AP World History Study Guide: Unit Three

Land-Based Empires (1450 - 1750)

Empires Expand

• Time Period: 1450 to 1750
• Key Note: Expansion of land-based empires, often called Gunpowder Empires
  • Use of gunpowder, cannons, and advanced weaponry
• East Asia:
  • Manchu ethnic group invaded Beijing
  • Replaced Ming Dynasty with Qing Dynasty
• Islamic Empires:
  • Mughal Empire: Controlled most of South Asia
  • Safavid Empire: Dominated large areas in the Middle East
  • Ottoman Empire: Spanned Southern Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa
• Conflicts:
  • Rivalry between Safavid and Mughal Empires
  • Songhai Empire's conflict with Morocco in Africa

Empires: Administration

• Methods for Legitimation and Control:
  • Ottomans: Recruited soldiers/bureaucrats via devshirme
  • Japanese: Professionalized military through salaried samurai
  • Religious Practices: Continued human sacrifice in Meso-America
  • Monumental Structures: Built Incan Temple of the Sun in Cuzco, Peru
• Symbols of Power:
  • Europe: Divine right of kings, e.g., Palace of Versailles
  • Mughal Empire: Mausoleums and mosques like the Taj Mahal
• Revenue Generation:
  • South Asia: Zamindars collected taxes for the Mughal Empire
  • Ming Dynasty: Collected hard currency and agricultural products

Empires: Belief Systems

• Dominant Religions: Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism
• Religious Changes and Impacts:
  • Europe:
    • Protestant Reformation initiated by Martin Luther
    • Catholic Counter-Reformation reshaped Christianity
  • Islamic Empires:
    • Political/theological differences between Sunni and Shia Muslims
  • South Asia:
    • Emergence of Sikhism, a syncretic religion from Hindu and Muslim cultural intermingling

• Key Figures/Structures Mentioned:
  • Martin Luther
  • Taj Mahal

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