Verified Document

Forbidden Religion To Hegemon Of Research Proposal

In that same year as well, Portuguese ships reached China, re-establishing direct trade for the first time since its termination 150 years prior. The Chinese were particularly eager to purchase Spanish silver from the Andes, which the Portuguese provided in exchange for Chinese silk, highly coveted throughout Europe. The Portuguese even went as far as Japan, where they established contact briefly before that country's isolation. Expeditions were also sent to conquer Malacca and explore Borneo in 1511 and 1524. Odd as it may seem, the Portuguese were the first to establish viceroys to govern over their colonies in India. Beginning under King Manuel I, the Portuguese presence in India was cemented by the appointment of the first viceroy, Francisco de Almeida, who governed from 1505-08. His capital was established at Cochin, where he waged wars against a number of Indian rulers for control of commerce in the region. His successor as viceroy, Alfonso D'Albequerque is more widely known for his conquests of Goa, Socotra, and Hormuz, which gave Portugal a short-lived monopoly on European trade with India.

Thus, the Maritime revolution is in no small part attributable to the enterprising spirit of Portuguese explorers, who provided a path by which many others followed. For better of worse, the Portuguese example would open the door to the great maritime empires of the next three hundred years.

3. In the disciplines of Geography, History, Political Science, and International Relations, a variety of terms are used to describe the landmasses governed by sovereign rulers and enclosed by marked boarders. Countries, states, nations, and nation-states have been used interchangeably by some, however, this is incorrect usage. In fact, these terms have distinct and important meanings. While the terms country and state have mainly political connotations, the term nation-state refers to both a group of people who consider themselves a nation as well as political entity. Thus, a nation-state is comprised of the political entity of say, Poland, and is inhabited by the Polish nation. It is possible for a nation to exist without a state, however. One such example is Native American nations, who are groups of people considered to be nations in that they share a cultural and perhaps ethnic background. Nation-states, however, are political entities with a sovereign government, worldwide recognition, and a suitable infrastructure that also share a common culture, and, therefore, are comprised of a nation. France, Poland, German, and even the United States, therefore, would fit the criteria for a nation state. Each not only meets the political requirements of a state, but each also contains a shared culture (Rosenberg). This does not mean, however, that each individual living in the nation-state must share the nation-state's culture. For example, the Amish in the United States reject the mainstream culture. This group is a nation unto itself. The only prerequisite necessary for meeting the nation requirement is that the majority of people belong to one nation. Furthermore, some states, like the United Kingdom, may contain more than one nation.

The nation-state had its beginnings in the treaty of Westphalia. The contract that ended the Thirty Years War, this treaty took Europe away from a land wrought with feuding princes, religious officials, and ruling families to one composed of sovereign entities. Before the Thirty Years War, Feudalism was the primary governmental system of Europe throughout the Middle Ages. The Feudal government was one in which rulers gave away land for military service. Thus, no established boundaries between kingdoms existed. Kings gave away land to those who served them in their military. Those who did not own land simply worked for landowners in a capacity that rendered...

As land conquest was the primary cause of battle, one can see how this system would lead to quite a bit of conflict. Whenever the king wanted more land, all he had to do was send his warriors into battle. Unlike today, no checks and balance systems were put in place to stop foolish and selfish wars. The Feudal system established nations, or cultural groups, these groups were most often also impacted by religion. Religious differences between the German nations and their Protestant Reformation and the Holy Roman Empire, the pinnacle of Catholicism, lead to the Thirty Years War ("Thirty Years War"). The influx of feuding nations, religions, and ambitious rulers made putting a stop to the system of Feudal and religious rule necessary. Thus the Peace of Westphalia established the nation state.
Because of its status as a reaction to Europe's feudal system, the nation-state's first and foremost obligation to its people is the obligation of safety and security. With defined boarders, the nation state must give its people the benefit of safety within those boarders, limiting conquest for legitimate reasons, however difficult to define this may be. Furthermore, the existence of a nation state allows for the creation of a government that is more defined and rigid than the simple feudal system of family rule. While a monarchy may still be present, a more solid government with established hierarchy, courts of law, and other implements is the responsibility of the nation-sate. Finally, the nation-sate must promise to provide some sort of infrastructure for its people. With defined boarders, growth can now occur. The nation-state must prepare for that growth by providing an economy and other infrastructure that can sustain it. This means that such public goods such as the building of roads, maintaining of law, and social welfare can now be taken on by the government. Thus, the nation-state had its first debut with the Treaty of Westphalia, an antithesis to Feudalism, which allowed for no infrastructure and much warfare, the nation-state had obligations of safety, government, and infrastructure to its people.

