What are important factors accounting for early human mobility - Essay Example

History and Political Science Topic: Various (up to 19th century What are important factors accounting for early human mobility? At present, mobility is the basic and essential feature of human growth. It has been long ago that human being have conquered over the natural barriers by space and distance factor with advanced and modifies transportation facilities. Hitherto, at present the political boundaries are the only consideration that abstain human mobility. The main reason of human mobility Pertains to the fact that the world distribution to opportunities is extremely unequal, which plays a major role in the element of human mobility. The other contributing factors include the search of suitable freedom, incentives and feasible which can be considered most important factors accounting for human ability. 2. What similar features of early Eurasian civilization can be identified? Eurasia is the collective history of distinct peripheral coastal areas that share major contribution in human development on the grounds of distinct trade routes that interconnects diversified continental masses. The various cultural, social and tradition features of these distinct regions were similar in nature because of the regular migration of people around the board and regular intersection with trading activities. Precisely, the even development on the same pace at the distant regions in religious, technological and philosophical aspects can be regarded the uniform feature of the early Eurasian civilizations. 3. What development enabled China to be the global leader from the 6th to 13th century? Since ancient times China possess features that add to the strength of the country in attaining global recognition. The first and the foremost point that worth to be mentioned is the strong security (land and maritime) with rapid development of technology because of overwhelming political unity of the place that strengthened the overseas exploration ability of the region. The steady advancement in agricultural and commercial with a strong maritime technology and policy can be regarded as the main characteristics that lead the foundation of global leadership in support of the region. 4. Compare development in the Chinese and Roman Empires during the classical period. The classical period is the era between 1000 BCE- 500 CE. The Roman Empire in this era got rid of Triumverate when Octavius (Augustus) Caesar defeated Mark Antony and Cleopatara. On the onset of the first Empire of Rome Octavius was given the name of Augustus or the revered. In his period the Empire expanded to the regions of Egypt, Northern Spain, and throughout much of central Europe. In his period Augustus succeeded in refrain the 100 years civil war, settled in place pax Romana and conquered over the political chaos by spreading peace in his era. While, on the other hand the Chinese Empire was also service its first emperor by the name of Shi Huangdi who was the founder of Qin Dynasty and a rigidly strict emperor. The first form of government was introduced in his era along with Qin dynasty that further modified the cultural and political aspect of the nation. The most evident a product of this era is “The great wall of China”. 5. What elements of their faith and what characteristics of the civilization allowed Islamic people to acquire central role in World history by 1200 CE. The era around 1200 CE is calculated in the post classical period. This period is marked by the spread of Islam in Asia, Europe and Africa. The political and cultural aspects of Islamic civilization were the main element that grabbed the attention internationally. The preaching of Islam guided in brining the economic stability with the characteristics of vibrant intellectual and logical element. Furthermore, the spirituality of the civilization and scholars were greatly appreciated and absorbed in the culture of Western Europe. 6. Discuss developments during the millennium 500- 1500CE, which on the one hand destabilize and on the other, stabilizes regions of Eurasia once part of Roman Empire? The era of the millennium 500- 1500 CE is marked by major geographical adjustments and exchange of language, history, custom and culture by the means of art, architecture, music, dance and writings. Technologies were discovered so as to share and exchange knowledge. Although this cultural integration was a sign of cultural stability but this intermingling destabilized the original features of the regions of Eurasia which became more a history after the political, social, geographical and economic alignment of the world in the broad spectrum. 7. Describe and account for the rise and decline of a world system operating in Eurasia before 1500. The world system operating in the region of Eurasia, as illustrated above comprises of distinct trade routes. Hence, the advancement in the macro economics of the world altogether changed the focus from trade to capital intensive production, raw material extraction and skill development. The sudden onset of the major change in the socio economic conditions changed the approach of the world system from trade off to production. Therefore, the regions of Eurasia after the period of rise of tradeoff twisted towards decline with the fall in trade and reduction in interconnection because of self sufficient juncture of other economies. 