CSmith Global II Unit 0/1 SS Skills and Old Asian Powers

Why did European kingdoms begin to search for new trade routes to Asia in the mid 1400s?

• New methods of travel made it easier to travel long distances

• New science proved the existence of new ways to Asia

• The Ottoman conquest of Constantinople made land routes prohibitive

• The fall of the Western Roman Empire left a trade vacuum in Europe

Answer explanation

The Ottoman conquest of Constantinople allowed the Ottomans to control European-Asian trade through the Silk Roads. The Ottomans already controlled trade routes through Arabia and the Middle East, thus giving them a chokehold on trade between the West and the East. Also, the Ottomans were an Islamic empire, while the rest of Europe remained Christian (Catholic or Orthodox), causing religious friction between any possible large scale trade across the traditional land routes through Constantinople.

Which nation was the first to explore new trade routes to markets in India and the Far East?

• Portugal

• France

• Spain

• England

Why were the Iberian nations (Portugal and Spain) first to explore new trade routes to Asia?

• Their kingdoms were the most powerful and united in Europe

• They lacked existing trade connections with the East

• They developed better cultures through connections with the Islamic world

• Improved shipbuilding and geographic location on the Atlantic coast

Why were the English welcomed in India during the Age of Exploration?

• English merchants were willing to pay higher prices

• The Portuguese were not willing to form alliances with the Mughal Empire

• The English defeated the Portuguese and were more agreeable to fair trade

• The Spanish, led by Columbus, were cruel and unfair to the native Indians

Which of the following best describes how the British ran their empire in India?

• The British crown gave total colonial control to the British East India Co.

• Direct control, with a viceroy appointed by the crown

• Native Indians were allowed to elect local government under an overall British picked governor

• British military forces imposed martial law under a British general

Which of the following was NOT a method used by the Ottoman Empire to maintain power in their domains?

• Millets

• Use of secret police to suppress dissent

• the Devshirme system of taxation

• the Janissaries

What is one similarity between how the Ottomans and the Mughals maintained power in their respective empires?

• Religious tolerance

• Strict taxation systems

• Isolationist trade policies

• Increased exploration of new trade routes

How did the geographic context of Japan impact its development as a civilization?

• Dry plains forced the Japanese to settle near the few available water sources

• Mostly mountainous terrain fragmented Japanese society

• Natural barriers like the Himalayas prevented cultural diffusion from outside sources

• Japan's Westerly location made it susceptible to invasion from Eastern powers

Who in the Japanese version feudalism held true political power?

• Samurai

• Daimyo

• Shogun

• Emperor

Why did the feudal system develop in Japanese society by the mid 1100s?

• Multiple threats from invasive Chinese and Mongol forces led to unification

• A need for stability and geographic barriers led to decentralization of power

• A need for increased imperial power

• A lack of economic growth caused unrest in the populace and a need for social structure