AP World UNIT 3 REVIEW [Everything You NEED to Know!]

Summary

This video offers a comprehensive review of Unit 3 in AP World History, covering the time period from 1450 to 1750. It focuses on the expansion, administration, and belief systems of land-based empires, specifically the Ottoman, Safavid, Mughal, and Qing dynasties. The video explains how these empires used gunpowder, military power, and administrative strategies to expand. It also covers key religious tensions, including the Sunni-Shia divide, and highlights how rulers legitimized their power through art, architecture, and tax systems. The video concludes with discussions on religious changes, such as the Protestant Reformation and Sikhism.

Takeaways

• 📜 The period of 1450-1750 in AP World History focuses on land-based empires, their expansion, administration, and belief systems.
• 🌍 A land-based empire derives its power from its territorial holdings, unlike maritime empires that control sea routes.
• 🕌 The Ottoman Empire is one of the four major land-based empires to know for this period. They expanded rapidly using gunpowder weapons and controlled much of Southwestern Europe and Anatolia by the 15th century.
• 🏰 The Safavid Empire, also a Muslim empire like the Ottomans, expanded using gunpowder weapons but differed in that they were Shia Muslims, causing religious conflicts with the Sunni Ottomans.
• 🤝 The Mughal Empire in South Asia also used gunpowder weapons for expansion. Under the rule of Akbar, the empire became prosperous due to his policies of religious tolerance and effective administration.
• 🐉 The Qing Dynasty in China replaced the Ming Dynasty, establishing their rule and expanding their empire through the use of gunpowder weapons.
• ⚔️ The Safavid-Mughal conflict exemplifies the religious and territorial clashes among empires. These two Muslim empires fought over Afghanistan, adding a religious dimension to their conflict.
• 📊 Rulers legitimized and consolidated their power using four main strategies: large bureaucracies, development of military professionals, religious ideas/art/architecture, and innovations in tax collection systems.
• 🏛️ Monumental architecture, such as the Palace of Versailles and the Incan Sun Temple of Cusco, played a significant role in legitimizing and consolidating power by demonstrating wealth and authority.
• ✝️ The Protestant Reformation and the subsequent Catholic Reformation led to a permanent split in Christianity, marking a significant change in the European religious landscape during this period.

Q & A

What is a land-based empire?

A land-based empire is an empire whose power comes from the extent of its territorial holdings, focusing on land expansion rather than sea-based trade or colonies.

What are the four major land-based empires mentioned in the video?

The four major land-based empires are the Ottoman Empire, Safavid Empire, Mughal Empire, and the Qing Dynasty.

Why was gunpowder significant in the expansion of land-based empires during this period?

Gunpowder was crucial because it allowed empires to use advanced weapons like cannons and firearms, giving them a military advantage that enabled rapid territorial expansion.

What was the significance of the Ottoman Empire conquering Constantinople in 1453?

The conquest of Constantinople was significant because it marked the fall of the Byzantine Empire, opened the door for further Ottoman expansion into Eastern Europe, and cemented the Ottomans' control of a vital trade route.

What was the primary difference between the Ottoman and Safavid Empires in terms of religion?

The primary difference was that the Ottoman Empire followed Sunni Islam, while the Safavid Empire adhered to Shia Islam, leading to significant religious and political conflict between the two.

How did the Mughal Empire handle religious differences in India under Akbar's rule?

Under Akbar, the Mughal Empire practiced religious tolerance, especially toward the majority Hindu population, which helped create a more stable and prosperous empire.

How did the Qing Dynasty legitimize its rule despite being ethnically different from its subjects?

The Qing Dynasty, being ethnically Manchu, legitimized their rule by promoting Confucian values and using Imperial portraits to portray their emperor as a wise and rightful ruler, thus gaining the loyalty of the Han Chinese.

What role did enslaved Christians play in the military forces of the Ottoman and Safavid Empires?

Both the Ottoman and Safavid Empires used enslaved Christians from conquered regions to form elite military forces. The Ottomans created the Janissaries, while the Safavids also used enslaved Christian soldiers from the Caucasus.

How did the rulers of these empires consolidate their power through administrative systems?

Rulers consolidated power by building large bureaucracies, creating professional military forces, using religious ideas, art, monumental architecture, and developing efficient tax collection systems to maintain control and ensure loyalty.

What was the cause of the split between Sunni and Shia Muslims, and how did it intensify during this period?

