Asian+Transitions+in+the+Age+of+Global+Change

Notes, pg 485-491

The Asian Trading World, and the Coming of the Europeans: MI: IN the centuries following the passage of Vasco de Gama, European efforts seemed focused on transportation of Asian products back to Europe.Some merchants, as well as missionaries settled in coastal areas. Trading Empire: Portuguese Responses- MI- The Portuguese were not prepared to abide by the informal, decentralized trading structure of the ATN(which had developed over hundreds of years), and it was increasingly apparent that the Portuguese had nothing (aside from gold and silver) to offer to the ATN. Portuguese Weakness and The Rise of the Dutch/British: MI- THe portuguese plans at dominatoin never came to fruition, as while they did control crops such as Mace and Nutmeg, they lacked the control of major spices like Cinnamon and Mustard which would've allowed them greater control. European Tribute system in Asia: MI: While their superior ships allowed europeans to dominate coastal towns, as they moved farther inland they lost that advantage, and found the attempt to subdue the Asian peoples increasingly difficult.
 * As later explorers discovered, the Asian trading Nework was much more expansive than the simplistic routes that the explorers had used on their original voyages into Asia, and had in fact, been established for centuries(if not millenia) beforehand.
 * The Asian Trade Network was subdivided into 3 zones, each of which was focused on areas which manufactured (by hand) high quality products.The 3 main zones were the Arab Zone (glass/Ceramics,carpets,and tapestries), the Indian Zone (Cotton,Gems and other textiles), and the China Zone ( Paper, porcelain, and silk).
 * Other areas, such as Japan produced unprocessed goods like silver, though Ceylon was held in great importance because it's variety of exotic spices, and African port cities specialized in timber trade.
 * Due to the nature of seasonal monsoons and navigational instruments, the Asian Trade routes were largely based on Coasting( the practice of sailing along the coast, marking distance via towns and natural landmarks.The CHinese and Arabs were able to eventually sail across long distances of water, due to their improved ships and compasses.
 * Trade was largely peaceful, and trading ships were only lightly armed to protect from the occasional pirate raid.There was little/no central control or military force involved.
 * The theory of Mercantilism (the idea that a nation's power is directly corrolated to it's wealth) made the idea of a steady flow of precious metals to Asia very unappealing.It was especially apalling because the trade would help strengthen rival kingdoms(With diverse cultures and religions) whom the Portuguese had attempted to undermine since the beginning.
 * Unwilling to abandon the possibility of trade with Asia, Portugal resolved to steal/plunder whatever they could not obtain through trade.Their injection of sea-warfare into an area which had sustained such a long era of peace set the Asian empires off-balance, a critical time of weakness duringthe building of the Portuguese empire.
 * The portuguese soon found that sea patrols and coastal raids were not enough to control the trade items they wanted (most often spices), and thusly attempted to create large fortresses and capture important port towns at key points along the ATN, such as Ormuz(South Persian Gulf) or Goa(Indian West coast).Their greatest victory was the capture of Malacca, which served as a hub for portuguese fleets and factories which helped control the spice trade.
 * The Portuguese often resorted to severe punishments such as dismemberment for those who attempted to break their "monopoly" on the spice trade.However, they did not have enough soldiers to sustain this monopoly, nor the liscencing system to do this.
 * The poor training of military officials, resistance of Asian traders,government corruption, and heavy shipping losses caused the downfall of the portuguese trading empire, making way for the British and the Dutch to fill their spot.
 * THe Dutch emerged the short-term victors, capturing key Portuguese forts and fortresses at Malacca, and proceeded to set up their own capital at Batavia on the island of Java. The Dutch trading empire went about expansion in much the same manner as the Portuguese, but dutch takeovers were much more systematic, and their military much better armed.
 * Because of the vast superiority of Asian numbers,even smaller island kingdoms such as Java were able to resist european advances.Against larger empires, like Japan, China, or India, Europeans quickly learned their place, often having to bow and humble themselves before Asian political leaders.
 * The Spanish managed to take Luzon and some of the other philippine Islands, but repeatedly failed to take over the southern islands of Minandao, who, united under 1 ruler, managed to repulse the European invaders without much trouble.
 * EUropeans largely did not attempt to interfere in native life(when they were actually victorious), as long as the Asians met their quota of tribute on time. This tribute was paid in agricultural items grown by the conquered people, but the tribute always took into account that the natives needed to subsist ont he products which they also used as tribute.