Works Cited

Feudalism." Middle Ages.Org. n.d. Middle Ages.Org. 19 October 2008. http://www.middle-ages.org.uk/feudalism.htm

Kreis, Steven. "Renaissance Humanism." 2004. Lectures on Modern European

Intellectual History. 19 October 2008. The History Guide. http://www.historyguide.org/intellect/humanism.html

Middle Ages Religion." n.d. Middle Ages. Org. 19 October 2008. Middle Ages.Org. http://www.middle-ages.org.uk/middle-ages-religion.htm

Peace of Westphalia," Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2008

http://encarta.msn.com© 1997-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

Renaissance," Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2008

http://encarta.msn.com© 1997-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

Rosenberg, Matt. "Country, State, Nation: Defining and Independent Country."

About.com: Geography. n.d. About.com. 19 October 2008. http://geography.about.com/cs/politicalgeog/a/statenation.htm

Thirty Years' War," Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2008

http://encarta.msn.com© 1997-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

The following web sites were also consulted, though not quoted:

http://www.thornr.demon.co.uk/kchrist/phenry.html

http://www.ucalgary.ca/applied_history/tutor/eurvoya/africa.html

http://www.win.tue.nl/~engels/discovery/portemp.html

http://www.flowofhistory.com/units/west/12/FC81

http://www.ucalgary.ca/applied_history/tutor/eurvoya/portuguese.html

Sources used in this document:
Works Cited

Feudalism." Middle Ages.Org. n.d. Middle Ages.Org. 19 October 2008. http://www.middle-ages.org.uk/feudalism.htm

Kreis, Steven. "Renaissance Humanism." 2004. Lectures on Modern European

Intellectual History. 19 October 2008. The History Guide. http://www.historyguide.org/intellect/humanism.html

Middle Ages Religion." n.d. Middle Ages. Org. 19 October 2008. Middle Ages.Org. http://www.middle-ages.org.uk/middle-ages-religion.htm
http://encarta.msn.com© 1997-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
http://encarta.msn.com© 1997-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
About.com: Geography. n.d. About.com. 19 October 2008. http://geography.about.com/cs/politicalgeog/a/statenation.htm
http://encarta.msn.com© 1997-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.thornr.demon.co.uk/kchrist/phenry.html
http://www.ucalgary.ca/applied_history/tutor/eurvoya/africa.html
http://www.win.tue.nl/~engels/discovery/portemp.html
http://www.flowofhistory.com/units/west/12/FC81
http://www.ucalgary.ca/applied_history/tutor/eurvoya/portuguese.html
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Portuguese Is a Language That
Words: 4154 Length: 13 Document Type: Term Paper

It is suggested that some of the linguistic facts are also better explained by a creole or creole-like history. The case is not conclusive, but the weight of evidence tends to support a creole-like origin for popular BP (Guy, 1981). Studies have also been done regarding the nature of language, memory, and reading skills of bilingual students and to determine the relationship between reading problems in English and reading problems

Portuguese Presence in Africa in
Words: 589 Length: 2 Document Type: Essay

This region had long been the source of slaves for the route through the Sahara to the Mediterranean. The arrival of the Portuguese opened up another channel which they expanded during the 16th century. On the east coast the Portuguese were drawn to Mozambique and the Zambezi River by news of a local people, the Munhumutapa, who allegedly possessed fabulous wealth in gold. In 1531, in an effort to reach

Portuguese Art of the 1970s
Words: 868 Length: 3 Document Type: Term Paper

The paintings of Pedro Calapez during this period are emblematic of artists' concern with the nature of art history itself. Calapez's paintings from the 1980s attempt to analyze memory in its relation to historical analysis. Calapez's paintings also link Portuguese art to the wider Neo-expressionist art movement of the 1980s. Another artist who dealt with these themes - this time in the sculptural realm - was Rui Chafes. The art critic

Portuguese Beverage Industry
Words: 1501 Length: 5 Document Type:

Sumol & Compal Sumol and Compal is a Portuguese beverage company, created through the merger of soft drink company Sumol and juice company Compal. The company also produces beer, canned vegetables, and it has distribution rights to a handful of other products. They have a relatively strong presence in the domestic Portuguese market but a limited presence in other European markets, despite having barrier-free market access through the European Union. This

Public Administration in the Portuguese Framework, Reforms
Words: 976 Length: 3 Document Type: Essay

Public Administration In the Portuguese framework, reforms in public management were shaped by two major events. The first event was the 1974 Revolution characterized by forty years of corporatist and dictatorial regime. The second event was the 1986 European Union member integration. The two regimes entailed a critical transformation from state oriented, closed, oligarchical, and highly controlled society to a citizen oriented, democratic and open society that placed great value

Argument Against Portuguese New World Involvement
Words: 1065 Length: 3 Document Type: Essay

Men Folly The work of Restall covers a lot of ground when it comes to classic literature. One of the approaches and treatments that is common in such literature is the concept of "great men." Of course, the topic is a bit silly and under-informed nowadays. This brief essay will cover why precisely this is the case and it will use Restall's work in Seven Myths as the main sources of

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now