Ottoman Empire

Chart Answers

The Ottoman Empire (1600)

Military• Powerful cannons

• Janissaries were the best infantry (foot soldiers) in the world at the time

• Powerful sultan (leader) expanded borders and conquered large areas

Cultural• Turks were Sunni Muslims and were

dominant• claimed to be the center of the

Islamic World (controlled Mecca and Medina)

• Turks were tolerant of most other religions and minorities• Changed name of the capital from

Constantinople to Istanbul

Political• Strong legal code was based upon Islamic

law• Centralized government• Government appointed governors ruled

over conquered territories• Efficient civil service (government workers)• Civil service was based upon merit (prove

that you can do the job and not who your family is)

Economic• Controlled trade routes between

Europe and Asia• Held and controlled excellent

agricultural lands• Farmers and business people paid

taxes• Business and trading were

important

Social• Strict division of society into classes• Earlier tolerant of different religions

and minorities• Christian slaves were converted to

Islam and served in the government and military• Persecuted Shia or Shiite Muslims

Reasons for Decline• Many military failures• Weak and corrupt sultans• Lost control of the trade routes• Refused to modernize• Tolerance for other minorities and

religions ended• Lost military control of territories