World History 1 Flashcards
What was the most sought-after good that facilitated global trade in the pre-Modern Era.
Porcelain (blue and white porcelain was especially valuable)
Which part of the world had access to the most porcelain? The most valuable?
China; Western Asia
What is said to be the most valuable primary source for a historian?
Artifacts
Chinese city that became a major hub for porcelain manufacturing and trade.
Jingdezhen
“Ghost markets” originated in the cities where porcelain was produced. What was their purpose?
People began to value the actual porcelain material rather than the pottery itself. Scraps of porcelain and broken pottery from other factories were sold at these “ghost markets” as a result.
One of the revolutionary inventions in human history.
Paper money. It first became commonly used in China towards the end of the pre-Modern era.
Why did the European engraving of a rhinoceros c. 1500 interest historians when discovered?
It shows that Europeans had developed extensive knowledge about life in Asia through trade
What toll did the Columbian Exchange have on the lives of Native Americans
The indigenous population in the Caribbean had been completely eliminated by diseases brought by Europeans. More than 90% of Native Americans in North America were also killed.
What effects did the Ottoman Empire’s expansion throughout Europe have.
Islam became a major religion in Europe, access to trade routes was cut off for non-Muslims, and significant knowledge about mathematics, astronomy, and mapping became more widespread.
What did Europeans do with this newly acquired knowledge given to them.
This exchange led to the “Age of European Exploration” which is the starting point for a major period of European colonization.
T/F: The Ottoman Empire was tolerant of non-Muslims living in the empire
True
T/F: The Ottoman Empire was tolerant of non-Muslims living outside the empire
False
Belief in “finite” wealth; and abundance of goods for one empire causes a lack thereof in another
Mercantilism
Weakest power in the world economy before 1800
Europe
Richest country in the world at the time
Highly commercialized, non-industrial society
Highly developed internal economy
Protected secret modes of manufacturing
China
Only Chinese port open to European merchants for trade
Treaty Port in Guangzhou
What were non-Muslims forced to do in the Ottoman Empire, but were otherwise tolerated?
Pay a small tax
What is a confessional state?
A state that practices a particular religion, and at least encourages its people to do the same.
What is the Biological Old Regime?
What was life like during this time?
A term used to describe the time before people harnessed energy from fossil fuels?
- 80% of the population were peasants
- People who lived on the land and were the direct producers of food for themselves and the rest of the population.
Any good that has value on its own is said to have ______ value
intrinsic
Any good that has value strictly due to high demand is said to have _______ value
imaginary
What connected Europe and Asia through the establishment of secure trade routes for goods such as cinnamon, cassia, cloves, and turmeric?
The Spice Road
The Columbian Exchange brought horses, sugar plants, and disease to the ____ World
New (the Americas)
The Columbian Exchange brought sugar, tobacco, chocolate, and potatoes to the ____ World
Old (Europe)
The Columbian Exchange brought which animals to the New World?
Domesticated animals such as horses, pigs, and cows
Which city had a port that was the only one available in China to European traders?
Guangzhou (The Treaty Port)
_______ are under the authority of the government and possess no rights to protect themselves
_______ are all equal and have no superiority over one another
Subjects; citizens
Brought secular thought to Europe and reshaped the ways people understood issues such as liberty, equality, and individual rights.
The Enlightenment
A hierarchical structure of all matter and life, thought by medieval Christianity to have been decreed by God. Begins with God and descends through angels, humans, animals and plants to minerals.
The Great Chain of Being
A state under the authority of a sequence of rulers from the same family
Dynastic state
The introduction of artillery and shoulder arms to early modern European warfare during the 16th and 17th centuries.
This event had immediate consequences such as changing fortress design, necessitating the switch from cavalry to infantry, and the building of large standing armies.
European Military Revolution
______________ refers to the exchange and innovation of ideas and artifacts between cultures as a product of migration and globalization.
Cultural borrowings in Europe from the Islamic world, such as science and maps are an example.
