Transcript Age of Exploration, 1400-1800

Asia In Transition
I. European Trading in Asia
 Asia had a sophisticated sea trading network in place by 1400s
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Divided into 3 commercial zones
Arab zone – glass and textiles
 Indian zone – spices, cotton textiles
 China – paper, porcelain, silks
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Not controlled by one
central power, military
largely absent from
commercial activities
 Arrival of Portugal and other
European powers bring changes
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Very little to trade, used force to obtain goods, establish trading posts
Captured coastal towns, established fortresses and factories
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Ormuz – located in southern Persian Gulf, first major step (1507) into Asian
sea trade network
I. Continued…
 European trading empires
 By end of 16th century, Portuguese power began to wane
 Dutch and English gained control with better technology/weapons
 While force was used to gain entry in to the Asian sea trading network,
long-term prosperity was based on more peaceful trade
 Systems of tribute imposed in some areas (Java, northern Philippines)
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Local peoples essentially left alone as long as they paid
 Centered on agricultural production, overseen by local elites
 Missionaries
 Spanish and Portuguese Jesuit missionaries won few converts in Asia
 Islam and Hinduism were well established religions in the area prior to
arrival of Europeans
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Hindu elites refused to give up status, religious traditions
With the few that did convert, local traditions persisted/mixed with
Catholicism
II. China During the Age of Exploration
 Ming Dynasty (1368-1644)
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Became the dominant Asian power at the time
Founded by Hongwu, originally a peasant, in 1368
Sought to restore power of China, erase Mongol past
 Encouraged return to Confucian ideas/strong
bureaucracy
 Cleaned up corruption
 Eventually became a tyrant, killing thousands of
government officials suspected of plotting against him
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Yunglo, son of Hongwu, continued many policies of his father
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Began (1405) short-lived Chinese age of exploration by Zheng He
 Explored as far as Africa, established a system of tribute in more
than 16 countries
 Voyages were ended in 1433, China became isolated
II. Continued…
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Trade and commerce highly regulated
Confucian economic policies favored agriculture, not international
trade
 Instituted policy of isolation - largely cut off from outside world
because of fear of foreign influence
 European contact limited to ports of Macao and Canton
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 Life in China
 Confucian scholar-gentry dominated society
 New crops/agricultural techniques led to improved nutrition,
population explosion
 Achievements in the arts flourished (Ming Bling)
 Females were not highly valued, many infants killed (female infanticide)
 Decline of Ming Dynasty caused by corrupt officials, high
taxes, and bad harvests that led to civil unrest
III. Japan Becomes Isolated
 1400s – civil war disrupted Japanese leadership
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Centralized power disappeared, feudalism became stronger
Warlords (daimyo) held real power, emperor had little say
 Three leaders restore unity
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Oda Nobunaga gained control of capital Kyoto in 1568
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Toyotomi Hideyoshi continued Nobunaga’s mission
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Sought to eliminate enemies, rule all of Japan
Unified large portion of central Japan
Gained control of most of Japan by 1590 through alliances and military
strength
Launched attacks on Korea, first steps to building larger empire
Tokugawa Ieyasu oversaw the unification of Japan by 1600
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Discontinued overseas expansion efforts
Tokugawa shogunate held power until 1867
III. Continued…
 European contact began mid-16th century
 Brought new technologies, ideas
 Guns gave advantage to unifying leaders
 Missionaries attempted to convert
 Some early success, especially with leaders interested in the West
 By late 16th century, Christian missionaries and converts were being
actively persecuted
 Thought to be a threat to the social order
 Isolation
 By mid-17th century, Japanese ships forbidden to sail overseas
 Europeans limited to small island of Deshima
 Japanese elite remained aware of developments in West, while pushing
for revival of indigenous culture
Key Vocabulary – Ch. 22
 Caravel
 Asian Sea Trading Network
 Ormuz
 Batavia
 Hongwu
 Macao
 Canton
 Nobunaga
 Tokugawa Ieyasu
 Deshima