When Answering Questions:
-
Goal: To show that you have been engaging with and thinking deeply about the readings. Show
me that!
Address all parts of the prompt - they will likely deal with two separate readings, so make sure
you address both of them if that’s the case
Think about and try to address what a text says, what it means, and why that matters in light of
the question
If a question asks you to take a position, state it from the beginning (like a lil’ mini thesis
statement)
Important Figures & Key Words
Khwarazm Shah:
Dynasty that ruled in Central Asia and Iran, first as vassals of the Seljuqs and later as
independent rulers. The founder of the dynasty was Anūştegin Gharachaʾī, a slave who was
appointed governor of Khwārezm about 1077 by the Seljuq ruler Malik-Shāh. Anūştegin’s
descendants governed Khwārezm on behalf of the Seljuqs. In 1141, with the defeat of the
Seljuq sultan Sanjar by the Karakitai (Qara Khitay) confederation of northern China, the rulers of
Khwārezm were forced to acknowledge the overall sovereignty of the Karakitai.
Chinggis (Genghis) Khan:
Was the founder and first Great Khan (Emperor) of the Mongol Empire, which became the
largest contiguous empire in history after his death. He came to power by uniting many of the
nomadic tribes of Northeast Asia, and, after being proclaimed the universal ruler of the Mongols,
or Genghis Khan, he set in motion the Mongol invasions, which ultimately conquered much of
Eurasia, and witnessed raiding as far west as Legnica in western Poland and as far south as
Gaza. Caused great demographic changes and a drastic decline of population as a result of
mass exterminations and famine. Genghis Khan was also portrayed positively by early
Renaissance sources out of respect for the great spread of culture, technology and ideas along
the Silk Road under the Mongol Empire.
Kuyuk Khan:
Was the third Khagan-Emperor[note 1] of the Mongol Empire, the eldest son of Ögedei Khan
and a grandson of Genghis Khan. He reigned from 1246 to 1248. Güyük ordered an
empire-wide census. In 1246, by the decree of Güyük, taxes amounting between 1⁄30 to 1⁄10 of
value were imposed on everything and a heavy head tax of 60 silver drams was collected from
males in Georgia and Armenia.
Pope Innocent IV:
The warlike tendencies of the Mongols also concerned the Pope, and in 1245, he sent a person
to the Emperor. The message asked the Mongol ruler to become a Christian and stop his
aggression against Europe. The Khan Güyük replied in 1246 in a letter demanding the
submission of the Pope and the other rulers of Europe. In 1245 Innocent had sent another
mission, through another route, led by Ascelin of Lombardia, also bearing letters. The mission
met with the Mongol ruler Baichu near the Caspian Sea in 1247. The reply of Baichu was in
part of Djinguereber Mosque in Timbuktu. Musa's reign is often regarded as the zenith of Mali's
power and prestige.
Shah Abbas:
was the 5th Safavid Shah (king) of Iran, and is generally considered one of the greatest rulers of
Iranian history and the Safavid dynasty. He was the third son of Shah Mohammad Khodabanda.
Although Abbas would preside over the apex of Iran's military, political and economic power, he
came to the throne during a troubled time for the Safavid Empire. Under his ineffective father,
the country was riven with discord between the different factions of the Qizilbash army, who
killed Abbas' mother and elder brother. Meanwhile, Iran's enemies, the Ottoman Empire (its
archrival) and the Uzbeks, exploited this political chaos to seize territory for themselves. In
1588, one of the Qizilbash leaders, Murshid Qoli Khan, overthrew Shah Mohammed in a coup
and placed the 16-year-old Abbas on the throne. However, Abbas soon seized power for
himself. Under his leadership, Iran developed the ghilman system where thousands of
Circassian, Georgian, and Armenian slave-soldiers joined the civil administration and the
military. With the help of these newly created layers in Iranian society (initiated by his
predecessors but significantly expanded during his rule), Abbas managed to eclipse the power
of the Qizilbash in the civil administration, the royal house, and the military. These actions, as
well as his reforms of the Iranian army, enabled him to fight the Ottomans and Uzbeks and
reconquer Iran's lost provinces, including Kakheti whose people he subjected to widescale
massacres and deportations. By the end of the 1603–1618 Ottoman War, Abbas had regained
possession over Transcaucasia and Dagestan, as well as swaths of Eastern Anatolia and
Mesopotamia. He also took back land from the Portuguese and the Mughals and expanded
Iranian rule and influence in the North Caucasus, beyond the traditional territories of Dagestan.
Ibn Battuta:
Ibn Battuta was an Arabized Berber Maghrebi scholar and explorer who travelled extensively in
the lands of Afro-Eurasia, largely in the Muslim world, travelling more than any other explorer in
pre-modern history, totalling around 117,000 km (73,000 mi), surpassing Zheng He with about
50,000 km (31,000 mi) and Marco Polo with 24,000 km (15,000 mi).[1][2][3] Over a period of
thirty years, Ibn Battuta visited most of southern Eurasia, including Central Asia, Southeast
Asia, South Asia, China, and the Iberian Peninsula. Near the end of his life, he dictated an
account of his journeys, titled A Gift to Those Who Contemplate the Wonders of Cities and the
Marvels of Travelling, but commonly known as The Rihla.
Ibn Battuta continued by ship south to the Swahili Coast, a region then known in Arabic as the
Bilad al-Zanj ("Land of the Zanj"),[50] with an overnight stop at the island town of Mombasa.[51]
Although relatively small at the time, Mombasa would become important in the following
century.[52] After a journey along the coast, Ibn Battuta next arrived in the island town of Kilwa
in present-day Tanzania,[53] which had become an important transit centre of the gold trade.[54]
He described the city as "one of the finest and most beautifully built towns; all the buildings are
of wood, and the houses are roofed with dīs reeds".[55] Ibn Battuta recorded his visit to the
Kilwa Sultanate in 1330, and commented favourably on the humility and religion of its ruler,
Sultan al-Hasan ibn Sulaiman, a descendant of the legendary Ali ibn al-Hassan Shirazi. He
accordance with that of Güyük, but it was accompanied by two Mongolian envoys to the Papal
seat in Lyon, Aïbeg and Serkis. In the letter Guyuk demanded that the Pope appear in person at
the Mongol imperial headquarters, Karakorum, in order that “we might cause him to hear every
command that there is of the jasaq”. In 1248 the envoys met with Innocent, who again issued an
appeal to the Mongols to stop their killing of Christians.[34]
Kubilai Khan:
Kublai established the Yuan dynasty, which ruled over present-day China, Mongolia, Korea, and
some adjacent areas; he also amassed influence in the Middle East and Europe as a Khagan.
He assumed the role of Emperor of China. By 1279, the Mongol conquest of the Song dynasty
was completed and Kublai became the first non-Han emperor to unite all of China proper.
Saiyid Ajall:
In Yunnan, the presence of Islam is credited to Sayyid Ajall's work. Sayyid Ajall was first to bring
Islam to Yunnan. He promoted Confucianism and Islam by ordering construction of mosques
and temples of Confucianism. Sayyid Ajall also introduced Confucian education into Yunnan.
Ma Huan:
Was a Chinese voyager and translator who accompanied Admiral Zheng He on three of his
seven expeditions to the Western Oceans. Ma was a Muslim and was born in Zhejiang's Kuaiji
Commandery, an area within the modern borders of Shaoxing. He knew several Classical
Chinese and Buddhist texts. He learned Arabic to be able to translate.
Cheng Ho (Zheng He):
Zheng He was a Chinese mariner, explorer, diplomat, fleet admiral, and court eunuch during
China's early Ming dynasty. He was originally born as Ma He in a Muslim family and later
adopted the surname Zheng conferred by the Yongle Emperor
Suganla (Suwala) of Sumatra:
usurper Suganla
Mansa Musa:
Mansa Musa was the ninth mansa of the Mali Empire, which reached its territorial peak during
his reign. Musa is known for his wealth and gift-giving, and has sometimes been called one of
the wealthiest people in history, though this claim is difficult to evaluate. Musa went on hajj to
Mecca in 1324, and traveled with an enormous entourage and a vast supply of gold. En route,
he spent time in Cairo, where his lavish gift-giving is said to have noticeably affected the value
of gold in Egypt and garnered the attention of the wider Muslim world. Musa expanded the
borders of the Mali Empire, in particular incorporating the cities of Gao and Timbuktu into its
territory. He sought closer ties with the rest of the Muslim world, particularly the Mamluk
Sultanate and Marinid Sultanate. He recruited scholars from the wider Muslim world to travel to
Mali, such as the Andalusian poet Abu Ishaq al-Sahili, and helped establish Timbuktu as a
center of Islamic learning. His reign is associated with numerous construction projects, including
further wrote that the authority of the Sultan extended from Malindi in the north to Inhambane in
the south and was particularly impressed by the planning of the city, believing it to be the reason
for Kilwa's success along the coast. During this period, he described the construction of the
Palace of Husuni Kubwa and a significant extension to the Great Mosque of Kilwa, which was
made of coral stones and was the largest Mosque of its kind. With a change in the monsoon
winds, Ibn Battuta sailed back to Arabia, first to Oman and the Strait of Hormuz then on to
Mecca for the hajj of 1330 (or 1332).[56]
Disenclavement:
“The ending of isolation for some areas and the increase in intersocietal contacts in most areas.
This allowed an increased flow of ideas as well as trade throughout the world, ultimately leading
to a unified world economy and potentially, at least, to higher levels of economic development.”
mentioned in birth of an atlantic world
Text:
Text
Economic Networks in Asia and Africa
Buck, “Was it Pluck or Luck that Made the West Grow Rich?” 3/28
Title refers to “Pluck '' as like making things happen for yourself. This title becomes the
motivating question for the article where it tries to discover how the west became what it is
today and why. It analyzes 3 different texts from 3 different authors. David S. Landes in “The
Wealth and Poverty of Nations” is arguing for the pluckiness of the Europeans whom he sees as
taking advantage of an exceptional cultural heritage to roege achievements by which they
transformed the world. Andre Gunder Frank and R. Bon Wong see the Europeans as simply
lucky (each in their own way). In this text the author goes on to compare writing styles,
evidence, and so on. The author says “Frank urges us to consider that Europe may owe its
present success to Asia” and describes how Frank fights for his conclusions through acuity and
relish (keen of thought and enjoyment?). The text is more-so really an analysis of the author's
writing styles and how they support their evidence and discredit their opposers. Goes on to talk
about Frank's position and all his evidence of xyz. Then I highlighted that Wong uses the
mathematical term “fractal” to explain a quality of Chinese society - “meaning that irregular
patterns repeat themselves in certain structures at all scales from the largest to the smallest.”