Cultural hybridity
The state of being developing ideas and beliefs unrelated or neutral in regard to religion
Secularity
An economy that is able to recognize that continuous growth is neither possible nor desirable
Organic economy
During the Middle Ages, the term “_____” was applied to those who made things or provided services.
Artisan
The idea that there is a finite amount of wealth in the world and that trade generates and distributes that wealth
Mercantilism
A major movement in Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church; marked the start of Protestantism
(Protestant) Reformation
Intermixing of cultures at the peripheries of empires
Another Case of Cultural Hybridity in the Early-Modern Era
Development of “creole militias”
Examples: Colonists in the Americas in the Spanish, French, and British Empires
The Marathas in the Mughal Empire
Creolization
Practice that developed in the 1700s; an area in social life where individuals can come together to freely discuss and identify societal problems, and through that discussion influence political action
Public sphere
A book written by Jean Jacques Rousseau that theorizes about how to establish legitimate authority in a political community, that is, one compatible with individual freedom, in the face of the problems of commercial society.
The Social Contract (1762)
The political doctrine and practice of unlimited centralized authority and absolute sovereignty, as vested especially in a monarch or dictator.
Absolutism
A system of society or government in which the father or eldest male is head of the family and descent is traced through the male line.
Patriarchy
First large scale global conflict; involved most of the European great powers, and was fought primarily in Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific.
7 Years War
How do historians characterize the Premodern Economy?
The term “premodern economy” refers to the economic systems that existed prior to the Industrial Revolution, which began in the late 18th century.
What was everyday life like for most people before the Modern era?
Virtually all of the world’s capital was owned by those who had access to goods that were sought after in trade
Economy: Agricultural and Organic (“Poor”)
Ideas and Culture: Oral, Local, and Limited (“Brutish”)
Demography: The Biological Old Regime (“Nasty and Short”)
Limited diets
Equilibrium/disequilibrium between population and food resources
Frequent Famines and Epidemics
Life expectancy was roughly 30 years old
High Birth Rates
High Rates of Infant Mortality
50% of children died before the age of 5
High Rates of Maternal Mortality
1 in 16 women died in childbirth
A Premodern and Early-Modern subworld of maritime trade
Indian Ocean World
Why did Europeans begin to sail into the Atlantic after 1450? What allowed them to
do so? What were some of the consequences of this shift in European voyaging?
The rise of the Ottoman Empire blocked overland trade routes to Asia. Technological advancements, improved mapping, navigation, etc.
The Columbian Exchange is a consequence of this shift, as well as the development of vast European empires
Why were the Spanish able to conquer the Aztec and Incan Empires so easily?
The Spanish were able to quickly conquer the Aztec and Incan Empires due to technological advantages, the spread of disease, and the exploitation of existing local rivalries.
How was the Spanish empire organized?
The Spanish colonial empire in the Americas was organized around a system of viceroyalties and used the encomienda system for labor. This structure enabled economic exploitation and the extraction of resources, while also facilitating the spread of Christianity through missions. The conquest had profound and often devastating impacts on native populations but also led to a complex intermingling of cultures.
Why did European colonies come to employ enslaved African labor in large numbers?
European colonies turned to enslaved African labor primarily due to a labor shortage caused by the decline of native populations and the labor-intensive nature of crops like sugar and tobacco. The practice was economically advantageous and was further rationalized through racial ideologies that deemed Africans as suitable for hard labor. This shift to enslaved African labor had devastating human costs and established long-lasting racial and social inequalities.
What was distinctive about the system of slavery that developed in the Early-Modern Atlantic World?
The system of slavery in the Early-Modern Atlantic World was distinctive for its racial basis, with enslaved Africans being considered property for life, and this status being inherited by their offspring. This form of chattel slavery was codified in legal systems and was integral to the economies of European colonies, particularly in the production of labor-intensive crops like sugar, tobacco, and cotton. The scale of the transatlantic slave trade was also unprecedented, involving the forced migration of millions of Africans across the Atlantic.
