Learning Objectives and Historical Developments

This page outlines the key learning objectives and historical developments related to land-based empires from 1450 to 1750. It provides a comprehensive overview of the factors that contributed to imperial expansion, administration, and legitimization during this period.

Learning Objectives:

1. Explain how and why various land-based empires developed and expanded from 1450 to 1750.
2. Explain how rulers used a variety of methods to legitimize and consolidate their power in land-based empires from 1450 to 1750.
3. Compare the methods by which various empires increased their influence from 1450 to 1750.

Key Historical Developments:

1. Imperial Expansion:
   • Increased use of gunpowder, cannons, and armed trade to establish large empires in both hemispheres.
   • Land empires included the Manchu in Central and East Asia, Mughal in South and Central Asia, Ottoman in Southern Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa, and the Safavids in the Middle East.

Highlight: The use of advanced military technology, particularly gunpowder weapons, was crucial in the expansion of land-based empires during this period.

2. Administration and Consolidation of Power:
   • Recruitment and use of bureaucratic elites and military professionals became more common among rulers seeking centralized control.
   • Rulers used religious ideas, art, and monumental architecture to legitimize their rule.
   • Implementation of tribute collection, tax farming, and innovative tax-collection systems to generate revenue and expand state power.

Example: The Ottoman Empire's devshirme system, which recruited young Christian boys to serve in the administration and military, is an example of how empires built their bureaucratic and military elite.

3. Religious and Cultural Developments:
   • Interconnection of Eastern and Western Hemispheres through transoceanic voyaging transformed trade and had significant social impacts.
   • Expansion of existing religions and development of syncretic belief systems and practices.
   • Political and religious disputes led to rivalries and conflicts between states.

Vocabulary: Tax farming was a system where the right to collect taxes was auctioned off to private individuals or groups, who would then collect taxes on behalf of the state.

Illustrative Examples and Additional Vocabulary:

• State rivalries: Safavid-Mughal conflict, Songhai Empire's conflict with Morocco
• Monumental architecture: Qing imperial portraits, Incan sun temple of Cuzco, Mughal mausolea and mosques, European palaces like Versailles
• Religious practices: Mexica (Aztec) human sacrifice, European divine right, Songhai promotion of Islam
• Key terms: gunpowder empire, tsar, shah, ghazi ideal, Justices of the Peace, janissaries

Definition: A syncretic belief system is one that combines elements from multiple religions or cultural traditions into a new belief system.

This comprehensive review of land-based empires 1450-1750 provides a solid foundation for understanding the complex political, social, and cultural developments of the early modern period.