Synonyms
More meanings
Tip: select a single word for meaning & synonyms.
Select multiple words normally to copy text.
Section C Introduction (Changing Traditions): NBSE Class 11 History
Get summary, textual answers, solutions, notes, extras, PDF to NBSE Class 11 (Arts) History (Themes in World History) Section C Introduction (Changing Traditions). However, the educational materials should only be used for reference and students are encouraged to make necessary changes.
If you notice any errors in the notes, please mention them in the comments
Summary
By the ninth century, large parts of Asia had witnessed the rise and expansion of empires. These empires, such as the Egyptian, Assyrian, Chinese, and Mauryan, were continental or transcontinental, much like the later Macedonian, Roman, and Arab empires. The Mongol empire also shared this scale.
Empires emerged unexpectedly, but their rise was the result of long-term changes in the core regions. In Europe, from the ninth to the seventeenth centuries, several modern developments took shape, such as scientific inquiry based on experimentation, improved government structures, and technological advancements in agriculture and industry. Outside Europe, these changes also had noticeable effects.
The disintegration of the Roman Empire by the fifth century led to its adaptation by new kingdoms in Europe. Despite smaller urban centres in western Europe, these areas were influenced by the Church and royal governments, which combined Roman institutions with tribal customs. The most prominent example of this was Charlemagne’s empire in the ninth century. Even after its fall, urban centres and trading networks survived.
Feudalism became prominent during this time, with land controlled by lords and worked by serfs who owed them loyalty. The Catholic Church, a major landowner, played a significant role in guiding people’s behaviour for a better afterlife. Monasteries were established, and the Church connected Europe with scholarly work that extended from Spain to Byzantium.
As Europe moved toward the Renaissance in the fourteenth century, interest in life and humanity grew. This period, influenced by Islamic and Greek art, spurred European creativity in art and literature. Encounters with other cultures, especially during trade and exploration, revealed the diversity of the world and exposed Europeans to new ideas and technologies.
Extra/additional questions and answers
1. What empires were continental or transcontinental in nature?
Answer: The Egyptian, Assyrian, Chinese, and Mauryan empires were continental or transcontinental in nature, whereas the Macedonian, Roman, and Arab empires were also continental or transcontinental.
2. What inspired Europeans to take a fresh look at the world during the Renaissance?
Answer: The example of Greek art and ideas brought to Europe through Byzantine trade, along with Islamic art and literature, inspired Europeans to take a fresh look at the world during the Renaissance.
3. Who was Hasan al-Wazzan, and what did he write?
Answer: Hasan al-Wazzan, later known in Europe as Leo Africanus, was a North African geographer and traveller who wrote the first geography of Africa for Pope Leo X in the early sixteenth century.
4. How did Jesuit churchmen contribute to the understanding of Japan?
Answer: In the sixteenth century, Jesuit churchmen observed and wrote about Japan, contributing to the broader European understanding of the country.
5. How did Europeans behave during their encounters in the Indian Ocean after Vasco da Gama’s arrival?
Answer: After Vasco da Gama’s arrival in Calicut, Europeans sometimes acted cautiously, self-effacing, and observant, while in other cases, they were overbearing, aggressive, and cruel.
Q. What role did the Catholic Church play in European encounters with other cultures?
Answer: The Catholic Church served as a hub for learning about other cultures and languages but also encouraged attacks on those it deemed to be ‘un-Christian’.
Q. How were Europeans viewed in much of the Islamic world, India, and China until the end of the seventeenth century?
Answer: Europeans remained a curiosity in much of the Islamic world, India, and China, viewed as tough traders and seamen with little to contribute to these cultures’ understanding of the world.
Q. What was the impact of diseases brought by Europeans to the Americas?
Answer: Diseases brought by Europeans devastated populations in the Americas, with over 90% of the population in some areas dying by the end of the sixteenth century.
Q. How did traditions in world history change during the period from the ninth to the seventeenth centuries?
Answer: During this period, traditions in world history evolved slowly, with developments in scientific knowledge, government organization, civil services, parliaments, codes of law, and improvements in technology.
