Changing Social Hierarchies: Class and Race from 1450-1750

#AP World History: Modern - Social Hierarchies (1450-1750) 🌍

Hey! Let's break down how societies changed during this period. Get ready to ace that exam! 💪

#Changing Social Hierarchies

This unit is super important because it covers major shifts in social structures across the globe. Expect to see questions on class, race, and how they intertwined with power and economics.

• Key Idea: Class and race were major factors shaping social, economic, and political life. Let's dive in!

• Europe:

  • Rigid class structure from the Middle Ages persisted (nobility, clergy, commoners).
  • Growth of the merchant class challenged traditional structures, creating some social mobility.

• Americas:

  • Complex racial hierarchy created by European colonizers and the slave trade.
  • Europeans at the top, followed by mixed-race groups (mulattoes, mestizos), and then Africans.
  • Racial categories used to justify exploitation and maintain dominance.

• Asia:

  • Caste system in India continued to dictate social status based on birth.

#Gunpowder Empires 💣

• Quick Reminder: The big three gunpowder empires were the Ottoman, Mughal, and Safavid.

• Ottoman Empire:

  • Sultans at the top, granting favors to groups like soldiers.
  • Middle class included military, scholars, and bureaucrats.
  • Janissaries (military elite) gained power and sometimes challenged the Sultan.
  • Surprising religious tolerance for Jews and Christians (though they paid the jizya tax).
  • Many Jews expelled from Spain and Portugal migrated here, boosting the empire's power.

• Mughal Empire:

  • Under Akbar the Great, even more tolerance: abolished the jizya tax and supported Sikhism (a blend of Hinduism and Islam).
  • Women like Roxelana showed some social mobility, rising from slave to royal wife.

#China 🇨🇳

• Qing Dynasty (1644-1912):
  • Ruled by the Manchus, a minority group who conquered the Ming.
  • Manchu culture was pushed as dominant.
  • Queue hairstyle (long braid) was mandatory for men as a sign of submission.
  • Han Chinese faced intolerance; some even sided with the Qing to enforce the queue.

#Queue hairstyle. Image Courtesy of ziyadtheartnerd.wordpress

#Europe 👑

• Royal families gained wealth from trade and corruption.
• Nobility owned most of the land and had influence in Parliament but no power over the royals.
• Commoners often challenged the nobility.
• Louis XIV of France: “I am the state” – centralized power, kept it away from both nobles and commoners.

#Louis XIV

• Known as the Sun King, ruled France from 1643-1715. * Absolute monarch who centralized government and strengthened the monarchy.
• Oversaw French expansion and made France a major European power.
• Known for his lavish courts and support of the arts.

#Jewish Diaspora 🕍

• Increased anti-semitism in Western Europe during the 15th and 16th centuries.
• Expulsion of Jews from Spain by Ferdinand and Isabella led to migration worldwide.
• Sephardic Jews: Descended from Spanish Jews, migrated to North Africa and the Middle East.
• Ashkenazi Jews: Descended from Eastern and Central Europe.
• Both groups experienced a diaspora by the 20th century.
• The Enlightenment and Scientific Revolution led to some tolerance for Jews, but anti-Semitism persisted.
• Netherlands was particularly tolerant, attracting Jewish migration and involvement in finance.

#Russia 🇷🇺

• Similar social classes to Europe, but with continued serfdom.
• Boyars: Russian nobility, held significant political and economic power.
• Merchants below the Boyars.
• Peasants at the bottom, many forced into serfdom and tied to the land.

#The Americas 🌎

• Dramatic social changes due to European influx, Indigenous decimation, and the slave trade.
• Social classes based on race, unlike most of the world.
• British North America: Europeans, Natives, and African slaves remained mostly separate.
• Spanish and Portuguese colonies: Encouraged mixing to "whiten" society.
• New social classes based on race:
  • Peninsulares: Europeans born in Spain or Portugal (top).
  • Creoles: Pure European descent, born in the Americas.
  • Castas (mixed-race groups):
    • Mestizos: Mixed European and Indigenous.
    • Mulattoes: Mixed European and African.
    • Zambos: Mixed African and Indigenous.
    • Indigenous communities
    • African slaves (bottom).

#Final Exam Focus 🎯

• High-Priority Topics:
  • Racial hierarchies in the Americas.
  • The impact of global trade on social classes.
  • The role of religion and tolerance in empires.
  • The effects of the Enlightenment on social structures.
• Common Question Types:
  • Compare and contrast social hierarchies in different regions.
  • Analyze the causes and effects of social change.
  • Evaluate the impact of colonialism on social structures.
• Last-Minute Tips:
  • Time Management: Quickly identify the main point of each question. Don't get bogged down in details.
  • Common Pitfalls: Avoid generalizations; use specific examples. Don't forget the global context.
  • Strategies: Practice writing clear thesis statements. Use evidence to support your claims.

#Practice Questions

Practice Question

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Which of the following best describes the social hierarchy in the Spanish and Portuguese colonies in the Americas? (A) A rigid system based solely on wealth (B) A fluid system with significant social mobility (C) A complex racial hierarchy with Europeans at the top (D) A system based on religious affiliation

2. The Janissaries in the Ottoman Empire were primarily composed of: (A) Wealthy merchants (B) Religious scholars (C) Military elites (D) Peasant farmers

3. Which of the following best describes the impact of the Enlightenment on Jewish communities in Europe? (A) It led to the complete elimination of anti-Semitism. (B) It had no impact on Jewish communities. (C) It contributed to a greater tolerance but anti-Semitism persisted. (D) It led to increased persecution of Jewish communities.

Short Answer Question

Briefly explain ONE way in which the social hierarchies of the Ottoman Empire and the Mughal Empire differed during the period 1450-1750. Then, briefly explain ONE way in which they were similar.

Free Response Question

Analyze the social and economic changes that occurred in the Americas as a result of European colonization during the period 1450-1750. * Scoring Breakdown: * Thesis (1 point): A clear thesis that addresses the prompt. * Social Changes (2-3 points): Discussion of racial hierarchies, the casta system, and the impact on indigenous populations. * Economic Changes (2-3 points): Discussion of the plantation system, forced labor, and the role of mercantilism. * Evidence (2-3 points): Use of specific examples to support claims (e.g., peninsulares, creoles, the encomienda system). * Analysis (1-2 points): Explanation of how these changes impacted the social and economic landscape of the Americas. * Complexity (1 point): Demonstrates a nuanced understanding of the topic by considering multiple perspectives or making connections to broader historical processes.

Good luck! You've got this! 🚀