The World in 1400: An Overview

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Questions and Answers

What characterized the state of the human population around 1400?

Complete absence of stateless societies

Fragmentation into thousands of languages and religions (correct)

A unified political and cultural community

An equal distribution of wealth and resources

Which regions were included in the frontiers of the Old World web?

Antarctica to the Arctic and the Pacific Islands to mainland Asia

Australia to South America and North Africa to Eastern Europe

Iceland to India and Arctic Ocean to the Indian Ocean

Greenland to Japan and Indonesia to West Africa (correct)

What were the main routes connecting eastern and western Eurasia in the Old World web?

The desert pathways of the Sahara

The maritime trade routes across the Atlantic

Overland trails through Africa and the Americas

The Silk Road and navigable rivers (correct)

Which hubs were significant for trade and cultural interaction in the Old World web?

Cairo, Constantinople, and Malacca Signup and view all the answers

What effect does the diversity of the Old World web have on its societal structure?

Caused cultural and political fragmentation Signup and view all the answers

What describes the population of those who lived outside the main trade routes in the Old World web?

They lived in isolation with minimal connections Signup and view all the answers

What was a key feature of the world's demographics in 1400?

A significant number were stateless and not ruled by any authority Signup and view all the answers

What type of society did the refined world of Confucian scholars contrast with?

The impoverished and frequent danger of illiterate fisherfolk Signup and view all the answers

What was one possible purpose of Zheng He's maritime expeditions?

To find and capture Yongle's nephew. Signup and view all the answers

What was significant about the ships Zheng He commanded?

They were the largest wooden ships ever built. Signup and view all the answers

What strategy did Zheng He employ to manage unfriendly rulers?

He used intimidation and military power. Signup and view all the answers

Which geographic region did Zheng He explore?

The Indian Ocean. Signup and view all the answers

What was the main advantage that Zheng He had over European mariners during the same period?

More significant state support. Signup and view all the answers

What was depicted in the map made by Wang Qi in 1607?

The extent of Chinese knowledge of the world. Signup and view all the answers

What was a major development in European navigation by the thirteenth century?

Utilization of the compass on cloudy days. Signup and view all the answers

Which was a common characteristic of Zheng He's expeditions?

They demonstrated China's wealth and power. Signup and view all the answers

What technological advancement aided European navigators in determining latitude?

Astrolabe Signup and view all the answers

Which ship type was commonly used by European explorers during long-distance voyages?

Caravel Signup and view all the answers

What was a primary motivation for Atlantic Europeans to venture out to sea?

Quest for wealth and glory Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following locations were discovered by European mariners by the fourteenth century?

Canary Islands Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following motivations is NOT mentioned as driving European exploration?

Search for mythical lands Signup and view all the answers

How did European navigators connect their cultural heritage to their exploratory endeavors?

Via the culture of adventure and chivalry Signup and view all the answers

What role did merchants from Italian city-states play in the early European trading routes?

They acquired valuable goods from distant lands. Signup and view all the answers

Which group is identified as the original inhabitants of the Canary Islands?

The Guanches Signup and view all the answers

What was one of the main objectives of Vasco da Gama's expedition?

Find Christian allies in the Indian Ocean Signup and view all the answers

How did Vasco da Gama's expedition benefit from Bartholomew Dias' earlier voyage?

By identifying the westerly winds Signup and view all the answers

What strategy did da Gama and his crew employ to navigate along East Africa's coast?

Piracy and kidnapping local pilots Signup and view all the answers

What evidence did da Gama find that indicated he had reached the Indian Ocean?

Indian cloth and glassware Signup and view all the answers

Which city did da Gama attempt to reach during his voyage?

Calicut Signup and view all the answers

What was the cargo that the Portuguese Crown hoped to acquire through da Gama's expedition?

Spices and other trade goods Signup and view all the answers

What misconception might the artist of a Flemish tapestry have made about Calicut?

It appeared more fortified than it actually was. Signup and view all the answers

What major political advantage was sought by Vasco da Gama's expedition?

To unite Christian kingdoms against Muslims Signup and view all the answers

What was the purpose of the Treaty of Tordesillas?

To claim new lands for Spanish and Portuguese empires Signup and view all the answers

What motivated Spain to attempt crossing the Pacific Ocean?

Direct access to spices Signup and view all the answers

Which explorer is known for circumnavigating the globe?

Ferdinand Magellan Signup and view all the answers

What significant cultural items did Portuguese sea captains introduce to Japan?

Christianity and firearms Signup and view all the answers

What was one unintended consequence of global exploration during this period?