Q. What happened to the Roman Empire in the west by the fifth century CE?
Answer: The Roman Empire in the west had disintegrated by the fifth century CE, with its remains gradually adapted to the administrative requirements of tribes establishing kingdoms in western and central Europe.
Q. What changes occurred in Western Europe’s countryside between the ninth and the eleventh centuries?
Answer: Between the ninth and eleventh centuries, Western Europe’s countryside underwent significant changes, including the hybridization of Roman institutions and tribal customary rules, as seen in Charlemagne’s empire.
Q. What was feudalism, and how did it operate?
Answer: Feudalism was characterized by agricultural production around castles and manor houses, where lords owned land cultivated by serfs, who pledged loyalty, goods, and services to the lords.
Q. What was the nature of the great empires in Asia by the ninth century, and how did they differ?
Answer: By the ninth century, Asia saw the rise of great empires, both nomadic and city-based, connected through trading networks. Examples include the Egyptian, Assyrian, Chinese, and Mauryan empires, which were either continental or transcontinental in nature. The Macedonian, Roman, and Arab empires were also continental or transcontinental, similar in structure to the Mongol Empire. The key difference between these empires lay in their foundations: some were based on nomadic traditions, while others relied on highly developed cities and trade routes.
Q. How did changes in attitudes toward life during the fourteenth century influence European society?
Answer: Changes in attitudes about life during the fourteenth century marked the beginning of the Renaissance, a period where people became less concerned with life after death and more focused on the wonders of life itself. This shift in perspective was especially pronounced among the wealthy in northern Italian towns. Greek art and ideas, along with Islamic art and literature, influenced Europeans to explore new ways of thinking and inspired a fresh look at the world. Artists, writers, and scholars in this period showed increased interest in humanity and the world’s discoveries, particularly in sculpture, painting, and literature.
Q. How did European travellers encounter and learn from other cultures during their journeys?
Answer: Throughout their journeys, European travellers encountered a wide range of cultures. They were often eager to learn from the people they met. An example is the papacy’s support of Hasan al-Wazzan, a North African geographer who wrote the first geography of Africa for Pope Leo X. Another example is the Jesuit churchmen, who in the sixteenth century observed and documented their experiences in Japan. Some Europeans, like Will Adams, developed strong relationships with foreign leaders, such as Tokugawa Ieyasu, the Japanese Shogun. Non-Europeans, such as Hasan al-Wazzan, sometimes took an interest in working with Europeans.
Q. What role did the Catholic Church play in promoting European attitudes during overseas encounters?
Answer: The Catholic Church played a significant role in shaping European attitudes during their encounters with other cultures. On one hand, the Church was a center for learning, providing knowledge about other cultures and languages. On the other hand, the Church also encouraged a sense of superiority among Europeans, endorsing attacks on those deemed ‘un-Christian.’ This dual role resulted in a mixture of cautious respect and aggressive condescension in European attitudes towards the people they encountered. Some Europeans were self-effacing and observant, while others were overbearing and dismissive of other cultures as ignorant.
Q. How did the Renaissance shift European attitudes toward life and the world?
Answer: The Renaissance, beginning in the fourteenth century, marked a significant shift in European attitudes toward life. People, especially the wealthy in northern Italian towns, became less concerned with the afterlife and more interested in life itself. This shift was partly influenced by Islamic art and literature, which emphasized respect for living things, and by the influx of Greek art and ideas through Byzantine trade routes. The Renaissance saw a renewed interest in the human experience and the world’s discoveries, inspiring artists, sculptors, painters, and writers. This period’s artistic and intellectual pursuits were grounded in a belief in the beauty of life, leading to great advancements in human creativity and expression. The movement spread across Europe, deeply affecting cultural and philosophical outlooks, as people increasingly embraced humanity’s potential.
