History Unit 1 Study Guide

The World in the 1500

1. Timbuktu

- 1100→major - Askia Muhammed was - Religion was vital - They were

caravan trade wealthy for the empire the
- ruthless ruler of - Donated ⅓ to after Askia controlling
Songhai charities Muhammed’s rule power with
- He won - Sources of money came - Muslim all the trade
almost all of from caravans/ trade - Sankore in the area
West Africa - Traded salt, mosque - Also were
- Expanded livestock, grain, - Religion created prideful of
the empire leather and precious 150 schools for their gold,
- Askia Muhammed→ metals like gold religious studies Europe
ruler - Imported paper, silk, - Men/some women depended
- In 1591, the horses and shells were welcomed on Timbuktu
Moroccans took - Songhay empire extended - Get a diploma for gold
over the land power to the salt mines in once you finish
Taghaza school =
- Also gained control of trade scholarship was
routes in Egypt, Tunis and transferred in a
Tripoli systematic way

2. Seville

- Founded by - Ottomans controlled - Renamed to - Became Spain’s

Iberians= original trade routes Ixvillia→became the largest city with
inhabitants of - All trade that capital of a flourishing 180,000
southern Spain happened with the Islamic kingdom (711 residents
- Passed to the Americas had to CE) - Major trade port
Romans, then to pass through a - 1500’s→ Mosques with the
the Vandals, finally single port: Seville. destroyed/turned into Americas
to the Muslims - In 1503, House of churches - ”The asylum of
- Black slaves from Trade opened - Seville Cathedral was the poor and the
Seville = first →when precious intended to be the refuge of the
slaves sent to metals began to largest in Christendom outcasts”
Spain’s empire in arrive, a new royal - Muslims forced to
the Americas mint was built in the convert
city - Jews →eliminated.
- Seville’s monopoly - Roman Catholic Church
on trade with “the now the dominant
 Indies” turned it into institution in the city
vital city - 10% of all property in
the city belonged to
Church institutions

3. Tenochtitlan
● One of the ● economic hierarchy ● Architectural pattern ● It was built on salt
largest cities in (Nobles lived in (Grid) based on religion marshes in the
the world larger homes, ● At the centre of the city middle of the lake
(1500’s) dressed differently) was the teocalli → complex
● Political/ ● most needs imported (principal ceremonial system of
religious centre (or grown on artificial precinct) → included a drawbridges,
● Capital of Aztec islands called Pyramid shaped temple aqueducts, street
in 1428 Chinampas) ● Temple = human canals
● 300 000 ● Huge market called sacrifices ● Attracted a lot of
population Tlatelolco → center people → entire
● conquered in economic life quarters given to
1521 ● 60 000-80 000 foreigners
people traded @ ● Most spec in
market 24/7 europe

4. Beijing

- most developed and - built temples, - The - The Imperial city was small
powerful nation (1420 shrines, roads and Emperor and closed to the ordinary
CE) canals, and became was person. Within the Imperial
- centre of the worlds, a military defence deemed City was the Forbidden City
with lesser foreign centre as well as to have a (for ceremonial occasions).
kingdoms outside the administrative divine - Enclosed; tiled palace
- Unmatched focal point of the mandate buildings, gates, and halls
bureaucracy state; all roads lead to rule - China’s ships = larger and
- Language spoken in to Beijing and was safer
Beijing became the - Reconstructed the often - waterproof bulkheads and
standard Chinese Grand Canal, so referred to mechanical steering devices
- World’s greatest that it ended in the as the - The Grand Canal is so
maritime power north near Beijing “Son of impressive → Europeans
and provided an Heaven”. who travelled described it as
efficient form of wonders of the world.
internal trade and
travel.

5. Delhi / Agra / Fatehpur Sikri

- Akbar was a Mughal
Ruler → Ruled Northern
India (1556 -1605)
- Akbar moved capital
from Delhi to Agra
- welcomed foreigners
- promoted different
cultures/religions
working together
- Akbar held audiences
twice a day to hear
petitions and receive
envoys
- Akbar was known for
being well versed in
philosophy, law, poetry
etc but was illiterate
himself
- City imported - Mughals = Muslims - Lal Qila (Red Fort)
items from from → a fortress that
the farthest Persia/Afghanistan took 3-4 thousand
corners of - Accepting of all labourers 8 years to
Europe (large religions → known complete
marketplace) for tolerance - Akbar loved
- had - 1564 he ended the literature/arts → lots
everything pilgrim tax → tax on of artists/ poets
(horses Hindu’s travelling to - Akbar was kind to
/gems/ holy places the poor and cared
goldsmiths) - Abolished tax on about justice
non-muslim males