The Sunni-Shia split was caused by disagreements over who should succeed the Prophet Muhammad. The Ottomans (Sunni) and Safavids (Shia) intensified this split through political and religious rivalries, with each side believing they were the true representatives of Islam.

Outlines

00:00

🌍 Introduction to AP World History Unit 3: Land-Based Empires

The video begins by introducing AP World History Unit 3, covering the period 1450-1750, which focuses on land-based empires, their expansion, administration, and belief systems. A brief definition of a land-based empire is provided, along with an overview of the expansion trends of these empires. The Ottoman Empire is highlighted as a key empire to know, with a hack to reference it in exam answers if unsure. The speaker also mentions additional study resources, encouraging viewers to explore further.

05:01

🔫 Ottoman Empire: Expansion and Gunpowder Weapons

The Ottoman Empire's rapid expansion is explored, with a focus on its use of gunpowder weapons. The capture of Constantinople in 1453, renamed Istanbul, is emphasized as a significant victory that allowed the Ottomans to push further into Eastern Europe. The use of enslaved Christians, converted to Islam, as elite soldiers (Janissaries) in the Ottoman army is discussed. The Ottomans' ability to expand and control a vast territory through gunpowder and a strong military presence is key to their success.

10:02

🌙 Safavid Empire: Shia Islam and Military Power

The Safavid Empire, founded in the 16th century, is introduced, highlighting its rapid expansion under Shah Ismail and its distinction from the Sunni Ottoman Empire due to its adherence to Shia Islam. The Safavids built their military strength, including an enslaved army from the Caucasus region. The conflict between Sunni Ottomans and Shia Safavids, stemming from religious differences, is underscored as a key driver of tension between these two Muslim empires.

👑 Mughal Empire: Akbar's Tolerance and Prosperity

The Mughal Empire in South Asia, established in 1526 by Babur, is covered next. The empire's rapid expansion, aided by gunpowder weapons, is explored, along with Akbar's unique approach to religious tolerance. Akbar's policies led to the Mughal Empire becoming the most prosperous of the 16th century, in contrast to the Delhi Sultanate's struggles with religious tension between Hindus and Muslims.

🇨🇳 Qing Dynasty: Manchu Rule and Military Strength

The rise of the Qing Dynasty in China, following the fall of the Ming Dynasty, is discussed. The Qing were Manchu, not ethnically Han Chinese, and used gunpowder weapons to expand and strengthen their empire. The Qing, like the other land-based empires, were notable for their rapid territorial expansion and the use of military innovations to maintain control over diverse populations.

⚔️ Empires in Conflict: Safavid-Mughal Wars

This section examines the conflicts between land-based empires, focusing on the Safavid-Mughal conflict over Afghanistan. Religious differences (Sunni vs. Shia Islam) played a role in this territorial struggle, which resulted in no clear victor. The broader theme is that expanding empires often clashed over borders, resources, and religious authority.

📜 Legitimizing and Consolidating Power in Land-Based Empires

The focus shifts to how rulers of land-based empires legitimized and consolidated their power. Bureaucracies, military professionals, religious ideas, art, monumental architecture, and innovations in tax collection were the key methods. Examples include the Ottoman Devshirme system, the Qing Dynasty's use of imperial portraits, and the Palace of Versailles as a symbol of power consolidation.

💰 Tax Collection Systems: Funding Land-Based Empires

Three significant tax collection systems are outlined: the Mughal Empire's Zamindar system, the Ottoman Empire's tax farming, and the Aztec tribute lists. Each method was designed to extract resources from conquered or controlled populations, ensuring the financial stability of the empire. However, corruption and skimming by local officials were common.

⛪ Christianity and the Protestant Reformation

The Protestant Reformation is introduced, triggered by Martin Luther's objections to Catholic practices like simony and the sale of indulgences. This religious upheaval led to a split between Protestantism and Roman Catholicism. The Catholic Church responded with its own Counter-Reformation, which cleaned up some corrupt practices but maintained doctrinal continuity. This period saw significant changes in Christianity across Europe.

☪️ Islam: Sunni-Shia Rivalries in the Safavid Empire

The deepening of the Sunni-Shia split is explored, with a focus on the Safavid Empire's declaration of Shia Islam under Shah Ismail. His decision intensified religious conflict with Sunni Muslim empires, especially the Ottomans. Ismail's enforcement of Shia practices and his treatment of Sunni Muslims fueled the religious rivalry and conflict in the region.