Q. How did encounters with European travellers affect non-European cultures, particularly in Japan and the Americas?
Answer: Encounters with European travellers had a profound and varied impact on non-European cultures. In Japan, for instance, European technology, such as muskets, was quickly adopted, with the Japanese producing these weapons in mass quantities by the late sixteenth century. European knowledge, however, was met with limited interest in many regions, as Europeans remained a curiosity in the Islamic world, India, and China until the end of the seventeenth century. Conversely, in the Americas, the encounter was devastating. European diseases wiped out over 90% of the population in some areas by the end of the sixteenth century, leading to catastrophic consequences for indigenous societies. While some indigenous groups used Europeans to challenge the Aztec empire, the overall impact was one of destruction, disruption, and displacement for many native populations.
Q. Who explored the Sahara between 1350-75?
Answer: Ibn Batuta explored the Sahara between 1350 and 1375.
Q. When did the French peasants protest against high taxes?
Answer: The French peasants protested against high taxes in 1358.
Q. When did the Peasant revolt in Britain take place?
Answer: The Peasant revolt in Britain took place in 1381.
Q. What did Geoffrey Chaucer write in 1388?
Answer: Geoffrey Chaucer wrote The Canterbury Tales in 1388.
Q. When did the Black Death spread throughout Europe?
Answer: The Black Death, a form of plague, spread throughout Europe in 1348.
Q. When did the Portuguese begin slave trading?
Answer: The Portuguese began slave trading in 1442.
Q. When was the Songhai Empire established in West Africa?
Answer: The Songhai Empire was established in West Africa based on trading networks across the Sahara in 1471.
Q. When was the first printed book introduced in Europe?
Answer: The first printed book appeared in Europe between 1475 and 1500.
Q. What major event occurred in England in 1485?
Answer: The establishment of the Tudor dynasty occurred in England in 1485.
Q. When were African slaves first taken to America?
Answer: African slaves were first taken to work on sugar plantations in America in 1510.
Q. What major event took place in Egypt in 1517?
Answer: The Ottoman Turks conquered Egypt in 1517.
Q. When did Martin Luther attempt to reform the Catholic Church?
Answer: Martin Luther attempted to reform the Catholic Church in 1517.
Q. When did Babur establish Mughal control over North India?
Answer: Babur established Mughal control over North India in 1526.
Q. What construction was completed between 1632 and 1653 in India?
Answer: The Taj Mahal was constructed between 1632 and 1653 in India.
Q. When did Columbus reach the West Indies?
Answer: Columbus reached the West Indies in 1492.
Q. What major event happened in Mexico in 1521?
Answer: The Spanish conquest of Mexico took place in 1521.
Q. When did Magellan reach the Pacific Ocean?
Answer: Magellan, a Spanish navigator, reached the Pacific Ocean in 1519.
Q. When was New Amsterdam founded?
Answer: The Dutch founded New Amsterdam, now called New York, in 1626.
Q. What did Abel Tasman discover during his voyage?
Answer: Abel Tasman sailed around Australia, landed on Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania), and reached New Zealand, though he thought it was part of a larger landmass.
38. When were the first sugar plantations established in the West Indies?
Answer: The first sugar plantations were established in the West Indies in 1654.