Life in the Early Renaissance

General
- England barely getting over viking
- Most of europe was feudal system
- Seen in china
Hierarchy
- king at the top, the nobles (the dukes, the lords, the counts), landed gentry (rich
no work, poor no title), peasants (work the land)
- King = god
- Land gentry would have a part of land they would have to look over
- Divided up the land to the highest noble, who divided his land to the next, CYCLE
- Local lourd would be the protector
Class System

- Peasant = never land gentry

- Women could move up the system
- No middle
Living Conditions
- Poor
- Battles between villages
- Lack of resources→life was difficult
- 14/15/1600 plague kills
- Knowledge of medicine = non-existence
- Malthusian theory of population
 - plagues had to come to make society work, need to have natural checks
Family
- Extended family living together
- Peasants and servants = family members (you owe them food/safety)
- Gentry owed the people protection, thus the peasants send them food up the system
- If there was famine, would collect and distribute them to help the village
- Gender roles
- Women were the ones to be educated
- Women still had some power
Religion
- In this time in Europe, most of the people of roman catholic
- Most important things for the Romans were...

1. Providence
- In the idea that everything is pre-arranged (destiny)
- Good behaviour would be rewarded in good luck
- Once women made an heir and a spare, free to do what she wants
2. Salvation
- Is your life after death
- Everyone wants to go to heaven thus, people keep on going to be
rewarded
- Family for protection and religion for being sane and happy
- Roman catholics could buy forgiveness, indulgences
- Go to church for what you did wrong and confess
Crusades
- 1095 - first crusades
- 4th crusades were in 1200
- All fought for Jerusalem : never won the city
- When they went to these places, they found better systems (education, trade, medicine)
- Ideas and innovation come from these crusades
- All the lost books and learning in the ancient civilizations were found during the crusades
Gutenberg Printing Press
- Johannes Gutenberg
- All the books = written by monks
- hand written thus, not a lot of people who were literate
- Printed the bible first in German, called the Gutenberg bible
- People begin to read the bible first themselves→question religion
- More literary, more chances to read, more thinking, more social growth
- Europe is less feuding and more civilized
- More people are able to afford to just think
- Humanist ​: people who started to think about the nature of humanity (philosophy,
science, regions,)
Humanism
 - Niccolo Machiavelli→humanist
- The end justifies the means/middle/ controversial
- People began to question the hierarchy, question their roles/duties
- This was the mindset that led to education
- In the next 150 years, europe begins to look more like Timbuktu and Constantinople

The Protestant Reformation

1. Causes
- already call for reform → wanted the Church to be reorganized
- Wanted the creation of councils to take away power from the papacy
- Certain lay people disagreed with the Church → Francisan Order tried to emulate
the behavior of the founders of the religion
- John Wyclifee refused to believe that salvation depended on obedience to the
papacy → can only receive salvation from God
- He began first English translation of the Bible
- Supported by rulers who would benefit from Church becoming less
powerful
- Christian Humanism → called for revitalized Christianity
- Printing Press → spread of ideas
- Selling of indulgences
- Popes/priests were not celibate
- Factors that contribute to the switch include;
- He left the monastery to continue his education by getting a doctorate in Biblical studies
in 1512
- Eventually becoming a professor at the University of Wittenberg (Germany)
- He questioned many passages, eventually abandoning his path of Catholicism
- Stressing the importance of reading the bible, inner peace and a personal relationship
with God
2. Impact - social and political
- sola fide: salvation by faith alone (challenges concept of indulgences)
- sola scriptura: authority from the scripture alone (rejects the papacy)
- Lead to more emphasis on the family unit and greater access to education → bible
readings etc
- Challenged the religious hierarchy → believed that everyone was an equal part of the
religious community no matter their social status
- They believed that faith alone gets you to heaven, not good acts
- One with true faith, good acts will follow
- Those who believe this were free to question society and politics
- Shift in hierarchy
- There were 2 main ideas: sola fide (salvation through faith) and sola scriptura (authority
from the scripture)
- Protestant reformers shared the value of family as the most important unit
 - Emphasis on bible reading/ praying
- Education became more widespread/ included middle class
- Ideals was to reach people with common language
- Everyone was recognized as apart of the church regardless of wealth
- Wealth of the churches was retained locally instead of being sent outside
- Churches built on political authority
- Luther had the support of local German authorities and the princes of the Holy Roman
Empire, thus involving the world of politics. Northern Europe was then pitted against
Rome, the secular princes against the clergy, and the local authority against central
power. This then influenced a number of peasant uprisings in Germany. These peasants
used Luther’s teachings as a justification for their actions, but were subsequently
condemned by Luther, who did not approve. In those areas that adopted his views,
monasteries closed, clergy married, and the secular power became more important.
Schools were established where the Bible was taught and read in the everyday
language and thus both males and females became more literate.