🛕 Sikhism: A Syncretic Blend of Hinduism and Islam

Sikhism is introduced as a new belief system that emerged in South Asia during this period, blending elements of Hinduism and Islam. Key features of Sikhism include belief in one God and the rejection of gender hierarchies and the Hindu caste system. This religion developed in a region where Hinduism and Islam had coexisted for centuries, representing both continuity and change.

Keywords

💡Land-based Empires

A land-based empire refers to an empire that derives its power and expansion through territorial holdings on land. These empires are the focus of the video, as it covers their expansion, administration, and belief systems from 1450 to 1750. Examples in the video include the Ottoman, Safavid, Mughal, and Qing Empires, all of which grew through military conquest and centralization of power over vast lands.

💡Ottoman Empire

The Ottoman Empire, founded in the 14th century, rapidly expanded during the 1450-1750 period. The video highlights how they utilized gunpowder weapons, particularly in their famous conquest of Constantinople in 1453. The Ottomans, Sunni Muslims, were a key empire during this period and are emphasized for their military innovations and expansion, serving as a significant example of a land-based empire.

💡Gunpowder

Gunpowder, initially invented in China, spread to Afro-Eurasia and revolutionized military conquests. The video emphasizes the role of gunpowder in the expansion of several empires, including the Ottomans, Safavids, Mughals, and Qing. Empires that adopted gunpowder weapons, such as cannons and firearms, were able to dominate their regions and expand their territories rapidly.

💡Janissaries

The Janissaries were an elite military force in the Ottoman Empire, consisting of enslaved and converted Christians, primarily from the Balkans. The video describes them as a key factor in the military strength of the Ottomans, enabling their rapid expansion. The creation of such enslaved military forces was a strategy used by several land-based empires, like the Safavids, to consolidate power.

💡Safavid Empire

The Safavid Empire, based in the Middle East, was a Shia Muslim empire that expanded rapidly in the early 16th century. Like the Ottomans, they used gunpowder weapons and an enslaved army to achieve military success. The video highlights the rivalry between the Safavid (Shia) and Ottoman (Sunni) Empires, driven by religious differences and territorial ambitions.

💡Sunni and Shia Islam

Sunni and Shia Islam are two major branches of Islam with a significant theological divide. Sunnis believe that any spiritually qualified person can succeed the Prophet Muhammad, while Shias believe that only Muhammad’s blood relatives can. This split caused major conflicts between the Sunni Ottomans and the Shia Safavids, as described in the video, illustrating how religious differences fueled political and military conflicts between these empires.

💡Mughal Empire

The Mughal Empire, established in South and Central Asia, was another major land-based empire during the 16th century. It expanded under leaders like Babur and Akbar, who used gunpowder weapons to conquer territory. The video also discusses Akbar’s religious tolerance, which helped stabilize the empire, despite ruling over a predominantly Hindu population, making the Mughals unique among the Islamic empires.

💡Qing Dynasty

The Qing Dynasty, established by the Manchu people, ruled over China after the fall of the Ming Dynasty. Despite being ethnically different from the majority Han Chinese population, the Qing legitimized their rule through military strength and strategic use of gunpowder weapons. The video explains how they expanded their empire using gunpowder technology, similar to other empires of the time.

💡Divine Right of Kings

The Divine Right of Kings was a belief in Europe that monarchs were appointed by God to rule, giving them absolute authority. The video uses this concept to explain how European monarchs legitimized their rule, tying religious ideas to political power. This concept is contrasted with other methods of legitimization in non-European empires, such as the use of monumental architecture in the Inca Empire.

💡Tax Collection Systems

Tax collection systems were essential for maintaining and consolidating power in land-based empires. The video mentions several methods, such as the zamindar system in the Mughal Empire and tax farming in the Ottoman Empire. These systems allowed empires to generate revenue, maintain their bureaucracies, and sustain their militaries, ensuring their continued expansion and control over vast territories.

Highlights

Introduction to Unit 3 of AP World History focusing on land-based empires, their expansion, administration, and belief systems.

Land-based empires derive their power from territorial holdings, a key concept for understanding the time period 1450-1750.

The Ottoman Empire's use of gunpowder weapons played a major role in their rapid expansion across Southwestern Europe and Anatolia.

The Ottomans conquered Constantinople in 1453, marking a significant shift in their expansion into Eastern Europe.

