Final Post

The early modern era took place from the years 1450-1750. Throughout these years there are signs of what is to come in the modern era that we are most familiar with. Modern societies and the growing European precise in world affairs have been the most apparent elements of this time in history. The oceanic journeys of European explorers was amazing during this time. Maybe the biggest and most well known "discovery" and settlement for the Europeans during this period was that of Christopher Columbus in 1492 of the Americas. Networks were developing all around the world. Continents were trading goods and slaves now and also were sharing some unfortunate things also. The transfer of disease was devastating to small civilizations. Christianity began to be spread all throughout the world also. The list of Christian heavy nations included the Americas, China, Japan, the Philippines and central Africa. This is a very diverse religion during this period, especially since around a hundred years back it was just in Europe. With more countries and continents growing the world population skyrocketed. During this early modern era the population more than doubled. Europe finally started to recover from the Black Death and the world was able to feed bigger populations. The Americas were able to support large numbers with goods such as potatoes and corn and each area had their own resource that allowed them to grow in size. Africa did not have the luxury to grow as fluidly as the other continents sadly due to the slave trade that was happening. This era in time was allowing the world to get it's feet wet. They were learning how to grow, how to function and how to become and remain dominant. This period of growth would carry each continent, in their own manner, right into the modern era and then the snowball would grow for each of them at different rates depending on how they wanted to evolve as a people.

Thank you Professor Andrews for shedding such interesting light on our worlds history.

The Inca Empire

I found the Inca Empire to be so interesting. A state built along the spine of a mountain about 2500 miles in length. They were ruled by a divine emperor, though each region, about 80 or so, had its own govenor. They had inspectors to watch the emperor and govenors also. Births, deaths and marriages all were carefully recorded. The Inca did not require a tax of their conquered citizens rather they demanded a labor service called mita. What people did at home was theirs though all were required to work for the state also. Farming, construction, herding, mining and military service are how people served their state. Specialized skill people were sent to manufacture textiles, metal goods, ceramics and stoneworks. Women were the most specil of these spefic jobs. Young girls would be pulled from home and trained in Inca ideology. They later would be given to men of distinction or they would serve as priestesses in certain temples. The Inca lived a life of gender parrallelism. They were different but equal to their men, which is unlike many societies prior. The Inca people had an interesting way of leading their subjects, though they did not rule equally, they did rule as sapay Inca, or the Inca ruler, and the coya, his female consort. They goverend together and were said to have descended from the sun and the moon. It is so strange that they vanished so fast. They seemed to ahve a really good thing going for them during their 100 year history.

AN AMAZING 150 YEARS

For 1300 plus years the world evolved at a steady rate. Developing wonderful things such as writing, agruculture and language. The 100 years from 1350 and roughly 1500 brought forth some of the greatest empires and expansion achievements ever. Every region had their own impact and important events. In the Central and East Asia Region the great Ming dybasty rose to power, around 1368, and ruled for nearly 300 years. This region also started to explore the world and discover maritime routes of their owen. In the Middle East, the expansion of the Ottoman Empire was great as they conquered Constantanople. In Europe this period may have flourished the most. After the terrible Black Death, which killed around a quarter of western Europes people, the Renaissance emerged. The rebirth of the Classical era had begun. This brought forth so much great philosophical minds and amazing art, much of which still amazes the world today. Europe also saw the Portugese set out on their own maritime voyages along the Western African coast. With so many new beginnings in Europe being reborn, Europe also saw the end of the Byzantine Empire and the rule of the Mongols in Russia during this period. The Americas saw a very impressive growth also, especially in South America where the Aztec and Inca empires developed. These empires were very unique and structured. As all know in 1492 America was "discovered". Though there were alreadt settlers on the land, the introduction of Europeans to colonize this new land and the influence of the Renaissance brought over allowed America to develop into the nation it is today. With so much maritime travel and exploration the world was becoming more connected. Trade routes were being established, relationships were developing and the idea of building your society based on what others could provide was growing. Wealthy Europeans had so many goods and money, though they had no access to some of the beautiful, earthly goods that the empires in the Americas had an abundant amount of. The unfortuante part of all this travel and trade was that greed did settle in and eventually the bigger, stronger power wanted everything and massacared all of those who stood in the way of them getting it. No matter, this 150 years of world growth seems quite amazing.

