Gunpowder Empires
What three empires are often called the "Gunpowder Empires"?
What is the term for a ruler who has complete authority?
Absolute monarch
What major world religions were most influential in land-based empires during this era?
Islam, Christianity, and Buddhism
What is a bureaucracy?
A system of government where officials carry out the policies of the state
What is the main character of a story called?
The protagonist
Which Empire captured Constantinople in 1453?
The Ottoman Empire
What type of architecture did Louis XIV use to demonstrate his power?
The Palace of Versailles
What was the role of the Jesuits in the 16th–17th centuries?
To spread Catholicism and counter the Protestant Reformation through education and missions
What is one similarity between the Mughal and Ottoman Empires?
Both were Muslim-led and used gunpowder to expand territory
Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
Thomas Jefferson
What was one way the Safavid Empire differed religiously from its Ottoman neighbor?
The Safavids were Shi’a Muslims; Ottomans were Sunni
What policy did Tokugawa Ieyasu use to control the daimyo in Japan?
The alternate attendance system (sankin-kotai)
How did Sikhism emerge as a syncretic faith?
It blended elements of Islam and Hinduism in Mughal India
What geographic challenge did the Russian Empire face in expanding eastward?
Harsh climates and long distances across Siberia
What process in plants converts sunlight into energy?
Photosynthesis
How did gunpowder technology help rulers centralize power?
It allowed them to use cannons and firearms to suppress rebellions and expand territory
How did rulers use art and monumental architecture to legitimize their rule? Give one example.
They built grand structures to show wealth/power e.g., Taj Mahal, Versailles, or Suleymaniye Mosque
What was one major religious conflict that emerged in Europe during this period?
The Protestant Reformation and the Thirty Years’ War
How did the Qing Dynasty consolidate control over a multiethnic empire?
Through use of Confucian bureaucracy, local elites, and military force
What is the Pythagorean theorem?
a2 + b2 = c2
Compare how the Ottomans and Mughals treated religious minorities in their empires.
Ottomans used the millet system for autonomy; Mughals (under Akbar) promoted tolerance, but later rulers like Aurangzeb reversed it
Compare how rulers in Europe and Asia consolidated power during this period.
Both used centralized bureaucracies and armies; Europeans often used divine right, while Asian rulers tied power to religion or Confucian ideals
Compare how religion both unified and divided empires during this period.
Unified through shared faith (Islam in Ottoman Empire), divided through schisms/conflicts (Protestant Reformation in Europe, Sunni-Shi’a split)
Analyze how empire-building in land-based empires (Unit 3) differed from that of maritime empires (Unit 4).
Land-based relied on armies and land routes; maritime used naval power and trade networks for expansion
What 15th century invention by Johannes Gutenberg revolutionized communication in Europe?
The printing press