SS

The Closure of the Silk Road led to the European Exploration of the World
-Silk road was a network of ancient trade routes

-established during the Han dynasty

-lasted 130 BCE – 1430 CE

-started from China

-was not a single route

-Ottomans controlled the silk road

-spices were traded with the Europeans to give flavor to their food

GOODS

-traded silk, rice, spices, gun powder, rice and dye

-west to east was camels, glassware, horses, honey and fruits

European Exploration
-Portugal was first to set sail because their better ships tools for navigation

-to discover new lands and make trade routes

-Columbus was looking for India

-prince Henry never sailed but leading cause of Portugal’s success on the seas

-1488 Bartolomeu Dias sailed around southern tip of Africa but turned back due to mad sea (first to sail
to tip of Africa)

-Vasco da Gama made sea route to Asia by sailing around Africa and landed on the west coast of India

-Italian Christopher Columbus sailed west across Atlantic, October 1942 he landed in San Salvador,
Bahamas and think he was in Asia

-America was called New World and Amerigo Vespucci named it America

-Ferdinand Magellan sailed around the tip of south America and discovered the route around the world
Goals of European Exploration
-3Gs God, Gold, Glory

-God to spread Christianity

-Gold to Resources

-Glory for the king

- Francis Drake stole a lot of gold from Spaniard ships and was sent by Queen Elizabeth I in 1577 and was
rewarded a knighthood

-John Cabot claimed Canda for England which was in North America

-Jacques Cartier was sent by king France to explore new world and named Canada

Western Imperialism in West Asia (Part 1 and 2)

British empire
-started overseas possessions and trading post at 16th – 18th centuries and considered to be the largest
empire

-1922, Influenced 1/5 and covered 1/4 of the world

Ottoman empire
-started to decline in the 18th century
-lasted until July 27, 1299 to Oct 29, 1923
-Europeans were rivals and after fall of ottoman empire the British and French made the west
Asia countries their mandates
-capital was Istanbul city
McMahon – Hussein Correspondence
-sequence of conversations made through letters

-triggered the Arabs to revolt and UK will recognize Arab independence

Mandates -countries protected by Europe until they are able to stand by themselves
1916 Skyes- Picot Agreement -secret agreement of the distribution of the Middle East made by
Britain and French government as consented by Russia
Perpetual Maritime Truce -to keep route to India safe
Agreement of 1892 and Agreement of 1899 with Kuwait and 1916 with Qatar – Asian countries
agree not to dispose any of its territories expect to Britain and conduct foreign relationships to only
Britain

Seize of Aden in 1839 – seized by Britain and turned it into a naval base and exclusive treaties with
the tribal rulers

Levant – different form of imperialism

Britain mandates – Iraq, Palestine and Transjordan
France – Lebanon and Syria
Anatolia – occupied by French, Greek and Italian armies. Leader: Mustafa Kemal Ataturk
Turkey becomes republic -Mustafa Kemal becomes first president and was given name of Ataturk
“Father of Turks:”

Iran
-established own dynasty in 1925

-object of political and economical interest due to proximity to India

- Iran, Afghanistan and Kuwait remained independent

Saudi Arabia
-established Saudi Arabia with the help of Britain in 1932

-never colonized due to inaccessibility

-was named after Fahd al – Aziz ibn Saud

Balfour Declaration
-letter made in Nov 17, 1917 by the British government exposing their support and idea of establishing a
nation for the Jews in Palestine, was written to Lord Rothschild (Rothschild one of the most influential
family of the Jews)

Palestine – Arab Perception

-same area was promised for fighting along side of the Allies in WW1

-Jews moved in and Arabs took the increasing population of Jews as a threat
Effects of imperialism on West Asia
-cause of tension and pressure in region due to distribution of land without respect of the needs and
resources of people

- Territories were created to satisfy the needs of European allies and to act as shields or buffer states

Against other colonizing powers.

