Modern World History

Ms. Portman

After you read the assigned section, you need to answer the following questions for that section in note form. You also need to come up with one significant question of your own and answer it. Be prepared for a homework check or a possible reading quiz each day.

The Muslim Empires

Assignment 1         420-421(Stop at Expansion), 425(Nature)-427(Stop at Religion)     Ottoman Empire

• What factors allowed the Ottomans to rise and expand their empire?

• What role did the Sultan have in the Ottoman Empire?

Assignment 2              427-429                                                                        Ottoman Culture

• Why could the Ottoman Empire be described as a tolerant society in the 16th century?

• Why do you think the sultans were “enthusiastic patrons of the arts?”

Assignment 3              434-439 (Stop at Impact)                                                        Mughal Empire

• Discuss the significance of the Taj Mahal.

• How did Aurangzeb’s rule differ from Akbar’s rule?

Assignment 4              439-444                                                                          Mughal Culture

• How did the European presence in India affect the Mughal political and economic system?

• Discuss some of the ways the Mughal Empire represented a blending of cultures.

The East Asian World

Assignnment 5            451-456 (Stop at Changing…)                                                   China

• How were the Manchus able to successfully rule China?

• How did the Manchus treat foreign traders?

Assignment 6              456-462 (Stop at Tokagawa)                                                  Chinese Culture

• Describe family life in China taking into account location and class.

• How is the Imperial City both similar and different from the Taj Mahal?

Making Connections

Assignments 1-4

Assignments 5-6

Outside Resources

“Is America an Empire?” by Bill Berkeley

“Shifting Sand: And Now, Islamism Trumps Arabism” by Michael Slackman

“Indian Emperor Akbar The Great - Relied On Tolerance And Justice to Build Stability For His Mughal Empire” by Scott Smith

Sayings of Confucius

Possible Essay Questions 

Two of these questions will show up on your test and you will choose to answer one.

• What qualities make for successful leadership of an empire?  Use concrete examples from the Ottoman, Mughal, and Qing Empires.

• Analyze the factors that contributed to the decline of the Ottoman, Mughal, and Qing Empires by the end of the 18th century.

• Discuss the significance of cultural expression in the Ottoman, Mughal, and Qing Empires.

Test Format

15 Multiple Choice (2 Points Each)