Gunpowder Empires

The so-called gunpowder empires of the Muslim world were among the most prosperous of the early modern period. In these resources, you’ll follow the Ottomans, Safavids, and Mughals as they combine innovations in military technology with shrewd political tactics in their pursuit of dominance.

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Early Modern Empires
Lesson 3.2
1200 to Present
Transoceanic Connections
Early Modern Empires
While empires share the characteristic of being powerful, they build and maintain this power in different ways. Compare and contrast diverse empires from the Comanche and Mongols to the Ottoman, Mughal, and Omani, and dynastic powers such as the Ming and Qing.
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Expanding to a Global Scale
Lesson 1.3
1750 to Present
The World in 1750
Expanding to a Global Scale
In the eighteenth century the Ottoman, Omani, and Mughal empires covered huge swaths of the Earth. But even these established societies were affected by the changes taking place in Europe.
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Transoceanic Empires - Changing Social Hierarchies
Lesson 4.3
AP®
Transoceanic Interconnections
Transoceanic Interconnections: Changing Social Hierarchies
One Gunpowder Empire, the Mughal dynasty, covered a large region of South and Central Asia and at one time produced high-demand goods. As economic and political changes rippled across the world, the Mughals lost their hold.
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Featured Materials

Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal Empires
Soldiers operating a cannon
Origins to Present
Video

Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal Empires External link

The Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal Empires ruled over large parts of Asia. These empires had similar origin, but they each developed unique political systems.
Empire Building
1200 to Present
Activity

Empire Building External link

Why did some empires last centuries and others crumble quickly? In this activity, you’ll create a Frankenstein-style empire to test the strengths and weaknesses of empires.
Khanzada Begum (Graphic Biography)
Khanzada Begum Graphic Bio
1200 to Present
Article

Khanzada Begum (Graphic Biography) External link

Khanzada Begum was a Timurid noblewoman who played an important political role in the Mughal Dynasty, demonstrating how the household and the state often overlapped.
Claim Testing – Evidence
Claim Testing
1200 to Present
Activity

Claim Testing – Evidence External link

Is all evidence the same? Are some types of evidence better than others? This activity will help students evaluate and learn how to use this claim tester.
Ottoman Empire
Oil painting of a group of 1700s Ottoman men at the court of Sultan Selim III, who is seated on a throne
1750 to Present
Article

Ottoman Empire External link

One of the largest states in the world in 1750, the Ottoman Empire was a multi-ethnic and multi-religious powerhouse but faced the challenge of a changing global economy.
Mughal Empire
The Wazir Khan mosque in subcontinent India
1750 to Present
Article

Mughal Empire External link

The Mughal Empire produced much of the world’s long-distance trade goods in 1750, but its rulers faced enormous challenges in keeping together a vast and diverse society.

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