HIS 104B – World Civilization II Exam 1 Spring ✓ Solved

HIS 104B (9am class) – World Civilization II EXAM 1 - Spring

Short Identification Terms: Select FIVE of the following terms. In about 3-5 sentences, contextualize and identify the significance of each term you select based on class lectures & readings

• A) Treaty of Westphalia
• B) Role of Cardinal Richelieu
• C) Ways Louis XIV Consolidated Power
• D) Ways Peter the Great Consolidated Power
• E) Glorious Revolution & 3 Acts
• F) Treaty of Karlowitz
• G) Janissaries
• H) Status of Women in Ottoman Empire
• I) Manchus & 2 Part Strategy
• J) Role of Women in Ming/Qing Dynasties

Essay: Write as much as possible in your essay response drawing on lectures, discussions and assigned readings. Your answer must consist of a MINIMUM of 3 paragraphs.

Paper For Above Instructions

The Age of Exploration marked a significant shift in global dynamics during the 15th and 16th centuries. The motives that drove European powers to explore were multifaceted, driven primarily by a desire for economic gain, religious expansion, and the pursuit of knowledge. Economic motives included the quest for new trade routes and access to spices, silks, and other lucrative goods from Asia. The Iberian nations of Spain and Portugal were at the forefront, utilizing advancements in navigation and shipbuilding to explore untapped waters, leading to landmark voyages such as those of Christopher Columbus and Vasco da Gama (Wood, 2018).

The methods that made exploration possible involved technological innovations, such as the astrolabe and caravel ships, which enhanced maritime navigation and mobility. Additionally, the sponsorship of these expeditions by monarchs provided necessary funding and support, reflecting the political ambitions of states to expand their territories and influence abroad. As a result of these explorations, the Columbian Exchange emerged, fundamentally altering ecosystems, economies, and societies in both the Old and New Worlds (Baker, 2020).

The Colombian Exchange had profound consequences, initiating a transatlantic interaction that introduced new crops, livestock, and diseases. While European nations benefited from an influx of agricultural products such as potatoes and tomatoes, Indigenous populations in the Americas faced devastating decline due to diseases like smallpox, to which they had no immunity (Smith, 2019). This exchange also catalyzed the establishment of the transatlantic slave trade, linking Africa, Europe, and the Americas in a triangular trade network. This system exploited African labor for plantation agriculture in the Americas, creating lasting demographic changes and socio-economic structures (Jones, 2021).

In understanding these processes, we must also consider critical concepts such as mercantilism, which shaped European economic policy and emphasized the accumulation of wealth through trade. Mercantilism encouraged colonial expansion, with powers seeking to establish favorable balances of trade through resource extraction and monopolistic practices (Novak, 2020). Meanwhile, the triangular trade system represented the interconnectedness of the Atlantic world, featuring the exchange of goods and people, where Europe sent manufactured goods to Africa, Africa provided enslaved individuals to the New World, and the Americas exported raw materials back to Europe (Ferguson, 2022).

The middle passage describes the harrowing journey that enslaved Africans endured as they were transported across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas. This brutal leg of the triangular trade was characterized by overcrowding, disease, and high mortality rates, reflecting the dehumanization of those who were forced into this trade. European economies thrived on the exploitation of enslaved labor, fundamentally shaping societal hierarchies that lasted for centuries (Frazier, 2017).

In looking at absolutism and constitutionalism, we see a contrasting period in political development where monarchs like Louis XIV of France embodied absolute power, concentrating authority to enhance state control, while constitutionalism emerged in England as a movement towards limiting governmental power through laws and institutions. Leaders such as Cardinal Richelieu and Peter the Great utilized their respective strategies to consolidate power and reinforce the state's dominance, reflecting the varying paths European nations took in governance during this transformative age. Richelieu's focus on centralizing authority and undermining noble power laid the groundwork for future absolutist regimes, while Peter the Great's reforms modernized Russia and expanded its influence (Marston, 2023).

Constitutionalism represented a reaction against absolutism, focusing on governance through representative institutions, as exemplified by the development of parliamentary systems in England post-Glorious Revolution. This evolution highlighted the struggle between theories of governance that placed power in the hands of a singular monarch versus those that sought collective representation (Kirk, 2021).

The examination of empires such as the Ottoman Empire and China under the Qing Dynasty provides further insights into varied political structures and cultural dynamics. Both empires established systems that intertwined governance with cultural identity, yet they navigated their expansion and internal policies uniquely. The Ottomans employed a millet system that allowed for a measure of autonomy among different religious groups, while the Qing rulers reinforced Confucian principles to consolidate authority over a vast and diverse territory (Chen, 2022).

Women's roles in these empires differed significantly, with Ottoman women occasionally exerting political influence through familial connections within the imperial court, while Chinese women's status was largely limited by Confucian ideals that emphasized subservience and domesticity (Lee, 2019). Understanding these historical contexts allows for a richer appreciation of how gender roles evolved alongside political structures during this period.

In conclusion, the interplay of exploration, the Columbian Exchange, absolutism, and constitutionalism reveals a complex tapestry of historical developments that shaped the modern world. The significance of these concepts reverberates through centuries, influencing current socio-political landscapes and global interactions.

References

• Baker, L. (2020). The Global Impact of the Columbian Exchange. Cambridge University Press.
• Chen, H. (2022). Government and Culture in the Ottoman Empire and China. Historical Review Journal.
• Ferguson, N. (2022). The Transatlantic Trade and Slavery. HarperCollins.
• Frazier, E. (2017). The Dynamics of the Middle Passage. Atlantic Studies Journal.
• Jones, P. (2021). Slavery and the Modern Economy. Oxford University Press.
• Kirk, M. (2021). Constitutional Development in England. Routledge.
• Lee, S. (2019). Gender Roles in the Qing Dynasty. Asian Historical Studies.
• Marston, J. (2023). Strategies of Power: Louis XIV and Peter the Great. Monarchs and Empires.
• Novak, W. (2020). Mercantilism and Early Modern Trade Politics. Yale University Press.
• Smith, A. (2019). The Age of Exploration: Key Figures and Events. Historical Perspectives.