8. Account for Western Europe’s transformation before. 1600 noting developments which subsequently disposed its people to venture abroad. The period before 1600 in Western Europe is marked by rapid development of technology and cultural changes which were until than in a still state because of continuous involvement in war with neighboring countries. However, the Atlantic trade and institutional developments brought the major social transformation. These developments were subsequently followed by disposition of people to venture abroad because of capitalist development driven by the interaction of the late medieval institutions and the economic opportunities offered by “Atlantic Trade” 9. What were the causes of the decline of early modern Islamic empires? The early modern Muslim empires had sufficient internal reasons for destruction, but their demise was made more certain by a common ignoring of the rising European threat. Little effort was made to incorporate European technological advances. The failure to meet the European challenge weakened the economic base of their empires as revenues and profits were drained off by foreigners. Importation of European bullion brought damaging inflation. Muslim leaders and scholars ignored these trends and caused serious difficulties for the world of Islam in the future. 10. Compare and contrast the political Organization of Qing China and Tokugawa Japan. What accounts for their political differences? Japanese government during the Tokugawa Period, while much more centralized than in previous periods, did not approach the level of unity found in China. The Emperor was technically head of government, being the Son of God, but had little real power. Instead, the Shogun controlled the government from his castle in Edo. However, much of the Shogun’s power was limited by the fact that the Daimyos still controlled their own armies. The Shogun had the largest individual army, but the combined armies of the Daimyo’s greatly outnumbered his own. Thus, the Shogun merely suggested methods of governing to the Daimyo’s and left it to them to implement the actual governing. Thus, Japan, while no longer a feudal government, was more an alliance of Daimyos then a single country. The Bakufu, or bureaucracy, took the place of the Chinese civil service system, but had no similar testing methods. 11. Compare and contrast the empires forged by Spain and Portugal in Americas in 16th and 17th century. In the 15th century Portugals systematic drive southward along the west coast of Africa, seeking trade with India, rekindled European interest in finding the as yet undiscovered Terra Australis. Portuguese mariners may have charted the east coast of the continent in as early as the 16th century, but they preferred to concentrate on India, East Africa, and Southeast Asia. Australia remained undiscovered by the West for other reasons as well. One was that the continents location was off the Oceanic-island trading corridor of the Indian and South Pacific oceans. In addition, the winds in the southern hemisphere tend to veer northward in the direction of the equator west of Australia, whereas east of the continent the strong head winds discourage sailing into them. In the 16th and early 17th centuries, Spain, having established its empire in South and Central America, began a series of expeditions from Peru into the South Pacific. Encouraged by the discovery of the Solomon Islands (northeast of Australia) by varo de Menda de Neira in 1567, Spanish New World officials launched several expeditions in hopes of finding gold. After the failure of these voyages to find either precious minerals or significant new landmasses, Spain abandoned its interest in Terra Australis after 1605. Hence, the difference of the conduct of two empires is that of power and objectivity. 12. Compare and contrast the examples of political theories and practices evident around Eurasia in the early modern period. The political theories and practices were of great significance in the early modern period. The most utilized was the Hunting theory which was also called Royal hunt. In this practice hunting was used as a political tool across three continents with multi dynamics political uses and there transmission over the wide area. Hunting parties were assembled to tour the land of magnates. A scholar by the name of Allen in his book “The Royal Hunt in Eurasian history” mentions that, “Royal hunt become such an indispensible tool that it was only with the advent of popular government in the twentieth century that the rulers had to find new means of expression to meet the challenging political standard. 