AP World History: Unit 3 (1450-1750) Overview

Main Theme

• Focus on land-based empires, their expansion, administration, and belief systems.

Definition

• Land-based Empire: An empire whose power comes from territorial holdings.

Key Empires

1. Ottoman Empire

   • Expanded using gunpowder weapons.
   • Conquered Constantinople in 1453, renamed it Istanbul.
   • Utilized enslaved Christians, forming elite forces like Janissaries.
   • Sunni Muslims.

2. Safavid Empire

   • Began in the 16th century, expanded with gunpowder weapons.
   • Used an enslaved army, converting Christians from the Caucasus.
   • Shia Muslims, differed from Sunnis in succession beliefs.

3. Mughal Empire

   • Established by Babur, expanded through gunpowder weapons.
   • Akbar's rule was marked by tolerance and efficient administration.
   • Majority of subjects were Hindu, while rulers were Muslim (Sunni).

4. Qing Dynasty (Manchu Empire)

   • Replaced the Ming Dynasty, expanded using gunpowder weapons.
   • Ethnically different rulers from the Han subjects (Manchus).

Expansion and Conflicts

• Empires expanded rapidly and clashed over territories.
• Example: Safavid-Mughal Conflict over Afghanistan.
  • Motivated by territorial control and religious differences.

Administration and Power Consolidation

1. Bureaucracies

   • Used to enforce laws and maintain control.
   • Example: Ottoman's Devshirme system.

2. Military Professionals

   • Elite military forces like Janissaries in the Ottoman Empire.

3. Religion, Art, and Architecture

   • Divine Right of Kings in Europe.
   • Ching Dynasty's use of portraits for legitimacy.
   • Monumental architecture like the Sun Temple of Cusco.

4. Tax Collection Systems

   • Zamindar System in Mughal Empire.
   • Tax Farming in Ottoman Empire.
   • Tribute Lists in Aztec Empire.

Belief Systems

1. Christianity in Europe

   • Corruption and reform led to Protestant Reformation.
   • Catholic Church's Counter-Reformation via Council of Trent.

2. Islam

   • Sunni-Shia divide intensified by Safavid policies under Shah Ismail.

3. Sikhism in South Asia

   • Syncretic blend of Hinduism and Islam, retaining and altering key doctrines.
   • Rejected gender hierarchies and caste system.

Conclusion

• This unit emphasizes significant expansion and consolidation methods of land-based empires, alongside major shifts and continuities in belief systems during 1450-1750.