Chapter 15 THE WEST

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Chapter 15THE WEST the CHANGING WORLD BALANCE
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Decline of old order
Byzantium Abbisids crumble
Social cultural decline - decline gradual
scholarship focuses on religion
Middle East Islamic religious leaders gain
upper hand
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landlords seize power over peasantry
merchants lose ground to European traders
decline of Mongols opens up opportunities for
China Western Europe
International Leadership
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China
Ming Dynasty ( 1368-1644)
- push borders - influence neighboring countries
state sponsored trading expeditions -
technological innovations in sailing -
expeditions halted in 1433
Cheng Ho (Zheng He)
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merchants remain active in SE Asia
lost chance to become dominant world trading power
Chinese felt only an experiment
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Rise of West
14th 15th centuries were backward
- Catholic church under attack - philosophy no
longer creative - aristocrats high living -
population outstrips food production - plague
kills 1/3 of population
yet -
- effective governments - military innovation -
urban economic growth - technology
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Mongols provide access to Asian technology -
luxury goods
gold shortage
balance of trade negative with Asia
expansion by Venice
explorations to by-pass Muslim routes to Asia
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Italian Renaissance
more secular art literature
cultural political movement
city-states support merchants seeking new markets
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cultural movement
begins in Florence
realistic paintings perspective
early not a full break from Medieval ideals
little impact outside of Italy culture not science
innovations in music
Italian commerce increases personal glory
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change stimulates wests surge into world
Iberian Peninsula
Castile Aragon - regional monarchies
religious military agenda - convert or expel
Muslims Jews
link b/t church state
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Exploration
late 13th century - Atlantic
south along West African coast
- Chinese compass astrolabe (Arabs) - better
ships - map making improves
colonies Azores, Canary Islands
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Prince Henry of Portugal
key factors - curiosity - religious fervor -
financial gain
cash crops produced for western markets - slaves
introduced
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- not part of international exchange -
disadvantage when outsiders intervene
Americas
- Aztecs creating resentments among subjected
peoples - Incas have tension b/t central local
leadership
European invasion changed dynamics of Americas
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Polynesia
600 1400 some migration conquest
Polynesians to Hawaiian Islands
warlike regional kingdoms established
complex society priests nobles
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New Zealand
art
700s Polynesians migrate there - Maoris
tribal military leaders priests
slaves
agriculture
accomplishments in isolation
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