The Big 4 Empires
This Chinese dynasty was established by the Manchu and ruled from 1644 to 1911.
What is the Qing Dynasty?
These empires used firearms and cannons to expand and consolidate their power.
What are the Gunpowder Empires: Mughal, Ottoman, and Safavid?
The Ottomans taxed their people using this administrative system of provincial rulers.
What is the tax farming system?
Islam split into Sunni and Shia branches over disagreement about this.
What is the rightful successor to Muhammad?
All four empires used this new military technology to consolidate power.
What is gunpowder weaponry?
This Muslim-led empire in South Asia ruled over a largely Hindu population.
What is the Mughal Empire?
The Ottomans used this elite infantry force made of enslaved Christian boys to enforce rule.
What are the Janissaries?
The Qing dynasty maintained Confucian-style government using this bureaucratic tool.
What is the civil service exam system?
The Safavid Empire followed this branch of Islam.
What is Shia Islam?
Both the Ottomans and Safavids had this in common regarding religion.
What is the use of Islam to legitimize their rule?
This empire conquered Constantinople in 1453 and renamed it Istanbul.
What is the Ottoman Empire?
This Ottoman conquest in 1453 marked the end of the Byzantine Empire.
What is the conquest of Constantinople?
This Mughal tax system allowed local officials to collect land revenue in exchange for military service.
What is the zamindar system?
The Mughal Empire was the birthplace of this syncretic religion blending Hinduism and Islam.
What is Sikhism?
Both of these empires practiced religious tolerance to a degree.
Who are the Mughal and Ottoman?
This Shi'a Muslim empire controlled much of Persia and was often in conflict with its Sunni neighbors.
What is the Safavid Empire?
Gunpowder weapons gave these rulers an edge over traditional cavalry-based armies.
Who are gunpowder empire rulers (e.g., Mehmed II, Akbar, Shah Abbas)?
The tribute system allowed this East Asian empire to receive gifts and recognition from neighboring states.
What is the Chinese (Qing) Empire?
This was the primary religion in Europe.
What is Christianity?
These two empires had the most consistent conflicts due to religious differences.
What are the Ottoman and Safavid Empires?
This Mughal leader is remembered for his tolerance and creation of a syncretic religion.
Who is Akbar the Great?
Before it was used for weapons, gunpowder was used for this festive demonstration of lights.
What are fireworks?
The devshirme system functioned as both a taxation and recruitment method in this empire.
What is the Ottoman Empire?
This major Christian religious split was further intensified during this European era.
What is the Protestant Reformation?
Unlike the other three, this empire was based in East Asia and relied more on Confucian bureaucracy than Islamic traditions.
What is the Qing Dynasty?