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Chapters 20,21,22: Africa and the Slave Trade, the Gunpowder Empires, and Asian Changes, 1450-1750. Africa: 1450-1750. No longer aligned with the Islamic world trading system Forceably brought into the Atlantic trading system Heterogeneous societies and cultures. The Empire of Mali.
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Chapters 20,21,22: Africa and the Slave Trade, the Gunpowder Empires, and Asian Changes, 1450-1750
Africa: 1450-1750 • No longer aligned with the Islamic world trading system • Forceably brought into the Atlantic trading system • Heterogeneous societies and cultures
The Empire of Mali • Located in the Sahel region south of the Sahara, became powerful after 750 CE • Wealthy center of trade • Part of Dar al’Islam • Rich in gold, agriculturally fertile • Capital: Timbuktu
Songhay • After the decline of Mali the Kingdom of Songhay gained power in the Sahel • Powerful cavalry and navy • Muslim dominated • Standardized weights, measures, and currency • Greatest King: Sonni Ali 1464-1492
The Swahili Coast Eastern coast of Africa Long term involvement in Indian Ocean trade Portuguese and other European influence Cosmopolitan city-states Predominantly Muslim Swahili language: a lingua franca Traded with the interior of Africa
Great Zimbabwe • Southern African kingdom • Traded with the Swahili Coast and the African interior • Too far inland to be affected by Islam • The only fully African civilization, with no outside cultural influences
The Forest Kingdoms of West Africa • First area to be exploited by Europeans • Dominant region: Benin • Benin art: highly detailed and realistic • Source of most slaves taken to the Americas
The Atlantic Slave Trade: Beginnings • Contact between Europeans and Africans began in late 1400s with Portuguese expeditions along the coast • At first Europeans saw Africans as being equal to themselves • Europeans and Africans studied at universities, exchanged ambassadors, and communicated between rulers • Christian missionaries traveled to Africa
Africans and Slavery • Slavery was an indigenous part of African culture • Slavery among Africans was usually temporary
The Atlantic Slave Trade Begins • European “discovery” of the Americas led to exploitation of Africans • Native Americans quickly died off from overwork and disease • Europeans needed a new source of coerced labor • By 1600, slaves were the largest trade item from Africa
The Atlantic Slave Trade • 1450-1850: about 12 million Africans were shipped to the Americas • As many as 4 million more Africans were killed in internal slaving wars • African rulers participated in the slave trade by gathering slaves and bringing them to coastal forts • Portuguese, Dutch, French, and British all established posts and fortresses along the west coast of Africa for buying slaves
African Slavery in the Americas • Primary destination of most slaves: Brazil and the Caribbean Islands • Typical life expectancy of a healthy male slave on arrival: 6 months • No natural increase among the slave population in most areas
North American Slavery • Labor on tobacco and rice plantations was less “onerous” • There was a natural increase among North American slaves
Consequences of Atlantic Slave Trade • Long term population decline in West Africa • Transfer of African foods and customs to the Americas • American food crops introduced in Africa • Africans in the Americas were converted to Christianity, but sometimes maintained elements of African religions
Europeans in South Africa • The Cape of Good Hope was reached by the Portuguese in the late 1400s • The Dutch established a colony there in 1652. Their settlers were called Boers • Expansion brought the Boers into contact and conflict with the indigenous Bantu, Zulu, and other African peoples • In 1815 the British took control of South Africa • Conflict continued between the Boers, British, and the indigenous Africans
The Gunpowder Empires • Ottomans (Middle East, primarily Turkey, and Eastern Europe) • Safavids (Iran) • Mughals (India)
The Gunpowder Empires • Military power based on gunpowder weapons • Islamic (Ottomans and Mughals: Sunni; Safavids: Shi’a) • Political absolutism • Cultural renaissances • Less powerful than Western Europe
The Ottoman Turks • One of several Turkic tribes which entered the Middle East and converted to Islam • Powerful military led by Janissaries • In 1326, captured the town of Bursa near Constantinople • Built navies and seized control of the eastern Mediterranean • Conquered much of Balkan Peninsula
Constantinople captured, 1453 • Captured by Sultan Mehmed II • End of the Byzantine Empire • Constantinople (Istanbul) was rebuilt and gained population and wealth • Tolerance for dhimmis • More emphasis on military than economic power “conquest over commerce” • Ottoman Empire continued to expand for the next century • Ottoman Sultans were also the Caliphs of (Sunni) Islam
Suleiman the Magnificent 1520-1566 • Greatest Ottoman ruler • Called “The Lawgiver” or ‘The Just” by Muslims • Codified the Shari’a • Rebuilt and beautified Istanbul • Patron of the arts, poet, made Istanbul a center of Ottoman cultural flowering
Suleiman’s Poetry Some of Suleiman's verses, have become Turkish proverbs, including the well-known "Everyone aims at the same meaning, but many are the versions of the story," and "In this world a spell of good health is the best state” He wrote in Turkish, Persian, and Arabic. "The people think of wealth and power as the greatest fate, But in this world a spell of health is the best state. What men call sovereignty is a worldly strife and constant war; Worship of God is the highest throne, the happiest of all estate's”
The Piri Re’is Map, a mystery from Suleiman’s time • It appears to show the west coast of Africa, the east coast of South America, and the northern (land) coast of Antarctica • A map belonging to the Turkish Admiral Piri Re’is ca 1514 • Appears to be based on older maps • Shows accurate use of longitude
Suleiman and the Europeans • Suleiman recognized that Europe was a major potential threat to the Ottoman Empire and to Islam • He attempted to destabilize Europe with several invasions • He also provided financial support to Protestants
The death of Suleiman and the decline of the Ottomans • As Suleiman grew older he lost interest in government and allowed the bureaucracy to rule alone • He allowed his sons to be raised uneducated in the harem, dominated by their mothers • This set a precedent for future Sultans and their sons
Selim II, The Drunkard 1566-1574 • The first “disinterested” Ottoman sultan • Defeated by the Spanish at the Battle of Lepanto in 1571, lost control of the Mediterranean
Ottoman Decline • Over the next several centuries, the Ottoman Empire gradually declined • Europeans gained control of the seas and ended Muslim trade monopolies • Succession problems and uneducated Sultans • European economic competition • Technological and cultural conservatism • Janissaries held power and blocked reforms
The Safavids • Turkic tribe which entered Iran • Converted to Shiite Islam