Oil – was discovered during the 1920s to 30s in Middle East

Indus River Valley Civilization (2500)

-Indus Valley is the cradle of India’s Civilization and emerged from the Indus and Ganges River

-Language “Sanskrit”

-Himalayan mountains in north

-Ghats mountains are east & west

-India is a sub-continent and main rivers and the Indus and Ganges

-Monsoons (seasonal winds with rain)

-flourished for 1k years

Harappa and Mohenjo – Daro (2700 – 1500 BCE)

- are the 2 largest cities/possible capitals

-Laid out in a grid like pattern, Uniform weight, measurements, materials, and had sewage systems

under streets

-Early settlers were known as the Dravidians and were later known as Dasyus meaning slave

-traded cotton, grain, copper, pearls and ivory

-religion was polytheistic and scared bulls later influence veneration

Aryan Civilization (Ganges)

-1500BC-500BC was the Vedic Age

-warriors were in chariots and loved drinking and music

-led by rajahs – chief and locals were called Aryans (meaning great in Sanskrit)

-started settling down and learned farming around 800BC

-new civilizations came and caused rival kingdoms due to acculturation

-merging of Aryan and Dravidian culture led to Hinduism (meaning religion of the Indus)

-Vedas religious book and Ashima forbidding man to kill animal in Hinduism

-caste system began to emerge during Vedic period

-old was Varna system meaning skin color (Brahman color white which is highest and Shudra lowest
color was black.)

5 LEVELS OF CASTE SYSTEM

1.Brahmin – priest and teachers

2. Kshatriya – kings and warriors

3. Vaishya – Merchants, artisans and farmers

4. Shudra – Slave

5. Dalit – Untouchable/Outcast

-Mahabharata is India’s greatest epic (100k verses)

Disappearance
Indus civilizations were declining, too many trees cut down and caused floods and a devastating
earthquake in 1500BC

-Aryans migrated and overrun the Indus region

Achievements of Indus valley civilization

-writing system

-trading seals

-peaceful items like toys jewelry.

-wheel technology

-standard weights and measurements

-first to cultivate cotton and make cotton clothing

-first matrilineal society (society led by women)

-had sewers system

Indian Empires
-In 327 BCE, Alexander of Macedon and his troops entered India and overran the divided kingdoms
in the Punjab region.
 Maurya

They maintained a large army.

-Levied heavy taxes

-* Divided the empire into provinces.

-Expanded to the west, conquering north-western India and Bactria (modern Afghanistan).

-Chandragupta Maurya successfully unified the divided communities of the northern and central
Indian subcontinent under one empire.

LEADER

Emperor Ashoka He converted to Buddhism. “Great propagator of Buddhism” Renounced war and
converted peace; “Hundred thousand were deported, hundred thousand were killed.”

Achievements

It was the first dynasty to unify most of the Indian subcontinent.

* It is regarded as the first largest political entity that has existed in the Indian subcontinent. * It
had a sophisticated Sumter of bureaucracy with a unified central government.

* Their army was the largest military force of its time.

* They built numerous structures including the famous Ashoka pillars.

* Famous Indian rock cut architecture is dated to Mauryan period.

* Mauryan polish technique was developed.

* The Mauryan era was an age of economic prosperity in India.

* The grand trunk road was built.

* Mauryan emperors we’re the first rulers in history to advocate conservation.

Gupta Empire

-the decimal system of notation

-the great Sanskrit epics

-Hindu art

-Architecture

-Philosophy

-Astronomy

-Metallurgy

Leader
Chandra Gupta I *Reunited the scattered Mauryan Kingdoms *Proclaimed himself “Great King of Kings”
*Golden Age of Hinduism

Achievements

*Buddhism & Hinduism

*Aryabhata - theorized the earth rotates on its own axis

*Huns invaded the northwestern mountain passes

*Caused disorder and confusion

*Era of confusion ended with the reign of the Rajput’s

Mughal

 Converted to Hinduism

 Lived by a code of honor and bravery

 stressed respect for women

 fair in combat and mercy for a fallen warrior

 Suttee was practiced

 Buddhism ceased to exist

LEADERS

Akbar "the greatest Mughal ruler"

Jahangir " world grasper"

Shah Jahan was the builder of Taj Mahal

Aurangzeb made the empire into Muslim and demanded heavier taxes for non-Muslims

Achievement

 built Taj Mahal