Overview_of_Modern_World_History

WORLD CIVILIZATION 1. More on Contingency, accident, conjunctive 2. The "Biological Old Regime" 3. The Indian Ocean World System C.650-1500 Old Regime: period before the Enlightment Biological old regime took an end with Industrial Revolution, Old Regime with the French revolution. Population of the world in 1400: 350 millions Period between 1400 and 1700, it doubled Biggest areas, historic centers of world population, 70% of world pop: Europe, China and India. Other 30%: Mostly in the Middle East, some in America and Africa This population used to live on 7% of the dry land, so they can grow food Nomads : Hunter Gatherers, lived near or in forests / pastoralists, lived on grasslands They controlled huge area The 70% of the world pop living in India, China and Europe were mostly farmers, probably about 90 95% of them (little less in China/India) . Presence of Organized religion, usually universalist. Typically the peasants working for the elite, they don't own their land, agricultural producers for the most of them. The peasant is not a slave, but he's kind of enslaved by his job, they can't quit but they also can't get fired. Lack of mobility The Elite forms the smallest part of the population, not artisans, not merchants, not peasants, between 1 and 5% of the population. They control the population and the land. Usually part of the aristocracy. Some kind of military role, they collect taxes, and provide protection and justice to the peasants. Educated part of the population., literate, they can read some kind of classical language (latin, arabic, greek, classic chinese) The surplus made by the peasants pay for the Elite, and fed them. Sign of prosperity Little Ice Age: outrageous temperature change in Europe, decrease of temperatures since 1400 -> decrease in growing food, some people died of famine, war, disease. The Black Death came from China, was then carried by Mongolians who were at war in Middle East, was then carried by Italians who went back to Europe. Mostly carried by trade. 1. A little on the Indian ocean World System (650-1500 AD) 2. Europeans in the New World System : interrelated parts. World system : trading system. Partial world system in the Indian ocean, the new world is still left out. The modern world system has cores and peripherals, but the Indian Ocean system was polycentric. There wasn't one big core which controlled the others, even though all the areas weren't equal. India and China were predominant though Zheng He (chinese explorer) explored the Indian Ocean. Buy a ticket on the Asian train: Europeans wanted Asian stuff, spices, silk, gadgets like printed press or the compass, textile, clothes. But they don't have a lot to trade in return, until they start controlling the New World and trade the silver found there. Amerigo Vespucci is the one who finally figured out that America was a whole new continent, the Spanish started by conquering Mexico and the Aztecs. Capital of the Aztecs: Tenochtitlan, developed city, system of sewage, cleaners, 250 000 people. Was conquered by only 600 Spanish conquistadors led by Cortez , because of disease spread through the natives (50% within a few months, 90% within a century), capitalized on Aztec confusion (he convinced them that horses were Gods) and internal dissent (sacrifices of persons from smaller groups), technological advance (guns, steel armors). The Columbian Exchange : exchange of biological materials between Europe and the New World. Europe-> Coffee, horses, rats, cows, sheep, cats, chickens, wheat, rice, onions, cotton, sugar but also smallpox, chicken pox, measles, mumps, influenza etc. New World-> Corn, potatoes, tomatoes, chilis etc, lamas, syphilis etc. All these diseases were zoonotic, they needed animal carriers. 1. Asia and the new World 1500-1775 2. China and India : Political Strategies for ruling multi ethnic empire, India's political crisis 18th century 3. "Human Development" in Asia + Europe : Some indicators, Ming, Qing and Mughal state policies, Colonialism + decline Qing dynasty (1644-1911) in China Mughul Empire in India Unifying measures: -standardization of money, distance, weight -unified religion -economic integration -common elite culture Asia increased its share of the world population and its wealth, they were already the most developed economy in the world. Very sophisticated political structure, ell established bureaucracy, more literate population. 1. Why was there a New World labor "problem"; what possible solutions to it existed, involving labor from what places, and why did importing African slaves become the most practical alternative' A.Native population has declined in the colonies, mainly because of various diseases. B. Indentured servant in Europe or slaves from own population. Work contract, you worked 7 years in exchange for your trip to the new world (mainly Canary Islanders, Muslims, Slavs/Balkans) C. All the others are too expensive 2. What kind of agriculture was established in the Caribbean, Brazil and American South' What products did it produce, for what markets' Plantation, monoculture, commodity, cash crop, sugar, tobacco, coffee, rice. Made for European market 3. What was the process by which slaves were obtained for export from Africa' From what regions' What effect did the slave trade have on African politics, especially as demand for slaves increased i the 18th century' War captives, prisoners, criminals from other African kingdoms. 1. The Big Question 2. Capitalism and Industrialism 3. Why Europe, specifically Britain ' ⁃ Limits to economic expansion imposed by "biological old regime" ⁃ Colonies and European state competition ⁃ Colonies and protection for the textile market ⁃ Coal + the expansion of production ⁃ Why did Britain pioneer the application of coal to manufacturing' why not' ⁃ Industrialism: mass production, factory based, urban, artificial, fossil-fuel based energy, production of synthetics Capitalism: economic system based on systematic search for profit through investment of capital. Private ownership, competition, consumerism 1. When was the 19th century' 2. What was new during the 19th century ' Culture: nationalism / Romanticism / Feminism / Modern Novel Politics: Nationalism / Machine Politics / Democracy/ Eclipse of Aristocracy/ Rise of Middle Class / Suffrage Economics: Emulation of Britain/ Leisure -> consumables International relations: gap between the east and the west started to develop Technology: Developments in physics / Interchangeable parts/ Weapons development/ steam engine/ trains / Iron and steel construction 1. A little more on the 19th century in general 2. How was 19th century imperialism/colonialism different from earlier European expansion' 3. Types of European domination in the non-European world 2. Rise of mass societies More direct control of the colonies Wider array of colonial powers Colonial economy : Colonized raw materials Colonizer finished goods Social gulf between colonized + colonizer -racism 3. Informal: latin America, China, Middle East Formal: Settler colonies -> white dominions, Australia Canada / mixed colonies, NZ Kenya Algeria South Africa Tropical dependencies -> Bureaucratic colonies, Direct rule: British India, Sierra Leone, Coastal cities, Cochin China. Indirect Rule : interior remote / Protectorates, Indian princely states 1. Social Foundations of Colonial Rule in the "Tropical Dependencies" 2. Ideological Foundations of Colonial Rule How can so few people rule over so many people ' In India for example, class stratification. Jobs, authority, opponents of old regime Collaborators: indigenous militaries / protectorates; local rulers / landed elite / clerks and administrators 1. The Islamic World and European Power 2. European views of Islamic societies 3. Muslim responses to European Power 4. Indirect Rule, protectorates and Conservatism 1. Universality (culture, politic etc.) Europe: capitalism, civilization, Christianity Universalist monotheism (Europe and Islamic world) 2. Respect/disrespect -> Social circumstance. Unified threat, extremists, fanatics. Backwards, kind of savage, exotic