FilmQ_01-Ch18: The Ottomans Build a Vast Empire

Your responses to these lm questions will form the foundation of, or supplement, your
notes for this lesson. An Islamic culture topples and replaces a Christian one. Many years of
contact prior to the nal conquest allowed the forces of cultural diffusion to embed 'nuggets' of
Byzantine culture in the new Islamic society. This phenomenon is a vibrant, but not a solitary,
example of the continuity of human values and traditions despite outward signs of
disappearance.
Geo-politically, the ascendancy of the Ottomans, the growing isolation of Ming China, and the
'spark' of European global aspirations leads to the development of a bi-polar world. #
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How to Use Video as a Source
Step #1: Familiarize yourself with lm questions prior to viewing the lm. By reading the questions and understanding the
vocabulary contained within, you allow yourself the luxury of viewing the lm without having to look at the questions continuously.
Step #2: View and Listen Attentively. Unlike a book, a video provides information via visual images and audio. Both forms of data
are 'more valuable together' than separately. For example, turn the volume off on your TV during your favorite program. Then, raise
the volume while 'blacking out' the image. Under which conditions was the data most richly delivered? Always make sure that you
have unobstructed viewing of a lm and that the sound is audible.
As you view the video, pay attention to visual and/ or audio cues that reect the issues raised by the questions below. Your
responses should incorporate video content since the lm is the source of our focus. In addition, your increasing knowledge base of
World History can help you expand contextual data in your response and provide depth to the lm's content.
Step #3: Organize Your Thoughts. Unlike a book, the data from a video is often delivered at a constant rate. With a book, you can
slow your reading speed when you encounter a particular segment that is complicated. You can also turn back to a previous page to
review information. A lm is a bit different in that you may not always have the option to use 'slow motion' or 'rewind'. Therefore,
maintaining focus on the imagery and sound is important. Targeted Notes will reduce the amount of time you're looking away from
the lm. By writing quick and simple phrases of a few words each, you maintain greater attention to lm events. Targeted notes use
key words/ phrases that will ignite a thought or idea when you read them later. There is no concern for grammar or spelling while
doing this. After the lm has ended, you look at your targeted notes and manipulate the data to compile responses in complete
sentences.
Organizational Tip: Vertically divide your sheet of paper (where you'll write your responses). On the 'left' half, take targeted notes
for each question given. After viewing the video, use the targeted notes to compose complete responses to each question (on the
'right' half of the sheet). #

SOURCE: Millennium Video Series, The 15th Century: Century of the Sail, CNN Productions, Inc. 1999. [~8 Min.]#
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Context: 15th - 17th C., Asia Minor,Fall of the (Christian) Byzantine Empire & rise of the (Islamic) Ottoman Empire.#
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1. Upon what did the citizens of Constantinople depend for defense of the city? #
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2a. How did Mehmed II (The Conqueror) react to the barbarity displayed by his soldiers against the
Byzantines trapped in the Hagia Sophia?
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2b. How did the 'evils of war' impact on the conduct of his reign?#
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2c. Can you recall any other historical gure, from your rst-year studies of World History, who similarly
had a passionate transformation brought about by horric images of war? #
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The 'Old' world is realigning its centers of political, economic, and cultural force. Like a magnet, these forces are becoming
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concentrated at opposing ends (poles). The 'map' is the 'magnet' while Western Europe and the Ottoman Empire are the 'poles'.
Like in our magnet metaphor, the poles are the focus in our late 15th C. map, which now relegates other areas to 'peripheral' status.
If the approaching modern age is going to be impacted somehow, the impacting force will probably come from one of these two
poles (regions).
FilmQ_01-Ch18: The Ottomans Build a Vast Empire
3. Muslim societies that did not accept the teachings and practices of the Whirling Dervish, may have
viewed them as teachers/ practitioners of Islamic heresy. How did the Ottomans, who were undoubtedly
the greatest Islamic society of that day, address the issue of the Whirling Dervish?
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4. Why could it be said that the Ottoman Empire, at its height, was 'The Crossroads of the World"?#
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5. Ottoman culture and science were reective of diffusion and religious values. For example, from
Byzantium, the ancient Roman tradition of rejuvenating one's body and spirit in public facilities called
'Baths' survived to become the Turkish Baths enjoyed by Turk and tourist alike. Turkish Coffee is another
cultural icon of the Ottomans in Asia Minor. Please explain how coffee may have been a Turkish religious
adaptation.#
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6. Considering the geography, which European city-state would view the rise of Ottoman supremacy in
the East as a threat? According to this European city-state, what is the nature of this threat? [You may
have to look at your map of Europe from earlier lessons.]#

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The Whirling Dervish [a European reference] were members of a branch of Islam called Susm. Susm taught, and its members
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practiced, certain rituals that they believed enriched their personal relationship with ALLAH (GOD). Among the rituals was an
hypnotic dance that involved spinning in-place.