Asian Studies Lecture

1. Western Colonialism in South and West Asia
Crusade- is the term used to refer the wars between European Christian countries and Muslim territories in
the East from 11th to 13th century.
The following are the European navigators who had successful naval expeditions in the orient;
1. Bartholomew Diaz- He rounded the tip of Africa
2. Vasco de Gama- He made the first open voyage to India.
3. Ferdinand Magellan- He was able to plot a westward route to Asia via the Pacific.
The following are the economic achievements of the European explorers through the establishment of trade
networks such as;
1. The Portuguese-Indian Ocean trade route- it spanned the tip of South Africa to Calicut, India.
2. Dutch Commercial Network- its bases were the Cape of Good Hope and Batavia (modern- day Jakarta)
Colonialism- is the systematic imposition of political rule by aggressors from one country to another country or
territory, primarily aimed at establishing colonies in the occupied territory.
Colony- is the area or territory occupied by the colonizers.
Colonizer- is the one imposing political rule in a colonized area.
Mercantilism- is an economic system that emphasizes the accumulation of precious metals as the main
measure of a country’s wealth.
New World- it generally refers to all advanced countries and colonies like the South American colonies of Spain
and Portugal few centuries back.
The State-organized and state-sanctioned companies in India replacing the private economic enterprise were
as follows;
1. Dutch East India Company (1602)
2. British East India Company (founded in 1599)
Spices were high valued during the period of European overseas expansion; some of the spices are as follows:
1. Bark of cinnamon trees (Southeast Asia)
2. Ginger, pepper, turmeric, cumin, and coriander (Indian Subcontinent)
3. Nutmeg and mace (Sri Lanka and Malacca)
Tribute- is a form of direct tax paid in cash to the local political elite who granted permission for harvesting.
Papal bull- is a letter or document issued by the pope. It contains important announcements, pronouncements,
and proclamations related to the Catholic faith.
Inter Caetera (1493)- It is a papal bull released by Pope Alexander VI to give blessing or approval to Catholic
monarchs in their quest to subjugate new territories.
Entrepot- is a trading post where merchandise can be imported and exported without the need to pay import
duties or taxes.
Indies- is the tern used by the French, English and Dutch to refer to the East and other territories outside
Europe.
Alfonso de Albuquerque- he established a trading port in Calicut and successfully annexed Goa in Western
India and he immediately became the colonial viceroy.

2. 1557- Portuguese were able to establish a permanent base in Macau and became the first westerners to trade
with the Japanese.
Feitoria System- is a militarized trade policy of Portugal which made use of an active and alert military force to
protect specific trading posts that faced imminent threat from Portugal’s rivals.
1590- Dutch became independent and their cities of Amsterdam and Antwerp became very important trading
centers due to their strategic location.
Dutch became so powerful and replacing Portuguese in key Asian trading hubs in less than 20 years.
1669- Dutch East Indies Company became the richest corporation in the world, with assets that included 150
merchant ships and 40 warships, with 60, 000 employees, 50, 000 of whom are civilians and 10, 000 of whom
are soldiers.
Seven Years War- refers to the great conflict fought between the great European empires of Great Britain and
France and between the Hohenzollern dynasty in Prussia (now Germany) and Hapsburg dynasty in Austria
from 1756-1763.
Ottoman Empire- ruled most of West Asia, including parts of Central Asia since the early 15th century and
continuously expanding their territories including parts of Eastern Europe and Africa.
Ottomans- established the longest and the most influential political presence in West Asia and Eastern Europe.
They also conquered the following;
1. Turkish City of Constantinople (1453)
2. Syria (1516)
3. Egypt (1517)
18th Century- Ottomans had lost control of Eastern Europe.
1798- the doors of the East and the Islamic world were then blown wide open by Napoleon Bonaparte’s
Grande Army.
Grand Army- was the name of the army that Napoleon Bonaparte assembled on the French Coast of the
English Channel for the proposed invasion of Great Britain.
COLONIZATION AND THE SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION OF STATES IN SOUTH AND WEST ASIA
FROM 18TH TO THE 19TH CENTURY
Imperialism- is a process in which a group of people dominate the political, cultural, economic and social life of
another group of people to achieve various objectives.
Protectorate- is a group of people or a territory ruled by a stronger state based on an agreement made
between the stronger state and the one being administered.
Industrial Revolution- refers to a rapid major change in Europe’s economy from the 17th century to 18th
century. It is characterized by the general introduction of power-driven machinery.
The two-fold purpose of Europe’s expansion in Asia;
1. Expansion gave the Europeans access to more raw materials and cheap labor
2. It gave the Europeans new markets to sell their surplus products.
White Man’s Burden (British) and Civilizing Mission (French)- the idea of Europeans wherein they were
compelled to help their colonies because of the feeling of superiority.
Robert Clive- a British officer who was able to secure a decisive victory at Plassey in 1757 against the local
rulers of Bengal and their French allies.

3. 1806- First rebellion (Sepoy Attack) in Vellore Fort mutinied and shot and killed 14 British officers and 100
men. Sepoys are the Indian conscripts.
1857- Second rebellion in northern and central India also known as the Indian Rebellion of 1857, Sepoy
Rebellion, and the Sepoy Mutiny.
British Crown implemented policies and promised the following to India;
1. Equal opportunities in public service under the law.
2. Religious Tolerance
3. Respect for all denominations
4. Respect the rights of the local political elite
Bureaucratic Military Establishment –is an administrative system managed by appointed and selected civilian
administrators who work closely with military officials and appointees.
Raj- literally means “reign” in Sanskrit.
Lord Curzon- British Viceroy to India in 1894, stated that India was the pivot of the British Empire.
British built important infrastructures in India and introduced new technologies such;
a.) Mass rail transit system
b.) Irrigation systems
c.) Seaports
d.) Telegraph
e.) Locomotive
f.) Industrial Machineries
Caste System- is the traditional social structure in South Asia in which individuals are placed in distinct groups
or “castes”.
Social Contributions of British Empire to India are as follows;
1.) They built modern cities with all the conveniences and amenities
2.) They imposed high standard of hygiene through sanitation and health practices.
3.) Educational System
Sati or suttee- is the ritual burning of widows
1869- was the Opening of the Suez Canal.
Suez Canal- is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean and the Red Sea.
Two Branches of Islam;
1. Shia Islam- is the more orthodox or traditional sect.
2. Sunni Islam- it promotes the belief that the Islamic tradition was carried on by Muhammad’s cousin and
son-in-law, Ali.
Ummah- this concept dictates that all Muslims, regardless of ethnic affiliations and national boundaries, place
Islam above all political allegiances.