The development of the elite fighting force of Janissaries, made up of enslaved and converted Christians, was crucial to Ottoman military success.

The Safavid Empire also expanded rapidly using gunpowder weapons, establishing a unique, Shia Muslim state in contrast to the Sunni Ottomans.

Sunni-Shia divide: The Ottoman Empire was Sunni, while the Safavid Empire was Shia, causing significant conflict between the two Muslim empires.

The Mughal Empire in South and Central Asia expanded through gunpowder warfare and had a more tolerant administration under leaders like Akbar.

Akbar's tolerance towards different belief systems in the Mughal Empire allowed it to thrive and prosper in the 16th century.

The Qing Dynasty, a non-Han ruling empire in China, expanded using gunpowder weapons, similar to other empires in this period.

All four empires—Ottoman, Safavid, Mughal, and Qing—used gunpowder to expand and shared similarities in their administrative systems.

Political legitimacy and consolidation of power were achieved through bureaucracies, military professionals, and religious justification in all empires.

The Ottomans used the Devshirme system to recruit highly educated and loyal officials for their bureaucracy.

Rulers legitimized their power through religious ideas, art, monumental architecture, and in some cases, tax collection innovations.

The Protestant Reformation challenged the dominance of the Roman Catholic Church, leading to a split that reshaped Christianity in Europe.

Islamic political rivalries between Sunni and Shia empires intensified the religious divide, particularly between the Ottomans and Safavids.