13. By what means and ideas did western Europeans came to dominate and extend established long distance trade network during the late early modern period. Using technology and skills developed in transoceanic navigation, the Europeans captured the Asian shipping trade. European vessels transported Japanese copper to China and India, Indian cotton textiles to southern Asia, and Persian carpets to India. Trade in certain staple commodities grew with incredible speed. Imports of tobacco into England from Virginia and Maryland, for example, increased more than a thousand fold in the 17th century. As long-distance trade continued to grow, new forms of commercial organizations appeared. At first, informal associations gave way to legal partnership. In Holland, for example, it was not uncommon after 1500 that shareholders, rather than captains, be the proprietors of ships. Shareholding broke down the social barriers among different classes of merchants and enabled individuals to divide their goods among ships destined for different ports. No longer was international trade limited to those who could afford to travel. After the 16th century, the chartered trading company replaced the temporary partnership as the customary way for merchants to organize their affairs. These great companies, created by the state but privately owned and managed, held national monopolies over trade with certain regions. 14. Describe and account for the role Africans played in the economic development of the Atlantic basin in the 17th and 18th century In The Rise and Fall of the Plantation Complex: Essays in Atlantic History, Curtin offered an even more ambitious analysis of the integrated Atlantic basin. In this work, the slave trade figured alongside the trade in sugar and other commodities, the development of transportation technologies, and the emergence of capitalism as agents that intricately intertwined the lives of all the peoples of the Atlantic world. Thus Curtins comparative economic and social history helped to identify the integration of the Atlantic basin as a prominent process of the early modern world. 15. What element of the social order of the Islamic empires fostered continuity and made for stability? Which contributed to change and instability? Muslims believe that the Koran contains the actual word of God as revealed to Mohammed because the Koran could never be translated the spread of Islam created a great deal of linguistic unity among the Arabs. The central theme of Islam is monotheism that of Allah. Islam recognizes that there were prophets before Mohammed and even recognizes Jesus but the last and the greatest prophet is Mohammed. Mohammed is not a god and is not the son of Allah, but simply a man that Allah spoke through. Those who follow Allah’s rule upon death will receive entrance into paradise, an oasis of love. But those who do not will be cast into hell. Besides being a religion Islam was a system of government, law and society and the Islamic community was an excellent example of a Theocratic state, where all power resides in God, and in whose behalf political, religious and other forms of authority are exercised The above preaching of Islam determine a standard social order but the disputes on the interpretation the words of Koran became the major conflict point of muslims resulting into change and instability. 16. Describe and account for the transformation in the social order of Europe in the early modern period (which part of Europe)? The social order in the early modern period comprised of chaos encompassing revolution and reformation on religious conflicts. During the wars of religion in France, festivals were particularly likely to turn violent. A Romans in Dauphiné, the dances and masquerades organized by one of the ‘kingdoms’ for the Carnival of 1580 carried the message that ‘the rich men of the town had enriched themselves at the expense of the poor, and the occasion turned into a massacre, first in town and then in the countryside, where the local gentlemen ‘went hunting through, the villages, killing the peasants like pigs’, Examples can easily be multiplied. At Dijon in 1630, the Carnival developed into a riot in which the wine-growers took the lead. The great revolt of Catalona began on the day of one of the greatest of Spanish festivals, Corpus Christi. There was a serious riot in Madrid on Palm Sunday 1666. It is hardly surprising to find that members of the upper classes often suggested that particular festivals ought to be abolished, or that popular culture was in general need of reform. 17. Describe and account for the differences in the social structures of Brazil and Mexico in the early period The important variation of the social structure of Mexico and Brazil includes By the eighteenth century the intellectual standards, economic power and social influence of the Jesuits was unmatched. Their economic power derived from enormous plantaions in the central valley of Chile, ranches in the River Plate region and large city and rural estates in Peru and Mexico. There were Jesuit owned workshops in Paraguay, Peru and Ecuador, and mining interests in the Chaco area of New Granada, now Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela and Panama. On the other hand, Brazil comprised of model communities of indigenous peoples with prime features distinct ethnic groups possessing substantial persuasive roles and functions of tribal communities. 