Changes

===China’s Role in the Age of Exploration===

===China’s Role in the Age of Exploration===

In the East, under the Ming dynasty, Emperor Yongle sent a band of explorers led by “Zheng He” throughout parts of southern Asia, Persia, Arabia and Africa.  The crew of over 28,000 men embarked on seven naval expeditions in the Indian Ocean from 1405 to 1423 and as a result, trade with East Africa began.  However, by the 1430s, Mongol raids caused the Chinese to withdraw from exploration for the time being, and instead spend their time and money on defenses such as repairing the Great Wall.  

In the East, under the Ming dynasty, Emperor Yongle sent a band of explorers led by “Zheng He” throughout parts of southern Asia, Persia, Arabia and Africa.  The crew of over 28,000 men embarked on seven naval expeditions in the Indian Ocean from 1405 to 1423 and, as a result, trade with East Africa began.  However, by the 1430s, Mongol raids caused the Chinese to withdraw from exploration for the time being, and instead spend their time and money on defenses such as repairing the Great Wall.  

The Ming dynasty thereby retreated from the world stage, mostly in order to strengthen Chinese defenses against Mongol threats.  Beijing became the capital of China, and eventually the Ming rulers began to retreat even more completely from the outside world, living in an elaborate Beijing palace known as the “Forbidden City.”  When a devastating famine occurred in China, the rulers were living extravagantly in their secluded palace and cared little for the plight of the peasants.  The people of China revolted, and in 1644, the Ming Dynasty was replaced with the Qing, made up of the Manchu peoples.   

The Ming dynasty thereby retreated from the world stage, mostly in order to strengthen Chinese defenses against Mongol threats.  Beijing became the capital of China, and eventually the Ming rulers began to retreat even more completely from the outside world, living in an elaborate Beijing palace known as the “Forbidden City.”  When a devastating famine occurred in China, the rulers were living extravagantly in their secluded palace and cared little for the plight of the peasants.  The people of China revolted, and in 1644, the Ming Dynasty was replaced with the Qing, made up of the Manchu peoples.   

Under the Qing dynasty, marriage between members of the Chinese and Manchurians was forbidden, and the official spoken language remained Chinese.  Female infanticide occurred, as well as the practice of binding the feet of rich girls and, increasingly, middle class girls also.  The primary philosophy was Neo-Confucianism, a mixture of Buddhism and traditional Confucianism.  Jesuits attempted to evangelize China, but were not very successful.  At this time all Catholic liturgical services were required to be in Latin, a language that did not fit well with the very different Chinese culture.  Nevertheless, a Jesuit presence in China contributed to the exchange of ideas and technology between the East and the West.  

Under the Qing dynasty, marriage between members of the Chinese and Manchurians was forbidden, and the official spoken language remained Chinese.  Female infanticide occurred, as well as the practice of binding the feet of rich girls and, increasingly, of middle class girls also.  The primary philosophy was Neo-Confucianism, a mixture of Buddhism and traditional Confucianism.  Jesuits attempted to evangelize China, but were not very successful.  At this time all Catholic liturgical services were required to be in Latin, a language that did not fit well with the very different Chinese culture.  Nevertheless, a Jesuit presence in China contributed to the exchange of ideas and technology between the East and the West.  

China did not withdraw completely from world trade during the Ming and Qing dynasties.  China continued to trade with the Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese and Dutch, mainly for silver, which had become the Chinese currency, and with the Russians for furs.  Under the Ming dynasty, beautiful blue and white porcelain was produced and exported.  The influence of the Ming vase spread throughout the Muslim and Christian worlds, as seen in Holland through the production of Delft pottery and in England, Wedgwood China.  Other Chinese exports included silk and tea, and imports consisted of spices, textiles and animal skins from Europe.  Maize, sweet potatoes and peanuts were brought over from the Americas and became popular crops in China.

China did not withdraw completely from world trade during the Ming and Qing dynasties.  China continued to trade with the Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese and Dutch, mainly for silver, which had become the Chinese currency, and with the Russians for furs.  Under the Ming dynasty, beautiful blue and white porcelain was produced and exported.  The influence of the Ming vase spread throughout the Muslim and Christian worlds, as seen in Holland through the production of Delft pottery; in England, Wedgwood China became the finest producer of china.  Other Chinese exports included silk and tea, and imports consisted of spices, textiles and animal skins from Europe.  Maize, sweet potatoes and peanuts were brought over from the Americas and became popular crops in China.

==Growth of Nation-States and Monarchs==

==Growth of Nation-States and Monarchs==