Expansion of Land-Based Empires
Unit 3: c. 1450-1750
Main Ideas:
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Empires used gunpowder and military strength to establish large empires
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Political & religious disputes led to rivalries between various states & empires
The Use of Gunpowder
Many Land-Based Empires Used Gunpowder to Establish their Rule
Key Ideas:
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The Ottomans, Mughals, and Safavids (known as the Gunpowder empires) used gunpowder to establish their rule & conquer more territory
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The Russian empire also used gunpowder, but to a lesser extent
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Other empires used military strength to capture more territory
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All European empires were heavily armed and engaged in wars with one another
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Some empires in East Asia used military strength to remain isolationist from European influence
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Ming & Qing Dynasties of China and Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan used military strength to protect their empires from European influence
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A Mughal soldier on horseback using a gun with gunpowder

Imperial court guards of Emperor Shah Jahan. Similar military troops were used by the Mughals to establish & maintain their rule

Rivalries Between States
Political & Religious Disputes often led to Rivalries Between Empires
Key Ideas:
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Empires often fought each other for territory
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Mughals & Safavids fought each other from 1649-53 over territory in Afghanistan
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Russia fought Sweden in the Great Northern War (1700-1721) to gain territory on the Baltic Sea
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The Saadi Dynasty (from Morocco) defeated the Songhai Empire in 1591 as the Moroccans wanted control of gold mines in the Songhai Empire
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