Introduction
Many European nations traveled the globe between 1500 and 1900 in search of uncharted territories, raw materials for their factories, and new, more advantageous trading possibilities. They used ships to travel across the vast oceans and seas on their journeys, traveling to Africa and North East Asia. They settled near the seashore when they got there. They moved north after learning about the people, their cultures, and the topography of their lands. Their arrival caused profound social, economic, and political changes that severely disrupted the resident communities' ability to exist normally. Western countries were the most developed in the world at the time. Politically, they caused the rise and fall of various empires and kingdoms e.g. Spain. They also caused major Islamic uprisings in certain parts of Africa. Socially, they introduced new cultures, religion and architecture. Economically, they opened up the world to global trades bringing about the birth of Silver world Trade. This paper looks to discuss the various ways in which seaborne Europeans transformed the world.
Political Transformations
The settling of Europeans in these regions introduced new weaponry. For example, in China, the most common way of fighting was using bow and arrows. However, Europeans, specifically Portuguese, introduced gun powder to the Chinese and the Japanese. Within a year after Vasco Dagama arrived, two Portuguese deserters were already making firearms for Asian potentates (Palat 23). such as Europeans gave powder to senior government officials and prominent merchant's gun powder as gifts. Gun powder changed the way war was waged. Introduction of guns and canyons also helped reunite the Japanese empire. Pallat explains that it was the introduction of European firearms in Japan in the year 1543 that led to the restructuring of political relations and reunification of the territory (Palat 6) Introduction of improved artilleries, improved military architecture, fortifications and siege techniques that added professionalism to wars (Palat 7). Europeans also brought about a rise in uprisings in China such as the boxer uprising. These were young men trained in martial arts that massacred Christian Chinese villagers and foreigners in the coastal port of Tianjin. They claimed to be defending their country against foreign bandits and their supporters. They laid siege in Beijing for fifty five days. It took the intervention of eight armies from eight foreign powers to end the siege. However, the foreign armies looted the imperial palace and killed many boxers. Looting and rise of Nationalist uprisings after this uprising led to the collapse of the dynasty in 1911 (Sebring and Perdue).
Seaborne Europeans also brought about invasions and establishment of European rule in some areas. Palat begins by stating that nomadic invaders from Central Asian Steppe became the rulers of China and the Indian subcontinent for the first time in the years between the twelfth and the thirteenth century. Although the two regions were used to attacks from Nomads, it was the first time that the Mongol and the Turkish forces established their rule over them (Palat 1). The Turkish and Mongol forces expanded because they had superior European weapons that other communities did not have. Perdue, in his writings argues that the Qing's Dynasty ability to break through historical territorial barriers in China's North Western frontier was partly because of their understanding of the terrain better than their predecessors reinforced by better commercial, technical and the benefit of a Russian alliance (Lieberman, 281). Europeans also led to the rise of Islam jihadist movements directed in part or wholly against them. Such movements include Wahhabis and Fara'izis of South Asia, Shamyl in Caucasus, Abdel Kadir in Algeria and the Senussis in Libya. These movements waged wars against external non-Muslim enemies which European Christians were considered to be (Keddie 467). They were revolting against the economic, social and political changes that were caused by the coming of Europeans to the countries (Keddie 471). However, the coming of the Europeans had some benefits too. For example, it is the Dutch that prevented the establishment of an Islamic State in MinangKabau by conquering it (Keddie 475).
Economic Effects
The coming of the Europeans especially to East Asia had great economic benefit both to them and to the whole world. The main advantage was that it led to the development of the World Trade. Exploration of Europeans led to the discovery of new trading opportunities China and the establishment of new trade routes that made intercontinental trade possible. It emerged only when all important populated continents began continuously exchanging goods with each other, directly or indirectly through other continents for mutual benefit (Giraldez 201). During the global trade, China was the main importer of Silver. Therefore, European silver mining countries such as Spain, Japan, Mexico and brokers such as Britain and USA all exchanged tons of Silver in a year with China mainly for tea and porcelain. This is what came to be known as the world trade of 1571. The world trade, and by extension the coming of seaborne Europeans, had various effects. It led to the rise of wealthy European and Asian merchants who were the main players in the trade. It also led to the emergence of Spain as an economic power due to its huge deposits of Silver. When the prices of silver in China skyrocketed, the main beneficiary was the Spanish crown. Silver profits financed the crown and caused a power shift within Europe (Giraldez 210 It also led to the economic and political evolution of China. The fall of silver caused the fall of Ming dynasty (Giraldez 213). On the flip side, it led to the infamous European price inflation. China had declared silver as the only means of exchange therefore when the price of Silver fell by nearly two thirds of its original value, its purchasing power reduced by the same quantity leading to price inflation in the whole of Europe (Giraldez, 203). The fall of the value of silver brought about the fall of Spain. When silver profits diminished, the Spanish crown had no means of financing its vast empire leading to its downfall (Giraldez 211). It led to the introduction of the single–whip tax system. This system specified two main points; that taxes would be paid inform of silver and that all national levies would be consolidated into one tax levy (Giraldez (208). It also led to the emergence of slave trade.
Social Effects
The coming of Europeans led to massive degradation of Africans and their transportation from Africa to different corners of the world such as Brazil and Mexico. Statistics showed that at one point, there were about twenty thousand African slaves in Mexico (Giraldez 217). It also led to introduction of Christianity. However, Christianity was not welcome in all places. As we have seen, introduction of Christianity led to the rise of Jihadist wars in Asia and Western Africa. In China, it was one of the causes of the rise of the boxer's movement. It also
Conclusion
As we have seen, seaborne Europeans had various effects in places where they landed. These effects can be grouped into positive effects and negative effects. They can further be subdivided into economic, social and political effects. Some of the political effects include introduction of guns and modern artillery. The main economic effect was the rise of the world trade and an example of the social effects was introduction of Christianity.
Works Cited
Palat, A. Ravi. Imperial Expansion in an Eastern Mirror: State Making and Territorial Expansion, 1000 -1700. New York
Sebring, Ellen & Perdue, C. Peter. "The Boxer Uprising - 1: The Gathering Storm in North China( 1860 - 1900).Massachusetts Institute of Technology . Retrieved from https://ocw.mit.edu/ans7870/21f/21f.027/boxer_uprising/bx_essay01.html
Lieberman, Victor. “The Qing Dynasty and its Neighbors: Early Modern China in World History. Project Muse. Retrieved from http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/ssh/summary/v032/32.2.lieberman.html
Keddie, R. Nikkie. " The Revolt of Islam, 1700 - 1993: Comparative Considerations and Relations to Imperialism. Los Angeles, California. Cambridge University Press.2011.
Giraldez, Arturo &Flynn, O. Dennis. Born with a "Silver Spoon": The Origin of World Trade in
1571. Honolulu, USA. University of Hawai'i Press.2011.
