Changing SOCIAL HIERARCHIES, 1450-1750 [AP World History Review—Unit 4 Topic 7]

Summary

This video explores how social hierarchies evolved globally between 1450 and 1750, focusing on responses to ethnic diversity and changing power structures. It covers the expulsion of Jews from Spain and Portugal, the relative tolerance of the Ottoman Empire, the ethnic divides in the Qing dynasty, and Akbar the Great's tolerance in the Mughal Empire. The video also discusses the rise of new elites in Spanish America through the caste system and the decline of aristocratic powers like the Russian Boyars and Ottoman Timars, all presented with a lively and engaging tone.

Takeaways

• 🌍 The period from 1450 to 1750 saw significant changes in social hierarchies around the world.
• 🇪🇸 Spain and Portugal expelled Jews after the Reconquista to strengthen Christian dominance, while the Ottoman Empire welcomed displaced Jews with relative tolerance.
• 🕍 Although the Ottoman Empire tolerated Jews, they still faced restrictions, such as paying a non-Muslim tax and living in designated areas.
• 🇨🇳 The Qing Dynasty imposed a sharp ethnic division between the ruling Manchu and the Han people, with Han men forced to wear specific hairstyles as a sign of subjugation.
• 🤝 In the Mughal Empire, Akbar the Great fostered profound tolerance toward ethnic and religious minorities, including lifting certain taxes and funding religious buildings.
• 🚢 The rise of European maritime empires and global trade led to the emergence of new political elites, particularly in colonial regions like Spanish America.
• 🇪🇸 In the Americas, Spain implemented the casta system, a social hierarchy based on race, which organized people into ranked groups, erasing much of the cultural diversity of the native populations.
• 🏰 In Russia, Peter the Great curbed the power of the Boyar aristocracy, consolidating power under himself and requiring service to the state for employment in bureaucracy.
• 🏞️ The Ottoman timars, or land grants to the aristocracy, were slowly converted into tax farms by the state, reducing the power and wealth of the elite class.
• 📚 The script ends with a call to review more content or grab an AP World review guide to succeed in class and exams.

Q & A

What were some of the different responses to ethnic diversity between 1450 and 1750?

Responses to ethnic diversity varied widely. In Spain and Portugal, Jews were expelled, while the Ottoman Empire offered refuge to displaced Jews. The Qing Dynasty established a sharp division between the ruling Manchu and the Han people, while the Mughal Empire, under Akbar the Great, promoted tolerance of ethnic and religious minorities.

How were Jews treated in Spain and Portugal during this period?

In Spain, Jews were expelled in 1492 after the Reconquista. The Spanish crown feared that Jews who had converted to Christianity might influence others to renounce the faith. Many Jews fled to Portugal, only to face further expulsion due to a marriage alliance with Spain.

How did the Ottoman Empire respond to the Jewish expulsion from Spain and Portugal?

The Ottoman Empire, under Sultan Mehmed II, welcomed displaced Jews, allowing them to settle in the empire. Although Jews did not enjoy full equality and had to pay a special tax, they were relatively tolerated, and some even rose to prominence in the Ottoman court and contributed to the economy and culture.

What was the Qing Dynasty's approach to managing ethnic diversity?

The Qing Dynasty, ruled by the Manchu people, maintained a sharp division between the Manchu and Han populations. While they adopted some Chinese cultural practices, the Manchu reserved the highest bureaucratic positions for themselves and imposed cultural symbols, such as the mandatory hairstyle for Han men, as a reminder of their dominance.

How did Akbar the Great's Mughal Empire handle ethnic and religious diversity?

Akbar the Great's Mughal Empire promoted tolerance of ethnic and religious diversity. He abolished the jizya tax on non-Muslims, funded the construction of religious buildings for different faiths, and fostered a more inclusive environment. However, the jizya tax was later reintroduced after his reign.

What was the Spanish caste system in the Americas, and how did it impact social hierarchies?

The Spanish caste system in the Americas was a racial and hereditary social hierarchy imposed by conquistadors. It ranked people based on their birthplace and ethnicity, with Peninsulares (born in Spain) at the top, followed by Creoles (born in the New World of European descent), Mestizos (European and Indigenous ancestry), Mulattos (European and African ancestry), and at the bottom, enslaved Africans and Indigenous peoples.

What role did the Reconquista play in shaping Spain's approach to ethnic diversity?

The Reconquista, completed in 1492, aimed to restore Christian rule in Spain by expelling Muslim rulers. After defeating the Muslims, the Spanish Crown also sought to eliminate other potential threats to Christian domination, leading to the expulsion of Jews from the kingdom.

What changes did Peter the Great introduce to Russian social hierarchies?

