Download The Human Web—2nd Assignment, Chapter I (pages 9-24)

Mr. T
The Human Web—6th Assignment, Chapter V (pages 116-154)
AP WORLD
Rationale:
This the period of World History that students find most
confusing (or dull). Traditional histories jump from dynasty
to dynasty, empire to empire in a way that makes it seem that
between the fall of Rome and the American Revolution, not
much happened.
However, in World History, the period of 1000-1500CE is
critical in setting the stage for the modern world. During this
time Afro-Eurasian civilizations became increasingly interconnected while American civilizations remained out of the
Old World Web with disastrous results—that most of you
are familiar with—that define the end of this era and the
beginning of the next.
Evidence of the interconnections of the Old World is seen in
the spread of the Bubonic Plague; the writing and journeys
of travelers like Marco Polo, Ibn Batutta and Zheng He; and
the rise and fall of the largest land empire the world has ever
known: that of the Mongols. This is the era in which the
traditional Islamic, Chinese and European political, cultural
and economic structures declined, only to be replaced by
even more dynamic, wide-ranging and influential new ones.
Finally, although we need to learn to appreciate the events
and developments of this time period on their own, we also
need to study this era through the critical lens of rising
European Hegemony. I have already asked you to start
questioning the common narrative of World History—a
largely unexplained rise to European dominance with little
discussion of causes or competitors—by means of an
exploration of causes that reach 13,000 years back into the
Neolithic Era. Now we need to complicate our analysis by
examining the catalyst the other empires, peoples and
systems (political, economic, trade, etc.) of the Old World
Web provided for that rise—and its short-lived existence.
A giraffe from Somalia on display in a Chinese zoo.
Directions: You may type your answers directly into this document or create one of your own.
Tasks:
1. Paraphrase the “Rationale” statement above in your own words.
2. What do you know about the “Transformative Age”? (1000-1500CE)? (This might be very little this
time…) What do you want to know? Fill out the “K” and “W” columns of following chart (called a KWL
chart) with the answers to these two questions:
Mr. T
AP WORLD
K
(What I Know)
W
(What I Want To Know)


L
(What I Have Learned)
I have learned how awesome Mr.
Tolley is. (Let’s leave this one
here…)
When you have finished the chapter reading and these tasks, fill out the “L” column also.
3. This chapter explains how, during this period, China became the world’s first market economy, and then
retreated from extensive world contact. List three factors that led to China’s rise to market monster (pages
122-3) and then explain how and why the Ming Dynasty made the conscious decision to back away from
the Old World Web (125-7).
4. The McNeills explain that the principal political and cultural phenomenon in the Islamic world during this
period was a blending of nomadic and urban cultures. Which three primary cultures blended? Where did
this mixing of cultures find success (list at least 3 areas/empires)? Where did it fail to take root (list at least
two regions)? [130-136] What were the relative strengths, and the most important weakness (esp. in
comparison to Western Europe and China) of this transformed Islamic culture? [136-7]
5. During this period, Western Europe grew more and more commercial—the period is sometimes referred
to as the Commercial Revolution. Although traditional histories often focus on chivalry, feudalism and
manorialism, they fail to make a concrete jump to the next crucial phase between the knights, Crusades
and the Pope to the explorers, the Age of Exploration and Christopher Columbus. Take the time now to
make sure you see the connections by listing at least 3 reasons why Western European governments were
inextricably tied to commercialism. [140-144]
6. Below, detail the relationships of Annam (Vietnam), Korea and Japan with China. How were they similar?
How were they different? Who was influenced the most? The least? How? Why?
Annam

Korea

Japan

Mr. T
AP WORLD
7. In this chapter, what elements/examples of social/historical analysis from early societies did you see
continue on into this next stage of human development? Which were not mentioned? Were there any new
elements that are important to take note of? Adjust the chart on the attached page to fit your
observations. (Feel free to cut and paste your old answers—don’t re-type everything.) As you complete
this task, remember to focus on what remains CONTINUOUS and what CHANGES.