Bea Diaz Period 2 WHAP Chapter 15- The West and the Changing World Balance C.

Focus Questions 1. What were the signs of decline in the Middle East and China?
The Byzantine and the Abbasid empires in the Middle East showed signs of decline. Religious leaders gained greater control over Islamic culture. There was a rise in mysticism and Islamic legalist traditions. The Abbasid caliphate power declined, and the landlords had more authority over their peasantry. Agricultural production and tax revenues were in decline. European merchants were able to increase their markets because of middle eastern decline. The Ottomons rapidly took over lands held by the Abbasid caliphate. China also showed signs of decline as a dominate power during the Ming Dynasty. Voyages and exploration outside of China were stopped because of the costs that took away from what was needed for the infrastructure of China. China began a time of internal improvements and cultural isolation, and they got out of foreign trade.

2. What accounts for the relative rise of the West?

The strong regional governments created during feudalism, the military innovations thanks to the Hundred Years War, the growth of cities which helped commerce, the church was content with capitalism, and the technological innovations. And these technological innovations led to expansion.

3. Describe the nature of the Italian Renaissance.

At the beginning of the 15th century, Italy became the center of the Renaissance. Government in western Europe became more centralized, and there was a rise of the city-state where cities competed amongst themselves for land, cultural accomplishments and administrative innovation. During the Italian Renaissance metallurgy improved, capitalism increased, urbanization grew, and the population expanded. Art and literature became more secular. There was a focus on cultural innovation and individualism. Artists created more realistic styles. Classical architecture forms replaced the Gothic style.

4. What was the nature of early Western exploration and colonial patterns?
Early western exploration began in the 13th century. The Vivaldi brothers of Genoa led the first exploration of the Atlantic. In the 14th century, the Canary Islands were discovered, and ships from Barcelona explored the Atlantic coast of Africa. During this time vassals became more seaworthy, and the compass and astrolobe enabled European discoverers to explore the Atlantic and along the African shore. Colonization followed exploration. Spanish and Portuguese settlers established colonies on the Atlantic islands. Sugar, cotton, and tobacco became the primary crops. African slaves were imported as a labor supply. The time of exploration and colonization by western Europeans had begun.

5. What accounts for the relative decline of civilizations outside the world network?
Declining civilizations outside the world network had problems that left them vulnerable and susceptible to many threats that other very centralized civilizations did not have. Such as, the lack of a written language, society in caste system, decentralization of power, cultural disintegration, inferior weapons, vulnerable to diseasesthey developed in isolation thus didnt get the chance to interact and adopt ideas of other civilizations and were basically left behind.

6. Summarize the transitions taking place in world history ca. 1400.

As the world became increasingly interacted, in account to the many technological innovations in transportation, such as the compass and astrolabe, it led to the spread of ideas in the major economical and political shifts.