The Scientific Revolution

Name Field of Science New learning / Discoveries

Nicolaus Copernicus - - Studied astronomy - Published “De Revolutionibus Orbium

(1473-1543) and astrology Coelestium”
- The Heliocentric Theory → rested on the
theory that the Earth orbited the sun but
couldn’t prove it
- Church taught that earth was centre of
the universe

Francis Bacon (​1561 -1626) - Philosophy, natural - Developed the scientific method
philosophy. - Shifted scientists’ focus to
experimentation

Galileo Galilei - - He studied the law of - He had invented the telescope and
(1564–1642) gravity and motion microscope
- Proved that the earth revolve around the
sun
- Put on house arrest for being a heretic
and speaking against the Church

Johannes Kepler- - He studied the orbits - He came up with laws of planetary

(1571–1630) and planets motion
- He explained the orbital properties of
planets, and factored extensively into
Isaac Newton's later work
William Harvey (1578 - Anatomy and - Was the first to recognize the full
-1657) physiology circulation of blood around the human
body.

Rene Descartes - Deductive reasoning - Described how the motion of a point

(1596-1650) - Mathematician could be mapped graphically by
- Philosophy (brought comparing its position to planes of
math into reference.
philosophy) - “I think so I am”
- Made this up
- Said that there is always a right answer

Robert William Boyle - - Studied Chemistry - Proved that only a part of the air is used
(1627 –1691) in respiration and combustion and is this
credited with the discovery of oxygen
- He discovered temperature and
pressure

Isaac Newton (​1642 – 1726) - Physics - (GRAVITY)

- Astronomy - This work also went along way toward
developing calculus.

Pre-colonial Africa
1. Songhai Empire
- Mali empire (1230)
- succeeded by Songhai Empire in 1670
- Spoken languages: ​Malinké​, ​Mandinka​, ​Fulani​, ​Bozo
- Religion: Traditional African, followed by Islam

- 1375; Gao was a thriving market place

- peak, one of the largest states in African history
- Sunni Ali was the first king of the empire
- Sunni Ali established Gao as capital of the empire
- peak, Songhai city of Timbuktu became a thriving cultural/commercial center. Arab, Italian/
Jewish merchants →gathered for trade
- By 1500, the Songhai Empire covered over 1.4 million s/km
- death of Emperor Askia Daoud →a civil war of succession weakened the Empire

- Askia Mohamed (AKA Askia The Great) made unparalleled economic and government reforms in
West Africa
- influenced by Islam but had own traditions and hierarchy (all had to have noble blood)

● After Sunni Ali Ber’s death​→​ Askia (Emperor) Muhammad Toure one year later.
● Centralized bureaucracy, appointing all mayors/provincial governors
● established Sharia law, expanded Sankore University in Timbuktu and built schools through
Songhai
 2. Sultanate of Mogadishu
- The sultanate of Mogadishu → medieval empire
- known for its trade and caravan (epicentre of trade in the region )
- minting their own currency,having international trade relationships and detailed architecture in
Somalia
- “Mogadishu” is predicted to mean “sight killer” or “blinding”
Ruler
- Fakr ad-Din who was from a different clan called the​ Ajuran
- first sultan of Mogadishu /founder of the Garen Dynasty
History/Legacy
- The empire was medieval arabic-speaking area in the somali coast
- the empire was the richest and most powerful in the region
- Was known as the Islamic centre across the Indian Ocean

- The Sultanates of Mogadishu= trading empire

- traded gold, and minted their own currency
- Known for architecture in modern southern somalia
- linked to “The land of Berber”
- This was an ancient arab word for the somali coast

- Purpose was to trade with other countries across the indian ocean
- Some coins found in United Arab Emirates
- peaktr→Egypt, Persia, India and China
- exotic animals exported to the Ming Kingdom of China
- Exported trademark cloth, materials for temples to trading partners @Nile Valley

3. Great Zimbabwe
- Great Zimbabwe was the seat of political power in the Kingdom of Zimbabwe→ it was where the
King lived
- Earliest mention of Great Zimbabwe was in 1531 by Vicente Pegado, captain of the Portuguese
garrison of Sofala
- Its growth has been linked to the decline of Mapungubwe (medieval kingdom in southern Africa)
from around 1300, as well as Great Zimbabwe’s abundance of gold
- Fewer than 10,000 inhabitants
- Centre for trade, extending to the Indian Ocean and China

- Circular structure made from stone→ either the queen’s residence or a temple

- largest of more than 150 major stone ruins scattered across the countries of Zimbabwe and
Mozambique
- Shona population of 10,000-20,000
- Economy based on cattle husbandry, crop cultivation, and the trade of gold on the coast of the
Indian Ocean
- Great Enclosure wall reaches a height of 11m

