The Nineteenth Century, Part 4

Question 1: Describe the 1839 Reform (Gülhane) Decree.

Answer 1: The Gülhane Decree was announced in Gulhane Park in Istanbul by Mustafa Reshit Pasha. The decree marked the beginning of the Tanzimat Era of the Ottoman Empire. The Decree was made in the hope of strengthening the Ottoman Empire, with its diverse peoples and vast lands. Specifically, the Gülhane Decree guaranteed the equal right of all Ottoman citizens to life, honor, and property; it established a regular tax system; a regular system for drafting citizens into the Ottoman armed forces (in a break from the devshirme tradition). The decree pointed out that the forced drafting of citizens for lifetime military service sometimes led to the draftees’ despair, and that it was inequitable to draft soldiers more from populations than others, without accounting for the original size of the populations in question. The decree established a fixed period for drafted military service and guaranteed defendants the right to a public hearing.

Question 2: Describe the significance of the 1858 Land Law.

Answer 2: The 1858 Land Law in the Ottoman Empire was a piece of Tanzimat-era legislation reforming land law. The law increased the amount of land individuals could own (although it did not allow individuals to own entire villages); as the state granted deeds to unoccupied land, the hope was that more land would be farmed than had been farmed prior to the reform. The Land Law also required landowners to register the land they owned with the central Ottoman government, a way of better tracking landowners and the taxes they should be directing toward the government. In this way, the law was to raise money for the government. Landowners under the Ottomans collected taxes from their respective regions; the 1858 land law did not require those who collected the taxes also to farm the land they owned (they could lease it to others).

Question 3: Briefly describe some of the central reforms of the Tanzimat era during the Ottoman Empire.

Answer 3: “Tanzimat” is Turkish for “re-organizations.” During the era of the Tanzimat reforms (1839-1876), the Ottoman Empire saw many reforms. Among the most important was simply the declaration that all citizens of the Ottoman Empire were entitled to equal, basic rights. This contrasted with the long-standing practice of giving privileges to Muslim citizens of the empire. In addition, the Tanzimat reforms included the formation of a modern banking system and changes in the tax codes in an effort to make Ottoman society fairer. Schools were secularized under the Tanzimat reforms, and the government established state schools to train prospective government clerks. Millets (communities divided by religion, functioning as states within the State) were re-organized. This had the effect of reducing the autonomy of the millets. Military reforms included the abolishment of the janissaries in 1826 and the establishment of an army based on conscription.

Flashcard Secrets provides test preparation products for a variety of examinations - all trademarks are property of their respective trademark owners.

3827 Phelan #179

Beaumont, TX 77707