Unit 3
What system of government did the Ottoman Empire use to rule its diverse population?
Bureaucratic central government with Islamic principles.
What new technology helped European exploration during this period?
The magnetic compass, astrolabe, caravel ship, and lateen sail.
What Enlightenment idea most influenced revolutions in this era?
The idea of natural rights (life, liberty, property).
What resource powered early industrial machines?
Coal.
What was the immediate cause of World War I?
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary.
Name one method rulers used to legitimize their power in land-based empires.
1. Monumental architecture (e.g., Taj Mahal), or 2. use of religion (e.g., Divine Right or Shi’a Islam).
Name one major impact of the Columbian Exchange.
Spread of diseases like smallpox to the Americas or introduction of new crops to Europe.
What event marked the beginning of the Haitian Revolution?
A massive slave revolt in 1791.
Which class grew in size and influence due to industrialization?
The middle class (bourgeoisie).
What was trench warfare, and where was it primarily used?
A defensive combat system involving dug-out trenches; it was primarily used on the Western Front during WWI.
What was the role of the Devshirme system in the Ottoman Empire?
To recruit Christian boys for military and administrative service, especially as Janissaries.
What was the encomienda system, and who benefited from it?
A labor system where Spanish settlers forced Indigenous Americans to work; it benefited the colonists.
How did nationalism contribute to the unification of Germany or Italy?
Nationalism inspired people with common language and culture to unite under a single state, e.g., Otto von Bismarck’s unification of Germany through wars.
How did industrialization affect the environment?
It led to pollution, deforestation, and changes in land use due to factory development and resource extraction.
How did the Treaty of Versailles contribute to the rise of fascism in Germany?
It placed harsh reparations and blame on Germany, leading to economic hardship and nationalist resentment.
How did the Qing dynasty maintain control over a vast and ethnically diverse empire?
Use of Confucian bureaucratic systems, incorporation of local elites, and military strength.
How did joint-stock companies contribute to European imperialism?
They allowed investors to pool money to fund voyages, reducing individual risk and promoting colonial expansion (e.g., Dutch East India Company).
What role did the Industrial Revolution play in political revolutions?
It created economic inequality and urban unrest, fueling calls for reform or revolution (e.g., workers’ rights movements).
What was Social Darwinism, and how was it used to justify imperialism?
The belief that stronger societies were more "fit" to dominate weaker ones; it justified European imperial rule over others.
In what ways did colonial subjects participate in the World Wars?
They served as soldiers, laborers, and resource providers for imperial powers in hopes of gaining greater rights or independence.
Compare the role of gunpowder in the rise of the Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal Empires.
All three empires used gunpowder weapons (cannons, muskets) to expand and centralize control; this technology gave them a military edge over rival states.
Evaluate the global economic effects of silver extracted from the Americas.
It fueled global trade, especially with China, causing inflation in Spain and facilitating the first truly global economy.
Compare the causes and outcomes of the American and Haitian Revolutions.
Both were inspired by Enlightenment ideals and opposition to imperial rule. However, Haiti’s revolution was led by enslaved people and resulted in the first Black republic, while the American Revolution was led by colonial elites and established a democracy.
Analyze the economic motives behind the British colonization of India.
Britain sought raw materials (e.g., cotton, tea), markets for its manufactured goods, and tax revenues, leading to direct control after the Sepoy Rebellion.
Compare the causes of the Russian and Chinese Revolutions in the early 20th century.
Both were caused by dissatisfaction with ruling elites, poor conditions for peasants and workers, and the influence of Marxist ideas; both led to the rise of communist states but followed different revolutionary paths.