3.1 Empires Expand

Thematic Focus (GOV): Governance — A variety of internal and external factors contribute to state formation, expansion, and decline. Governments maintain order through a variety of administrative institutions, policies, and procedures, and governments obtain, retain, and exercise power in different ways and for different purposes.

Learning Objective Unit 3.A: Explain how and why various land-based empires developed and expanded from 1450 to 1750.

• KC-4.3.II Imperial expansion relied on the increased use of gunpowder, cannons, and armed trade to establish large empires in both hemispheres.
• KC-4.3.II.B Land empires included the Manchu in Central and East Asia; the Mughal in South and Central Asia; the Ottoman in Southern Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa; and the Safavids in the Middle East.
• KC-4.3.III.i Political and religious disputes led to rivalries and conflict between states.

Illustrative examples:

• State rivalries:
  • Safavid–Mughal conflict
  • Songhai Empire’s conflict with Morocco

3.2 Empires: Administration

Thematic Focus (GOV): Governance — A variety of internal and external factors contribute to state formation, expansion, and decline. Governments maintain order through a variety of administrative institutions, policies, and procedures, and governments obtain, retain, and exercise power in different ways and for different purposes.

Learning Objective Unit 3.B: Explain how rulers used a variety of methods to legitimize and consolidate their power in land-based empires from 1450 to 1750.

• KC-4.3.I.C Recruitment and use of bureaucratic elites, as well as the development of military professionals, became more common among rulers who wanted to maintain centralized control over their populations and resources.
• KC-4.3.I.A Rulers continued to use religious ideas, art, and monumental architecture to legitimize their rule.
• KC-4.3.I.D Rulers used tribute collection, tax farming, and innovative tax-collection systems to generate revenue in order to forward state power and expansion.

Illustrative examples:

• Bureaucratic elites or military professionals:
  • Ottoman devshirme
  • Salaried samurai
• Religious ideas:
  • Mexica practice of human sacrifice
  • European notions of divine right
  • Songhai promotion of Islam
• Art and monumental architecture:
  • Qing imperial portraits
  • Incan sun temple of Cuzco
  • Mughal mausolea and mosques
  • European palaces, such as Versailles
• Tax-collection systems:
  • Mughal zamindar tax collection
  • Ottoman tax farming
  • Mexica tribute lists
  • Ming practice of collecting taxes in hard currency

3.3 Empires: Belief Systems

Thematic Focus (CDI): Cultural Developments and Interactions — The development of ideas, beliefs, and religions illustrates how groups in society view themselves, and the interactions of societies and their beliefs often have political, social, and cultural implications.

Learning Objective Unit 3.C: Explain continuity and change within the various belief systems during the period from 1450 to 1750.

• KC-4.1.VI.i The Protestant Reformation marked a break with existing Christian traditions and both the Protestant and Catholic reformations contributed to the growth of Christianity.
• KC-4.1.VI.ii Political rivalries between the Ottoman and Safavid empires intensified the split within Islam between Sunni and Shi’a.
• KC-4.1.VI.iii Sikhism developed in South Asia in a context of interactions between Hinduism and Islam.

3.4 Comparison in Land-Based Empires

Learning Objective Unit 3.D: Compare the methods by which various empires increased their influence from 1450 to 1750.

• KC-4.1 The interconnection of the Eastern and Western Hemispheres made possible by transoceanic voyaging, transformed trade and had a significant social impact on the world.
  • KC-4.1.VI In some cases, the increase and intensification of interactions between newly connected hemispheres expanded the reach and furthered development of existing religions, and contributed to religious conflicts and the development of syncretic belief systems and practices.
• KC-4.3 Empires achieved increased scope and influence around the world, shaping and being shaped by the diverse populations they incorporated.
  • KC-4.3.II Imperial expansion relied on the increased use of gunpowder, cannons, and armed trade to establish large empires in both hemispheres.
  • KC-4.3.II.B 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.
  • KC-4.3.III.i Political and religious disputes led to rivalries and conflict between states.