World History
AP World History Rachel Mahadeo
Mini-Essay Due: February 2, 2012 King Afonso I was king of Kongo during the 1520s. Qianlong was emperor of China during the Qing dynasty, during the 1790s. In the kingdom of Kongo, there were many Portuguese merchants whom had established close political and diplomatic relations with the king. These relations brought much wealth and recognition to Kongo, but it also brought problems that led to its inevitable destruction. Portuguese merchants embarked on slaving expeditions. Their tactics undermined the authority of the kings, who appealed repeatedly to the Portuguese to cease or at least to limit their trade in slaves. During the Qing dynasty, global trade brought much prosperity to China. But, economic growth and commercial expansion took place mostly in an atmosphere of tight government regulation. Merchants closely supervised the activities of foreign merchants in China. They allowed British merchants to only trade at Guangzhou. Afonso I believes that he should be respectful to other kings and be kind when asking them for their assistance, while Qianlong seems to believe that his empire is of highest importance and all others should follow his orders and requests. The reason why these two monarchs were different was because, the trade the Kongo Empire was engaged in was harming Afonso’s empire while, the trade the Qing were engaged in was causing a great boom in the economy and bringing much wealth to the Qing dynasty. These two authors seem to have similar views. In the document by King Afonso I, he is protesting slave trade in his kingdom, Kongo. He talks about how the Portuguese are coming into Kongo and taking his people away. They are coming into Kongo and depopulating the area. He is asking the other king to prohibit their merchants from going into Kongo. Afonso I does not want there to be any trading of slaves in his kingdoms. He is asking the king to try to prohibit merchants from
Mini-Essay Due: February 2, 2012 King Afonso I was king of Kongo during the 1520s. Qianlong was emperor of China during the Qing dynasty, during the 1790s. In the kingdom of Kongo, there were many Portuguese merchants whom had established close political and diplomatic relations with the king. These relations brought much wealth and recognition to Kongo, but it also brought problems that led to its inevitable destruction. Portuguese merchants embarked on slaving expeditions. Their tactics undermined the authority of the kings, who appealed repeatedly to the Portuguese to cease or at least to limit their trade in slaves. During the Qing dynasty, global trade brought much prosperity to China. But, economic growth and commercial expansion took place mostly in an atmosphere of tight government regulation. Merchants closely supervised the activities of foreign merchants in China. They allowed British merchants to only trade at Guangzhou. Afonso I believes that he should be respectful to other kings and be kind when asking them for their assistance, while Qianlong seems to believe that his empire is of highest importance and all others should follow his orders and requests. The reason why these two monarchs were different was because, the trade the Kongo Empire was engaged in was harming Afonso’s empire while, the trade the Qing were engaged in was causing a great boom in the economy and bringing much wealth to the Qing dynasty. These two authors seem to have similar views. In the document by King Afonso I, he is protesting slave trade in his kingdom, Kongo. He talks about how the Portuguese are coming into Kongo and taking his people away. They are coming into Kongo and depopulating the area. He is asking the other king to prohibit their merchants from going into Kongo. Afonso I does not want there to be any trading of slaves in his kingdoms. He is asking the king to try to prohibit merchants from