeded due to possession of gunpowder weapons

Conclusion

• Understanding of how these empires expanded and interacted is crucial for AP World History
• Further review materials available for continued study