Indian Ocean Marine Trade

China:
- The most famous admiral was Zheng He (muslim)
- first major figure of the 15th century
- Between 1400-1433, Zheng led 7 voyages through indian ocean
- Columbus only had 3 ships
- Massive ships (called treasure/Flag ships)
- Over 400 feet long, 7 masts /Crew 27 000
- He visited africa, india, middle east
- His journeys were trade missions
- China was the leading manufacture of goods= no need for imports
- Needed respect to be economic universe
- Tribute system (kowtow) acknowledged china superiority →gifts for right to trade w china
- World leaders in naval tech
- Died and successors weren;t interested in trade, built wall

Portugal:
- Vasco da Gama was portugal's explorer
- Portugal was resource poor = relied on trade
- Prince Henry the navigator = crusader
- He was a patron of school in Sagres where knowledge and maps were made
- All that knowledge gave the portegeuse advantage with exploration
- Commissioned to find 2 things: indian ocean (spice) and kingdom of prester john
- Da Gama was henry's proteges who made it around africa/ indian ocean
- Created trading post empires
- Had well ships that captured cities by firing cannons
- Since not enough people or boats to run the indian ocean trade, relied on extortion
- Captured other ships, forced them to purchase a permit tarde called cartz to trade with
portugal
- Spain became interested in their own routes

Spanish Empire
1. Causes
- They wanted to be involved in omre trade
- No intentions of colonizing, trade empires
- Wanted to better navigate the land
2. Growth
Columbus was sponsored by Spanish king and queen
- 1492, Columbus discovered New world = americas
 -1496, Columbus conquered Hispaniola
-In order to support Spain/grow economy →enslaved population
-Spread of disease by Europeans killed slaves by end of 16th
-With less slaves → Domican/Bahamas
-After, priest divided land between spain/portugal
- Prevent controversy
- Had duty to convert them
Vasco da Gama made is around south coast of Africa and sailed to India city of calicut
- Was the beginning of the portueges empire in the east indies
- Portegues tried to find trading centers and insert himself into these trading posts
- Later, the government of China gives them permission to trade from Macau
- China need silver for money
- Japan produced silver
- Porteuge trade chinese porcelain/silk for japanese silver
- Portageuse bring priest and missionaries
- Thus, portuege priest end up in Japan/China
- During this time, Spain was building colonial empire in the Americas
- Send spanish to conquer/expand spanish influence
- Create viceroyalty of Peru and Spain
- Plantation (large farm for crops) are major source of wealth
- Silver mining huge in Americas
- Impact the global economy
- (1) The spanish turn to enslaved african workers for silver
- West africa is brought into trading networks
- Africa now a place to buy slaves not spices and gold
- Impacted west africa economies
- Economy began to capture slaves/sell slaves
- (2) Ming China was the largest empire at the time
- Spain was trying to sell silver to china
- Ferdinand Magellan claimed philippines for spain
- Spanish send a group of colonist to settle in philippines
- From this came the Galleon trade
- They learned how to sail from pacific ocean to new spain
- Silver from the americas is shipped to Manila then to chinese

3. Immediate impact on the Americas

New Spain:
- Mexico was controlled by the Aztecs
- Spanish conquistadors, Hernan Cortes took over
- 600 men+ arrows+guns = imprisoned emperor (Montezuma)
- Aztecs saw the white as gods
- Called it Mexico City
- 1530’s, Spanish gained control of silver mines
 Peru:
- The Incas were in Peru
- Taken over by spanish colonizer, Francisco Piarro in 1531
- Killed emperor
- Exploited peruvian silver mines
- These colonization of the America was so brutal= black legend
- 20 million indigenous dead
- Holy Roman emperor (charles V) went to court, no verdict
- Bartolome said false
- labour system in Americas which in turn impacts population in West Africa

4. Immediate impact on Spain

- Was dependant on silver
- Consequence was high inflation in Spain and Europe in 1600s
- Hurt those on fixed incomes/ the poor
- By the 17th century, economy was still bad → decline in power
- System (1) → encomienda
- Forced labour
- System (2) → repartimento
- People had to give certain # of days to spanish state
- Black labour introduced
- colonial territories became part of wealth
- Mother country imported precious metals/goods from colonies, colonies provided
manufacturing and labour
- No industrial development → restricted competition with other colonies
- No products travelled to the world because of the spanish
- Potatoes came from Incas
- Rice came to Spain from Africa
- Bananas came to latin america from malaysia
- 1580 = Iberian Union
- Time when king of spain also became king portugal