Compare and Contrast Essay Example: The Ming Dynasty and The Ottoman Empire

An empire is having territorial control over a mass of land that is ruled by an emperor or empress. The Ottoman Empire ruled from 1299 to 1922 and was based in Turkey. This empire ruled over Asia, Europe, and North Africa. A dynasty is where the rulers all come from the same family. The Ming Dynasty ruled from 1368 to 1644. The Ming Dynasty was known for having control over trade in China by using the Silk Road. An empire is sustained by the military, religious tolerance, and trading. I believe the military, religious tolerance, and trading can sustain an empire because the military defends your empire, people have the freedom to practice their own religion, and the economy can grow with imports and exports.

The Ottoman Empire sustained their empire politically using their military to strengthen their power. In “The Ottoman Empire”, it states, “The Ottoman Janissary corps became the best-trained infantry force in the world”. This expresses how the Ottoman Empire took priority in making sure their defense lines and military were trained just in case they were attacked. According to the article, “The Ottoman Empire”, the author summarizes, “Thanks in large part to their acquisition of muskets, the Ottoman rulers were able to drive out the Timurids and reestablish their control of Turkey in 1414”. This demonstrates how gunpowder was manipulated to manufacture different types of firearms to use to their advantage during battles. The Ottoman Empire has impacted the world today because they were one of the first empires to acquire gunpowder which is now used globally in militaries around the world.

The Ming Dynasty sustained their empire politically by making sure people were knowledgeable in order to apply for government jobs. Examinees had to take a civil service exam to test their personal beliefs, writing, mathematics, public speaking etc. According to “Background Information”, it is said, “Candidates had not only to answer questions but also write extended essays, intended to allow examiners to assess the political views of candidates, not just their academic ability. This emphasizes that it was important to test the candidate’s political views because a leader must be able to govern many different

people instead of a specific crowd. Furthermore, in the article, “Background Information”, the author quotes, “Those who got the best marks in the jinshi section could look forward to a plum job in the prestigious Hanlin Academy, where state documents such as new laws and imperial decrees were compiled, checked, and amended”. This conveys how the few examinees that passed the civil service exam were granted with a hands on job where they can directly deal with state documents. The Ming Dynasty has impacted the world today because in New York City, you have to pass a civil service exam in order to become a permanent employee or to have the ‘Civil Service’ title.

In closing, the Ottoman Empire and Ming Dynasty have had their own strategies to sustain their empires and power while they were at their highest points. Moreover, both empires were sustained politically through the government and the military. In contrast, the Ming Dynasty believed in having an educated society; while the Ottoman Empire focused on their defense attacks in order to upkeep their empire. In my opinion, I believe these empires were different because the Ottoman Empire was known for their artillery and being a Gunpowder Empire, and the Ming Dynasty was known for its trade expansion. Lastly, an empire should be consistently sustained and reinforced so there is little room for mistakes.