Wong explains how this idea applied to the same agenda for the social order that was accepted
within the system of officials and elites. He contrasts this order with the European one in which
claims were framed in oppositional terms. He uses this to explain how Chinese polity (a political
organization) could extend over such a huge empire while European polity could never sustain a
single imperial form and had territorial units. Wong also states how European states locked on a
struggle with the elites over revenue extraction and developed new credit institutions because
they needed to borrow money from other merchants. “Wong’s stress on the strength and
resilience of the Chinese social order leads him to a series of arguments about how the
underlying qualities of the Chinese fractal agrarian political economy shaped the 20th century
China.” Landes' decision of the Industrial revolution represents it as the coming together of
different streams. “Both Landes Eurocentrism, with his dismissiveness of non-Western
civilization, and Frank's globalist views wash out the distinctiveness of different streams in world
history. What Wong accomplished in his use of “old institutional economics is both to establish
that Chinga was on a different but comparable track to Europe”
Pluck or Luck from what deb said :P
Pluck means success that happens through merit and luck means success that happened to
somebody by chance, not by merit. Teleological argument is an argument with a goal. All three
writers say there's this really weird phenomenon where all three made insane innovations, yet
somehow we say that the west is ‘best’ and in this Buck analyzes why these three writers
describe why. All three authors analyze the political economy (combo of economic and political
process and saying how they are intertwined) Each writer is going to have their own spin on
how they think about this approach, whether it be from the economic or political aspect. Landis
is the ‘villian’ who is the Harvard professor where he argues for the pluckiness of the Europeans
based on their culture because they were rational and advanced, Pg 413 Euopeans took
advantage of an exceptional cultural heritage to forge remarkable achievement. Frank says the
Europeans got lucky and that Euopeans were backwards economically and they used their
American money they took and utilized it to jump onto the Chinese train of innovation and
eventually made it to the front from piggybacking on them. Wong says China and Europe had
some of the same advantages but they diverged in regards to economic and political differences
and says that because they value different things they went in different directions, he gives this
a much more complicated model. Wong takes an interesting approach and takes a comparative
history. He says similar situations produced different historical outcomes. Wong’s goal is to
respond to Landis and Landis is like ‘ur a Europhobe’ idefk. Wong’s book reads as a response
to Landis. Pg 415, Wong argues against theories of convergence, (which is what frank and
landis say) and Wong says that the plurality results from history and influence, basically says
that this isn't black and white. Landis and culture to an essentialist culture where they create
innovations through utilizing others and expanding. Frank talks about the world economy and
how it's centered in Asia. Frank says the reason why the west was successful was because of
Pluck, but they were slow to the party and in order to ‘catch up’ (on pg 420), they had to
piggyback off the economy of others in order to be plucky. Frank talks about how Europe's short
term advantage is a universal truth which is an error he points out for Landis. He describes this
advantage as wrong-headed and racist and on pg 421, he says that Europe was not a center of
progress but rather a center of exploitation and greed. Frank gives an explanation on pg. 422 on
why Japan shut everyone out in economic terms, talking about … deb says find it urself ;-; and
she says it's important. Wong establishes a common ground where Europe and China had
different solutions to the same set of problems. He says Europe's leading role has been
exaggerated both spatially and temporally but he agrees with Landis on the point that Europe's
transformation is from capitalism in the state. But for Frank, Wong says that the WEsts success
is from an unusual discontinuity, saying that culture and history is that the force of history is
pushing everyone in one direction, but rather pushing them in different directions. Landis is like
powerful class to arise and how the mongols considered a network of postattions to be the most
vital elements in holding the empire together.
Kuyuk Khan “Letter to Pope Innocent IV” 3/30
Kuyuk Khan ruled the Mongols for a period of time in 1246 and participated in the mongol
invasion of Europe. This is a letter of his own to the Pope in reply to the message sent to him in
which the pope expressed his desire to have peace and friendship with us. In order to do so,
they had to become Christians and like not kill? Anyways, the Khan was like uh no bro and then
talks about how their god has led them to slaughter men and conquer the world and that
Christians only believe themselves to be the only true ones and despise nations other than
those you like (idk). Then he says yah if u want a peace treaty submit to us and then give us
tribute (shit) and if you don't then we will go to war with you.
let's do what Europe does, Frank says lets do what Asia does, but Wong says lets take ideas
from both and that when you look at it from an open system the purpose history has is like ‘omg
girl we can understand what problems we have an actually fix them and see shit that fails and
fix it.’ On page 424 & 425, Wong talks about the fractal Chinese order in contrast with the
European one and that the European one is binary (nuanced way of looking at the world). Wong
talks about a hybrid evolution on pg 426, i forgot what she was talking about during this.
Landis offers a basic idea of the west is best and its bc of their capitalistic culture that they were
boss af and took shit from people bc they were opportunists.
Frank offers a new paradigm from what landis is trying to do with an economic framework, tries
to shift focus from Europeans to how great Asia is
Wong is a comparative historian and makes a serious effort to include economics within history,
including ideas and explanations for economic booms. All economic and political decisions are
based on cultural beliefs. Pg 428 it talks about this idea of individuals being products and
producers of these processors.
Barfield “The Mongol Conquests” 3/30
Discusses how the Mongols were nomadic warriors because they had an immense scale of
killing, their initial refusal to accept responsibility for government, and their frequent withdrawals
from conquered cities/regions. Talks about how the conquest of China was not a primary goal of
the Mongols, but rather a consequence of them destroying the Jurchen Chin regime which they
planned to extort. The mongol conquest of China, SW Asia, and Eastern Europe created a new
empire of unparalleled power and extent because it unitied the eatern and western parts of
Eurasia into a single political order & facilitated the flow of people, trade, and ideas. Mongols
began an extortion policy of seeking out local rulers who would become clients in return for local
autonomy. Through treaties like these, it is clear that the Mongols had no intention of actually
conquering or ruling the Tanguts, but rather just okay with the agreement that provided
subsidies and troops. Mongols would constantly return to southern mongolia. In Chinggis’
lifetime wars of destruction were aimed at leaders who violated previously agreed peace terms
and these campatings were so devastating that they led to the overthrow of ruling dynasties.
Chin Emperor made a peace treaty with the Mongols and then the emperor moved the capital,
then the Mongols were like uh.. Not on my watch and then the Mongols renewed their attack.
The fall of Chung-tu marked the first real incorporation of Chinese territory under mongol rule.
The Mongols would capture and destroy most of China and then soon the outer frontier strategy
of extortion failed because there was nothing left. Then goes on to talk about the
mismanagement of mongol policies toward agricultural production and its peasant producers (bc
in their culture they were useless). Then talks about how in mongol Khubilai’s reign they focused
on their attacks at bringing down the government, not providing loot of the troops and this little
damage was done to the economy and landowning classes. This allowed the mongols to
actually start ruling the places they conquered because the economic infrastructure was still in
place. Talks about how merchants were excluded from gov so it wouldn't allow a potentially
“Cheng Ho: Maritime Expeditions” 4/4
Here, it describes the large naval expeditions of the Ming dynasty led by a Muslim court eunich
named Cheng Ho. It describes China’s Columbus and the maritime explorations that he led.
During his second voyage he returned to Nanking to report his mission to the emperor where he
built a temple in honor of the goddess of the sea. He again went out on a voyage to the coast of
India where he stopped a few places along the way. A result of his fourth voyage, nineteen
countries sent envoys and tributes to the Ming court. It was here when Cheng Ho had to escourt
these tributes back home and eventually began bringing foreign animals back home. He brought
back giraffes and zebras and rhinos and so on to increase the prestige of the Chinese. Then
basically he had to go on another mission intended to regenerate the tributary relationships
where he brought back more gifts like elephants and horses.
Rossabi “Muslims in the Early Yuan Dynasty” 4/1
This text discusses the importance of Muslims within the dynasty. The mongol conquerors
needed help ruling the country so they sought help from outside sources. Muslims became
financial administrators, technicians, scholars, and so on. Eventually the influence and power of
the muslim comminity grew large and the emeperor curtailed their power out of fear of like the
overthrowing. Reluctant to turn to Chinese officials or getting the assistance of Chinese
technicians and etc, they turned to Muslims. Muslims had advantages in astronomy, medicine,
architecture, and so on. There was a heavy tax placed on its people and tried to impose state
monopolies on certain products to increase tax revenue in which Ahmad (the infamous Muslim
finance minister) tried to do so. Ahmad despised most of Khubilai’s Confucain and Buddhist
advisors and had sharply divergent views on government policy. The Kuhbilai’s counselors said
that Ahmad’s tax policy was too harsh and an intolerable burden on the Chinese population and
basically says that Ahmad became a powerful person in court & then was assassinated. Talks
about the importance of muslim merchandts and how they served as intermediaties in the
oerland traade out of china. The muslims provided military assistance as a critical juncture in the
struggle between the Yuan and the Southern Sung, because the Muslims helped the Mongols
build capitals and the Chinese forces surrendered out of fear. Yunnan became ruled by a
muslim and we think bc of its important location and its necessity for like trade routes and what
better way to impliment that than to have the muslims do it. (Saiyid Ajall Shams al-Din governed
it). Eventually the area became strong and like well supported military wise and so on and the
mongols did not want them to like conquer it so the mongol empire implemented new policies
that like banned all ways of muslims to slaughter an animal in the muslim way (so like banning
all muslism but in a kind of hidden way) and the murder of important muslim figure heads.
Zheng He “Inscriptions to the Goddess” 4/4
Talks about how an inscription was carved onto a stone dedicated to the Chinese Daoist
goddess called the Celestial Spouse at Changle in Fujian Province of China. In this text, it is like
½ a primary source but yours supposed to judge based off the inscriptions what his purpose in
doing so was, especially bc he was Muslim. But the text mostly describes his travels and such.
Talks about how Zheng He visited vasious “barbaric” countries such as Zhancheng, Zhaowa,
Sanfoqi, etc… Then it goes on talking about how they have travelled thousands of miles and it
had to be due to the good fortune from the Court and moreover the protection from the divine
Celestial Spouse. It talks about going to foriegn lands and capturing alive those of hte native
kings who were not respectful (assuming talking about like worshipping the goddess??) and
then killing barbarian robberts who engaged in piracy, so that the sea route was cleansed and
pacified so the natieve put their trust in it. All this is due to the favors of the goddess. It goes on
about each year and like what the fleet did ig. In the 11th year, they went with troops and
exterminated and arrested rebels, owing to the silent aid of the goddess we captured the false
king alive. Here I think the Chinese sent an envoy bc they heard of a rebellious group following
a false king so they stopped it.
Ma Huan “The Overall Survey of the Indian Ocean’s Shores” 4/4
Talks about the vigorous expansion of the early Ming Dynasty. Discusses how the Ming emperor
sent out great fleets under a Muslim eunich of Mongolian ancestory to have expedtions not of
exploration, but ti reassert Chinese prestige to the south and west. The expeditions were also to
strengthen and stimulate China's economy and commercial position in south Asia. In this text
they discuss what appears to be the basic directions and descriptions of the places that were
visited.
“The Cities of the Zank and the Indian Ocean Trade” 4/6
Says how the Indian Ocean was one of the world's largest major maritimes commercial arteries.
The east coast of Africa was a prime component of the trade and ships from Egypt, Arabia, and
India and even China plied (traveled) their way to the swahili cities. Says people among the
islands of Djawaga are mostly Muslim. It continues describing the island and how people own
and exploint iron mines for profit. They grow lots of rice and they hunt and fish. The second
town/area they talk about has similar characteristics (i mean like the same idea with resources
I wrote in my notes:
During the eleventh year of Yonge, the fleet had to release its “awesome firepower” to
subdue and arrest rebels that followed a false king. During this time, a man proclaimed himself
hind of Manlajia, which had been an area controlled by the Ming dynasty. After hearing of the
complaints of the false king, the Ming emperor sent an envoy out and then the fleet was utilized
in order to go out and suppress the resistance/rebellion.
and is different from china ig but they are different from other close countries). Ts'ong-pa country
is an island of the south sea and the inhabitants follow the Ta-shi religion. The 3rd area they
discuss is the country of Pi-p'a-lo where there it contains 4 cities which always feud and fight
with each other. The inhabitants pray to heaven and not to the buddha. The land produces
many camels and sheep.