Extra/additional MCQs
1. By which century had large parts of Asia witnessed the rise and expansion of empires?
A. Sixth
B. Eighth
C. Ninth
D. Twelfth
Answer: C. Ninth
2. When did the Roman Empire in the west disintegrate?
A. Second century CE
B. Fifth century CE
C. Seventh century CE
D. Tenth century CE
Answer: B. Fifth century CE
3. What was the name of the empire ruled by Charlemagne in the ninth century?
A. Byzantine Empire
B. Roman Empire
C. Mongol Empire
D. Holy Roman Empire
Answer: D. Holy Roman Empire
4. Which term describes the system where lords held land worked by serfs?
A. Capitalism
B. Feudalism
C. Socialism
D. Colonialism
Answer: B. Feudalism
5. In which century did the Renaissance begin, shifting focus toward life itself?
A. Twelfth century
B. Fourteenth century
C. Fifteenth century
D. Sixteenth century
Answer: B. Fourteenth century
Q. Who was the North African geographer who wrote the first geography of Africa?
A. Will Adams
B. Ibn Battuta
C. Hasan al-Wazzan
D. Vasco da Gama
Answer: C. Hasan al-Wazzan
Q. In what year did Vasco da Gama reach Calicut?
A. 1420
B. 1498
C. 1512
D. 1560
Answer: B. 1498
Q. Which European nation attempted to enforce trade monopolies in the Indian Ocean?
A. Spain
B. Italy
C. Portugal
D. France
Answer: C. Portugal
Q. Which Japanese leader was a friend of Englishman Will Adams?
A. Hideyoshi
B. Minamoto no Yoritomo
C. Tokugawa Ieyasu
D. Oda Nobunaga
Answer: C. Tokugawa Ieyasu
Q. By the late sixteenth century, which weapon had the Japanese begun mass-producing?
A. Cannons
B. Muskets
C. Swords
D. Crossbows
Answer: B. Muskets
Q. When did Ibn Batuta explore the Sahara?
A. 1358
B. 1368
C. 1342
D. 1350
Answer: D. 1350
Q. In which year did the Peasant Revolt occur in Britain?
A. 1337
B. 1381
C. 1358
D. 1453
Answer: B. 1381
Q. When did the Portuguese begin slave trading?
A. 1450
B. 1465
C. 1442
D. 1471
Answer: C. 1442
Q. When was the first printed book produced in Europe?
A. 1442
B. 1475
C. 1453
D. 1485
Answer: B. 1475
Q. When did the Ottoman Turks capture Constantinople?
A. 1521
B. 1498
C. 1453
D. 1517
Answer: C. 1453
Q. In which year did Vasco da Gama reach India?
A. 1498
B. 1503
C. 1526
D. 1485
Answer: A. 1498
Q. When did Babur establish Mughal control over North India?
A. 1498
B. 1526
C. 1534
D. 1519
Answer: B. 1526
Q. What year did Christopher Columbus reach the West Indies?
A. 1492
B. 1502
C. 1471
D. 1519
Answer: A. 1492
Q. In which year was the Taj Mahal constructed?
A. 1628
B. 1632
C. 1644
D. 1637
Answer: B. 1632
Q. When did the French explorers first reach Canada?
A. 1534
B. 1526
C. 1606
D. 1519
Answer: A. 1534
Q. What year did William Harvey demonstrate that blood is pumped through the body by the heart?
A. 1605
B. 1628
C. 1637
D. 1644
Answer: B. 1628
Q. When did the Songhai Empire in West Africa establish trading networks across the Sahara?
A. 1442
B. 1450
C. 1471
D. 1485
Answer: C. 1471
Q. In which year did the Spanish conquest of Mexico take place?
A. 1498
B. 1503
C. 1521
D. 1517
Answer: C. 1521
Q. When did the Manchu rule in China begin, lasting nearly 300 years?
A. 1603
B. 1644
C. 1637
D. 1654
Answer: B. 1644
Q. What year did Abel Tasman sail around Australia?
A. 1654
B. 1644
C. 1626
D. 1635
Answer: A. 1654
Q. When was the Dutch settlement of New Amsterdam, later called New York, established?
A. 1626
B. 1607
C. 1644
D. 1619
Answer: A. 1626
Q. What year did the Portuguese convert the king of Bokongo to Christianity?
A. 1453
B. 1465
C. 1475
D. 1485
Answer: D. 1485
Q. When did the Spanish conquest of Peru take place?
A. 1534
B. 1572
C. 1526
D. 1556
Answer: B. 1572
Q. When did the first sugar plantations in the West Indies get established?
A. 1654
B. 1644
C. 1635
D. 1662
Answer: A. 1654
31. When did Peter the Great attempt to modernise Russia?
A. 1682
B. 1700
C. 1644
D. 1635
Answer: A. 1682
