Anna Fyalkowski, Liz Joseph, Christian Marvilli and

Jason Pymento

Cartography (map making), compasses,

rudders (from IOT trade with Chinese), lateen

sails, caravel ships. [Naval technology to

better trade and exploration and expedition]

Gutenberg’s printing press >>> heightened

the spread of the Protestant Reformation.

Bible production increased with the press,

also increasing literacy rates drastically in

addition to the introduction of vernacular

writing.

The scientific revolution brought about secular

ideas

(Copernicus, Newtn, etc.)

The Enlightenment sprouted ideas of

government and human nature (humanism,

individualism).

India, the Middle East and China begin to fall

behind.

Works of literature about conquest that

assisted Cortez and Pizarro and their efforts

regarding the Aztecs and Inca respectively.

Military technology such as guns and

firearms (and superior metal weaponry in

general) that aided in the conquest of Latin

America.

Period of intellectual and artistic

development from the Aztecs and Inca ends

with their conquest by the Spanish

conquistadors.

Spanish and Portugese establish areas in the

New World.

Usage of specialized slave transport ships … for

the Triangular trade with the Americas/ West

Indes.

Language mix and the formations of Creole

tongues fusing English and African languages.

Music integration of Africans and English

(syncretism)

Slavery was a preexistent phenomenon in

Sub-Saharan Africa where Africans

themselves were slaves. Despite the major

demographic change (population decrease in

Africa and population increase in the

Americas), they still maintained their basic

culture and fused it with European influence.

Creation of huge ships designed for long distance

travel during the expeditions of Zheng He.

The Ming and Manchu (Qing) leaders reintroduced

the civil service examinations for government

positions as part of the scholar gentry.

Jesuit missionaries and European traders brought

items such as the clock and prism as well as fixed the

Chinese calendar.

Great Wall of China to protect from invaders.

The Kabuki and Bunraku theaters of Japanese

entertainment (puppets and actors)

Haiku poetry, Japanese art and calligraphy.

Interaction with the Dutch led to information

from the outside world.

In China, the reintroduction of the civil service exam

revived the custom of China before the Yuan Dynasty.

Confucianism encouraged the civil service exam and

increased the number of Confucian scholars and

essentially education.

In Japan and in China, their inherent and everlasting

ethnocentric views directed them to isolationism and

ultimately their withdrawl from the

technological/intellectual race with Europeans and

Muslims.

Ottomans – creation of the Suleymaniye mosque

that blended the architecture of the Middle East

and that of the Byzantines.

Safavids – creation of the Ali Qapu, the palace

that was built in the center of the capital

Isfahan.

Mughals – creation of miniature illustrations and

the Taj Mahal.

Great development and advancement regarding

gun and firearm technology (hence the name

“Gunpowder Empires”)

Through expansion they absorbed all

intellectual developments of their conquered

regions, but did not change their art

(calligraphy, etc.) and many other foreign

ideas.

Comparison China and Middle East

Both turned inward to control internal affairs and

to preserve their cultures.

Both regarded foreign ideas and influence to be

disruptive to their ways.

As a result both fell behind

technologically/intellectually despite their head

start earlier.

Because of their dispositions they had to rely on

European advancements to better themselves and

keep general pace.