Pearson, “The Swahili Coast in the Afraisian Sea” 4/6
Didn't read this really. At the end he talks about how Islam is aparent as a foriegn religion and
that it bares many qualities of his. “In the creation of the Swahili, ‘African culture aws the
passive element, adn SIlam brought the vital cohesive element’. He sees islamic institutions as
‘unyielding.’” Final line says : “Whether or not these people followed some idealized normative
version of Islam, they were still, even if sometimes tenuously (weak or slight way), tied in by
their religion to a wider world, one that streched all around the shores of the ocean, all of these
places being connected to the center in the Hijaz. This, traders and travelers from all over the
Muslim world, of whome Ibn Battuta is the most famous, found a familiar enviornment on the
coast .This final link along with politcal and economic ties, may reinforce the notion ofa
distinctive and differentiated littoral (situated along the shore) society”
From online: Literature on the eastern African coastal people known as Swahili, who for many centuries have formed a
society of middlemen in the long-distance commerce between Africa and the northern and eastern littorals of the Indian
Ocean, is in general somewhat parochial. The literature on their counterpart middlemen in Asia is much larger: it is written
mainly by economic historians who place Indian maritime trade within the wider context of long-standing Asian-European
commerce [End Page 126] by land and sea, but they ignore eastern Africa as a peripheral area of minor importance.
Michael Pearson, one of the more interesting writers on the Indian side, has now transferred his interest to Africa and
perceived it to be an integral part of the trade networks of the Indian Ocean (for which he prefers the name "Afrasiatic Sea").
His book is scholarly and enlightening, free of jargon, and presents new understanding based on his long experience of
Indian trading history. The author has not himself done "fieldwork" among the Swahili, although he has visited the coast
itself, but from the available sources he has constructed a single, coherent whole. He has done great service, not by
introducing new historical or ethnographic data on the Swahili or Indian merchants but rather by discussing them as equal
partners in a single trading system that as such has been given little scholarly attention. The first chapter, an introduction, is
concerned with several main problems: the concepts of "world history" and "world-system history"; the great diversity of
sources; the varying definitions of the Swahili as "African" or "Asian" in origins and culture (a now outmoded argument that
has long been settled in favor of Africa); and the orientation of Swahili settlements. Pearson stresses that many are
land-oriented and not sea-oriented, so that views of the Swahili as a maritime civilization need amendment, although by
ignoring the variations in function of the different kinds of Swahili towns he weakens his argument. Finally, there is a useful
discussion of the nature and uses of the past and the present. There follow three central chapters, on the Swahili coast and
its relations with the Indian Ocean, with the African interior, and with the world economy. In chapter 2 Pearson makes the
points that the littoral mercantile societies have many resemblances to land-locked ones, that there are also many
similarities between land caravans and ocean convoys, and that many Swahili ports are not on the coastline but far inland
up navigable rivers, the main one being the Zambezi network. He discusses traditional ocean-going sailing vessels and the
monsoons on which the entire system has been based. He asserts that the Swahili themselves did not sail across the Indian
Ocean, but ignores the fact that they did sail as far as Arabia and Madagascar (as they still do) and that some Swahili towns
built and still build extremely large ocean vessels. He discusses the production and value of the more important trade
commodities, especially ivory and gold from Africa and textiles from Asia, and provides useful new material about the gold
trade from Zimbabwe and Mutapa, making use of early Portuguese sources that have hardly been used by other writers. He
concludes this chapter with a discussion of Islam among the Swahili, [End Page 127] and emphasizes the importance of
Islam for merchants (as has often been shown for those of western Africa). In chapter 3 Pearson turns to the African interior.
He discusses the geographical notions of foreland, umland, and hinterland, but makes little use of them: they are neatly
descriptive but have little analytical value. He rightly accepts the view that the Swahili coast should be divided...
Holy War on the pagans of Sudan who are his neighbors. they are more numerous than could
ever be counted.
Dar Al-Islam: The Abode of Islam
Quartaert “Ottoman Inter-Communal Relations” 4/11
The Ottoman empire is centered in turkey. Here they embrace a greater variety of religious and
ethnic groups than any other state in world history. It became an incredibly diverse empire and
was remarkably tolerant. This text talks about history and its subjective view. It mostly discusses
how turkey was described as being tolerant but also harsh and so it's hard to paint history based
off of 2 different narratives. Says that because the contemporary struggles loom so large and
because we assume that present-day hostilities have ancient and general rather than recent
and specific causes, our understanding of the Ottoman inter-communal record has been
profoundly obscured. Intergroup relationships during most of Ottoman history were rather good
relative to the standards of the age. Stereotypes present distorted pictures of Ottoman subjects
living apart and such: Muslims hated Christians who hated Jews who hated Christinas who
hated Muslims. Recent scholarships show this view to be wrong. Then it goes on describing one
narrative of one Christin writer saying how the tyrant of the empire rages and ravages and
impales and enslaves and is basically awful. But then it gives another narrative of another
person where they say the Turks were good people, this woman's family stayed with them and
lived with these people and they were so kind/nice/good idk. Also discusses how in the empire
military obligation had become a muslim one while most non-muslims jst served as sailors in the
navy. The state itself, among its many attributes, called itself an islamic one and many sultants
included the turn “gazi” warrior for the islamic faith, among their titles. Talks about how Ottoman
empire was like good ig bc Christian and Jewish women would go to Muslim courts often
providded rights that werent typically aailable within theit own religious courts. For example, a
person who feared disinheritance or a smaller share in the will of a Christina o Jew placed
themselves under islamic law. Christian widows also frequently registered in islamic courts
because they provided a greater share to the wife of the deceased than did ecclesatsical law &
same thing with arranged marriages.
Oigier de Busbecq “Suleyman the Lawgiver” 4/11
Talks about how the “energy” lmao reached its peak under the direction of SUltan Suleyman.
His mission was to use his diplomatic skills to prevent another possible attack on the city and
Busbecq’s letters (which we read) reveal much about Suleyman, his court, capital, Islamic
traditions, and treatment of women. The text goes on to describe how the SUltans hall was
crowded with people, among whom were several officers of high rank. Besides these, there
were troops of the imperial guard, Janissaries, etc. The Turks believed respect to be paid to a
man is measured by the position he holds. There is no fighting for precedence, a man's place is
marked out by the duties he discharged… meaning it is by merit that men rise in the service.
Honor, high posts, and judgeships are the rewards of great ability and good service .If a man is
dishonest, or lazy, or careless, he remains at the bottom of the ladder. It talks about war tactics
“The Land of Ghana” 4/8
Talks about how the Arab and Berber merchants were especially interested in WEst Africans
Sudan because its inhabitants were advantageously located between the markets of North
African and cultures farther south toward the rain forests. From the southern people, the
inhabitants obtained gold and slaves and traded for manufactured goods, horses, and salt from
Arabs and Berbers. There was commerce chains that connected AFrticas gold fields with the
cities of the mediterranean north africa. One of the earliest important trading empires was the
nation of Ghana. Talks about how the introduction of the camel made it easier for outsiders to
penetrate across the Sahara desert into the land of the Soninke people. During the latter portion
of the 11th century the rulers and leading families of Ghana were increasingly adopting the faith
of the attendant culture of ISlam. However Mulsims from the nother borought not only the
peaceful message of universal submission to the word of god, they also brought war. They
raged holy war or jihad and the conflict ended up disrupting trade and weakened Ghana’s
economic base.
Ibn Battuta “Travels in Mali” 4/8
Discusses how the gold in mali held a strong attraction for Muslim traders from North Africa. Salt
was traded for Sudanese gold. The trade route was a grouling one across the Sahara desert. In
this text, Ibn Battuta gives us an idea of what this trade route was like. Talks about using
camels, how the african people use salt for everything, and then how they are buying lots of
gold DUST with it. There's lots of description about the stuff but at one point he talks about how
he was there for 2 festivals in Mali where the sultan and like all this shit occurs like reading
poems, having a feast, selling shit, there being gold and silver lances and crystal maces,
etc.Talks about how the sultan shows no mercy to anyone who is guilty of the least act of it. (idk
what it is ?) Neither travelers nor inhabitants in it has anything to fear from robbers or men of
violence. They also value religion.
“Mansa Musa: The King Who Sits on a Mountain of Gold” 4/8
Talks about the control of the Trans-Saharan trade ports were a certain guarantee to enormous
wealth. Gold, salt, slaves, and ivory dominated the traffic. The most fabulous of the west african
emperors was Mansa Musa of Mali whose lavis display awhile on his pilgrimage to Mecca drew
international attention. The text goes on to describe Musa as the king of this country who
imports arab horses and pays a high priest for them. Talks about how if anyone enters his
abode without shoes will be killed. Talks about how the country is rich in livestock and different
kinds of poultry. Says he has a truce with the gold-plant people who pay him tribute. Says that
the sultan Musa loved virtue and people of virtue. He left his kingdom and appointed asa his
deputy there his son Muhammad and emigradted to god and his messenger to accomplish the
oblicgations of the pilgramage to mecca. Talks about his generous acts within Egypt. He ended
up giving so much money and spending so much money that he needed to borrow money in
Egypt and pledged his credit to merchants of grain if they made a lot. Basically talks about him
buying things and his travels within different areas and with different merchants but I think long
story short was that he spent so much money he decreased the actual value of gold because
there was so much of it. Then it says at the end that the king of this country wages a permanent
and how they kinda take things slow, well it says from this you will see that it is the patience, self
denial, and thrift off the Turkish slide that enable him to face each man as his own worst enemy
where ig the Turks kill them idk.
“Sunni versus Shi’ite: ‘We Exhort You to Embrace True Faith!” 4/13
This selection is a letter from the Ottoman ruler , Selim 1 to his Persian rival Isma’il 1, the leader
of the Shiit safavid state. Ismail had entered Ottoman territory and had demanded aht Ottoman
subjects accepted Shi'ism. This text reveals the divisive competition among islamic religious
sects and political leaders. The ottoman ruler says he is the chief of the ottomans , master o the
heros of the age… the exterminator of idolaters, desctoryer of the eenemeies of hte true faither ,
hte terror of the tyrants and pharophs of hte aage. Talks about how god was the one who sety
up Caliphs on earth. Talks about the first duty of a muslim and how above aall tey must be the
exewcutioners of te descree of god. He writes to ismail that “beause under the cloak of the
hypocrite, you have sowed everywhere trouble and seditionl because you have raised the
standard of irreligion and geers y bc yielding to the impulse of your evil passions and giving
yourself up withiut rein to the most infamous discorders, you hae dared to throw iff the control of
Muslim laws nad to permit lust and rape, the massacreo f hte most birutuous and respectable
men, the dessturction of pulpits and temples… the repudiation of the Quraran, the curing of the
kegitamaate Caliphes. Talks about assembling their invincible army for pursuit of their noble
resolution they have entered upon the campaign guided by the hand of the almighty.Then they
basically go to war.