Peter the Great reduced the power of the Boyars, Russia's aristocratic landowning class, by consolidating power under himself. He abolished the rank of Boyar and required bureaucrats to serve the state directly, weakening the traditional aristocracy.

How did the Ottoman Empire's Timar system change in the 16th century?

The Timar system, which granted land to aristocrats in exchange for military service, began to decline in the 16th century. Ottoman Sultans started converting Timars into tax farms, redirecting revenue to the state, thereby diminishing the power and wealth of the aristocracy.

What was the significance of global trade in altering social hierarchies during this period?

Global trade and imperial expansion led to the rise of new political elites, particularly in maritime empires like Spain. For example, in the Americas, conquistadors established a new social order through the caste system, creating a racial hierarchy that differed from traditional European noble structures.

Outlines

00:00

👑 Shifts in Social Hierarchies: Ethnic Diversity and State Responses (1450-1750)

This paragraph discusses how social hierarchies evolved globally between 1450 and 1750, especially in terms of state responses to ethnic diversity. Some states, like Spain and Portugal, reacted with extreme intolerance, exemplified by the expulsion of Jews following the completion of the Reconquista in 1492. Fearing that Jews would undermine Christian rule, both countries forced Jews into exile. In contrast, the Ottoman Empire demonstrated relative tolerance, allowing displaced Jews to settle within their borders, although they still faced limitations, such as the requirement to pay the jizya tax and live in designated areas.

05:01

👑 Ethnic Hierarchies in the Qing Dynasty and Mughal Empire

The Qing Dynasty’s approach to ethnic diversity was marked by sharp divisions between the ruling Manchu and the Han majority. Manchus held the highest political positions, while Han people were excluded from these roles and forced to adopt humiliating cultural practices, like wearing the traditional Manchu braided hairstyle. In contrast, the Mughal Empire under Akbar the Great promoted ethnic and religious tolerance, even abolishing the jizya tax temporarily and funding religious infrastructure for various faiths, including Hindus, Catholics, and Muslims.

⚓ The Rise of New Elites in the Americas: The Casta System

This paragraph explains how European maritime empires, especially Spain, created new social hierarchies in their colonies. Conquistadors, lacking traditional Spanish nobility in the New World, established the casta system, a racial and hereditary social order. At the top were Peninsulares, those born in Spain, followed by Creoles, born in the New World of European descent. Mixed-race groups like Mestizos (European and Indigenous ancestry) and Mulattos (European and African ancestry) occupied intermediate positions, while enslaved Africans and Indigenous peoples were at the bottom. This system erased native cultures and imposed a rigid, hierarchical society.

🏰 Challenges to Existing Elites: The Russian Boyars and Ottoman Timars

The final paragraph highlights the struggles of existing elites to retain their power. In Russia, the Boyars (aristocratic landowners) saw their influence wane under Peter the Great, who centralized power and required bureaucrats to serve the state directly, effectively abolishing the Boyar class. Similarly, in the Ottoman Empire, the aristocracy lost control of their timars (land grants) as the sultans converted them into tax farms, stripping these elites of their land and income. This centralization of power left traditional elites in both empires powerless and marginalized.

📘 Conclusion: Resources for AP World History Review

The script ends with a call to action, encouraging viewers to download an AP World History review guide to help prepare for exams. It also invites viewers to continue reviewing other topics from the same unit. The speaker signs off playfully, suggesting that more content is available for those interested in further studying.

Keywords

💡Social Hierarchy

Social hierarchy refers to the arrangement of individuals or groups in a society according to levels of power, status, and economic wealth. In the video, it is a central theme as it explores how various states and empires structured their societies between 1450 to 1750, such as the Spanish casta system in the Americas, where society was ranked by race and heritage.

💡Reconquista

The Reconquista was a centuries-long campaign by Christian kingdoms in Spain to reclaim the Iberian Peninsula from Muslim rule. By 1492, the Reconquista was completed with the defeat of the Muslims at Granada. This event is crucial in the script as it leads to the expulsion of Jews from Spain, demonstrating how ethnic and religious diversity was managed during this time.

💡Expulsion of Jews

The expulsion of Jews from Spain and Portugal occurred after the completion of the Reconquista in 1492, as the Spanish Crown sought to ensure Christian dominance. Jews were seen as a threat to Christian conversion efforts, leading to their forced migration. The video highlights the harsh treatment of Jews in contrast with the relative tolerance they experienced in the Ottoman Empire.

💡Ottoman Empire

The Ottoman Empire is used as an example of relative tolerance towards ethnic minorities, particularly the Jews who were expelled from Spain. Though the empire imposed certain restrictions, such as the jizya tax, Jews were allowed to live and contribute to the empire's economy and culture. This showcases a different approach to managing diversity compared to European states.

