Introduction to Part 4

I found it surprising to read that what is called the Early Modern Era in a lot of history class is
actually more of a “Late Agrarian Era” (Strayer 548). There is only small signs and little evidence
suggesting that during this era the world was to becoming classified as modern. Although there
was some evidence, such as the the growth of the population starting to increase and explorations
of the Atlantic and pacific ocean, which eventually led to the exploration of new lands, the
characteristics of what is considered modern weren’t entirely present. Much of the world
remained the same.
Most of the people in the Early Modern Era still lived lives that were not much different that the Era
before. According to Ways of the World, by Strayer, a larger portion of the world population “continued to
live in long-established ways, and their societies operated according to traditional principles” (549).
Europeans, at this point in time, were not the dominating force of the world, a trait which was prominent
in later modern eras. There was also little evidence to suggest that Europe would even gain the vast
amount of power over the other countries and continents that it eventually did have. According to
Strayer Europe’s power was in its sea trade routes, but “their political and military power in mainland
Asia and Africa was very limited” (548). Likewise Strayer mentions that China and Japan had strict
control over the European missionaries and merchants. Other countries such as Africa also had some
control over European trade, particularly the slave trade, “African authorities frequently set the terms
under which the slave trade was conducted” (548). The primary European religion, Christianity, wasn’t
the dominating religion of the globe either, it was Islam. Islam was “the most rapidly spreading faith in
much of Asia and Africa” (548). Lastly Europe was also not the sole manufacturing output, as it was
comparable to that of India and China.

All these facts caused this section to be surprising. Not only was the Early Modern Era very
uncharacteristically modern, it seemed to barely show any signs leading to a new modern era. Although
some advancements were made that may have set the path for modernism to develop the era seems to be
more of a developed Agrarian Era, or as Strayer called it A Late Agrarian Era. The world followed in old
traditions and a power balance across different areas, preventing a single area to dominate the world.
However, there was the start of globalization and some societies did develop some characteristics of
modern ones. With these small steps it can be optimistically classified as an Early Modern Era.
These signs could potentially show  the possibility of leading to modernism, instead of just representing
a development of A Late Agrarian Era.

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