“The Safavid Shi’ite Empire of Persia” 4/13
Discusses how Persia was the sole middle eastern power able to meet the Ottomans on equal
terms - and the 2 great islamic states were often in conflict. Persia was Shiite and Ottomans
adhered to the Sunni. The following biography of Shah Abbas written by his secretary is what
we read. Title says Shah Abbas justice for the security of the roads and concern for the welfare
of his subjects . THe main thing he tried t insecure as the peace and security in Iran. At the time
there was no peace and no security so it was extremely difficult for people to travel around the
country which ofc limits trade. He arrested highway robbers leaders. He also made substantial
reductions to the taxes due. He gave the total revenue for one month were given to the people
as alms. He was very religious and said that the people should be free from demands for taxes
during this blessed month of Ramazan and to focus on being devoted to the segvie and worship
of god. He is seen as the founder of the laws of the realm. He reformed the army where he
drafted serviceable men who were unemployed and the lower classes of society. By doing this,
the lower class were given relief from their lawless activities and the recruits made amends for
their past sins by performing useful service in the army. These men became an essential
element in Abbas' conquests. The appointed governments had to make sure the safety of his
subjects, so if any merchant or traveler or resident were robbed, it was the duty of the governor
to recover his money for him or replace it out of his own funds. Also said Shah culd detect if
anyone was lying and punish them if they were. However it goes on to say that his character
had some contradictions for instance bc of his fiery temper. When he is upset he gets into a
towering rage and every aspect of him is terrifying. Like super nice or super scary. He would
punish anyone or whatever idek and give harsh consequences for making him upset? He also
had compassion for treatment of his servants which they were rewarded for their loyalty. Also
since the Shah considers the possessions and treasure of this world of little value for any
deceased person that leaves a will he will give the people in the will money?
Google says the main difference between them: The primary ideological difference relates to
questions of religious authority and the leadership of all Muslims following the death of the
Prophet. Those who followed the Prophet’s closest companion (Abu Bakr) became known as
Sunni (the followers of the Prophet’s example – Sunnah). Those who followed the Prophet’s
cousin and son-in-law (‘Ali) became known as Shi’a (the followers of the Party of ‘Ali – Shi’atu
Ali). Sunnis focus on following the Prophet’s example whereas Shi’a focus on the lineage of
Muhammad’s family through a series of Imams.
“Shah Abbas the Great” 4/13
Talks about how he has a well developed intelligence system where essentially teh Shah knows
everything. He possess vast knowledge from outside rulers and relationships with them as well
as vast knowledge in his country as well. Shah Abbas mixes freely with all classes of society.
Ibn Battuta, Travels in Asia and Africa. 1325-1354, excerpts 4/15
Says that no one from Khursans should be allowed to enter india unless he came with the
intention of staying there. Talks about how on the borders of this plain are inaccessible
mountains , inhabited by Hundu infidels (a person who does not believe in religion or who adheres to
a religion other than one's own.) some of them are subjects under muslim rule and live in villages
governemed by a muslim headman appointed bu the governeor in whose fief the village lies.
Talks about being attacked and like having to fight people off along the way. Also talks about the
whole culture about the wife burning or drowning herself out of respect for when her husband
dies. Talks about Delhi being the metropolis of India which is a vast and magnificent city uniting
beauty withs strength. Theres more but like idek if its important.
Zia ud-din Barni “The Dilemma of a Muslim Ruler in India” 4/15
Islamic peoples had been raiding India since the 8th century. The condition that islam met in
india were quite differnet from those encountered eslewhere in its successful history. The qurran
plaonly states that the duty of a ruler was to convert infidels, yet every Muslim ruler was aware
that the bulk of his revenue came from hindu subjects. So he couldn't like kill them all like
they're supposed to do if they don't convert so they tolerated their existence. They ended up
oppressing the hindus extremely hard by taxing them large amounts. The Muslim government
would try to provide financial pressure onto Hindus by forcing them into poverty and destitution.
“No hindu dould hold up his head, and in their houses no sign of gold or silver… or if any
superfluity was to be seend.” Physical punishment was also enforces to employ payment. Tax
collectors were Hindu that way they were viewed in a bad light and muslims would recieve like
less blame. “Death was deemed preferable to revenue employment.” Muslim leaders really were
at a dilemma bc “Though has an ambiotion to conquer other lands, but thou hast hunderered of
league of country under thy ruke where proper obedience is not paid to they authority. How,
then, wilt though make other lands submissive?”
“European rulers and the more powerful of their subjects had come to see the system as being
of great significance and holding potential for wealth and were well on their way to wresting
political and economic control away from the prisoners who had created it. But if the powerful of
Europe controlled the commerce of the seas, In africa they were unable to communicate either
the coast or coastal navigation and in the americas the subdued regions were surrounded by
hostile and sometimes aggressive unconquered people. THUS the African role in the
development of the atlantic world not simply be a secondary one, on either side of the atlantic.
In Africa it was they who would determine their commercial role, and in America they were often
the most important group in the colonists. Even when they played no particular role, they often
could capitalize on the incompleteness of European domination”.
“Kilwa, Mombasa, and the Portuguese” Realities of Empire 4/22
Intro says the heroic depiction of Portuguese exploration in the “lusiads” is countered by
accounts of the acquisitive brutality which became part-and parcel of all colonial enterprises.
The Portuguese took advantage of the prosperous swahili cities and held the key to its
commercial concessions in india. Talks about how (a missionary?) Franciso d’Almeida had a
no-nonsense approach including brute force and how the cities of Kilwa and Mombasa were
sacked. This account is said to be written by a German seaman in the service of the
portuguese. The journal basically talks about how the portuguese entered the harbor and then
they requested the native king to come. King said he couldn't come atm, but he would be more
than happy to send gifts. They weren't good enough to port guys, so he said he would send his
tribute (previously they had arranged to have 1500 ounces of gold a year). That wasn't good
enough so the portuguese went to go to the king and then basically they killed everyone on the
way except those who didn't fight. They got to the palace and then it was empty because
everyone fled. They destroyed the town and plundered everything. Next entry talks about how
Kilwa is very fertile land and is prosperous. Then talks about how there are more black slaves
than white moors there which are farmers. Talks about how they trade nice shit. Then the
Portuguese build a fortress. Then they build a fortress in Mombasa and then like some fighting
occurs between the moors and portuguese and then the portuguese capture moor dude, dude
says “they would not find people with hearts that could be wheaten like chickens as they had
done in Kilwa” basically meaning they would fight bc they built diff. Basically battles continue
and the Portuguese win after lots of bloodshed. They sacked the town and left. They left the
town littered with left behind wealth and dead bodies littered the town. Then it goes to Abyssinia
and the same thing happens tomato tomatoe. Then it goes on to talk about how there were 2
kings of different regions (Mombasa and Malindi) at war but when the portuguese one (who got
attacked by portuguese) sends a letter to the other king saying to be careful and run from
portuguese bc they destroyed everything and are coming. The Portuguese spared no one, not
even children.
Duarte Barbosa “The Portuguese in Africa and India” 4/22
Intro says how the establishment of commercial colonies camera at a distinct price of the
inhabitants of those regions. Duarte was an agent of the portuguese government who helped
establish commercial contacts along the east african coast and he gives a description of the
Al-Biruni “Descriptions of India” 4/15
Talks about the penetration of islam in india. Or moreso lmao the lack thereof. Mahmud
accumulated from his plunder and destruction of Hundu temples. Al-Biruni was primarily an
astronomer, mathematician, and linguist but his wide range of skills and interests involved him in
many other fields of inquiry. For 13 years following his capture, he served Mahmud and traveled
with him into India's Punjab region and he completed an almanac of india with the opening page
describing the essential differences between Hindus and muslims. Talks about how Muslims and
Hindus rest on different causes because they each do not believe in similar things. Hindus fight
with words but they will never statke their soul or body or their property into religious
controversy. Mahmud utterly ruined the prosperity of the country and persomed their wonderful
exploits which the hindus became like atoms of dust scattered in the wind. Hindus believe that
there is no country but theris, no nation like theirs, etc. They are haught foolish, vain self
conceited and stolid. They take the greatest care to withhold it from men of another caste
among their own people so compared to that of a foreigner… yeah. The hindus used t o
acknowledge that the progress of society due to the Greeks is mch more important that that
which is due to themselves, the greeks however had philosophers. The Hindus had no men of
this stamp to be both capable and willing to bring sciences to a classical perfection.
Bada’Uni “Akbar and Religion” 4/15
Successive Mughal emperors enlarged the empire so that by the time of Akbar it included all of
nother India. Akbar created an elaborate and enduring administrative bureaucracy. Talks about
how Akbar reached out to his Hindu subjects in ways that would have astonished his European
contemporaries. Akbar made special efforts to include Hindus in his administration. About ⅓ of
his governing body ere Hindus and he have genius governed territieoies a large degree of self
rule. Idk whats the purpose but it talks about how “His majesty firmly believed in the turn of the
Christian religion, and wishing to spread the doctrines of Jesus, ordered prince Murad to take a
few lessons in Chrisntianctiy. His majesty also called one of the yogis and gave them at night
private interview, inquiring into the abstract truths of their articles of faith; their occupational
influence of pensiveness their sere…. And other stuff.” Sounds like he was curious about other
religions and sounded very open and tried to be diplomatic and curuious.
Europe's Global Expansion And Its Impact
Thornton “The Birth of an Atlantic World” 4/20
See “disenclavement.” Just talks about expansion past the atlantic. Transport by water defined
for most purposes the entire region. Talks about how Cape Bojador, just south of the Canary
Islands represented a point of no return because of the damn winds and current not allowing
people to get back to europe. It's because they used to only travel along the coast. First before
the Atlantic was really established they conquered islands and places in africa. They used these
places as agricultural places. Says the islands were seen as a source of profit (thru conquest,
raiding, trade, growing shit). Then talks about battles and war with Africans which Giogo Gomes
eventually negotiated for peace. This replaced raiding and conquering patterns bc the
Portuguese realized Africa has a well developed economy so they could like trade ez. Africans
also fought back if they were being attacked. European sailors established a system of
navigation that bound Europe, Africa, and the Americas in a single system of commerce.
people, products, area, and portuguese methods for controlling trade. First talks about Sofala,
here the moors have a king who is subject to the King our Lord (portuguese king).
Characterized them as like mid, normal, traded beads and cloth and shit and how the moors
paid lots of gold for something cheap from the portuguese merchants. Next, he talks about
Kilwa. Here he talks about how the town was taken by force because their king “moved by
arrogance… refused to obey the King our Lord ''. <- here arrogance doesn't mean excessive
pride but refusing to submit. Next he talks about Mombasa, again saying how the king refused
to “obey the commands of the King out Lord” and the “Portuguese took [the city] from him by
force. In this city they killed many of the people and took many captive and ruined and
plundered and burned the place. Last, he talks about Brava, how it's ruled by elders. Says the
place was destroyed by Portuguese who killed and carried many of its people away into
captivity and took a lot of gold and silver and goods. Most of the remaining people fled inward
and then the Portuguese settled and peopled it “so that now it is as prosperous as it was
before.”
