Chinese and European Exploration – Flashcards

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What is China's culture of complacency?
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China looked inward, a devotion to past ideas, respect for authority and a suspicion of new ideas. Believed they had nothing to learn from the "barbarians". China was a single nation.
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Economic reasons for Chinese exploration:
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Economic - Boost China's economy. Forged international alliances to create more markets for their goods.
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Political reasons for Chinese exploration:
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Political - Spread Chinese culture. Tribute system - give exotic gifts in return for Chinese protection.
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Social reasons for Chinese exploration:
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Social - Let the world know China is back. Shows the rest of the world how powerful and wealthy China was.
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What are the differences between Zheng He and Columbus' armada?
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1. Zheng He's fleet included 28,000 sailors on 300 ships, the longest of which were 400 feet. They could have 7 or more sails. They had double hulls that provided further support from sinking. 2. Columbus in 1492 had 90 sailors on three ships, the biggest of which was 85 feet long. 3. Chinese technology was far more advanced than European technology at that time.
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Asia's retreat into relative isolation after the expeditions of Zheng He amounted to a catastrophic missed opportunity, one that laid the groundwork for the rise of Europe and the West.
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"Catastrophic missed opportunity"
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1. The Chinese government had an inadequate system for collecting taxes. The spending of Yung-Lo's government greatly exceeded the tax revenue that could be collected. Debt is occurring because Yung-Lo is building a massive fleet of ships. 2. Northern nomads like the Mongols threatened China's security. They needed to fund the Great Wall instead 3. Neo-Confucian scholars held many important government posts. Neo-Confucian philosophy advocated the suppression of desire for worldly things. Trade was held in contempt. Particularly after Yung-Lo's death, the influence of the Neo-Confucian scholars grew. 4. The Chinese believed that each person had a duty to care regularly for the tombs of his ancestors. 5. Most Chinese believed that their civilization was superior to all others, that foreign goods were inferior to Chinese goods, and that there was little to be learned from foreigners.
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Reasons for the Chinese ending exploration
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What regions did Zheng He visit?
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Southeast Asia, Arabian Peninsula, East Africa, Indian Sub-Continent
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Country that pays tribute in the form of gifts (valuables) to another empire as acknowledgement of that nation's control or as payment for protection
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Tribute
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Castrated males who worked in China's royal court, as high ranking government officials, military leaders and ordinary servants (especially in harems).
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Eunuch
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Low bow expressing respect and submission to the Chinese emperor
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Kowtow
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Chinese believed that China was the "Middle Kingdom" located between the Heavens and the Earth. They were above all earthly kingdoms.
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Middle Kingdom
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Based on Confucianism, but with major revisions. What was practiced by scholars during the Ming Dynasty.
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Neo-Confucianism
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Judging other cultures by the standards of one's country. "Most Chinese believed that their civilization was superior to all others, that foreign goods were inferior to Chinese goods, and that there was little to be learned from foreigners."
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Ethnocentrism
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Facilitated trade among E. Africa, Persian Gulf, India, S.E. Asia and China. Zheng He traded in this region.
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Indian Ocean Trade Network
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Chinese Dynasty that drove the Mongols out of China. Ruled China from 1368-1644.
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Ming Dynasty
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A eunuch of Muslim descent, led seven expeditions that reached as far as Persia, Arabia, and eastern Africa. The fleet grew to 62 ships and as many as 28,000 men. It was a feared fleet throughout the China Sea and the Indian Ocean.
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Zheng He
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(Ming Dynasty emperor of China known as Yongle Emperor). It was during his reign that Zheng He's voyages took place. Emperor (1403-1424) maintained China's military position and extended the empire's strength to include a powerful navy.
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Yung Lo
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The 3 G's:
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1. Gold: Reach the spice lands faster and cheaper, establish trade routes 2. God: Spread Christianity to the world 3. Glory: To seek fame and fortune
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Economic motives for European exploration:
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1. New Products (acquire new spices like ginger, cloves, and cinnamon) 2. Gold and Silver 3. Better trade routes 4. Improvements in technology
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Political motives for European exploration:
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1. Create larger empires 2. Nationalism, show a nation's power
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Social motives for European exploration:
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1. Adventure and curiosity about exotic lands 2. Religion - Spread Christianity to new populations
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What were some hardships faced by sailors on explorations?
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1. Diseases were contracted from other sailors and ports while the crew were on shore leave. Food poisoning was common as was scurvy. 2. Suffering from malnutrition, malaria, and the flux after returning home.
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What is the Age of Exploration? Early 1400s-1600s
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European ships traveled around the world to search for new trading routes and partners to feed developing mercantilism in Europe. Encountered peoples and mapped lands previously unknown to them.
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Compare and Contrast European and Chinese Exploration:
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1. Europeans colonized the Chinese did not 2. Chinese expected tribute 3. Europe continued to explore, Chinese stopped exploring after Zheng He 4. Size of fleets, Chinese technology was superior at the time. 5. China wanted to show the world how powerful it was 6. Europeans wanted to spread Christianity 7. Europeans wanted to find products (Spices, etc.), Gold and silver.
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Why did Europeans benefit by using sea rather than land trading routes?
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Cost effective to sail to Asia for goods. Time is money.
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What made these explorations possible for the Europeans?
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1. Cartography - latitude and longitude introduced 2. Ship building - Smaller, faster, easy to maneuver. Could take advantage of winds no matter which way it blew. 3. Navigation tools - Compass and astrolabe 4. Weapons - Cannons, horses, guns, armor
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In the past used in navigation or calculating latitude
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Astrolabe
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Gold, Guts, Glory
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The 3 G's
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Portugal, Spain, England, France. Invest in exploration and military through more taxes. Sovereign state whose citizens are relatively homogenous in factors such as language or descent.
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Nation-State
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Added to a country's territory - opened new markets and more natural resources and wealth.
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Colony
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Person who enters a different culture to spread the tenets of his religion
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Missionaries
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Science of drawing maps
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Cartographer
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Fever transmitted by mosquitoes
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Malaria
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Lack of vitamin C in diet
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Scurvy
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Lack of proper vitamins in diet
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Malnutrition
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A country's economic strength depended on increasing gold supply by exporting more goods than it imports.
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Mercantilism
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Control by one country of the political, economic, or cultural life of another country or region.
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Imperialism
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Discovered the Pacific Ocean
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Vasco Nunez de Balboa
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Discovered the Americas. His voyages paved the way for European exploration
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Christopher Columbus
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First to reach continental lands in Americas
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Amerigo Vespucci
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Discovered first sea route to India
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Vasco de Gama
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First to sail around the world
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Ferdinand Magellan
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