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

Overview

• Focus on land-based empires: expansion, administration, and belief systems.
• Key empires: Ottoman, Safavid, Mughal, and Qing.
• All empires expanded using gunpowder weapons.

Key Empires

Ottoman Empire

• Founded in the 14th century; expanded rapidly using gunpowder.
• Conquered Constantinople in 1453, renamed to Istanbul.
• Utilized janissaries: enslaved Christian soldiers converted to Islam.
• Sunni Muslim empire.

Safavid Empire

• Founded in the early 16th century by Shah Ismail.
• Rapid expansion with gunpowder and an enslaved army.
• Shia Muslim empire; religious conflict with Ottomans (Sunni).

Mughal Empire

• Established in the early 16th century by Babur.
• Expanded rapidly under Akbar, who was known for religious tolerance.
• Muslim rulers over a majority Hindu population in India.
• Known for prosperity in the 16th century.

Qing Dynasty

• Established by the Manchu in the 17th century after the Ming Dynasty.
• Expanded using gunpowder and maintained control over ethnically Han subjects.

Conflicts

• Safavid-Mughal Conflict: Wars over territory in Afghanistan.
  • Religious tension: Safavid (Shia) vs. Mughal (Sunni).

Administration of Empires

Legitimizing and Consolidating Power

1. Bureaucracies

   • Example: Ottoman devshirme system to staff bureaucracy with Christians.

2. Military Professionals

   • Example: Janissaries in the Ottoman Empire.

3. Religious Ideas, Art, and Architecture

   • Divine Right of Kings (Europe), Kangxi's portraits (Qing), Sun Temple (Inca), Palace of Versailles (France).

4. Tax Collection Innovations

   • Mughal: Zamindars to collect taxes.
   • Ottoman: Tax farming system.
   • Aztec: Tribute lists from conquered regions.

Belief Systems

Christianity

• Protestant Reformation led by Martin Luther against Catholic Church corruption.
• Catholic Reformation: Council of Trent addressed corruption but maintained doctrine.

Islam

• Intensified Sunni-Shia split due to Safavid adherence to Shia Islam.
  • Public execution of Sunni dissenters and ritual cursing of Sunni caliphs.

Sikhism

• Blend of Hindu and Islamic doctrines, developed in South Asia.
• Retained belief in one God and reincarnation but rejected gender and caste hierarchies.

Conclusion

• The period saw significant expansion and conflict among empires.
• Rulers used various methods to maintain and legitimize their power.
• Religious changes included both reformations and syncretism.