Gaspar Correa “Cut Off Their Ears, Hands, and Noses!” 4/22
Excerpt from the journal of the author, who sailed with Vasco da Gama. This incident occurred
after a group of Portuguese had been killed at a trading station and Vasco da Gama sought to
control the situation by exacting a bloody vengeance. Refers to African Muslims as moors. Says
Vasco de bitch was basically looking to kill some bitches. It talks about how Vasco is coming into
the port and for some reason the Brahman of the people of the village (who [the people] had
fled bc they knew Vasco was coming) goes out on a boat with a sign of peace, dressed up in a
dead friar [like spanish priest] to greet them… we dk why? But okay. Basically then Vasco
absolutely destroyed the city. 2 malabar vessels came around the corner, Vasco destroyed them
with cannons. They took the crew and cut off everyone's hands and ears and noses and put all
of that into one vessel, which they THEN put the ALIVE brahman (also without ears, etc.) hung
around his neck. Basically, long story short, he piles everyone into the damn boat tied up to one
another with their teeth punched in and then they set the vessel on fire and sailed it toward the
village.
Sahagun “The Battle for Tenochtitlan: An Aztec Perspective” 4/25
Talks about how Bernadina de Sahagun was a member of the rancisican order, which
was an early spanish missionary in mexico. He had a keen interest in the culture of the natives
of Mexico which he had respect. Many Spaniards opposed his work because they believed his
efforts to preserve the memory of native culture threatened their policy of exploiting and
Christianizing the American indians. Then it goes on to say how in 1519 the spaniards had
gained as allies the Tlaxcalans, the aztecs bitter enemies, and were leaving Cholula, bc the
spaniards and allied had sacked bc of its “leaders lack of cooperation”. Spaniards set their way
off to Mexico bc gold was what they wanted “piggishly.” Basically then i think the spaniards just
went around killing people very brutally, but before the actual fighting broke out there was an
epidemic outbreak bc of the new disease/viruses. Basically people just tried to flee and the
Spaniards went around snatching things up, taking whatever they came upon and wanted. A
great abundance of aztecs/natives were captured and/or killed. Basically then the Aztecs win a
battle. Then there was famine and lots of people died.
Then in Mountain of Silver they talk about the exploitation of the land through enslaving
the natives. The Spaniards fund the world's richest silver mine, dub. After the Spanish found all
the silver they finally had a commodity that everyone wanted to trade for.
“Land and Labor in Spanish America” 4/27
Talks about how the spanish empire in the americas was based on the economic exploration of
Native americans. The first spanish settlers were determined to enrich themselves, and this
spelled disaster for the islands natives who were robbed of their food, forced to work, and were
sexually abused. Talks about establishing the laws of Burgos which sought to regulate the
spaniards treatment of indians. These laws were difficult to enforce and by the mid 1500 were
irrelevant. Goes on further to talk about how although these indians would not be slaves, they
would be assigned to an individual spainard or ecomendaero qhere they were required to pay
tribute to each year or month or whatever x amount of stuff. Then the text goes on to say how
the tribute people had to pay kept increasing and was by a lot. The next text after that talks
about how the Indians complained about their roles and those who spoke up for them did so.
The later argued that without forced labor and tribute from then then the empire would collapse,
but if carried too far exploitation would further reduce the indian population and the
encomenderos could develop into an entrenched aristocracy enough to challenge royal
authority. (thats just what it says idk). Then there was a transfer of encomiendas from private to
gov control. Then it talks about how the mountain of silver was discovered through indian herder
losing his footing into a cave.
De Las Casas “Persecutor Turns Protector” 4/27
The Spaniard who was awarded the titles “apostle to the indies” was Barolome de Las Casas
who sailed to the americas in christopher columbus’ third expedition. Appalled by what he had
see and perhaps done in the americas, he released his indian slaves and beame a catholic
priest and later bishop. Las Casas became an indefatigable advocate of Indian rights and
freedoms. Talks about the guileless and devoid of wickedness, the most obedient and faithful to
their native masters and to the spanish christians. They are by nature the most humble,
patient…. These people are the most devoid of rancors, hatreds or desire for vengeance for any
people in the world. Abd because they are so weak and complacent they are less able to
endure heavy labor. They have no desire to possess worldly possessions. Talks about how they
are clean with intelligent minds, however some spaniards took advantage of them destroying
everything. Says the sapinsihed killed a fuck ton of people and the reason for killing and
destorying sich a large number of souls is that the Christains have an iltimate aim which is to
acquire gold and to swell themselves with rihes ina very brief time. Talks about how in the
beginning natives asaw christinas as those who ascended from Heaven. However they saw by
their works what these Christinas were and what they wanted.
De Las Casas “The Black Legend” 4/27
After witnessing the ravages and atrocities of Spanish colonists. Las Casas dedicated himself to
the protection and defense of the Indians. He dedicated his short accounts to the Spanish king
in an effort to inform the crown of the atrocities of the new world and that if not stopped would
result in God's destruction of spain. Talks about how the island of Hisaniola was the first to
witness the arrival of Euripeans and the first to suffer the slaughter of its people and devastation
of the land. Europeans took natives as servants and worked them harder and harder and took
more and more, essentially. Then continues on how natives fight back, spanish slaighter them
and commit all sorts of atrocities like raping the chiefs wife and slicing children open. They
spared no one.
Philips “A Journal of a Voyage Made in the Hannibal of London in 1694” 4/29
I did not read this 0-0… This talks about the transatlantic slave trade though and i learned
enough about that in high school so i think i got this, right?
“Our Kingdom Is Being Lost” 4/29
This is a letter from the African king of Kongo, Nzinga Mbemba, who had converted to
Christinity and adopted the name Afonso. He hoped to develop a prosperous state with the
Euripoeans but as we come to find out, that did not happen. His kingdom almost disintegrated
by the time of his death. His concerns are exressed in a letter to the POrtugese king and it was
evident that portuguese exploitation adn aggressive puriuit of slaves resulted in dissension
(disagreement that leads to discord.:) and instability throughout the region. Basically the African
king complains that Portuguese merchants are selling shit that is illegal in the kingdom and
they're selling so much of it, it's hard to stop it ?? idek. Then he mentions the merchants are
talong every day the native sons of the lands and sons of noblment and sell them into slavery.
The African king complains that the county is being depopulated and they need more priests to
teach in schools and that's all they need/request ( idk about request). Then talks about how the
african king is trying to stop his merchants bc he now is making that if you sell stuff, you have to
tell 3 nobles know that way they will be deterred.
“The Life of Olaudah Equiano” 4/29
Talks about how one african who survived the journey across the slave trade. Equiano and his
sister at 10 were captured from their home by local robbers who quickly sold the children to
slavers. He served a series of masters throughout the americas and then was taken to canada
eventually. He eventually had enough money to buy his freedom and as a free man he returned
to england. He describes his life next… Basically talks about how he was kidnapped literally and
threw on a slave ship. Basically then talks about how he was passed around and like ig abused
through working idek i skimmed bc its late lmao.
Catalysts For Change In Europe
Boccaccio “A Most Terrible Plague” 5/2
Introduction to the black death. Wiped out half the population and spread throughout the entire
continent. If we follow trade routes, we see the plague following it. During the time of the plague
there was a famine, drought, and labor shortages. This started an imperial approach to
medicine or marked a pivotal point. Most medieval authorities thought it was caused by God's
will as a punishment on human kind. Jews were scapegoats.
The actual source: Collection of stories written between friends as they passed the time
together in florence. Talks about how the plague was a terrible punishment from god to clear filth
from all persons. Talks about how “to cure of this malady, neither medicinal knowledge nor the
power of drugs was of any effect” the only thing that would work was prayer and rebukement of
the sins. IT spread daily and it came in contact with people. Talks about how some people hid,
some people didn't care, and some people were like middle. Also talks about how the rich died,
money left, an increase how the wealthier got richer and poor got poorer bc of the pandemic.
Boase, “The Muslim Expulsion from Spain” 5/4
Christians tried converting muslims and then forced them otherwise they died so then muslims
were like okay u can hide it (idk what its called but its a decree or some shit). Then there was
the whole blood and spirituality pureness thing. They were alienated and began to expel them in
1582. Christians said they have to kick them out because they reproduce (muslims) so fast that
if they don't they will be outnumbered quickly. The moriscos came to personify the sins of the
fresh and were soon described by all things that jews were described as once. Then the church
was like okay well the under 7 year olds or something were like you can stay bc you're pure and
we can convert you from a young age.
Aberth, selections from The Black Death 5/2
History of plague: Grabriele de Mussis was a lawyer who died. HE opens this history of the
plague and he imagines a dialogue between God and the earth as an explanation for why the
black death has come. Thought God saw human kind as unfit and unredeeming of any
goodness. Thought to make it go away was to call the God almighty and ask for mercy. Thought
that by going to church, praying, lighting candles near mass, merits of the holy mass, etc would
stop the plague. Many people made the pilgrimage to the pope in Rome to be blessed from it or
some shit.
Hsia “A Ritual Murder Trial of Jews in Germany” 5/6
Didn't read this but he talked about it in lecture. This text showed how jews were scapegoats for
christians and how even a small small sMALL town’s superstitions, antisemitisim, etc. managed
to make its way into a court and then into the law. Because they won the ruling in court, the
ruling could be used in other court cases to help prove or coincide/corroborate with anyone
claiming jews were evil.
The beginning and end on history: I thought this meant Ibn Kathir thought people should fast he
was muslim and to ask god to tlake a way the plage.
Essay on the reports of the pestilence: Ibn al-Wardi who is muslim thought that this was like
marytrdom and you got glory for dying in this. Also thought to pray to God to make it go away
A very useful inquire into the horrible sickness: Muslim scholar and p[hysician Lisan al-Din Ibn
al-Khatib thought the disease spread through contact. It had to. Talks about how they issued
fatwas saying it was like martyrdom again.
They Psyche of Hysteria 5/4
Talks about the flagellant movement where people would whip themselves as an imitation of
Christ as a punishment for sin. Self-inflicted flagellation was popular. Scapegoats of minorities
were in a time of crisis such as jews and muslims. Jews were characterized as christ killers and
said to be the reason why the plague was here, They were abused and taken advantage of bc
of their economic/monetary power over christians. Talks about how flagellants could have just
been a hysterical reaction.
Aberth “Jewish Pogroms” 5/4
Talks about the torutue and persecution of Jews. Medical authorities fueled this belief of jews
being the cause bc they said the jews poisoned the water. Then they would torture jews and
people would admit to it. Some christians offered jews life if they converted. Talks about how this
was also economically motivated attacks, This also created tense dynamic between city rulers
to preserve jews as a way of tax income. They soon were not citizens so when shit was stolen
they couldn't do anything legally.
STUFF THAT WILL BE ON THE FINAL:
Catalysts For Change In Europe Pt. 2
Aquinas “Summa Theologica” 5/11
Intro describes how Aristotelian thought was being reacquired in Europe and how it posed a
problem for the church because it was not clear whether pagan ideas and the reasoning of
Greeks contradicted the Chirsitan view of the universe. The text is a selection from Aquina
where he addresses the question of whether the existence of God can be proven. Says it can
be proven in 5 ways. 1.) The argument in motion; how there must be a mover and the moved.
So what is set in motion must be set in motion by something else and therefore there must be
God to be the original mover. 2.) There must be a cause for everything and that cause must be
God. 3.) At one point in time, nothing existed, and therefore God must exist because how can
something arise from nothing. 4.) There must be something that brings the cause of existence,
goodness, and every other perfection and it is God. 5.) Things with un-itelligence can act in a
directed wau (i.e water moving or an arrow being shot by an archer) without something
intelligent doing the direction. God must direct the water or the earth like an archer does with
shooting an arrow.