Transcripts

oh you want a full review of everything

you need to know about unit 3 of AP

World History you know I got you boo now

we're in the time period 1450 to 1750

and it's all about landbased Empires

their expansion their Administration and

their belief systems so if you're ready

to get them brain cows milk let's get to

it okay first let's define our terms

what is a land-based Empire well it's an

Empire whose power comes from the extent

of its territorial Holdings so it's an

Empire that's landbased and that's about

the easiest thing you're going to have

to learn in this unit so let's take the

wind where we can and the big idea to

get here is that in the time period 1450

to 1750 land-based Empires were

expanding getting bigger getting tight

in their sweatpants after a big meal you

get it and in order to compare how this

expansion occurred I need to introduce

you to four of them and these are the

four you have to know first is the

Ottoman Empire and hey here's a little

AP World exam hack if there ever comes a

time when you have no idea what an

answer is or what to write for an leq or

whatever just go with the Ottoman Empire

they're massively important during this

unit they're just going to keep showing

up throughout the course okay that tip

is free so put it in your pocket and do

what you will with it but before we get

cozy with the Ottomans I should mention

that this video is part of a larger

resource called the AP World History

hler review guide and if you're if

you're feeling saucy you should check it

out in the link below it's got whole

unit review videos like this one that

are not here on YouTube it's got note

guides to follow along practice

questions practice exams and answer keys

for all of them it is the fastest way to

study for your class in your exam in May

so you know have a look and now back to

the Ottomans this Empire was founded in

the 14th century and it was a wee little

thing but spoiler alert they expanded uh

real fast there were a lot of reasons

they were able to do that but Chief

among them was the adoption of gunpowder

weapons recall that This Magnificent

powder had been invented in China but it

had spread via trading routs to many

parts of afro Eurasia so with these

giant boom sticks the Ottomans ended up

controlling much of Southwestern Europe

and Anatolia by the beginning of the

15th century 50 years later the Islamic

Ottomans scored a massive win by

conquering Constantinople in 1453 and

renaming it to Istanbul and they did it

of course with gunpowder weapons but you

know the Ottomans sacked plenty of other

cities with their giant cannons so what

made this one so special well

Constantinople was the Beating Heart of

the remainder of the once great Roman

Empire and once it fell to the Ottomans

the door was open to continue their

expansion into Eastern Europe and once

they mosied into Eastern Europe the

Ottomans encountered another resource to

bulk up their military namely Christians

you see as the Ottomans conquered state

after state in the Balkans they had a

policy of enslaving many of the

Christians that they found there and

once those Christians were in their

custody they converted them to Islam and

turned the best of the best into an

elite fighting force known as the janary

so add the janissaries to the rest of

the Ottoman Army and they had all they

needed to expand their empire like mad

until by 1750 it looked like this okay

now the Second Empire you need to know

as the sapph ofit empire in the Middle

East it was founded at the beginning of

the 16th century and just like the

Ottomans began as a wee little thing but

they didn't stay we for long because

under the leadership of sha is male the

south of its raided and conquered

neighboring territories and began to

expand rapidly and how did they do it no

it's gunpowder don't be crazy so because

this Empire lacked any natural defensive

barriers like mountains a later ruler

named sha abas got to work building up

the safavid military which included the

adoption of gunpowder weapons and just

like in the Ottoman Empire safavid

Cavalry were not interested in learning

to shoot guns from horses and so sha

abas established an enslaved Army which

were again like the Ottomans Christians

from conquered regions in this case the

Caucasus region they were highly trained

to became full-time soldiers in the

service of the Sha and were no small

contributor to the saf of its ability to

expand so there's a lot of similarities

between these two Muslim empires humble

beginnings rapid expansion with

gunpowder Elite enslaved military forces

and they were both Muslim but big butt

massive butt there is one very

significant difference between these two

empires that's going to cause a lot of

problems yes they were both Muslim but

they were not the same kind of Muslim

the Ottomans were Sunni Muslims while

the safavids were Shia Muslims and the

short version of the difference between

them is sunis believed that the rightful

successor of Muhammad could be anyone

spiritually fit for the office while the

Shia believed that only blood relatives

of Muhammad were his legitimate

successors and to put an even finer

point on it each branch believed that

they were the true representations of

Islam and the other was not so again

that's going to cause some problems and

you know we'll get to that later but for

now let me introduce you to the third

Empire you need to know namely the mugal

empire in South and Central Asia which

was established in the first half of the

16th century now if you remember back to

the last time period you might be

thinking isn't that where the deli

sulate was located it's like I'm in your

head right and that is correct correct

but in 1526 a guy by the name of babber

rose to leadership in Central Asia and

soon led campaigns against the Delhi

sulate and wiped it off the map that

began the period of mugal rule in South

Asia and just like the other Empires the

mugal Empire expanded rapidly through a

growing military that used what

gunpowder weapons and then years later

under the leadership of babar's grandson

Akbar the empire was expanded even

further until it looked like this now

the mugal were Muslim and if you

remember so was the deli sultanate and

the rulers of the Delhi sultanate didn't

have much luck spreading Islam

throughout India because most of the

population refused to turn away from

Hinduism and that was a tense for a very

long time but under abar things did get

a little better yes Muslims still ruled

over a majority of Hindu people but

Akbar was unusual for his time in that

he was tolerant of all kinds of belief

systems in his Empire and so because of

this tolerance and akbar's masterful

administration of the Empire the mugal