💡Jizya

Jizya was a tax imposed on non-Muslims under Islamic rule in the Ottoman Empire. In the context of the video, it represents a way of managing religious diversity, as Jews and other non-Muslims had to pay this tax, but were otherwise allowed to live relatively freely within Ottoman society. This is presented as an example of 'relative tolerance'.

💡Qing Dynasty

The Qing Dynasty, ruled by the Manchu people, is discussed for its handling of ethnic diversity, particularly the division between the ruling Manchu and the majority Han Chinese population. The imposition of the queue hairstyle and barring Han from high positions demonstrates the sharp ethnic divide within the empire, contrasting with other regions' more tolerant approaches.

💡Casta System

The casta system was a social hierarchy imposed by Spanish colonists in the Americas, ranking people based on race and ancestry. Peninsulares (born in Spain) were at the top, followed by Creoles (European descent but born in the Americas), with various mixed-race groups and enslaved people at the bottom. This system erased much of the cultural diversity of the native peoples, reinforcing Spanish elite dominance.

💡Peter the Great

Peter the Great was a Russian tsar who sought to centralize power by curtailing the influence of the Russian boyars, the aristocratic landowning class. His efforts to consolidate power are an example of existing elites losing their dominance during this period, as he abolished the boyar rank and required direct service to the state for government positions.

💡Timars

Timars were land grants given to Ottoman military officers as payment for their service. Over time, the Ottoman Sultans began to reclaim these lands, turning them into tax farms to direct revenue to the state. This shift reduced the power of the aristocratic class in the empire, illustrating another example of elites losing power during the period.

💡Ethnic Diversity

Ethnic diversity refers to the coexistence of different ethnic groups within a society. Throughout the video, the treatment of various ethnic groups, such as Jews in Spain and the Han Chinese under the Qing Dynasty, is used to show how different empires and states responded to diversity. Responses ranged from tolerance, as seen in the Ottoman Empire, to discrimination and exclusion.

Highlights

Social hierarchies during the period 1450 to 1750 were not new but evolved significantly, with varied responses to ethnic diversity.

Spain and Portugal expelled Jews from their kingdoms due to fears they might revert to Judaism and undermine Christian dominance.

The Ottoman Empire provided relative tolerance to Jews expelled from Spain and Portugal, allowing them to rise to positions of influence and contribute economically.

The Ottoman's 'relative tolerance' included restrictions like paying a special tax (jizya) and living in designated areas.

The Qing Dynasty created a sharp division between the ruling Manchu people and the Han population, reserving the highest bureaucratic positions for Manchu only.

Qing rulers enforced cultural conformity by requiring Han men to adopt the traditional Manchu hairstyle, which was a symbolic reminder of foreign domination.

Mughal Emperor Akbar practiced profound tolerance toward ethnic and religious minorities, abolishing the jizya tax and funding places of worship for multiple religions.

Economic opportunities from global trade and imperial ventures led to the rise of new political elites, like the Spanish casta system in the Americas.

The Spanish casta system established a strict racial hierarchy, with peninsulares (Europeans born in Spain) at the top, followed by Creoles (Europeans born in the New World), and other mixed and indigenous groups lower down.

The casta system erased much of the cultural and linguistic diversity among Native peoples by imposing a new social structure based on racial categories.

Existing elites, such as the Russian boyars, saw their power reduced under centralizing rulers like Peter the Great, who abolished their rank and required state service for bureaucratic positions.

Ottoman timar holders, an aristocratic class with military service land grants, lost power as the Ottoman state converted these lands to tax farms, reducing aristocratic wealth and influence.

Both Russian boyars and Ottoman timar holders faced declines in power due to centralization and state control over land and administration.

European maritime expansion during this period created new economic and social opportunities, which disrupted traditional hierarchies and created new elite classes.

Overall, the period saw various states adapting to and transforming social hierarchies in response to changing political, economic, and cultural landscapes.