Courcon “Statues for the University of Paris (1215)” 5/11
This text is basically like a proclamation of rules for men who want to become scholars/go to
university. It says you have to be 21, treaties of Aristotle logic must be read, but the stuff of
Aristotle regarding metaphysics or natural philosophy are not to be read (bc it goes against
some ideas of the church i think). There's stuff about having a master(s) to study under where
they will examine you. You pledge you're going to attend mass on sunday. Then theres some
stuff about studying art and being a master of thought for it makes a man a scholar and there is
importance in being a scholar and an aprehender of knowledge.
Vergerius “On the New Education” 5/11
Vergerius wrote the first important renaissance treatise on education where it represented a sort
of humanist program. It discusses the medieval trivium along with the traditional disciplines of
medicine, law, and theology, but the stress is on the newer liberal studies of history, moral
philosophy, rhetoric, and literature. It talks about how those liberal studies train and develop the
highest of body and of mind which ennoble men. It gives a good example on how Hercules, who
in solitude of his wanderings, learned to accept the strenuous life and to reject the way of
self-indulgence, and so attain the highest, is the significant setting of this profound truth of
knowledge/life. In (what i think is a letter), Vergerius tries to argue for the study of letters. He
talks about how through philosophy, we learn the essential truth of things and history provides
the light of experienced cumulative wisdom to supplement the force of reason. He also talks
about how the Greeks devised for their sons a training of letters, music, art, and gymnastics. He
compares the values of knowledge with Greeks and he expresses the successfulness of society
being through scholars and they are knowledgeable because they studied letters.
“College Life: Between Students and Their Fathers” 5/11
The selection is from idk what but it says that they reveal the personal and social aspects of
college life. Talks about fathers to sons, how they dont want their sons to like waster away so
they are making them scholars. It seems like a back and forth between a father and their sons.
Father is like “you dont study but wander around and are disobedient and indulging in sport,”
then the son is like “well father I dont have any fucking money to go to class because you dont
pay for shit. I sold all my books to pay for the classes I took a little bit ago so maybe you should
send me some money and I can actually take a damn class.” Then another student messages
his dad on how well he did and how he is giving lectures now and they are popular.
“Oration on the Dignity of Man” (1486) 5/13
This is an excerpt from Pico’s Oration on the dignity of man where he gives his conception of
mans relationship to God. Pico is a linguist and philosopher. He basically says that the reason
why God favors man most is because after He spent so long building the world, he wanted
someone else to ponder and wonder at His creation. He gave man no limits and gave us free
will and for man, it is granted to him whatever he chooses, to be whatever he wills. (This shows
the humanitarian view of the world).
“The Soul of Man” (1474) 5/13
Text is about ideas from Neoplatonists who applied Plato’s theory on transgression of the soul to
Crhsitain concepts of resurrection, as well as ideas on God and man. Ficino talks about how
man is the vicar (representative/Bishop) of God. Man makes use of the animals but also rules
them and tames them with the weapons he has invented. Man governs, keeps, and teaches
them. Talks about how man is the god of the animals for he makes use of them all, brings them
into life, instructs many of them. Man is also like god in the sense that he controls and changes
materials into inventions. Ficino talks about how man first rules himself, something that animals
cannot do, and then thereafter rules the family, administers state, governs nations, and rules the
world. “The human species strives to become all things by living the lives of all things… Man is
a great miracle, a living creature worthy of reverence and adoration, for he… transforms himself
into God as if he were God himself.”
“Art, Architecture, and Music in Florence” 5/13
Talks about how innovation and art are based on antiquity (the ancient past) such as the study of
nature as the source of art. This new point of view stresses the departure from the immediate
past and that of courageous experiment and exploration. Talks about how architecture was
based on Roman antiquity. Architecture introduced the scientist, inventor, and designer part in
which architects like Brunelleschi had become. Talks about different styles of building shit and
how they built the shit they built (i.e a dome) and then talks about simplicity and directness of
some how they contrast with renaissance and middle ages, in which the interior of buildings was
made entirely Christian & mathematical harmony. Talks about how one dude, Alberri, an
architectural theorist, wrote that a church should induce contemplation through order and
harmony, reflecting the mathematical perfection of the universe. He said that it should be plain
and encourage one to focus inward on control of self for the attainment of right, Christian
actions. Windows should be high so that they can see the sky and not be distracted by the
external world. Shit like that. Goes on to talk about how the art and architecture of “15th century
Florence depend for their forms and ideals on a structure of knowledge and value, on a society
that was not in ignorance of the meaning to be found in the building.” Architects thought that the
city would inspire its citizens through its propriety, order, harmony, and control - which could be
represented in the buildings/churches of the city. Then it goes on about art and shit. Remember
examples of lines and perspective in that one roman painting onlooking afuck ton of people and
like some roman room idk. Anyways, it talks about how in a sense, they viewed history as a
series of temporal planes corresponding to the spatial planes defined by the linear perspective.
Just as the artist objectified space from the point of view of his eye, so the humanist defines the
past in relation to his own time. Similarly the humanists utilized this objectified time for their own
purposes, in their case, the improvement of the present and the shaping of the future.
Vasari “Life of Leonardo da Vinci” 5/13
Skim read this bitch, but basically talks about how Leo was variable and unstable and that he
set himself to learn many things, yet never finished them. He was a man who sang divinely to
instruments, never stopped drawing, and he had an intellect so divine and marvelous that he
was also an excellent geometrician. “It is clear that Leo, through his comprehension of art,
began many things and never finished one of them, since it seemed to him that the hand was
not able to attain to the perfection of art in carrying out the things which he imagined for the
reason that he conceived in idea difficulties so subtle and so marvelous that they could never be
expressed by the hands, be they ever so excellent.” This the man who painted the Mona Lisa
and the text talks about how in his work, he created a smile so pleasing that it was more divine
than human to behold.
Luther “Table Talk” and “Ninety-five Theses” 5/16
Text talks about how Luther found spiritual peace through his reflections on the scripture. He
concluded that human beings, burdened as they were with weakness and sin, could never earn
salvation by leading a blameless life and p[erfomring in the pristi the pious acts enjoyed by the
cathoiclic church. Rather, salvation was an unmerited divine gift, resulting from God-implanted
faith in Jesus, especially in the redemptive power of his death and resurrection. This lead to the
fundamental protestant doctrine. Luther calls out the corruptions within the Catholic church,
such as how they are guzzling, gluttonous, wretches, rich, wallowing in wealth and laziness,
resting secure in their power. He calls out their indulgences, ceremonies, pardons, etc. and how
they are just doing those things for money. Some of the thesis he makes are “There sis no
divine authority for preaching that the soul flies out of purgatory immediately the money chinks
in the bottom of the chest” “All those who believe themselbes certain of their own sakvation by
menas of letters of indulgence, will be eternally damnedm together with their teachers” “They
ask, eg: Why does not the pope liberate everyone from purgatory for the sake of love…
Meanwhile he redeems innumerable souls for money.”
“The Society of Jesus” 5/18
The society of Jesus (Jesuits) was a religious order founded by Ignatius Loyola. The Jesuits
became a disciplined organization that was dedicated to service the pope with unquestioned
loyalty. The next two selections from the constitution of the society, which demonstrates the
purity and determination of these Catholic reformers. In the constitution, it says that “he is a part
of society founded for the especial purpose of providing for the advancement of the souls in
Christian life and doctrine and for the propagation of faith.” Later in the excerpt, it says that the
members must always be ready to obey with mind and heart, setting aside all judgment of one's
own. To uphold all the precepts of the Church and not censure them in any manner; but, on the
contrary, to defend them promptly, with reasons drawn from all sources, against those who
criticize them.
Iserloh “Luther Between Reform and Reformation” 5/16
Iserloh argues that Luther did not necessarily nail the theses to the door, but he did his thing
slowly??? Talks about how he couldn't have just presented the material, but rather like asked
bishops about why they are doing this and then slowly tried to seek reform I guess. Then Iserloh
goes on about how the 95 theses were not immediately effective and how these ideas were
probably circulating throughout Germany and already in people’s minds. Luther just compiled
and created the document and made himself the spokesperson for those who had already
hoped for reform.
Wiesner “Nuns, Wives, and Mothers” 5/18
This text argues how humanism, artistic innovations, and political experimentation did not
improve the status of women in law, at home, or in the workplace, but rather it worsened. It talks
about how the political diversity and lack of a strong central authority were extremely important
to the early success of the Protestant Reformation in Germany. It then goes on to talk about how
women had no formal political voice in any territory of the empire. They did not vote, they did not
serve on city councils, and were under the direct control of a male church official. Women's role
in the reformation and the impact of religious change on them did vary throughout germany, but
that variation was largely determined by what might be termed “personal” factors - a woman's
status as a nun or laywomen, her marital status, her social and economic class, her occupation.
Although a women's religious actions were largely determined by her personal status, they were
not regarded as a private matter, even if they took place within the confines of her own home.
Ones inner relationship with God was perhaps a private matter, but opens outward religious
practices were a matter of great concern for religious authorities. Both Protestants and Catholics
saw the family as the cornerstone of society, the cornerstone on which all other institutions were
constructed, and every political authority meddled in family and domestic concerns. The essay
then goes on an talk about how different groups of women were not able to have a voice. Like
after the reformation a lot of Nuns renounce their positions within the Catholic church and were
told to get married, others were forced to not be nuns anymore, etc. Then it talks about how
Civic and Christian humanists also thought that “God had established marriage and family life
as the best means for providing spiritual and moral discipline in this world and emphasized
marriage and the family as the basic social and economic unit which provided the paradigm for
all social social relations.” Marriage became a woman's highest calling. The reformation not only
downplayed a women's public ceremonial role it also stripped the calendar of celebrations
honoring women and ended the power female saints and their relics were believed to have over
people's lives. Debrah wanted to note how “women were not simply passive recipients of the
Reformation and the ideas and changes it brought but indeed responded to them actively,”
which shows that this situation is not black and white. Women were oppressed, however they
were not helpless and it adds complexity to the issue. In conclusion, despite the tremendous
diversity of female experience in Germany during the reformation, two factors are constant. First
a woman's ability to respond to the reformation and the avenues her responses could take were
determined more by her gender than any other factor. Whatever a woens status or class, her
“Decrees from the Council of Trent” 5/18
This text discusses the reform and revival of the Roman Catholic Church. Intro goes on to
discuss how the church had convened councils of religious leaders and theologians to have an
opportunity to debate and resolve fundamental theological and policy issues. Then it talks about
how later in 1520, the person who advocated for convening a council was Emperor Charles V
because he hoped that such a gathering would be attended by both protestants and catholics
and achieve so that eventually the protestants would return to the Catholic church. This actually
did not happen lmao… it ended up being a “disappointment” because few protestants attended
and by the time the council actually got to discuss a disagreement, each side's opinions had
hardened so much that a compromise was unlikely. The pope during this time thought that the
council would undermine the papacy’s (Pope’s office/authority) finances and threaten its
authority. Then the text goes on to talk about the reformations the council did make. It says that
a sinner cant be justified through faith alone, that if the Bible were to be mass spread/sold it
could like be altered and not give money to the church so that's bad therefore sellers need a
permit. Also talks about having young boys be taught the ways of the church and like trained in
eclesiastical ministry, sacred scripture, hearing of confessions, etc so that they can be leaders in
the church. Then goes on to talk about the ‘good stuff’ where bishops should be modest in how
they live and not to overindulge in nice furniture and enrich themselves in revenues from the
church. Also talks about how indulgences are still perfectly fine and anyone who says they don't
work, they shall be condemned, as well as saying that they will not be abused tho… Also talks
about veneration of saints which idk what that really means but something about praying to
them without profit.
responses were judges according to both religious and sexual ideology. Secondly, most women
experienced the reformation as individuals. Other than nuns in convents women were not a
distinct social class, economic category, or occupational group; thus, they had no opportunity for
group action. They passed religious ideas along the networks of their family, friends, and
neighbors but these networks had no official voice in a society that was divided according to
male groups. It became the fact that religion for all women in Germany, whether lay (not ordained
into or belonging to the clergy) or clerical, had become much more closely tied to a household.