became the most prosperous Empire of the

16th century and then finally let me

introduce you to the last empire you

need to know namely the Ching Dynasty

otherwise known as the Manu Empire now

remember that in the last period the

Mongols went ahead and took over all the

China his crap and established the Juan

Dynasty but after that fell we get the

rise of the Ming Dynasty and the most

important thing to know about them is

that they were ethnically Han which is

to say Chinese and that was a big deal

because they got those pesky foreign

Mongols out and then they created a new

Dynasty with their own people like no

more Outsiders are going to rule us a

crap here come the Manu which is to say

Outsiders who are going to set up a new

Dynasty so in the first half of the 17th

century the Ming dynasty was getting

weak and so the Manu people of the north

came in and set up the Ching Dynasty and

from that point the Ching Dynasty beefed

up its military and leg conquest of

expansion using what I know you know

that's right gunpowder weapons okay now

let's compare these four Empires by way

of summary all of them were landbased

all of them expanded rapidly during this

period all of them used gunpowder to

achieve that expansion both the ching

and the mugal were ethnically different

from their subjects and while both the

safavids and the Ottomans were Muslim

one was Shia while the other was Sun now

if you're paying attention it should be

obvious that if all these Empires were

expanding like mad and waving guns in

everybody's faces then it was inevitable

that they would Clash with one another

and you know they did and there are lots

of examples I can give you but you only

need need to know one so let's consider

the safid mugal conflict this was a

series of wars fought over territory in

what is today Afghanistan and before the

war started the mugal controlled this

territory but while they were off

fighting elsewhere the sophitz were like

yeah we'll take that and so the mugal

doubled back to drive the sophitz from

their territory But ultimately they were

unable to do it and what made this

conflict even more bitter was the

religious element remember that the

savids were Shia Muslims and the mugal

were Sunni and so each Empire believing

that they themselves were the true

representatives of Islam fought to

establish full dominance over this

region even so after the series of Wars

ended there was really no clear Victory

okay now the next big idea we need to

come to terms with is exactly how rulers

administered those giant honking

landbased Empires I mean territorial

expansion and blowing people up is great

and all but if you don't know how to run

your Empire it's going to fall apart

quick fast and in a hurry so really what

we're trying to understand is how rulers

legitimized and Consolidated their power

and hey I'm not just throwing around $5

words for funsies you will absolutely

see these terms on your exam so what do

they mean well when we talk about how

rulers legitimize power we're talking

about the methods a ruler uses to

establish their Authority and when we

talk about how rulers Consolidated their

power we're talking about the methods

they used to transfer power from other

groups to themselves so there are

essentially four major ways that rulers

of land-based Empires legitimized and

Consolidated their power first was

through the formation of large

bureaucracies and in case you forgot a

bureaucracy includes the thousands of

government officials that ensure laws

are kept throughout the Empire so you

know if the emperor got the runs after

eating some old nacho meat and decided

that nachos are now illegal in my Empire

well you know how is he going to ensure

that nobody in his giant honking Empire

is eating nacho like he's not going to

be knocking on everyone's door just to

make sure so that's what the bureaucracy

is for thousands and tens of thousands

of The Emperor's officials spread out to

make sure that Randy isn't crushing a

plate of nachos hey is that cheese on

your chin oh all right kill him anyway

for rulers who wanted to maintain

control of their Empire's bureaucracies

were the way to go for example the

Ottomans used the dev sheer system to

staff their bureaucracy with highly

trained individuals this went hand inand

with their whole invade the Balkans and

enslave Christians thing because many of

those Christians converted to Islam were

sent to aan buul for education and

training and afterward the top

performers were appointed to Elite

positions in the ottoman bureaucracy and

because of their extensive Education and

Training not only were they wise

administrators but they were also loyal

to the sultan okay now the second way

rulers administered their Empires was

through the development of military

professionals now I mentioned the janies

and the Ottoman Empire earlier and

that's a good example and then the Third

Way rulers administered their Empires is

actually a collection of three related

items religious ideas art and Monumental

architecture I'll give you examples of

each from various Empires across the

world starting in Europe during this

period European monarchs began to gain

more and more power and one way they did

it was through the religious belief

known as the divine right of kings

essentially this just means that

monarchs perpetuated the idea that they

were God's representative on earth like

if I'm the king it's because Jesus

himself put me here so y'all fall in

line the Christian populations this had

a powerful way of legitimizing the

authority of their ruler now in terms of

using art let's visit the Ching Dynasty

and let me introduce you to Emperor

kangi now remember that the ching were

Manu not Han like the rest of the

Chinese people over which they rule so

how does an emperor legitimize power

over people who think he's an outsider

Ki went ahead and hung Imperial

portraits of himself all around the city

and if you look closely you can see that

he's surrounded by books which suggests

confusion wisdom or to put it another

way these portraits were kongi's PR

campaign to convince the Han population

that he was in fact a legitimate Chinese

ruler in the line of ancient Chinese

dynasty okay now in terms of using

Monumental architecture let's head over

to the Americas and check in with the

Inca here you see the sun Temple of

Cusco and in its prime the walls were

covered with gold sheets and the

courtyards were filled with golden

statues now within this Temple High

religious festivals were held and since

Inca rulers were associated with the

Gods magn ient buildings like this had a

way of legitimizing power and then one

way architecture was used to consolidate

power was apparent in the Palace of

