Final short answers

Question 1

Explain how Africans and enslaved Africans resisted their enslavement (provide at east 4 examples)

Answer 1

• Creation of a nation solely comprised of Black citizens in Haiti, rejecting white citizenship
• Some African tribes refused to trade in slaves and resisted European pressures when the African slave trade was starting (Lecture 5): Queen Njinga Mbande fought against the Portuguese alongside the Dutch to keep the Portuguese out of Angola
• On board rebellions and suicide committed
• Runaways happened often in the USA

Question 2

Explain the role silver played in the world economy in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Answer 2

• Africans traded slaves for silver
• Mined in South America, which made Spain an incredibly prosperous kingdom
• Connecting Western world and Africa
• The Portuguese used the silver from the slave trade in Africa to fund trade in India (backed by military)
• Europeans used silver to trade porcelain and other trade goods with the Chinese, as they did not have anything the Chinese wanted
• Single Whip Law by Ming emperor = taxes paid in silver = higher demand for silver
• The new Qing emperor used silver from trade to expand China and turn it into an empire

Question 3

How did the Russian state develop between the 17th century and the 19th century?

Answer 3

• Great territorial expansion
• Though wanted to Christianise, not as committed as Spaniard in SA
• Religious tolerance under Catherine the Great
• Resistance from indigenous groups, yet they were not killed at the same rate as other groups colonized by other European countries. They still had to abandon their language and their culture
• Multiethnic, multireligious state, still today
• The territorial expansion westward caused tensions with the powers already settled (Ottoman empire, Sweden, Austria, Poland, Lithuania, Prussia)
• Tzar Peter the Great wanted to westernize the country:
  o State administration
  o Bigger and more modern army
  o Reform of education system
  o Encouraging manufacturing and trade
  o Forcing nobles to educate themselves on West European culture
• Education of women of Russian culture to be passed down to their children

Question 4

What role did slavery play in the Ottoman empire?

Answer 4

• Their army was comprised of strong, Christian, enslaved males

Question 5

Compare the religious contexts prevailing in Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries and in the Ottoman empire (16th to 18th centuries)

Answer 5

• Despite its devotion to Islam, Ottoman society was remarkably tolerant to other faiths, Jews, and Christians, numerous in the Middle East.
• The Europeans were experiencing major crisis, resulting in religious and political fragmentation, which led to wars and conflicts. The Ottoman empire was consolidating during that time, more peaceful.
• Protestant reformation in Europe led to even more conflicts (war of religion in France)

Question 6

Compare the Haitian revolution (1791-1804) with the Mexican revolution of 1810-1821.

Answer 6

Similarities:
- Inspired by French Revolution
- Inspired by Englighenment ideology of freedom, human rights and democracy
- Leader of revolution formed campaign and mobilized lower-class population, composed of natives and slaves to reach their goals
Differences:
- Led by:
o Haiti freed slave
o Mexican priest
- Society
o Haiti: simple sociey, few social classes, hierarchy based on race
o Mexico: complex society, stratified racial and social hierarchy
- End goal of revolution:
o Haiti: slave revolt. Wanted the French measure of abolition of slavery to be applied in Haiti as well. Did not want independence from France, since it was a more modern country (eventually installed a monarchy when they gained independence from Napoleon-run France)
o Mexico: complete independence from Spain because it was economically repressive.

Question 7

Explain how Japan became a ‘modern’ nation between 1870 and 1937.

Answer 7

• Shared impulse with other nation states to take over wealth and governments of other regions of the world: NEW IMPERIALISM
• Combination of Western science and eastern values under Meiji restoration: focused on Japan’s interest.
• Centralization of government and army
• Unity of population
• Rejection of Chinese influences and creation of unique Japanese style: reinforced nation-state
• Universal education law in 1872 = more literate population = prove cultural superiority
• Joined the Allied in WW1 in order to expand empire
• Won against Russia
• Output of industrial goods went up during WW1 since they extended their reach for markets, resources and influence and because the Allies outsourced their wartime needs for such products.
• Modernizing economy led to social change, challenging traditional values
• Conquering nearby regions to create markets and to provide new farmlands in response to Great Depression
• Racial superiority and entitlement to land of “inferiors” (Chinese)
• Mobilizing people to create a people’s patriotism through a movie:
  o Colonized Asians as a whole needed to:
   turn away from racist West
   Renounce individual rights
   Promote “sacred spirit” of the nation
• In 1937, the Japanese govt was spending 47% of it budget on weaponry

Question 8

What impact did nationalism have on societies in Europe and the Americas?

Answer 8

• Wars
• Inevitably led to WWI
• Revolutions
• Unified populations
• Used by politicians to mobilize their population in time of war