Part 1: Short Answer
Answer each question in this section. Each answer is
worth 5 points for a total of 50 points. Do not skip any of
the questions; each of the responses you provide will
help you respond to the essay that comes in Part 2.
1. Describe the voyages of Zheng He. How did he contribute
to the spread of Chinese culture?
From 1405 until 1433, on behalf of the Ming emperor, Zheng He had seven ocean voyages. He traveled from China to Southeast Asia. He traveled from India to the southwest coast of India. He also traveled to the Persian Gulf. He also traveled to the east coast of Africa. Through trade, Zheng He contributed to the spread of Chinese culture.
2. Why was Louis XIV of France the model for absolutism?
Louis XIV of France was a model for absolutism because his reign was a sovereign power or ultimate authority in France that rested in the divine right of the ruling king, Louis XIV of France.
3. Why was Timbuktu such an important center of West
African trade?
The key placement of Timbuktu where the Niger flows north and into the south of the Sahara desert, due to this perfect positioning, it became a trading post for Fulani, Wangara, Songhai and Arabs.
4. What was the importance of coffee houses in Islamic
society?
Coffee became important in Islamic society since alcohol and liquors are forbidden in Islamic culture.
Exxaamiinnaattiioonn
116 Essay Examination 1
5. How were non-Muslims treated under Islamic law?
Non-Muslims were not entrusted with policy-making under Islamic law.
6. What liberal principals were asserted when the
Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen was
proclaimed by the French National Assembly?
The declaration asserts the human and civil rights of French citizens.
7. What are the three reasons why the Industrial
Revolution began in Great Britain?
The Industrial Revolution began in Great Britain due to geography, labor supply, capital and markets.
8. What is meant by the concept of separate spheres?
Separate spheres is a biological differentiation concept for men and women. Men inhabit the public sphere and women the private sphere based on this concept.
9. What is nationalism and what impact did it have on the
Habsburg’s Austrian Empire?
The nationalism unites Austria. It resulted in a Catholic identity that was against the Protestant majority identity of Germany.
10. Who are the bourgeoisie and proletariat in Marxist
ideology?
Marx’s opinion is that the capitalist bourgeoisie took advantage of the underclass proletariat.
Part 2: Essay
For this section, write a minimum of two complete paragraphs
to earn the 50 points available. The information
you gained from answering the short answers in Part A
should be helpful to you in this essay. In addition, note
the word bank of terms below. You’ll receive 10 points
for your answer to the overall questions and 5 points
each for including the significance of the following terms
in your essay:
1. Henry the Navigator
In the 15th century, Henry the Navigator was important for politics in Portugal and helped to build the Portuguese empire. He is seen as building the Age of Discoveries. Born to John I and John I’s third child Henry the Navigator was involved in exploration and trade for Portugal. His main areas for trade were in maritimes and the Atlantic ocean and Western Africa.
Henry the Navigator convinced his father John I to overthrow Ceuta in 1415 which is a North African port that was Muslim. This port is across from the Straits of Gibraltar. Henry the Navigator discovered the trading port from the Saharan trading ports that terminated at Ceuta.
2. Spice trade
Trade between historical civilizations in Asia, Northeast Africa and Europe is what the spice trade refers to. Often this trading was done by boats to ports in these areas.
Cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and pepper were commonly traded during the spice trade. The spices were also used for business. Opium was also traded to the Eastern world.
3. Caravel
A Caravel is Portuguese for a sailing ship. These ships were created in the 15th century and used throughout the 15th century for trading purposes and for voyages by explorers.
The Portuguese would use these ships to discover for themselves West Africa and the Atlantic Ocean. The sails of the ship, known as the lateen, gave the boat its speed in waters.
4. Columbian Exchange
The Columbian Exchange involved biological and cultural exchanges between the New World and the Old World historically. This included exchanges of animals, plants and technology.
Diseases were also transferred and the Columbian Exchange is known to have completely changed forever the lives of Europeans and Native American people. Much of Native American culture was lost during this exchange.
5. Middle Passage
The Middle Passage refers to the slave ships that were used on the Westcoast of Africa to import African slaves to the New World. These slaves were forced to do manual labor for Europeans, as well as throughout North America.
During the Middle Passage, many Africans died due to the poor and cramped conditions on the slave ships. Once the slaves reached Africa, their lives were not harmonious in their new land either.
6. Mercantilism in reference to colonization
Mercantilism in reference to colonization is when a country would colonize a country in order to reap their resources, mostly natural resources. An example of this is when England colonized India.
When England colonized India, they took its jewels; one of them is in the crown of the Queen of England. They also took tea and this is why tea is popular in England.
7. The Scramble for Africa
The Scramble of Africa is European occupation of Africa to reap and rape Africa of its resources, its land and its peoples and its possessions. Many African countries are to this day trying to catch up economically from the trauma of The Scramble for Africa.
The Portuguese who colonized Guinea Bissau as an example would cut off the hands of Africans of that country as a form of punishment when the country colonized that country.
8. Quinine
Quinine is a medication that is used to treat malaria. Malaria is common in such places such as Africa. Malaria is usually carried by mosquitoes that spread this infectious disease that can lead to death.
Once someone is bitten by a mosquito that has malaria, this is how they would contract malaria. Malaria can be a potentially deadly disease. Quinine helps to treat malaria. However, usually it is people who have money and are of the bourgeoisie as Marx said earlier who can afford to pay for this drug on continents such as Africa.