China—Dynasties & Power
Which Chinese dynasty restored native Chinese rule after the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty?
The Ming Dynasty.
What shared military technology gave the Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal empires the nickname “Gunpowder Empires”?
Gunpowder weapons, including cannons and firearms.
What European cultural movement emphasized classical learning, humanism, and the arts?
The Renaissance
What three words commonly summarize European motives for overseas exploration?
Gold, God, and Glory.
What name describes the movement of plants, animals, diseases, and other things between the Americas and Afro-Eurasia after European contact?
The Columbian Exchange
What belief stated that heaven granted rulers authority but could withdraw that authority if they ruled unjustly?
The Mandate of Heaven
Which Gunpowder Empire ruled much of the Indian subcontinent and is associated with the Taj Mahal?
The Mughal Empire
Which religious reformer challenged Catholic Church authority and taught that salvation came through faith alone?
Martin Luther
What term describes Spanish conquerors who helped establish Spain’s empire in the Americas?
Conquistadors
What was the Middle Passage?
The forced ocean voyage that transported enslaved Africans across the Atlantic to the Americas under brutal conditions.
Who commanded the Ming Dynasty’s treasure fleets, and what was one major purpose of his voyages?
Zheng He. His voyages demonstrated Chinese power, expanded trade, and developed diplomatic and tribute relationships.
What branch of Islam became the Safavid Empire’s state religion, and how did this affect its relationship with Sunni neighbors?
Shi’a Islam. Religious differences contributed to tensions and rivalries with Sunni neighbors, including the Ottoman Empire.
What is the difference between geocentric and heliocentric models?
The geocentric model places Earth at the center, while the heliocentric model places the Sun at the center of the planetary system.
What was the encomienda system, and how did it affect Indigenous peoples?
It granted Spanish colonists the right to demand Indigenous tribute or labor, supposedly in exchange for protection and Christian instruction. It resulted in exploitation, abuse, and harsh working conditions.
Identify one item that moved from the Americas to Afro-Eurasia and one that moved from Afro-Eurasia to the Americas during the Columbian Exchange.
Corn or potatoes moved from the Americas to Afro-Eurasia; horses or smallpox moved from Afro-Eurasia to the Americas.
How did rebuilding the Great Wall and using civil service examinations help Ming rulers strengthen their government?
The Great Wall helped defend China against northern threats, while civil service examinations selected officials educated in Confucian teachings to administer the empire.
Explain two different ways Islam spread across Africa and Asia.
1. Military conquest expanded Muslim political rule.
2. Trade and missionary activity also spread Islamic beliefs through contact with merchants and religious teachers.
Explain how the printing press helped both the Protestant Reformation and the Scientific Revolution spread.
It made written materials faster and cheaper to reproduce, allowing religious arguments and scientific findings to reach wider audiences. Readers could compare ideas and question established authorities.
Explain two factors that helped Spanish forces conquer powerful Indigenous empires.
1. Afro-Eurasian diseases weakened Indigenous populations; 2. Spanish military technologies provided advantages; and 3. alliances with Indigenous enemies of those empires supplied essential support.
Why did the Columbian Exchange contribute to population growth in parts of Afro-Eurasia but catastrophic population decline in the Americas?
American crops such as potatoes and corn increased food supplies in Afro-Eurasia. In the Americas, introduced diseases devastated Indigenous populations, with warfare and forced labor contributing to further losses.
How could the Mandate of Heaven both strengthen an existing dynasty and justify a rebellion against it?
The Mandate of Heaven strengthened a dynasty by presenting its ruler as approved by heaven. However, unjust rule, disorder, or disasters could be interpreted as signs that the dynasty had lost heaven’s support, making rebellion and the rise of a new dynasty appear justified.
A historian argues, “Gunpowder alone explains the success of the Ottoman and Mughal empires.” Identify one reason this claim is convincing and one reason it is incomplete.
Gunpowder weapons helped these empires defeat opponents and conquer territory. However, their success also depended on factors such as effective government, trade, wealth, and policies that helped manage diverse populations.
How did Galileo’s trial reflect both Renaissance scientific inquiry and the religious tensions associated with the Reformation?
Galileo’s use of observation and evidence reflected the growth of scientific inquiry. His support for heliocentrism challenged accepted interpretations of Scripture, creating conflict over Church authority during a period already shaped by religious division.
How did mercantilism connect European exploration, colonization, and competition between European states?
Mercantilism encouraged states to increase their wealth and power through trade and the accumulation of gold and silver. Exploration opened trade routes, while colonies supplied valuable resources and markets. European states consequently competed for colonies, resources, and control of trade.
Explain how European demand for cash crops connected plantation expansion, the Atlantic slave trade, and the growth of colonial wealth.
Demand for crops such as sugar encouraged plantation expansion. Plantation owners sought large amounts of labor and relied on enslaved Africans, increasing the Atlantic slave trade. Forced labor generated wealth for plantation owners and merchants while inflicting devastating human costs on enslaved people and African societies.