3.4 Comparison in Land-Based Empires

​How to Rule the World: Empire Playbook 1450-1750

By Isiah Jones

Open Ended

You just conquered a huge territory with many different cultures and religions. What are the FIRST 3 things you would do to make sure you stay in power? Jot them down.

3.4 Comparison in Land-Based Empires

Today's Learning Goal (SWBAT):
Students Will Be Able To analyze and compare the methods used by land-based empires (military, bureaucratic, cultural) to consolidate power and increase their societal influence from 1450 to 1750.

AP World History Theme:
Governance (GOV)

• How did empires structure their administration?

• How did they legitimize their power?

Historical Thinking Skill:
Comparison

• We are comparing the different strategies (military, bureaucratic, cultural) empires used to achieve the same goal: control and influence.

Key Terms

• Legitimize (v.): To make your rule seem right, acceptable, or justified in the eyes of your people.

• Bureaucracy (n.): A system of government with many departments and officials. 

• Elite Soldiers: Special, highly trained troops loyal directly to the ruler (not to local lords). 

• Tax Farming: A system where the ruler sells the right to collect taxes to private individuals. Often leads to corruption.

• Syncretic (adj.): Combining different beliefs or traditions. (e.g., blending religions).

Multiple Choice

If a ruler builds a massive, beautiful palace like Versailles to show off his wealth and power, he is primarily trying to:

• impress foreign dignitaries and guests
• Legitimize his rule

• attract artists and intellectuals to his court
• celebrate a recent military victory

Multiple Choice

The Ottoman practice of selling the right to collect taxes in a region to a local official, who often kept extra money for himself, is a direct example of:

• Tax evasion
• Tax redistribution
• Tax assessment
• Tax farming

Multiple Choice

Emperor Kangxi needs to govern a vast empire. He creates a system where scholars take exams to become officials, generals report to regional governors, and tax collectors send records to the capital. This system is primarily an example of creating a:

• bureaucracy
• oligarchy
• theocracy
• monarchy

Today's Mission: The Empire Jigsaw

Instructions: We’re breaking the "Empire Playbook" into parts. You will become an expert on one method of control and then teach it to your peers.

Essential Question (Our Goal): By what methods did empires increase their influence and stay in power from 1450-1750?

Jigsaw Groups - Become an Expert!

• Expert Group 1: The Enforcers

  • Topic: Military Might & Control

  • Focus: How did empires use soldiers and warfare to control territory and people?

• Expert Group 2: The Bankers

  • Topic: Bureaucracy & Taxation

  • Focus: How did empires organize their governments and collect money to pay for everything?

• Expert Group 3: The Influencers

  • Topic: Legitimizing Rule (Religion, Art, Architecture)

  • Focus: How did empires use culture, religion, and grand buildings to make people want to obey?
    

Expert Group Task (15 mins)

Your Goal: Create 1 Google Slide to teach the class.

Steps:

1. Read & Discuss your assigned text section.

2. Build Your Slide with these 4 parts:

   • Title (Your Topic)

   • Main Idea (1-2 sentences)

   • Key Evidence (2-3 bullet points from text)

   • Visual (1 strong image/chart)

3. Upload to Google Classroom "Empire Jigsaw" assignment.

4. Prepare 1-2 presenters.

Your slide = What the class writes in their Cornell Notes.

Presentation Time - Listen & Learn!

Scholars Presenting: Be clear, confident, and point to your slide.

• Speak to the class.

• Explain your Main Idea and Key Evidence.

Scholars Listening: This is your note-taking time.

• Listen actively to each presentation.

• Fill in the Cornell Notes for each section in your packet.

• Be ready with a question for each group.

Our Goal: By the end, everyone’s Cornell Notes should be complete for all three topics.

Open Ended

Assess Impact: Which method of increasing imperial influence was most effective for long-term stability: military intimidation, efficient tax collection, or cultural/religious legitimization? Justify your assessment.

Open Ended

Argumentation: Was the use of elite slave soldiers (like Janissaries or Ghulams) a greater source of strength or a potential weakness for the empires that employed them? Defend your argument.

Exit Ticket

Prompt:
In one to three paragraphs, explain the methods empires used to increase their societal and cultural influence from c. 1450 to c. 1750.

Criteria for Success (What I'm Looking For):

• Context: Names a specific empire and its goal.

• Claim: States how the empire used a method (military, bureaucratic, or cultural) to gain influence.

• Evidence: Provides a specific fact or example.

• Explanation: Connects the evidence to the claim to show why it was influential.