An Age of Explorations and Isolation (1400-1800)

Confucian philosophy placed agriculture at the top of the social hierarchy, viewing it as the foundation of a stable state. Commerce was often viewed with suspicion as it was considered non-productive.

The Tokugawa social hierarchy followed a strict four-tier system: samurai, peasants, artisans, and merchants. The Emperor was the symbolic head, while the Shogun held actual political power.

Tokugawa Ieyasu established the Tokugawa Shogunate after the Battle of Sekigahara, effectively ending the Sengoku period and unifying Japan under a centralized military government.

The Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 was the decisive conflict that allowed Tokugawa Ieyasu to consolidate power and eventually become Shogun.

Oda Nobunaga marched on Kyoto in 1568 to support the Ashikaga claimant to the shogunate, effectively beginning his campaign to unify Japan.

Sengoku Jidai translates to the Warring States period, a time of near-constant military conflict and social upheaval in Japan.

Art in Ming and Qing China placed a very high premium on tradition, mastery of technique, and adherence to established classical styles rather than individualistic innovation.

Women in Ming and Qing China were largely relegated to the domestic sphere. While they managed households and educated children, they were generally excluded from performing public religious rituals, which were the domain of men.

The kowtow was a ritual of deep respect involving kneeling and bowing until the forehead touched the ground, required by the Qing court for foreign diplomats.

The Qing Dynasty was established by the Manchus, an ethnic group from the northeast who were viewed as outsiders by the Han Chinese majority.

The Forbidden City is a massive palace complex in Beijing that served as the home of emperors and the ceremonial center of the Chinese government for centuries.

The Yongle Emperor moved the capital from Nanjing to Beijing in 1421 to better defend the northern borders and consolidate his power.

Matteo Ricci was an Italian Jesuit priest who gained entry to the Ming court through his knowledge of science and mathematics.

While there were periods of restriction, Christian missionaries were present in China, most notably the Jesuits who were welcomed for their scientific knowledge.

Confucianism traditionally prioritized the scholar-official and the farmer, viewing merchants as parasites who profited from the labor of others without producing anything.

Zheng He's voyages were primarily diplomatic and tributary missions to demonstrate Ming power. While they reached India, they were not intended to establish commercial trade networks in the modern sense.

Hongwu was the founder of the Ming Dynasty and led the rebellion that expelled the Mongol Yuan Dynasty from China.

The Dutch East India Company and the English East India Company were the primary rivals that challenged Portuguese dominance in the Indian Ocean in the 17th century.

The Treaty of Tordesillas (1494) divided the newly discovered lands outside Europe between the Portuguese Empire and the Spanish Empire along a meridian.

Compasses, telescopes, and sextants were all vital navigational or observational tools for explorers. Forceps are surgical instruments.

The primary motivations for European exploration were religious (God), political/nationalistic (Glory), and economic (Gold).

Portugal, led by explorers like Vasco da Gama, was the first European power to establish a direct maritime route to the Indian Ocean.