LAWLzoR

Another history lesson by LAWLzoR! This time about how the Western Europeans sped past the rest of the world in technology, political and economic power, and military power all within just 300 to 400 years (which is really quick in relations to all of world history).

Let's start with some background: It's the 1400s and Western Europe is relying on the East and the Byzantine empire (the Byzantine empire will be explained in a future lesson) for incoming products such as gunpowder, guns, ivory, silk, and a whole bunch of luxury and useful goods. The reason why Western Europe didn't develop much maritime technology is because they didn't need to. All goods they needed came from land, or from Venice, who got their stuff from Mediterranean trade routes with the Byzantine empire. However, around 1433, the Christian Byzantine empire fell to the Islamic Ottoman Turks, and the Ottoman empire is in full swing. Why was it important that i named their religions? It's because Western Europe didn't have such good relations with Muslims. In the past 200 to 300 years (from 1433) Western Europe actively fought Muslims in the Crusades for the Holy Land. So Western Europe was not all that willing to trade with the Ottoman Empire.

The only other way to trade then was through the seas and oceans. This meant that Western Europe had to learn how to make decent ships and quickly if they want their valuable goods. Fortunately the Venetians were great at making ships, so they probably helped the rest of the west along the way. So this might be great! You got Western Europe trading with the East directly and no need for the Ottomans! Except no, Western Europe didn't have anything that China or India or anyone in the East wanted. So Western Europe had to try their luck somewhere else. Fortunately the West knew how to put cannons on ships, and thus invaded coastal cities along the coast of Africa and some in India. This was as far as they could get because the civilizations or tribes that were further inland were way too powerful for the West to handle.

This allowed Europe to get some other luxury goods and able to give incentive for the West to start growing intercontinental empires because in Western Europe trade was power and more power was better. So the West was still behind the East even with the West's new ships. However, this didn't last forever.

A number of places did this, but China was the biggest example. China thought they were better than the West, and had developed more isolationist and more traditional policies with the help of Confucianism. So while the West was trying to enhance or in any way better their technology, China and India couldn't get any further in technology because they didn't really want to. 1500s comes, and Spain and Portugal are getting their mitts on the Americas with the help of Columbus. Columbus wasn't the first one to discover the Americas, but he certainly reminded the West that they existed. So Western Europe was gathering riches, such as silver, to trade even more goods like ivory, guns, and gunpowder with the Chinese mainly.

It's also important that the Renaissance happened. While it wasn't as effective as the Enlightenment that happened around 250 years later (from 1500) the Renaissance did give a glimpse to the West as to what they were missing out on. Also at this point both the East and the West has muskets, so don't go thinking that the East still have archers. Remember, the West had to get gunpowder from someone.

Not much technological stuff happens after that. Just increased use of ships and guns, but the Enlightenment propelled the West even further. Better cannons, guns, and new ways of thinking certainly helped the West to become a global power, such as more parliamentary monarchies, and less absolute monarchies. The Enlightenment helped bolster even further the idea that the West was technologically advancing, and it was. The invention of the steam engine and trains helped move units and people quicker from point A to point B. During this time the East was still lagging behind a bit, still with the idea that they were culturally and just in every way better than the West (which they were... up until around the late 1700s or early 1800s).

In the 1800s, even more technological advancements occurred. The steam boat allowed for more controlled sailing, the rifle made for better firearms, medicine helped combat illness, the machine gun, telegraph, and all these other products of the now waning Enlightenment helped Europe conquer Africa, and a bit of Asia.

So now at this time, the East is definitely falling behind the West both technologically, militaristically, and politically. Evidence of this is in the Opium Wars and the enhanced British control of China. The Opium Wars was caused by China wanting to stop trade with Britain because of the opium rendering officials high and useless. Britain still wanted stuff from China, so they got into wars. This and the Commodore Matthew Perry from the USA scared Japan into westernizing, adopting new ways of thinking and government, new technology, and new culture.

After the adoption of western ideals and technology by Japan, it was solidified that Western Europe had now sped past the East in such a short amount of time, and had now dominated trade, and most of the world. For instance Africa was partitioned between Western European countries, South America was controlled by Spain and Portugal until around the mid 1800s, and much of the world was controlled by Britain.

For those who are interested, you will also find out how Europe becoming better than the East and basically forcing Japan to adopt western technology and philosophy helped created one of the opponents in World War II.

In summary:
After trade was basically stopped because of Ottoman control of Asia minor, the West decided to pick up the slack and learn a few things. Sooner or later they discovered that guns were superior, and that trade was awesome. After a few events that helped shape modern technology, the West extended their sphere of influence into the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Australia, leaving not even one continent free from European imperialism. Because of mainly the Enlightenment, Europe showed its ability to surpass the East in technology and economy.

Thank you for reading Feel free to suggest lessons!