18. Compare and contrast the social organizations of King China and Tokugawa Japan China and Japan had opposite responses to the new power balance and the new imperialism: China resisted the West and Japan transformed itself into a major industrial power. China, devastated by the Taiping Rebellion (1850-1864) turned inward and started the “self-strengthening movement” trying to reform government spending and corruption The emperor of Japan had no real power. Power rested in the hands of the military leader called the shogun The Tokugawa Shogunate began in the 1600s. Its biggest weakness was the inability to resist foreign invasion, so Japan closed its borders to foreigners. Anyone leaving the country or allowing someone in could be killed In 1853 Matthew C. Perry (navy) arrived in Japan and gave them one year to decide to open their ports, sparking a crisis in the country—accept foreign influence or no? In 1858 the Treaty of Kanagawa was written on the model of the unequal treaties between the West and China. Japan didn’t want to repeat the mistakes of China and the opium war. 1868 rebels overthrew the Tokugawa Shogunate and declared Mutsuhito emperor “restored” or Meiji Restoration. The Meijis wanted to protect Japan from imperialists so tried to become rich with a strong army. The wanted to embrace foreign ideas, institutions and techniques—German government and army, British navy, etc Once government-owned industries in Japan became profitable they were sold to private investors Japan’s plan for imperialism included controlling a “sphere of influence” to include Manchuria, Korea, and part of China They had to fight Russia for Manchuria in 1904-1905 and won—it stunned the world that Asians had beaten Europeans. Boxer Uprising 1900: a series of riots against the foreign presence in China—the Dowager Empress supported the uprising but didn’t back it up with an army. The European powers were able to block the Boxers (Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists) but nationalism grew in China. 19. In what ways was the scientific revolution of the early modern period in western Europe revolutionary a big increase in Europeans moving overseas was due partially to a lower death rate Great Britain controlled most of the world’s trade and finances by 1900 Cities changed: railroads with regular schedules brought food and commuters, police and fire departments were created, city planning became more common, and improved sanitation/lower death rates Middle class: exhibited wealth in fine house, servants, and elegant entertainment 20. In what ways did enlightenment thought challenged the establish order of Europe in the 18th century. rules of behavior and family where the home was idealized as a peaceful and loving refuge a code of morality that England considered universal men and women belonged in “separate spheres”; the home was the sphere of the woman, the business/work world for men Families were considered middle class if they employed at least one full time servant New household technologies were invented to help women keep the house clean, but it really meant more work as standards of cleanliness were raised. Women could sometimes work in businesses if there was a typewriter and telephone—those were suitable tasks for women (actually, women were cheaper to hire) Teaching was a good female profession because it was an extension of their motherly duties at home Women who felt unsatisfied at home worked as volunteer social workers or nurses, organized reform movements, worked for women’s suffrage. Urban industrial women had to earn extra money for the house if needed, as well as taking care of house/children Working class women could support their families by sewing, doing laundry for people, taking in boarders, or doing service/factory work—not teaching—that was for singles 21. How could Confucian scholar and Voltaire differ in dealing with social problems and social organizations? The dealing of the Confucian scholar with social problems and organizations is entangles with the concepts of order, hierarchy and deference including specific injunctions to obey the emperor. Bureaucracy is discourages on accusation of political instability and the onset of undue power allocation. However, on the contrary, Voltaire perception did not support emperor blaming him more theoretical than practical. As a humanist, Voltaire advocated religious and social tolerance, but not necessarily in a direct way. 22. Discuss old and new elements in the world economics systems which have evolved by the end of the early modern period. Development of world economic system was the most influential idea of the 19th century nationalists wanted to realign national boundaries to fit religious and linguistic divisions (one ethnicity = one country) A famous 19th century nationalist was Giuseppe Mazzini—he wanted to unify Italy, which was still just a bunch of states Liberalism was an ideal growing at this time. It believed in the sovereignty of the people, the need for a constitutional government, freedom of expression, and the need for a national government/parliament Conservatism was still powerful: the Revolutions of 1848 were ethnic revolutions that were unsuccessful and conservatism won; taught politicians they couldn’t keep people out of politics forever Read More