It can be concluded after reading and analyzing the documents that the period from 1350 to 1750 was in fact marked by increasing openness to foreign ideas, culture, and peoples in some but not all countries or empires. It can also be concluded that the reason behind the foreign openness was not only for sharing ideas and cultures but also for benefitting from trade. For example, the countries of documents 2, 3, and 6 were not open to contact with other countries. They were entirely closed off. The countries of documents 1, 5, 7, and 8 are great examples of countries that in this period were entirely open to the foreign ideas and cultures of others. Then we have the countries like in documents 4 and 9 who were open to the ideas of other countries …show more content…
In some cases the countries or empires were specifically closed to the religion of others. Document 2 discusses a plan by the chief religious and legal advisor to the sultan of Istanbul to attack the Venetians. His plan was to eliminate their culture and belief system. The last sentence states that the Sultan was “determined to take [this land] from the possession of the shameful infidels and to annex it to the realm of Islam.” In document 3 the idea of being completely closed off is still there. This document states Istanbul’s ruling on war against the Safavids of Iran. Doc. 3 clearly states that “followers of the Safavids are killed by the order of the Sultan.” This empire had no desire to expand and were not open to the culture of others. It is in their Islamic law to fight the Safavids and who ever is to kill them is considered a holy warrior. Document 6 is an issued code known as the Closed Country Edict. They were a set of laws that hold truth to their name. The Tokugawa government ruled by the Japaneses shogun caused Japan to be completely closed off from the rest of the countries in the world. They had no desire to expand and interact with other countries, were completely against other religions specifically Catholicism, and were not to leave their country. The second law stated says, “No Japanese is permitted to go abroad.” The …show more content…
They show an openness to other countries but only due to the fact of what they have to offer them. They do not point out their care for their culture or the people of the country. They take in consideration that their country of China “gains profits from the foreigners’ goods.” (Doc.4) Therefore they say, “the foreigners will not do without their profits from China, just as we cannot do without our profits from them.” (Doc. 4) The only reason for their openness to other countries is from what they are getting from them. Another example of the openness to other countries only simply for the fact of benefitting would be Document 9. This document is a letter from a Chinese Emperor on trade with Great Britain to King George III. This documents indicates that China is thinking about trading with other countries because of the needs of other places and those of Great Britain as well. This suggests China’s willingness to open up to other countries because of what they can have to offer them. In the letter the emperor says, “so that your wants may be supplied and your country thus participates in our beneficence.” (Doc. 9) In conclusion supply and demand require foreign relationships which cause different cultures to spread. This document can come off as biased because it is coming from the point of view of the emperor of China. Of course he will