Phenomena that Changed the World - Essay Example

Final essay Phenomena that changed the world Introduction Numerous world-changing developments that have taken place in the past half-millennium have shaped the current modern world. Some of the developments that have left a legacy of prosperity and steered the modern world include Zheng He’s voyages of 1405, the Spanish conquest of Americas and subsequent Cultural Revolution and finally the industrial revolution that started in Britain. This paper will discus the impact of three developments and their significance in the modern world. The impact of Zheng He’s Voyages One of the world developments that have shaped the current modern is Zheng He exploration around the world using wood boats. During the 15th century, China started attaining economic progress and Ming Dynasty and in July 1405 Emperor Cheng Zu encouraged a fleet to sail from Liujia Harbour near Suzhou on distance voyage in order to establish trade relations with other countries, explore trade linkages and look for treasures for luxuries (Jiang, 1997). Zheng He was charged with the command of the 62 ships and more than 27,000 men who included interpreters, clerks, soldiers, medical men, astronomers, and sailors. The ship cargo included gold and silver ware, copper utensils, iron implements, cotton goods, mercury, straw mats and porcelain (Getz & et al, 2009). According to Jiang (1997), Zheng He and his delegation undertook several expeditions between 1405 and 1433 in countries spread across Asia and Africa without colonizing those countries despite making great resource discoveries and China having immense power during that era. His trips strengthened foreign relations since more than 300 foreign envoys visited China and nine Kings from Southeast Asia countries visited China to establish trade agreements (Getz & et al, 2009). Zheng He voyages stimulated and inspired the development of foreign trade since more than 100,000 people travelled overseas during his expeditions. The voyages brought back large quantities of precious stones and animals such as lion, ostrich and giraffe and certain cultural aspects such as clapping hands and blowing trumpets. After the Ming Court ended the expeditions, the merchants from Guangdong and Fujian provinces took over and started risky voyages to Latin American countries like Mexico thus continuing the expanding overseas trade. His voyages inspired Ming Dynasty merchants and ultimately gave rise to the European capitalism of the 17th century (Getz & et al, 2009). Zheng He’s voyages contribute to shipbuilding and advancement in navigation technology since the largest ship was capable of accommodating more than 1,000 people. The expeditions led to development of Zheng He’s nautical charts and compass through the detailed use of the logbook of nautical charts that facilitated the development of navigation science. The fleets outpaced those led by Chistopher Columbus and Vasco da Gama since the boats had paddlewheels and he relied ion astronomical and geo navigation skills to reach other nations (Getz & et al, 2009). Zheng He also spread Chinese culture and civilization across Southeast Asia and African countries and some of the areas that the voyages impacted include ship building skills, agriculture, leechcraft and meteorology. Accordingly, Zheng He helped the people with well digging, road building and religion in the east coast of Africa due to his respectful welcome. Examples of his appreciation include statues in India, Sanbao Temple in Thailand and Sanbao caves in Indonesia. The expeditions enriched the geological knowledge of Chinese people, Southeast Asia and Africa including the mountains, rivers and harbors along North Indian Ocean, Red sea and Arabian Sea. In this regard, the voyages were generous to other nations and Ming government could not sustain the financial burden, but Ming’s Dynasty has attain their political goals of establishing trade relations with neighboring countries and dealing with pirates (Getz & et al, 2009). The voyages attained maritime navigation achievements and outside world was aware of the advanced culture and technology of China that paved way for advanced civilizations and diplomatic relations. Accordingly, Zheng He’s voyages left a legacy since the exploration, struggle for trade relations with conquering other nations and advancement in ship building skills paved way for international trade across the world (Jiang, 1997). Spanish conquest of Americas and cultural revolution Christopher Columbus exploration and discovery of Americas starting from 1492 left a legacy of prosperity since it facilitated European conquests and Atlantic trade. The first voyage of Columbus discovered Cuba, Sal Salvador and Hispaniola in Caribbean Islands and later discovered South and Central America. In 1492, Portugal and Spain signed the Treaty of Tordisillas that divided the world in to two hemispheres so that no nation could interfere with each other’s conquests and explorations (Getz & et al, 2009). Spain was assigned with the West hemisphere that consists of South and Central America. The Native Americas resistance to Spanish colonization led to deaths of about 90 percent of the Indians in the Caribbean’s by 17th century (Getz & et al, 2009). Spain exploited the land, labor and mineral wealth in the New World and used the resources to protect America with its powerful navy and finance warfare in Europe. Accordingly, European colonization of the new world brought along diseases such as influenza and smallpox that ravaged the native populations (Getz & et al, 2009). Columbus exploration and subsequent colonization of the New World led to propagation of Catholicism and discovery of precious metals. For example, the Colombian exchange brought European goods to New World including the horse and in return, the Old World received plants such as tomatoes, corn and potatoes (Getz & et al, 2009). However, the pineapples, turkey, maize, chilies, and chocolate went East across Atlantic Ocean and horses and guns were traded West (Getz, Hoffman & Rodriquez, 2009). The European side benefited more, but the exploration led to creation of additional 31 nation states to global community. The transformative process has helped in ensuring nations attain justice, freedom and equality (Getz & et al, 2009). The discovery paved way for forced migration and slavery in the plantations since the Europeans needed cheap labor to sustain the cotton and sugarcane production farms. More than 12 million African slaves were shipped from