AMSCO 4.7 Changing Social Hierarchies Notes
1 min read•october 3, 2023
📍Topic 4.7 Changing Social Hierarchies
📖 AMSCO p.251-260
Main Idea
Image Courtesy of Tien
Things to Know
Global Societal Transformations:
Internal and External Conflicts:
- Shaped social hierarchies globally.
- Varied treatment of minorities.
Europe
Treatment of Jews:
- Expulsions from England (1290), France (1394), Spain (1492).
- Ottoman Empire demonstrated relative tolerance.
Social Hierarchies:
- Evolving structures included royalty, nobility, merchants, artisans, and struggling lower classes.
- Discriminatory policies based on religion, ethnicity, and social class.
Worldwide Social Hierarchies
Distinctive Structures:
- Royalty, nobility, merchants, artisans, and lower classes.
- Discriminatory policies based on religion, ethnicity, and social class.
Gunpowder Empires
Ottoman Empire:
- Internal tensions, especially within the military elite.
- Janissaries gained power and prestige.
- The sultan's powers included the timar system.
- Relative tolerance toward religious minorities.
Qing Dynasty in China:
- Displayed intolerance toward the Han ethnicity.
- Required men to wear queues as a test of loyalty.
European States
Evolution of Social Structures:
- Challenges to the nobility from royalty, the middle class, and common people.
- Acceptance of Jews increased in the 17th century influenced by the scientific revolution and Enlightenment.
Russian Social Classes
Hierarchy Similarities:
- Mirrored historical tensions between rulers and nobility.
Americas
Social Changes:
- Drastic shifts due to European arrival, African slavery, and disease outbreaks.
- Establishment of a racial hierarchy through the Casta system in Latin America.
- Social status determined by factors like skin color.
- Casta system tiers included peninsulares, criollos, mestizos, mulattoes, and zambos.
- Assignment to levels at baptism with limited mobility.
- Higher taxes and tributes for those at the bottom of the hierarchy.
Terms to Remember
| Term | Definition + Significance |
| Gunpowder Empires | States (Ottoman, Safavids, Mughals) that succeeded militarily by utilizing gunpowder and cannons when these technologies became widespread. These empires transformed military strategies and had a significant impact on the geopolitical landscape during the specified empires' reigns. |
| Casta System | A hierarchical social classification system in Latin America, determining an individual's status based on racial and ethnic background, such as peninsulares, criollos, mestizos, mulattoes, and zambos. The system shaped social structures, power dynamics, and the treatment of diverse racial and ethnic groups in the Spanish and Portuguese colonies, influencing Latin American societies for centuries |
| Janissaries | Elite infantry units in the Ottoman Empire, initially comprised of Christian boys who were converted to Islam and trained for military service. Played a crucial role in Ottoman military power, gaining prestige and influence; their attempts to mount coups against the sultans demonstrated internal tensions within the empire. |
| Queues (Hairstyle) | Braided pigtail hairstyle required by the Qing Dynasty in China as a symbol of loyalty; refusal to wear it could result in execution. Signified cultural and political control, as well as a means to test loyalty, showcasing the Qing Dynasty's influence and methods of enforcing their authority. |
| Harem Politics | Political maneuvering and influence exerted by wives and concubines of powerful men, particularly notable in the Ottoman Empire. Demonstrated the significant role women played in the political sphere, with instances like Roxelana's rise challenging traditional gender roles and expectations. |
| Scientific Revolution | A period of intellectual and cultural transformation in Europe from the late 16th to the early 18th century, marked by advancements in science, mathematics, and philosophy. Contributed to increased acceptance of Jews in the 17th century, as scientific and Enlightenment ideals led to a decline in prejudices and a more open society. |
| Enlightenment | An intellectual movement during the 17th and 18th centuries that emphasized reason, individualism, and skepticism of traditional authority. Contributed to a shift in attitudes towards minorities, fostering greater religious toleration and social openness during this period of intellectual and cultural change. |
AMSCO 4.7 Changing Social Hierarchies Notes
1 min read•october 3, 2023
📍Topic 4.7 Changing Social Hierarchies
📖 AMSCO p.251-260
Main Idea
Image Courtesy of Tien
Things to Know
Global Societal Transformations:
Internal and External Conflicts:
- Shaped social hierarchies globally.
