Final answer:
Conquests contributed to the growth of well-organized empires by bringing new wealth, increasing cross-regional trade, and stabilizing borders. Newly acquired resources, labor, and hefty taxes on vanquished peoples allowed empires to expand their economic and military might. Diplomacy often cemented these gains, turning adversaries into tribute-paying partners in empire building.
Step-by-step explanation:
Conquests have played a significant role in the growth of well-organized empires throughout history. When touching on the topic of how conquests contributed to this growth, one could point to several key factors. Firstly, conquests typically brought new wealth into empires like the Ottoman Empire, as it acquired new territories, assets, and resources valuable for economic expansion. Secondly, by conquering new lands, empires often gained access to additional populations that could be utilized as labor, soldiers, or in other roles within the empire's economy and military. For example, the Roman economy benefited immensely from the natural resources of conquered regions and the slave labor of captives, vital for sustaining Roman industry and agriculture.
Additionally, empires used the imposition of heavy taxes on conquered rulers and peoples to further fill their coffers. In some cases, war itself encouraged more cross-regional trade of commodities like copper and horses. A shift in the societal roles of aristocrats, who sometimes became merchants to avoid conflict, further stimulated the empire's economic activities. These economic inflows often allowed empires to stabilize their borders and support their military ambitions, leading to their continued expansion and consolidation of power.
In Africa, trade played a crucial role in uniting the continent and contributing to the formation of empires. Trade in gold, salt, and slaves brought substantial profits, leading to the growth of city-states into powerful kingdoms and empires. Diplomacy often replaced overt warfare, with conquered states becoming tribute bearers, thus further extending the might of empires. It's significant to understand that military conquest was sometimes just a means to economic ends, as empires sought to secure resources, labor, and trade routes to fortify their positions regionally and globally.