Africa to Brazil, Mexico, United States and islands in the Caribbean. The development led to change in the world ethnic composition thus leading to high number of immigrants in American and new ethnic groups due to intermarriages (Getz & et al, 2009). Although Spanish maintained to colonize only South and Central America, Spain later penetrated in to California and New Mexico later in 17th and 18th centuries and established Spanish institutions. Spain paved way for other European nations to enter in America and provided a model of trade with the colonies (Getz & et al, 2009). The Spanish conquest of the Americas led to a positive cultural impact since Spaniards converted the indigenous people to Catholicism and some forms of native expressions such as practices, forms and art were banned since they were considered as idolatry. Accordingly, the sculptures of gold and silver were melted and shipped to Spain (Getz & et al, 2009). In addition, the period witnessed learning of new languages such as Spanish, Italian and Portuguese in the new world and subsequent expansion of education systems that was guided by the Catholic Church. According, Europeans introduced the long-standing traditions and native Americans adopted Spanish art, architecture, astronomical and mathematical systems (Getz & et al, 2009). The industrial revolution in Britain and Africa The industrial revolution of the 18th and 19th century set a major milestone in the modern world since it led to new scientific discoveries, new working methods and growth of factors. The breakthrough was occasioned by institutional and social changes that led to growth of feudalism in the 17th century and population growth (Fernandez-Armesto, 2010). In addition, the financial resources received by Britain from the slave trade fueled industrial investment and increasing liberation of trade allowed the use of technology. The industrial revolution led to the discovery of iron-making techniques and mechanization of the textile industries. There was an agricultural revolution (Fernandez-Armesto, 2010). In the 18th century, Britain relied on animal, water, plant and human sources of energy, but the industrial revolution saw the establishment of new sources of energy for the factories such as steam and coal energy. The steam engine invention allowed the transformation of fuel in to mechanical work and coal or fuel was burned to heat water than turned in to steam thus turning the mechanical engine (Getz & et al, 2009). The industrial revolution spread from England to United States and first factory system appeared in Lowell and Waltham in 1820s in the textile industry. The American manufacturing system entailed mass production in power-driven machinery that had interchangeable parts, but they was minimal uniformity in the method and production layout across all industries (Fernandez-Armesto, 2010). Before the industrial revolution, people slept and ate depending on sun or moon patterns, but the revolution led to the invention of the clock as a standardized machine that controlled the working activities of individuals. The clock stimulated the development of other energy saving machines and standardized machines in the society. The period led to internal migrations to the cities and growth of the middle class society due to increase in employment opportunities in the factories and cotton mills. The pre-industrial society was more cruel since it entailed child labor and long working hours, but the industrial revolution led to reorganization of labor according to technical specifications and skills and child labor was abolished (Getz & et al, 2009). The industrial revolution contributed to population increase due to healthy families and higher income levels. The new system led to mass manufacturing of goods and better wages thus contributing to reduction of the overall prices and increase in the purchasing power of the population. The period was also marked by considerable economic growth, new development in financial sector and growth in market-based economic policies that facilitated exchanges (Fernandez-Armesto, 2010). The industrial revolution is a world-changing development since it led to increase in global trade and emphasis on efficiency in the production process. The period fueled the growth of capitalism ideals as evidenced by Adam’s Smith in the wealth of nations, since efficiency in the production process led to lower prices and higher innovation in the society (Fernandez-Armesto, 2010). The developments facilitated increased access to information and higher literacy levels due to invention of printing machines and expansion of newspapers and book publishing. The higher literacy led to higher political process participation, agitation for better wages and calls for end of slavery. According to Karl Marx, the industrial revolution led to the current separation of the owners and workers who do not poses the production process thus leading to labor rights and free mobility of labor due to the market-based wages. During the middle ages, the peasants owned the tools of production while artisans had their own workshops, but the industrial revolution created a large class of free workers that could offer their labor at market rates thus leading to separation of capital and labor in the production process (Getz & et al, 2009). The period has emergency of cities and urban areas due to concentration of people in factories and construction of good infrastructure near the cities. However, the period encountered negative effects such as pollution and overcrowding in the cities thus leading to respiratory diseases. The current global warming, changing weather patterns and advancements in manufacturing technology can be traced back to the industrial revolution (Getz & et al, 2009). Conclusion Several world-changing developments have taken place over the last millennium. The first development that has shaped the modern world is the Zheng He’s voyages that facilitated development of trade relations and discovery of Southeast Asia and Africa countries. Zheng He’s voyages contributed immensely to ship building technology and navigation skills due to the Nautical charts and compass that could offer geographical location of the ship. Accordingly, References: Fernandez-Armesto, F. (2010). The world: A history,vol 2. London: Penguin Academics. Getz, T., Hoffman, R & Rodriquez, J. (2009). Exchanges: a global history, vol 2. New York: Pearson. Jiang, J. (1997). Red Scarf Girl: a memoir of the cultural revolution. London: Palgrave Macmillan. Read More