Increased agricultural diversity in Europe Signup and view all the answers

Who created a map showing Magellan's route across the oceans?

Battista Agnese Signup and view all the answers

What did the Molucca Islands excite European imaginations as?

Diamond mines Signup and view all the answers

What practice did the Portuguese undertake in Japan until the trade ended around 1600?

Slave trading Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

The World in 1400

At the beginning of the 15th century, the world's population was relatively small, with roughly 350-450 million people. Despite this, humanity remained diverse with thousands of languages, hundreds of religions, and political rulers.
The world was not a unified community, and even within regions like the Old World, considerable cultural and political fragmentation existed.
The Old World web spanned from Greenland to Japan and from Indonesia to West Africa, encompassing over three-quarters of humanity.

The Old World Web

It was a network of interconnected regions maintained by caravan routes, navigable rivers, and sea routes.
Trade hubs like Malacca, Calicut, Hormuz, Cairo, Constantinople, and Venice facilitated the exchange of goods and cultures, connecting diverse regions.
Many people lived isolated from this network, residing in remote areas like the deep forests of Siberia or the high Himalayas.

Chinese Maritime Expeditions

The Ming dynasty, led by Emperor Yongle, organized massive maritime expeditions led by Zheng He, beginning in 1405.
Yongle's motives for these expeditions were to demonstrate China’s wealth and power, as well as to potentially capture his escaped nephew.
Zheng He’s flotilla comprised 300 ships carrying 28,000 men, exceeding the population of any city they visited.
Their largest ships were gigantic, surpassing the size of any other ship at that time.

Chinese Exploration & Knowledge

Zheng He’s expeditions sailed well-traveled seas from China into the Indian Ocean, establishing Chinese dominance and influence.
By 1607, Chinese cartographers had created maps depicting the world, including Eurasia, Africa, the Americas, and Antarctica, showcasing their geographical knowledge.

European Atlantic Voyaging

While the Ming dynasty focused on the Indian Ocean, Europeans began exploring the Atlantic, driven by desires for wealth, fame, and religious glory.
European exploration started by sailing south, seeking access to West African gold or Asian spices and silks, bypassing existing trade networks.
Navigational skills improved due to the combination of sailors’ experience, Arabic mathematics, and astronomy.

The Portuguese Caravel

European mariners, particularly the Portuguese, used smaller sailing ships called caravels for their explorations.

European Mariners’ Motives

The pursuit of wealth, fame, and the expansion of Christianity motivated European mariners to venture into uncharted seas.
The Reconquista, a centuries-long struggle between Christians and Muslims in Iberia, instilled a culture of adventure and heroism, encouraging daring ventures.
European mariners sought to establish a direct route to the source of spices, bypassing Venetian control and seeking economic and political power.

The Atlantic Exploration

By the 14th century, European and Moroccan mariners were familiar with the islands of Canary, Madeira, and Azores.
The Canary Islands were inhabited by indigenous Guanches originating from North African Berber settlers.
In the 15th century, Iberians developed techniques for using the Atlantic winds to navigate long distances.

Da Gama’s Journey to India

In 1497, Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama led an expedition of four ships and 170 men, aiming to reach India.
Using newly acquired navigational knowledge, they sailed around the tip of Africa, utilizing the Southern Hemisphere’s westerly winds to reach the Indian Ocean.
Encountering no Christian allies in Calicut, India, Da Gama focused on acquiring spices, inadvertently setting the stage for European involvement in the spice trade.

The Treaty of Tordesillas

In 1494, Portugal and Spain signed a treaty dividing newly discovered lands west of the Americas, leaving Spain in control of lands to the west of a dividing line and Portugal to the east.
This agreement triggered Spain’s desire to establish a direct route across the Pacific to access spices, driven by their claim to lands west of the Americas.

Magellan's Circumnavigation

Exploring the Pacific in pursuit of the Spice Islands, Ferdinand Magellan successfully circumnavigated the globe.
European navigational knowledge, honed through centuries of exploration, enabled the creation of detailed maps depicting the world's coastlines.

Namban Screen

This six-fold Japanese screen from around 1600 is likely a depiction of a Portuguese merchant ship arriving in Japan.
Portuguese merchants engaged in the trade of goods and unfortunately the enslavement of Japanese people, exporting them to Portuguese enclaves until the trade ceased around 1600.

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Description

Explore the intricacies of the world in the early 15th century, highlighting the cultural, political, and economic diversity of the time. This quiz delves into the interconnected regions of the Old World, their trade hubs, and the significance of Chinese maritime expeditions. Gain insights into a period marked by both unity and fragmentation.