Versailles built by Louis the 14th in

France and yeah this huge structure had

a way of communicating who was in charge

namely this guy but Louie also used it

to transfer power to himself he did it

by requiring the French nobility to live

in the palace for at least part of the

Year where he can keep an eye on them

and where they competed for his

attention and since prior to this it was

the nobility who held most of the power

in France their new living Arrangement

had a way of transferring power under

Louis okay now the Fourth Way rulers

administered their Empires was through

Innovations in tax collection systems

now in case you've never ruled an Empire

yourself you might not know that Empires

don't pay for themselves so rulers

during this period figured out new ways

to extract revenue from their people to

pay for their upkeep and I'll give you

three examples first is the zamar system

employed by the mugal Empire now

zamindars were Elite land owners who

were granted authority to tax peasants

living on their land on behalf of the

Imperial government eventually the

zamindars grew corrupt and started

skimming money off the top to enrich

themselves but nevertheless this was a

significant way the mugal maintained

control over their empire and

Consolidated power under themselves

second is the ottoman tax farming system

now the Ottomans decided that increasing

the size of the bureaucracy just to

collect taxes was not for them so they

established the tax farming system which

essentially meant that the right to tax

subjects of the empire was awarded to

the highest bidder and whoever won the

bidding had the right to collect taxes

from a particular group of people and

they charged more than was required and

thus enriched themselves dirty but

effective and then third Aztec rulers

used tribute list to generate revenue

for their empire whenever the Aztecs

conquered a place they gave tribute list

filled with the goods that that place

was responsible for sending to the

Imperial seed and tribute this practice

ensured a steady flow of a wide variety

of goods to the Empire and communicated

who was in charge to those conquered

regions and finally the last topic we

need to consider is how belief systems

both stayed the same and changed during

this period so let's start with

Christianity in Europe Now by our period

the heart of the Roman Catholic Church

in Europe was located in Rome and it had

represented the dominant belief system

in Western Europe since the first

century but despite its enormous Power

by our period the church had become

plagued with corruption people were

buying their way into positions of

ecclesiastical power which is a practice

known as simony and most important for

what we're talking about here the church

began financing its massive building

project through the sale of indulgences

essentially that just means that people

were told that they could pay money to

get their sins forgiven and to be honest

it was pretty effective popes had money

for days and now let me introduce you to

a Catholic monk named Martin Luther this

guy was seriously troubled by all these

practices because they weren't in the

Bible and even more troubling he thought

that the Catholic church had

misinterpreted scriptural teachings

about salvation so you know not a small

thing so in 1517 Luther made a list of

his complaints known as the 95 thesis

and nailed it to the door of a church in

vitberg now the church to put it mildly

were not fans of this movie so they

denounced Luther as a heretic and

excommunicated him from the church but

thanks to the recent invention of the

printing press Luther kept writing and

his ideas spread far and wide throughout

Europe and as more and more people were

convinced that Luther was right a

massive split in the church occurred and

this is what we call the Protestant

Reformation so that is a big change in

Christianity in Europe but you didn't

think that the Roman Catholic Church

just slinked away and disappeared did

you don't be crazy no the Catholic

Church continued as a dominant

expression of Christian Christianity in

Europe however to be fair they did

initiate a Reformation of their own in a

series of meetings called the Council of

Trent Catholics cleaned up a lot of the

corruption that Protestants were

complaining about but they also went

ahead and reaffirmed that their doctrine

of salvation was just fine thank you

very much and that represented not only

continuity in the faith but also a

permanent split between the two branches

of the faith regardless both

reformations LED to significant growth

of Christianity in Europe okay second

let's consider Islam and here we need to

examine how political rivalries

intensified the Sunni Shia split now I

already mentioned that sha Ismail

declared the saf of Empire would adhere

to Shia Islam and that put them at odds

with other Sunni Muslim empires in this

area but I probably undersold just what

a big deal that was in fact many people

argue that ismail's decision was among

the most significant events in Islamic

history that's because his decision

aggravated and intensified the split

between these two branches and when

Ismail made his declaration he carried

it out with ferocity like Sunni Muslims

in the Empire who resisted were often

slaughtered in public and to take it

even further a division of the safavid

military was developed whose sole

responsibility was to ensure that

everyone in the safavid Dynasty ritually

and regly cursed the first three cffs

who succeeded Muhammad you remember

earlier when I said that the beef

between these two branches of Islam had

a lot to do with who the legitimate

successor of Muhammad was well it was

those first three that were patently not

blood relatives of the prophet and so

this regular ritual cursing of them was

like spitting in the face of Sunni

Muslims everywhere so yeah the split

between the Shia and the sunnis

definitely intensified because of

political rivalries among Islamic empir

and third let's consider the development

of seism in South Asia now we've been

talking an awful lot about the

fracturing of belief systems but here's

an example of the blending of Rel

religions which resulted in something

new essentially sism was a syncretic

blend of both Hindu and Islamic

doctrines and that shouldn't surprise

you given how long those two systems

coexisted in South Asia anyway seism

demonstrated continuity with both belief

systems by retaining several important

doctrines like the belief in one God and

the cycle of reincarnation and death

however it marked a change as well since

Sikhism discarded the gender hierarchies

of Islam and the cast system in Hinduism

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