The (Persian/Safavid) Islamic Empire (present day Iran)
Many early contributions to ancient literature were created by the Persian
Empire. The tales of the Arabian Nights unfolded in the Persian region. Persians
also made major contributions to astronomy and mathematics.
 Unified under the Islamic (Shi’a branch) religion.
 Isfahan is a great and beautiful city.
 Leaders of the empire were known as Shahs (title of a monarch).
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire began in what is now Turkey in about 1300. Eventually, it
grew to cover much of the Middle East, southeastern Europe, and North Africa.
During the 1400s and 1500s the Ottoman Empire was one of the world’s great
powers. In the 1900s the remains of the empire became the Republic of Turkey.
 The Capital of the Ottoman Empire was Constantinople (present day
Istanbul).
 The Islamic religion was a unifying force that accepted other religions.
 Known for trade in coffee and ceramics.
 Suleiman the Magnificent was one of the greatest leaders of the Ottoman.
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire ruled most of northern India from the 1500s to the 1700s.
The Mughal rulers practiced the religion of Islam. Most of the people they ruled
practiced Hinduism. Even so, the Mughals were able to rule successfully. They
worked to bring Muslims and Hindus together into a united India.
Akbar’s grandson Shah Jahan was the next notable Mughal ruler. He is best
known for building the beautiful Taj Mahal in the city of Agra. It was built as a
tomb for his wife.
Known for trade in textiles, spices, and gems.
Songhai Empire
The Songhai Empire controlled trade in much of western Africa during the 1400s
and 1500s. The empire was centered in what is now central Mali. It eventually
extended west to the Atlantic coast and east into what are now Niger and Nigeria.
Songhai grew rich trading gold and salt up and down the Niger River and across
the desert lands of the Sahara.
Most Songhai people raised herds of animals for a living. However, many Songhai
lived in big cities. All the cities were centers of trade on the Niger River. Gao was
the capital. It had about 100,000 people. Timbuktu had at least 80,000 people. It
was the site of a famous university. While most of Songhai’s herders continued to
follow traditional religions, Islam became the religion of the cities.
Aztec
In the 15th and early 16th centuries, the American Indian people known as the
Aztec ruled a large empire in what is now Mexico. When Hernán Cortés and his
Spanish soldiers reached the Valley of Mexico in 1519, they found a splendid city
standing on an island in a lake. Three wide causeways led to huge white palaces
and ornate temples on pyramids. This proud city was Tenochtitlán (now Mexico
City), capital of the Aztec. Its grandeur showed their power and wealth. From the
city their armies went out to conquer. To the city came tribute from subject
peoples—foodstuffs, pottery, gold, jade, turquoise, and ornaments.
When the Spanish arrived, the Aztec ruled the area from the Gulf of Mexico to the
Cordilleras and southward into what is now Guatemala. However, their emperor,
Montezuma II, did not have a firmly organized empire. When vassal tribes or cities
revolted, he had no governors or standing armies to control them. He had to
reconquer them. This weakness in government helped the Spaniards conquer the
warlike Aztec in about two years. Cortés was aided throughout his campaign by
rebellious tribes.
Inca
When the gold-seeking Spanish conquistadors reached Peru in 1532, they
encountered the vast empire of a Quechua-speaking people called the Incas. The
great civilization of the Incas extended along the Pacific coast of South America
from modern Ecuador southward to central Chile and inland across the Andes.
In their capital, at Cuzco in Peru, lived the emperor—called “The Inca”—who was
regarded as a god on Earth. They developed among the people great skill in
handicrafts, architecture, great road systems, bridges and Quipu (knotted system
of record keeping), and they accumulated fabulous wealth in gold and silver.
The Inca Empire was invaded by Francisco Pizarro a Spanish conquistador.
Ming Dynasty China
Ming dynasty ruled China from A.D. 1368 to 1644, a period of Chinese rule
between two foreign conquests. It was preceded by the Mongol Empire and
followed by the Manchu (Qing) dynasty. Ming rulers restored traditional
institutions, such as the civil service, which the Mongols had suspended and
restored the Great Wall. During the Ming period, Chinese authority extended into
Mongolia, Korea, Southeast Asia.
Ming means bright in Chinese, and the period was important especially in the
arts. The imperial palace in Beijing's Forbidden City reached its current splendor
largely through the efforts of Ming architects. They were known for porcelain and
the finest teas that Europeans desired.
Tokugawa Period Japan
For 264 years—from 1603 to 1867—Japan enjoyed an era of peace and
prosperity, cut off from most contacts with the outside world. The rulers of the
country were members of the Tokugawa family, who held the title of shogun.
Shoguns were military dictators who governed in the name of, and instead of, the
emperors. Their government was known as a Shogunate. Tokugawa Ieyasu, the
first and most significant member of the family, founded the Tokugawa
Shogunate. He was born during a time of constant unrest among the people.
When he died 73 years later, the country was unified, strong, prosperous, and at
peace.