Unit 4 LEQs (Long Essay Questions)
1. Comparative LEQ:
Prompt: Compare the methods used by the Ottoman and Mughal Empires to govern their diverse populations in the period c. 1450–c. 1750.
Thesis Considerations:

• Both empires used bureaucratic structures and incorporated local elites into governance.
• The Ottomans employed the devshirme system and millet system, while the Mughals used religious tolerance policies, such as Akbar’s Din-i Ilahi.
• Differences may include the role of religious policies in governance and the reliance on military elites.

2. Causation LEQ:
Prompt: Evaluate the causes of Qing territorial expansion in the period c. 1450–c. 1750.
Thesis Considerations:

• The Qing expanded due to a mix of military conquest, economic motivations, and strategic consolidation of power.
• Military innovations, such as gunpowder weaponry, enabled territorial growth.
• Expansion was also influenced by threats from Central Asian nomads (e.g., Zunghars) and the need for buffer zones.

Religious and Cultural Developments, Military Innovations
3. Change and Continuity LEQ:
Prompt: Evaluate the extent to which religious tolerance changed in land-based empires from c. 1450 to c. 1750.
Thesis Considerations:

• Some empires (Mughal under Akbar, Ottoman under Suleiman) promoted religious tolerance, while others (Safavid under Ismail I) imposed religious orthodoxy.
• Over time, some empires shifted policies (e.g., Mughal Aurangzeb reversed Akbar’s policies).
• Despite some changes, many rulers used religion to legitimize rule throughout the period.

4. Causation LEQ:
Prompt: Evaluate the causes of military innovations in land-based empires from c. 1450 to c. 1750.
Thesis Considerations:

• Gunpowder technology (firearms, cannons) drove military advancements in the Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal empires.
• Competition among empires (Ottoman-Safavid rivalry, Qing expansion) encouraged military reforms.
• The need for strong militaries to control diverse populations and defend borders also led to innovations.

Transoceanic Interconnections (c. 1450–c. 1750)
5. Comparative LEQ:
Prompt: Compare the economic effects of European maritime empires in Asia and the Americas in the period c. 1450–c. 1750.
Thesis Considerations:

• European powers (Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, Britain) established trade networks in both regions, but the impact differed.
• In the Americas, economic systems like the encomienda and plantation agriculture reshaped economies and societies.
• In Asia, Europeans participated in existing trade networks (e.g., Indian Ocean trade) rather than fully controlling economies.

6. Change and Continuity LEQ:
Prompt: Evaluate the extent to which transoceanic trade networks changed from c. 1450 to c. 1750.
Thesis Considerations:

• The Columbian Exchange introduced new goods, crops, and diseases, drastically altering global economies.
• Silver trade (e.g., Potosí mines) linked Asia, the Americas, and Europe in a new global economy.
• Despite changes, Indian Ocean trade continued to thrive, with Asian merchants maintaining a strong presence.