- Varied treatment of minorities.
Europe
Treatment of Jews:
- Expulsions from England (1290), France (1394), Spain (1492).
- Ottoman Empire demonstrated relative tolerance.
Social Hierarchies:
- Evolving structures included royalty, nobility, merchants, artisans, and struggling lower classes.
- Discriminatory policies based on religion, ethnicity, and social class.
Worldwide Social Hierarchies
Distinctive Structures:
- Royalty, nobility, merchants, artisans, and lower classes.
- Discriminatory policies based on religion, ethnicity, and social class.
Gunpowder Empires
Ottoman Empire:
- Internal tensions, especially within the military elite.
- Janissaries gained power and prestige.
- The sultan's powers included the timar system.
- Relative tolerance toward religious minorities.
Qing Dynasty in China:
- Displayed intolerance toward the Han ethnicity.
- Required men to wear queues as a test of loyalty.
European States
Evolution of Social Structures:
- Challenges to the nobility from royalty, the middle class, and common people.
- Acceptance of Jews increased in the 17th century influenced by the scientific revolution and Enlightenment.
Russian Social Classes
Hierarchy Similarities:
- Mirrored historical tensions between rulers and nobility.
Americas
Social Changes:
- Drastic shifts due to European arrival, African slavery, and disease outbreaks.
- Establishment of a racial hierarchy through the Casta system in Latin America.
- Social status determined by factors like skin color.
- Casta system tiers included peninsulares, criollos, mestizos, mulattoes, and zambos.
- Assignment to levels at baptism with limited mobility.
- Higher taxes and tributes for those at the bottom of the hierarchy.
Terms to Remember
| Term | Definition + Significance |
| Gunpowder Empires | States (Ottoman, Safavids, Mughals) that succeeded militarily by utilizing gunpowder and cannons when these technologies became widespread. These empires transformed military strategies and had a significant impact on the geopolitical landscape during the specified empires' reigns. |
| Casta System | A hierarchical social classification system in Latin America, determining an individual's status based on racial and ethnic background, such as peninsulares, criollos, mestizos, mulattoes, and zambos. The system shaped social structures, power dynamics, and the treatment of diverse racial and ethnic groups in the Spanish and Portuguese colonies, influencing Latin American societies for centuries |
| Janissaries | Elite infantry units in the Ottoman Empire, initially comprised of Christian boys who were converted to Islam and trained for military service. Played a crucial role in Ottoman military power, gaining prestige and influence; their attempts to mount coups against the sultans demonstrated internal tensions within the empire. |
| Queues (Hairstyle) | Braided pigtail hairstyle required by the Qing Dynasty in China as a symbol of loyalty; refusal to wear it could result in execution. Signified cultural and political control, as well as a means to test loyalty, showcasing the Qing Dynasty's influence and methods of enforcing their authority. |
| Harem Politics | Political maneuvering and influence exerted by wives and concubines of powerful men, particularly notable in the Ottoman Empire. Demonstrated the significant role women played in the political sphere, with instances like Roxelana's rise challenging traditional gender roles and expectations. |
| Scientific Revolution | A period of intellectual and cultural transformation in Europe from the late 16th to the early 18th century, marked by advancements in science, mathematics, and philosophy. Contributed to increased acceptance of Jews in the 17th century, as scientific and Enlightenment ideals led to a decline in prejudices and a more open society. |
| Enlightenment | An intellectual movement during the 17th and 18th centuries that emphasized reason, individualism, and skepticism of traditional authority. Contributed to a shift in attitudes towards minorities, fostering greater religious toleration and social openness during this period of intellectual and cultural change. |
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