“Protestantism and Women” 5/18
Talks about the new focused attention on marriage. In the intro, it talks about how Protestantism
encouraged a belief in the capacity of individuals to nurture their own contacts with God and the
Bible, without elaborate intermediate apparatus from church and priests. Talks about how
women's labor remained essential, but their range of activities narrowed, and their purpose in
running the house increased. In the text it gives some views about women, in which it says that
“it is utterly forbidden to occupy the place of God in the offices aforesaid [to rule or judge men],
which he hath assigned to man..” Then it gets into domestic abuse and talks about that and
basically one person is asking the other, ‘should a woman still listen to her husband even if he is
a drunkard and is an awful, sinful person?’ and the answer/reply was “Surely she must. For the
evil quality and disposition of his heart and life foth not deprive a man of that civil honor which
God had given unto him.” Also gives the views of others where they argue that women and men
are different and have different duties, but they are still somewhat equal. Man is to rule over his
Wife, but there are elder women who are intelligent and are teachers of good things, and even
judges of men and prophetesses.
Bijns “Unyoked is Best! Happy the Woman Without a Man” 5/18
Talked about this poem in class. Bijns uses the word Unyoked, where a “yoke” is a collar on 2
bulls for when they pull farming equipment, to hide, in a sense, what she is writing about. She
writes basically about how marriage is a trap and how it is a chain, a burden, and is like an
imprisonment. Anna Bijns wrote briting criticism of Martin Luther and the Protestant
Reformation. Luther opposed nunneries and monasticism (an institutionalized religious
practice or movement whose members attempt to live by a rule that requires works
that go beyond those of either the laity or the ordinary spiritual leaders of their
religions.), believing that it was the natural duty of all women to marry and bear children. In the
poem she says “How good to be a woman, how much better to be a man!... Where's your
spouse? Where's your honor?... Her marriage ring will shackle her for life… unyoked is best!
Happy women without a man.” Then it goes on to talk about “Many men consider her a slave,
thats all. Don't let a honeyed tongue catch you off guard. Refrain from gulping it all down. Let
them rave. For, I guess, decent men resemble white ravens. Abandon the airy castles they will
build for you.” She tries to warn other women to not fall for the trap that marriage is a good life,
don't let someone sweet talk you into it. Gulping parallels with Eve eating the apple in the Bible.
Honey words correlate with serpent words in the Bible. The ravens represent death. White
ravens are rare and represent a good raven. These represent men, showing how awful they are
and how rarely there are ones better than others, but still they are a “raven.” She ends with
referring to marriage as torture, rather than fun and games.
as many pagans as possible, regardless of the reaction they provoked. Then it talks about some
of the tactics missionaries used within like Mexico was breaking and entering, subsequent theft
of native religious sacred objects and even Indian boys which would be held as hostages,
forcing the conversion of their natural fathers.
The Changing Landscape Of Science And Technology
Van Baumer “The Scientific Revolution in the West” 5/23
Talks about how in this selection, an intellectual historian of Europe summarized the scientific
revolution. Baumer finds evidence of “revolutionary” nature of the transformation by referring to
the popularity of scientific societies and the powerful appeal of the new scientific mentality. Talks
about how “the humanists helped to remove from nature the medieval stigma of sun, and thus to
make possible the confident pronouncement of the scientific movement of God’s Word could be
read not only in the Bible but in the great book of nature.” “The scientific revolution gave birth to
a new conception of knowledge, a new methodology, and a new worldview substantially
different from the old Aristotelian Chrsitian worldview… Knowledge now means exact
knowledge: what you know for certain, and not what may possibly or even probably be.
Knowledge is what can be clearly apprehended by the mind, or measured by mathematics, or
demonstrated by experiment. Descartes and other philosophers of science in the seventeenth
century constructed a mechanical universe which resembled the machines - watches, pendulum
clocks, steam engines = currently being built by scientists and artisans.” Didn't read this but
some things that I wrote when Deb was talking was that religion is based on intuition and faith
and it will result in a stemming from a different thought process. The Church interprets scripture
for you and will therefore interpret your beliefs and therefore control/effect/interpret your
decision making. Observations on tangible outcomes observed by the person and common
sense is another thought process.
Galileo Galilei “Letter to the Grand Duchess Christina” 5/23
Both protestants and Catholics condemned the sun-centered model of the universe proposed by
Copernicus. Galileo investigated in 1615 and added weight to Copernicus’ theory. This letter to
the Grand Duchess in 1615 shows Galileo already under siege. He had received a letter in 1613
from a supporter who had been questioned by the Duchess about Galileo’s views. This letter is
his attempt to explain himself and to prevent the initiation of an inquisition. His efforts were
unsuccessful where in 1633 Galileo was tried, condemned, forced to recant his views and
placed under house arrest.
Copernicus “The Heliocentric Statement” 5/23
Text
Landes “Clocks: A Revolution in Time” 5/25
Talks about how the ability to measure time represents an essential need of organized society.
Landes gives particular attention to the impact of the mechanical clock on the new urban social
order of the 13th and 14th centuries. He describes time measurement as an urban concern and
contrasts the nature and needs of lay time with those of church time. He also compares time
keeping methods of China and Europe. He offers a plausible explanation of the reasons behind
“Matteo Ricci: Journals” 5/20
This text was about he traveled to China and tried to spread chirstianity but the only way he
could is if he like settled down and lived there. He gave Chinese officials gifts such as clocks,
sundials, clavichords, and astrolabes in which he won the respect, admiration, and friendship of
the Chinese. Ricci laid a permanent foundation for Christianity in China. He then goes on to
reflect about China how “it seems quite remarkable when we stop to consider it, thaat a
kingdom of almost limitless expanse and innumerable population, and sounding in copious
supplies of every description, though they have a well-equipped army and navy that could easily
conquer the neighboring nations, neither the King nor his people ver think of waging a war of
aggression. They are quite content with what they have and are not ambiguous of conquest.
While the nations of the West seem to be entirely consumed with the idea of supreme
domination, they cannot even preserve what their ancestors have bequeathed them as the
Chinese have done.” We see that Europeans crave total domination, even in religion. Ricci also
notes that a difference between the West, is that the entire kingdom of China is administered by
the Order of the Learned, commonly known as the philosophers. The responsibility for orderly
management of the entire realm is wholly and completely committed to their charge and care.
Policies of war are formulated and military questions are decided by the Philosophers only, and
their advice and counsel has more weight with the King than that of military leaders.
“Closing of the Country” 5/20
Opens with how Tokugawa bakufu issues a series of edicts which effectively closed the country
from the outside world - with the exception of the dutch and chinese. Fear of the spread of
Christianity and the belief that Christianity was the vanguard of aggression by the Spaniards
and Portuguese were among the reasons which prompted the seclusion. The desire to
monopolize all the benefits from foriegn trade in the hands of the bakufu also played a part. The
text, it looks like, gives a recountance of what happened, especially with the dutch and the fate
of the embassy.
Nelson “Myths, Missions, and Mistrust” 5/20
This article examines accepted opinion regarding the persecution and demised of
Christian/Catholic missions in 16th and 17th century Japan. Many of the key issues associated
with the encounter of European missionaries and Japanese feudal systems of authority and
power resonate with contemporary interest in transculturalism, semantic slippage, personal
agency, and the intimate interplay between religion, politics, and economics. Burdened with rigid
standards of belief, hearsay, and race from European inquisitions as well as mesoamerican
conquests, the Jesuits and Franciscan missionaries made numerous strategic blunders that
contributed to their fates as both recipients of expulsion order and, finally, on the execution
grounds. The text is what Ii think is Nelson telling what happened. In the notes at the end, it
says “Among the missionaries guiding paradigms was a considerable body of apocalptic and
millenarian beliefs that had survived into the 16th century. Among thse was the emphasis on a
directive from Jesus to preach a gospel to every creature that “shall be… a witness unto all
nations; and then shall the end come.” Many missionaries believed that the discovery of new
lands was an affirmation of the coming end of the world, therefore their duty was to preach to
Europe's success in effecting the transition to a superior timekeeping technology while china's
timekeeping methods regressed to simpler devices. Landes says that the use of clocks marks a
ticket of entry as evidence for the great advance European timekeeping had made over Chinese
horology ( study of time).
Shaffer “China, Technology, and Change” 5/25
In this essay Shaffer compares the revolutionary changes that occurred in China and Europe.
Talks about how China takes on super society qualities - able to contain the power of printing, to
rein in the potential of the compass, even to muffle the blasts of gunpowder. The impact of these
inventions on Western Europe is well known where printing encouraged the production of more
copies of old books and an increasing number of new books, thus, intellectual activity increased
- resulting in the spread of classical humanism and other ideas in the Renaissance. The
introduction of gunpowder in Europe made castles and other medieval fortifications obsolete
and thus helped liberate Western Eruope from feudal aristocratic power. As an aid to navigation
the compass facilitated the Portuguese and Spanish voyages that led to the Atlantic Europeans
possession of the western hemisphere. The he asks “why didn't China do this?” Its because
Tang China enjoyed such an internal peace that its aristocratic lineage did not engage in castle
building of the story typical in Europe, thus China did not have many feudal fortifications to blow
up. The printing press in China led to the rebirth of classical Confucian learning, helping to
revive a fundamentally humanistic outlook that had been pushed aside for several centuries.The
return of Confucianism was in essence a return to a more optimistic literature that affirmed the
world as humans had made it. In the conclusion, the author notes that as much as gunpowder,
printing, and the compass changed China & Europe, they each dif it in a different way and it
would be unfair to compare them because they have completely different positions, culture,
values, etc.
Needham “Gunpowder and Firearms in Medieval China” 5/25
Talks about how Needham is the world's leading authority on Chinese science. The common
conclusion has been that the Chinese viewed their discovery as a curiosity and a plaything and
failed to appreciate its military potential as the Europeans were to do. Needham refutes this
view by tracing the development of Chinese firearms. It is clear that the Chinese appreciated
military possibilities of gunpowder and exploited them extensively. Needham suggests that the
reason gunpowder caused so much more disruption in European society than in China was the
greater vulnerability of western society to this type of weapon. The new weapon simply
supplements those which had been in use before, and produced no perceptible effect upon the
age-old civil and military bureaucratic apparatus, which each new foriegn conqueror had to take
over and use in his turn.
Francis Bacon “Novum Organum” 5/27
Text
Descartes “I Think, Therefore I Am” 5/27
Text
Voltaire “On Universal Toleration” 6/1
I didn't read but the beginning says, “God, if he existed, was prone to be antiseptic ,the “great
clock-winder,” who created the universe and then sat back, uninvolved in the lives of his
creations. This philosophy, called deism, generally prevailed among the philosophers. It did not
deny the existence of God, but it gave virtually no support to organized religion. This beckons
the question that if God created the world and sat back, why do we go to church and worship
Him? Next he talks about how none of this makes sense bc a preacher is saying “my ant hill is
the only loved one by God,” but yet you fight and yet you are all ants thta God created. He
mocks Christianity for its obsurdity.