Response to Andrews blog

Andrew brings up that the Mongols have no written records left behind because they had no written language. This is interesting because that means that the records of these people were written by others. Those are people that they conquered or did business with or had communication with. Interesting that there were so many "positive" things written by others, though very understandable why the things that are so terrible about these people is so heavily written. No one likes to be defeated, let alone destroyed in such a terrible manner as they did to most people. One has to wonder were this bad or were they maybe misinterpreted by those that they defeated? The Persian Empire maybe might sound similar if they did not have the formal written language that they did. It is so unfortunate that some of these great societies have no record because they did not have written language. If only we could find out what we do not know some how. Unfortunately what we know is what we will most likely ever know.

Those evil Mongols...???

The Mongols, the intimidating monters from the east. They terrorized and raided villages for whatever they wanted whenever they wanted it. Taking it in gruesome manners. This is what history teaches us usually. I was shocked but some of the things that Strayer says about them. For example, they did not force religion upon their subjects, their rulers were humble men that looked to shamans for advice and guidance so to give their people the best chance to survive, and they were smart enough to salvage the people of specialty in order to use in their society rather than just kill them to prove they are the all powerful.

The Mongol nation were though who teachers tell their students about. The policy by Chinggis Khan exemplified that: Whoever submits shall be spared, but those who resist, they shall be destroyed with their wives, children and dependents...so that the others who hear and see should fear and not act the same. That is quite a message and one that all should believe unless they have a nation and an army so overwhelming in numbers that they do not have to be threatened.

I am impressed by the census taking that they did also. Khan was smart and wanted to know exactly what he had available to him in terms of military assisitance. He seemed to be a very intelligent leadr. Also impressive was the relay stations they set up to estabalish faster communications and trade. Inviting all faiths seems smart because it makes all your conquered citizens able to still follow their faith and not feel trapped by their conquerers religion of choice.

I also found very interesting the story or Khutukun. This women who wrestled men and defeated them all and then refused to marry a man because she was supposed to. It was cool to see she said she would marry a man that could defeat her and it never happened. Also the fact that she was on the battlefield right next to her father was awesome. For so long I have wondered if there was a society that gave women more freedom and equality anmd it seems that the Mongol nation did so a bit. When her father died it is said that he wanted her to take his place though with 13 brothers in line that was shot down. The fact that it was even an option speaks highly of her abilities in life to lead and on the battle field. The fact that it is unknown whether she died in battle or by assassination is weird though I would not doubt that it was assassination by one of her brothers who may have been jealous and feared her power.

I have found the Mongol empire very interesting and plan to look into it more to get a better understanding of these people.

response to Luis

  

 

Luis says in his chapter 9 blog that " it was nice to see a change once in awhile where history was not about fighting. The fact that every color was represented through the pilgrimmage makes it that much more special." I must agree that anytime there is minimal to no fighting that it is a nice thing to read or hear. Most of history has been built on fights though. Whether it be territorial one s or religious ones. The gathering of so many ethnicities at Mecca is a mazing but it is the bad Muslims that have left such a bad image in the mids of many when they think about Muslims. The attack on he twin towers rocked the world and especially this country and the label attached to it was Muslim, therefore Islam. These were men attcking on their own interpretation of what they believed their God wanted them to do. Silly. Though as an American I must admit I was not happy at first and blamed all Muslims but then realized that most are faithful kind people that would never wish this upon anyone. Those who acted on their own will get no love from their God when their time comes because their God will ask them what were you thinking. Hopefully this country and others can see that Islam is aniother religion, just like Christiaqnity and Buddhism that has its rules and its Gods and menas no harm to others. Again anytime there is no fighting is a good time.

response to Carly

I read Carlys ch.9 blog and I agree with the fact that understanding Islam is a bit easier because it is more like Christianity. The belief in one God is much easier to connect with. It is a huge problem I feel that there seems to be little to no distinction between the religious laws and the state or civil ones. America pushes that card a bit also with matters like swearing on a Bible, the pledge of alleginace, the words In God We Trust and so on. Religion is one thing and law is another or at least that is how it should be. People just can not seperate such strong emotions and when those two get intertwined it can get very ugly very fast.

I also have wondered at times about the restrictions on Muslim women as Carly has. Muslim women do sound as if they are to be obediant and silent but are the veils till necesarry? It would make sense if so because if the men are so concerned about the women being obediant and in the shadows then it makes sense to keep them covered up with only their eyes, the eyes that must focus on their duties, being visible. For the sake of these women and for the equality that all women have earned and deserve, I hope one day these veils become an option or choice and not  mandatory.