Transcripts

and finally it's time to talk about how

social structures changed throughout the

world During the period 1450 to 1750 I

can see in your eyes you are hungry for

hierarchy baby so if you're ready to get

them brand cows milks let's get to it so

if you've been with me for any time at

all you know that social hierarchies are

not a new thing during this period but

here we're focusing on how they change

the first change we'll consider is

various States responses to ethnic

diversity and those responses range from

expulsion to relative tolerance so first

let's consider the different kinds of

treatment the Jews experiened in various

states on the expulsion side of the

spectrum there's no better example than

the treatment of Jews by Spain and

Portugal you see by 1492 Spain had

completed the Reconquista which was a

centuries long effort to rid the Iberian

Peninsula of Muslim rule himler you said

we were talking about Jews but now

you're talking about Muslims I know it's

context baby anyway in that year Spanish

forces defeated the Muslims at Granada

and that meant that they finally

reestablished Christianity as the

official religion of the region and so

with all the Muslims gone the Spanish

Crown began looking around and thought I

wonder who else might pose a threat to

our Christian domination here oh it's

you guys so Spain issued a decree

expelling all Jews from their Kingdom

because they were afraid pray that the

Jews who had converted to Christianity

would be tempted to renounce if any Jews

remained to influence them and so many

of these Jews fled to Portugal to seek

Refuge there but instead got a further

kick in the face because of a new

marriage alliance with the Spanish Crown

Portugal likewise expelled Jews from

their land but then on the tolerant side

of the spectrum we have the Ottoman

Empire hearing the news of this Jewish

expulsion ottoman Sultan mhmed II opened

his Empire to the displaced Jews who

then immigrated in drobes and because of

the relative tolerance of the Ottomans

toward the Jews some of them Rose to

prominence in the ottoman Court While

others contributed to the economic and

cultural environment but let's not paint

too Rosy a picture relative tolerance

does not mean that Jews enjoyed full

equality under ottoman rule because they

were not Muslims they were required to

pay the Gia which is a tax that

non-muslims had to pay and they were

only permitted to live in designated

parts of urban areas so that's a taste

of how Jews were treated but let's check

in with the Ching Dynasty and see how

they're responding to ethnic diversity

and as it turns out it's not great now

remember that the Ching dynasty was

established by Outsiders namely the Mano

people and although the Mano rulers took

some pains to adopt certain trappings of

traditional Chinese culture most notably

some confusion principles of leadership

they made a sharp division between the

ethnic Manu people and the Han people in

their empire for example the Manu did

retain the Civil Service examination to

staff their Imperial bureaucracy but all

the highest positions were reserved for

Manu people and ethnically Han people

were barred from those positions

additionally all Han men were required

to wear their hair in the traditional

braided cues of the mansion and maybe

that doesn't sound like a big deal to

you because you know it was a haircut

but the imposition of this hairstyle was

a humiliation for the ethnic Han because

it was a constant reminder of their

foreign domination but over the mugal

Empire responses to ethnic diversity

were a lot better under the leadership

of abbar the great a profound tolerance

was extended to ethnic and religious

minorities not only did he refuse to

implement the Gia though it would later

be reintroduced he also funded the

construction of churches for Catholics

and temples for Hindus and Mos for

Muslims okay now in this period you'll

recall that European states were going

crazy building and expanding their

Maritime Empire so in terms of social

hierarchies the new economic

opportunities of increasing global trade

and the increased political power of

Imperial Ventures led to the rise of new

political Elites and I'm just going to

give you the most dramatic example

namely the Spanish cter system in the

Americas now here's where I tell you

that almost none of the traditional

Spanish nobility migrated to the new

world therefore the most powerful

conquistadors who established Spain's

Empire in the new world work to impose a

new social hierarchy on the people's

there the result was the cast a system

which organized their colonial society

into a ranked social hierarchy that was

based on race and heredity so

peninsularis were those who were born on

the Iberian Peninsula and they not

surprisingly situated themselves on top

Creoles were those of European descent

but were born in the new world so there

we go new political Elites unlock and

then under both were the castes which

grouped all the remaining members of

society based on race and ethnicity

mesos were people of European and

Indigenous ancestry mados were people of

European and African ancestry and then

at the bottom of everything were

enslaved Africans and Indigenous peoples

and look it's not as important that you

remember exactly which ethnicities were

in each group what's more important to

remember is that prior to the imposing

of the castus system native peoples were

part of a wide variety of linguistic and

cultural groups but the castus system

erased much of that cultural complexity

and ordered their society by the

standards of a small minority of Spanish

elit but while the Spanish and the

Americans were busy inventing ways to

become Elite the existing Elites in

other places were struggling to hold on

to their power and I'm going to give you

two examples first let's check in with

the Russian Boyard now this group made

up the aristocratic landowning classes

in Russia and they exerted great power

in the administration of the empire for

centuries but when Peter the Great Rose

to power he got a little drunk on the

idea of absolutism and took all kinds of

measures to remove power from the boyars

and Consolidated it under himself so the

boards protested this curtailment of

their power obviously and Peter went

ahead and responded with level tactics

and abolished the rank of boar in Russia

additionally he required anyone who

wanted employment in the Russian

bureaucracy to serve the state directly

so the hierarchical power of the boards

had officially uh Wayne okay now the

second example is ottoman timars now

tars were land grants made by the

ottoman state to an aristocratic class

and payment for service to the

government usually military service and

those Aristocrats who controlled the

timars grew exceedingly rich and

Powerful through taxation of the people

living on those Parcels of land however

by the 16th century ottoman Sultans

began increasingly taking over these

tars and converting them to tax Farms

which directed Revenue directly to the

state therefore existing Elites in the

Ottoman Empire found themselves

powerless landless and uh real sad okay

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