What can Henry Smeathman’s golf game on Bance/Bunse Island tell us about the early-modern world economy?
Henry Smeathman’s golf game on Bance/Bunse Island serves as a microcosm of the early-modern world economy, encapsulating the stark contrasts between European leisure and the brutal realities of the slave trade, which the island was a hub for. This episode highlights the interconnectedness of global commerce, colonialism, and exploitation, showing how the fruits of a brutal economic system could be normalized and integrated into everyday life, even leisure activities like golf.
The Organization of the World Economy before 1800
The Early-Modern era was marked by a rapid expansion and intensification of global trade networks, largely driven by European maritime exploration and colonization. This period saw a shift from localized economic systems to a more interconnected global economy, with a range of actors participating for various commodities. European powers, through maritime prowess and colonial enterprises, managed to carve out a dominant role in this emerging global economy.
Match each of the following early-modern empires with the
religious tradition its rulers were associated with
Ottoman Empire
Chinese Empire
Safavid Empire
Mughal Empire
Russian Empire
Spanish Empire
French Empire
British Empire
Ottoman Empire → Sunni Islam
Chinese Empire → Confucianism
Safavid Empire → Shi’a Islam
Mughal Empire → Sunni Islam
Russian Empire → Eastern Orthodox - Christianity
Spanish Empire → Catholicism - Christianity
French Empire → Catholicism - Christianity
British Empire → Protestantism - Christianity
The Nature of Early-Modern Empires
Early-modern empires were often organized around a centralized authority, such as a monarchy, with a highly stratified society divided by class, ethnicity, and sometimes religion. Governance was typically top-down, with varying degrees of local autonomy, and expansion was achieved through a combination of military conquest, trade, and diplomacy. These empires often either imposed their own culture and religion upon conquered peoples or adopted a more pluralistic approach to maintain stability.
What was the relationship between Early-Modern empires and legalized system of social and political inequality?
Early-modern empires often institutionalized social and political inequality through laws that defined ranks, privileges, and duties among different classes, ethnicities, and religious groups. These legalized systems helped to maintain control and stability, but they also perpetuated unequal access to resources, justice, and political power. Such structures were often integral to the empire’s governance, shaping both domestic and colonial policies.
What types of changes do historians identify in the history of world empires during
the eighteenth century and what were the sources of these changes?
The 18th century saw world empires undergo significant changes due to Enlightenment ideals, technological advancements, and the rise of capitalism, which led to more rationalized governance and intensified colonial activities. These shifts were also influenced by burgeoning nationalist sentiments that began to challenge traditional imperial structures.
What were the differences between the early-modern militaries of European and Asian Empires?
European and Asian early-modern militaries differed in terms of technology, organization, and strategic focus. European militaries often emphasized naval power and firearms, benefiting from advancements like the musket and cannon, whereas Asian empires like the Ottoman, Mughal, and Qing focused more on traditional forms of warfare, including cavalry and archery, although they also used firearms to some extent.
Why do historians refer to the Seven Years’ War as “World War Zero”?
It was the first large global conflict that involved every major European power and was fought on multiple continents, including Europe, North America, South America, Africa, and Asia.
What were the consequences of the Seven Years’ War in Europe, Asia, and the Americas?
Europe:
The Treaty of Paris (1763) largely reestablished the status quo in Europe, but the war left several nations financially drained.
France lost prestige and territory, and its defeat set the stage for internal turmoil, including the French Revolution.
Britain emerged as the world’s preeminent naval power.
Asia:
The war weakened the French presence in India, leading to the rise of the British East India Company as the dominant colonial power in the subcontinent.
The war also had consequences for other Asian empires, such as the Ottoman Empire, which faced internal and external pressures exacerbated by the conflict.
Americas:
France ceded Canada and the territory east of the Mississippi River to Britain and gave Louisiana to Spain, reshaping North American colonial borders.
The war laid the groundwork for the American Revolution by instigating questions about colonial governance and taxation.
