Land Based Empires AP World Assignment

Why were the Ottomans such successful conquerors? The employment of gunpowder was a major factor in the Ottomans' military victory. They substituted foot soldiers with muskets for their mounted archers. They were also among the first to employ cannons as weaponry of attack. The Turks launched an all-out assault that even took down heavily fortified towns. How did Mehmed the Conqueror show his tolerance of other cultures? He welcomed new residents of various religions and backgrounds to Constantinople. Muslims, Christians, Jews, Turks, and non-Turks poured in. They contributed to the city's reconstruction, now known as Istanbul. Why was Selim’s capture of Mecca, Medina, and Cairo so significant? Cairo served as the intellectual hub of Islam, while the holiest cities were Mecca and Medina. The Ottomans gained nearly complete control over the Muslim world after capturing them. Chapter 18 Section 2 - Case Study: Cultural Blending (pages 512–515) What are some of the causes of cultural blending in the Safavid Empire? Some causes include migration, pursuit of religious freedom, trade and conquest. This culturally diverse empire drew from traditions of the Persians, the Ottomans, and the Arabs. In what ways did the Safavids weave foreign ideas into their culture? The Safavids were able to adopt new ideas and technologies into their way of life because they were receptive to different cultures. The Safavids used art, architecture, religion, and diplomacy to introduce foreign concepts into their culture. For instance, the art of the Ottomans and Mughals was a source of inspiration for the Safavids, who also incorporated elements of Persian and Islamic art. Chapter 18 Section 3 - The Mughal Empire in India (pages 516–523) In what ways did Akbar defend religious freedom during his reign? Akbar was a master at fusing different cultures. Being a Muslim, and he stood up for religious liberty with vigor. He gave people permission to to practice their respective religions. He demonstrated his tolerance by getting married to a Christian, a Muslim, and two Hindus, among others. And He Permitted his spouses to carry out their religious rites within the palace. He once again demonstrated his omnipotence by doing away with the despised jizya and the tax on Hindu pilgrims. taxation of non-Muslims. He even assigned his second son to be tutored by a Spanish Jesuit. How did Akbar’s successors promote religious conflict in the empire? Akbar's successors, chief among them Aurangzeb, encouraged religious strife by reversing many of his earlier acts of indulgence and singling out particular groups for persecution. One illustration of this is the high taxes Aurangzeb levied on merchants who were specifically Hindu in order to finance his wars. Chapter 19 Section 2 - China Limits European Contacts (pages 536–541) Why did China not undergo widespread industrialization? There are two reasons China did not industrialize to a high degree. Firstly, in China, the idea of trade was considered offensive to Confucian principles. Second, agriculture has benefited from traditional Chinese economic policies. Taxes on agriculture stayed low. What did Christian missionaries bring to China? European traders were accompanied into China by Christian missionaries. Along with Christianity, they introduced European science and technology, including the clock. Matteo Ricci, an Italian Jesuit, was the first missionary to make a lasting impression. His intelligence and fluency in Chinese won him special favor at the Ming court. However, a lot of educated Chinese opposed the presence of Christians and Europeans. What are five reasons the Ming Dynasty fell to civil disorder? A government short on funds, incompetent leaders, and dishonest officials. Millions of peasants were forced to starve to death by higher taxes and poor harvests. Rebellion and civil unrest ensued. Manchuria was located northeast of the Great Wall. The Ming dynasty was overthrown in 1644 when the Manchus, a people from that area, invaded China. Chapter 21 Section 4 - Absolute Rulers of Russia (pages 608–613) What three differences between Russia and western Europe does the text mention? Compared to western Europe, serfdom in Russia persisted far longer, lasting until the middle of the 1800s. Germany. Russia had looked to Constantinople, not Rome, for guidance during the Middle Ages. The gulf between Russia and western Europe grew wider due to religious differences. The Eastern Orthodox branch of Christianity was embraced by the Russian people. Russians avoided Western Europeans, who were primarily Protestants or Catholics, because they were seen as heretics. What was Peter the Great’s primary goal for Russia? Peter decided that Russia would fight Europe in the military and business spheres. Peter did not see westernization—or the use of Western Europe as a paradigm for transformation—as a goal unto itself. Peter believed it would strengthen Russia. For instance, he brought potatoes, which quickly became a mainstay of the Russian diet, and he advanced learning by founding schools of science and navigation as well as the arts.