Gay “The Modern Pagan” 6/1
Text
“New Tensions in the Western Political Tradition” 6/1
The only things that I wrote for this was, pay attention to patterns of the words and the power
structure (leaks clear???). Talks about a metaphor and its family and its relationship to the state.
How it becomes literalized during the revolution. The idea that the state is like a family and is
patracized when you kill the king. The English Bill of rights reveals who has the power and the
power over what…
Cervantes “Chapter One” from Don Quixote 6/1
Text
Kant “What is Enlightenment?” 6/3
Text
For this essay portion, you will be allowed to have a print-out of the Buck article (no
other readings aside from this will be allowed during the exam).
You will be asked to appraise the validity (i.e. strength and weaknesses) of each of the three
arguments covered in the Buck article based on only what you have learned from your MMW 13
course material this quarter. The exam prompt will include a list of course assigned readings
you must use in your appraisal of the three arguments. That list will include TEN options, from
which you will need to choose SIX to discuss.
Useful tips as you prepare:
- You might also consider taking useful notes on the connections you see between each
argument and evidence found in various other readings assigned for the course.
Be sure to prepare in a way that allows you to provide concrete examples from
readings, as well as independent analysis of your examples
- Understand what each person’s argument is about and then write supporting or
contradicting each argument
·
Deism or “the religion of nature” was a form of rational theology that emerged
among “freethinking” Europeans in the 17th and 18th centuries. Deists insisted that
religious truth should be subject to the authority of human reason rather than divine
revelation.
6.
Diderot referred to Voltaire as his ‘sublime, honorable, and dear
Anti-Christ.’ Explain. (302) Why was Voltaire’s work burned? In what way was
deism “a naturalistic religion?” (303)
·
Modern Lucretius who defies a cruel God
·
Blasphemous pamphlets (man born for action); “what shall we put in the place of
Christianity?”
·
“Ecrasez l’infame” 302 (crush the loathsome thing i.e. the church) became battle
cry
·
Voltaire: “Every sensible man, every honourable man, must hold the Christian
sect in horror.” 302
·
Old and New Testament—collection of childish absurdities and irreconcilable
contradictions
7.
What was the philosophy behind deism?
·
·
·
·
·
God as great clock-winder—created universe, then stepped back
Not support organized religion
Rejected Trinity; miracles of Eucharist and Virgin birth
God disinterested in the world (made prayer useless)
Way to reconcile perfect God with imperfect world
8.
Voltaire provides an analogy to explain his deist outlook. Explain/unpack
(305)
·
Ant-hill
·
Family metaphor
9.
Explain Voltaire’s assertion: “Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but
certainty is an absurd one” (306).
-discomfort of not knowing something for certain a condition that we have to live with; looking to
lock self into a definition/idea when seek certainty (not how the world works); simplistic
May 31 Reading Questions
1.
In WT/WA, the author accounts for the differences between the East
(Chinese and Islamic countries) and Western Europe as a way of accounting for
the West’s advances that surpassed the East. List at least 3 of those differences.
·
Islamic world clung to tradition (conservative, fundamentalist response)
·
So many quarrels in the West between churches, patrons, made it easier to
dislodge
·
Europeans: open to theoretical applications (breakthroughs had wider effect)
while Chinese more practical
·
Chinese not mathematize the study of the natural world; not use experimental
method; West fostered mathematical and mechanistic view of the natural world (581)
DISCUSSION NOTES:
May 31 Reading Questions
1.
In WT/WA, the author accounts for the differences between the East
(Chinese and Islamic countries) and Western Europe as a way of accounting for
the West’s advances that surpassed the East. List at least 3 of those differences.
·
Islamic world clung to tradition (conservative, fundamentalist response)
·
So many quarrels in the West between churches, patrons, made it easier to
dislodge
·
Europeans: open to theoretical applications (breakthroughs had wider effect)
while Chinese more practical
·
Chinese not mathematize the study of the natural world; not use experimental
method; West fostered mathematical and mechanistic view of the natural world (581)
2.
Explain: “Starting in the mid-eighteenth century, the European window on
China and the Chinese window on Europe were closed. China turned away from
European contact, most notably Europe’s new science that had once intrigued the
Chinese ruling classes.”(582)
·
Cast out missionaries (pope’s papal bull condemning the missionaries’
participation in rites in China); ban on missionaries by Kangxi emperor; closed churches,
expelled Jesuits
·
Europe: more open to learning; internal diffusion mechanisms (spread of
knowledge) printing press and circulation of scientists in Europe
·
European intellectuals: convinced their culture was superior (ethnocentricity) and
“discovered a set of universal laws that applied to everyone, everywhere around the
globe” (582)
3.
What made Europe a hub for new knowledge? “embraced an increasingly
‘enlightened age’”
·
Fighting over regional mastery by scrambling overseas (582)—more open to
learning
·
More incentive because needed to make up ground they had lost
·
Internal diffusion mechanisms for practical and theoretical discoveries (printing
press; circulation of scientists led to competition and sharing breakthroughs)
4.
Enlightenment philosophes:
·
Power of reason to criticize and improve institutions
·
Not just accept oppressive government, religious superstition and irrational social
inequitiesrely on reason
·
Distrusted institutions and conventions—societies governed by applying reason
and natural laws, not tradition
·
Social contract (WT/WA 584)
5.
Voltaire is described as being a deist. Explain the concept and why it was a
departure from the traditional outlook. On p. 301, it says “Voltaire translated the
irresponsible rationalism of his circle into a serious world view. His earliest
successes, ostensibly remote from theological concerns, are the work of a deist
whose rationalist religion is more than a game.”
2.
Explain: “Starting in the mid-eighteenth century, the European window on
China and the Chinese window on Europe were closed. China turned away from
European contact, most notably Europe’s new science that had once intrigued the
Chinese ruling classes.”(582)
·
Cast out missionaries (pope’s papal bull condemning the missionaries’
participation in rites in China); ban on missionaries by Kangxi emperor; closed churches,
expelled Jesuits
·
Europe: more open to learning; internal diffusion mechanisms (spread of
knowledge) printing press and circulation of scientists in Europe
·
European intellectuals: convinced their culture was superior (ethnocentricity) and
“discovered a set of universal laws that applied to everyone, everywhere around the
globe” (582)
3.
What made Europe a hub for new knowledge? “embraced an increasingly
‘enlightened age’”
·
Fighting over regional mastery by scrambling overseas (582)—more open to
learning
·
More incentive because needed to make up ground they had lost
·
Internal diffusion mechanisms for practical and theoretical discoveries (printing
press; circulation of scientists led to competition and sharing breakthroughs)
4.
Enlightenment philosophes:
·
Power of reason to criticize and improve institutions
·
Not just accept oppressive government, religious superstition and irrational social
inequitiesrely on reason
·
Distrusted institutions and conventions—societies governed by applying reason
and natural laws, not tradition
·
Social contract (WT/WA 584)
5.
Voltaire is described as being a deist. Explain the concept and why it was a
departure from the traditional outlook. On p. 301, it says “Voltaire translated the
irresponsible rationalism of his circle into a serious world view. His earliest
successes, ostensibly remote from theological concerns, are the work of a deist
whose rationalist religion is more than a game.”
·
Deism or “the religion of nature” was a form of rational theology that emerged
among “freethinking” Europeans in the 17th and 18th centuries. Deists insisted that
religious truth should be subject to the authority of human reason rather than divine
revelation.
6.
Diderot referred to Voltaire as his ‘sublime, honorable, and dear
Anti-Christ.’ Explain. (302) Why was Voltaire’s work burned? In what way was
deism “a naturalistic religion?” (303)
·
Modern Lucretius who defies a cruel God
·
Blasphemous pamphlets (man born for action); “what shall we put in the place of
Christianity?”
·
“Ecrasez l’infame” 302 (crush the loathsome thing i.e. the church) became battle
cry
·
Voltaire: “Every sensible man, every honourable man, must hold the Christian
sect in horror.” 302
·
Old and New Testament—collection of childish absurdities and irreconcilable
contradictions
7.
What was the philosophy behind deism?
·
·
·
·
·
God as great clock-winder—created universe, then stepped back
Not support organized religion
Rejected Trinity; miracles of Eucharist and Virgin birth
God disinterested in the world (made prayer useless)
Way to reconcile perfect God with imperfect world
8.
Voltaire provides an analogy to explain his deist outlook. Explain/unpack
(305)
·
Ant-hill
·
Family metaphor
9.
Explain Voltaire’s assertion: “Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but
certainty is an absurd one” (306).
-discomfort of not knowing something for certain a condition that we have to live with; looking to
lock self into a definition/idea when seek certainty (not how the world works); simplistic
1.
Bishop Bossuet outlines how society preserves order (why we don’t all kill
each other). Explain Bossuet’s logic when he says “By means of government each
individual becomes stronger” (308).
·
Social contract (“All the forces of the nations concur in one and the sovereign
magistrate has the right to reunite them.”)
·
Nation’s obedience to magistrate
·
Individual has “invincible defender…”
·
Incentive to preserve by force all individuals of a nation…” (308)
2.
On p. 308 Bossuet describes the logic of the social contract. Explain and
list the concrete ways he speaks about the social contract.
·
Origin as a pact; solemn treaty
·
Men agree together (accept authority of princes)
·
“authority of the laws depends on the consent and acquiescence of the people”
308
·
Relationship between authority and tradition
·
Aligns the throne (monarchy) with God and natural authority
·
“All men are born subjects: and paternal authority which accustoms them to
obey, accustoms them at the same tie to have only one chief.”
3.
Explain the logic behind the analogy in which Bossuet compares the family
to the state. (309)
·
King takes God’s place
·
Royalty and paternal power "kings are modeled on fathers”
·
Under single leader (parallel to God)
·
“obligation to care for the people is the foundation of all the rights that sovereigns
have over their subjects” (309)
4.
The English Bill of Rights outlines the framework for a constitutional
monarchy. What are the features of this new form of government? (hint: look at
the way that power is described)
·
Parliament authority over monarchy (Pretended power…without consent of
parliament is illegal)
·
“pretended power” (execution of law by regal authority—illegal)
·
Parliament must consent use of money
·
Subjects right to petition the king
·
Army’s existence dependent on “consent of parliament”
·
Free speech in parliament
5.
Characterize the tone of Don Quixote. What does the omniscient narrator
think of him? Provide concrete examples.
· Spent majority of his money on fancy food and clothes (3/4 of income)
· Big reader of “knight errantry” (disconnected him from the world) read books of
chivalry (“so odd and foolish” 311)
· Don Quixote’s attitude towards rhetoric (in contrast to Bacon) “(Feliciano de
Silva’s “brilliant style and those complicated sentences seemed to him very pearls…”
· “In short, he so buried himself in his books that he spent the nights reading from
twilight till daybreak and the days from dawn till dark…his brain direct up and he lost
his wits…” 311
· “so deeply did he steep his imagination in the belief that all the fanciful stuff he
read was true, that to his mind no history in the world was more authentic.”
· “utterly wrecked his reason…strangest fancy that ever a madman…” 312
· Absurdity of his armor (and the headpiece)