Question

In 1–2 sentences, compare the development of maritime empires with the development of land-based empires in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.(2 points)

Answer 1

Maritime empires (e.g., Portugal and Spain) in the 15th–16th centuries grew by controlling sea lanes, establishing overseas trading posts and colonies, and exploiting naval technology and long-distance commerce for bullion and goods. Land-based empires (e.g., Ottoman, Mughal, Ming) expanded over contiguous territories by conquering and administering agrarian populations, building centralized bureaucracies and land-based military power to extract taxes and integrate diverse peoples.