Download Guided Notes - History with Ms. Osborn

Name:____________________________________ Period:______________________Date:_________________
Medieval Asia and Africa
Video Link: http://bit.ly/MedAsiaAfrica
Big Picture: The influence of China’s advanced civilizations spread across East Asia including Korea and Japan. As
societies in Africa grew, different forms of government arose to lead them.
Essential Question:
 What social, political, and economic factors
characterized life in Asia and Africa during the
Middle Ages?
 Was Mana Musa really the richest person in the
entire history of the world?
Golden Hawk Historians will…
 Analyze the effect that social, political, and
economic factors had on Asia and Africa during
the Middle Ages.
 Evaluate the extent to which Mansa Musa was
truly the richest man in the history of the world.
Chinese Empires

Han Dynasty

After the Han Dynasty collapsed in China military leaders split China into several rival kingdoms until
_______________________ reunified China under the _______________ (pronounced sway) dynasty.

Wendi restored ________________________, created a _____________________________________,
and _____________________________ the government.

His greatest achievement was the _________________________________ that connected northern and
southern China that he built through the ___________________________________________________.

Tang Dynasty

When Wendi was assassinated a general in his army seized control and established the
____________________ dynasty.

Tang rulers established a capital in Chang’an.

They improved the government by requiring ________________________________________________
in which people had to pass a written test in order to work for the government.

Tang rulers also created a __________________________________________ that became a model for
Japan and Korea.

The Tang expanded the empire increasing their exposure to other peoples which increased
_________________ along the ______________________________.

Song Dynasty

After the Tang Dynasty, China was not _______________________ until the Song dynasty.

Under Song rule Chinese civilization became the _______________________________ in the world.

The Song created a capital at Kaifeng, restored _____________________________________________,
reformed the government, and reformed the civil service exam.

The new exam tested prospects on _______________________________________.

The Song were never able to regain the territories in the north or west.
Chinese Cultural Achievements

_______________________________________ allowed for faster copying of texts by carving the texts into
wood and then covering it with ink to stamp onto a new sheet of paper.

____________________________ made printing much faster by creating individual letters that could be
combined to make words.

____________________________________________ was used in order to improve trade because it was lighter
and easier to use than coins.

___________________________________ was invented for fireworks and signals rather than weapons.

______________________________________ allowed for further sea travel.
The Mongols

Northern China had been attacked by a nomadic people from the north called the _______________________.

The Mongols were divided into separate clans led by a __________________, or chief.

Under ________________________________, meaning universal ruler, the Mongols became united and created
an empire.

The army was ___________________________________ and could attack quickly using brutal tactics like
burning entire villages and killing the inhabitants.

Under Genghis Khan the Mongols conquered much of ______________________________________________.

After his death the empire was divided into four ___________________________________, or regions.

Under ___________________________________ the Mongols attempted to control all of China and Korea.

At one point the Mongol empire stretched from __________________________________________________.

Kublai Khan started the _____________________ dynasty in China and declared himself emperor of the China.

He heavily ________________ the Chinese and did not let them serve in higher government positions.

Kublai Khan encouraged ____________________ and opened China to visitors including Marco Polo.
The Ming and Qing Dynasties

The Ming Dynasty

Following the Mongol dynasties collapse the ______________ Dynasty was founded.

Emperor __________________________ worked to rebuild and unify China.

He passed reduced __________________ and passed reforms to improve trade.

He also revived _____________________ Chinese culture.

His successor, Yonglo, encouraged _________________________ and encouraged foreign leaders to
visit China.

Following the explorations the Ming’s ___________________________________ to all foreigners
fearing the influence they had on Chinese culture.

The Ming’s built the ________________________________________________

The Qing Dynasty

The Ming were attacked by the _________________________ from Manchuria and renamed the empire
– Qing Dynasty

They gained the respect of the Chinese by allowing them to keep their ___________________________
and ____________________________ traditions.

The Manchu continued their restriction of foreign trade.
The Ottoman and Safavid Empire

The Ottoman Empire

The Ottoman Empire was established by the _________________ in Modern day Turkey in the 1300s.

The location was strategically located between the __________________________________________
to the west and the _____________________________________ to the east.

The Ottomans began to expand their empire attacking the ____________________________________
to the west and parts of the _____________________ empires to the east.

When the Ottomans took the Byzantine capital of Constantinople they renamed it
____________________________ and claimed the Christian city for Islam.

Overall, the Ottomans ruled their conquered subjects with __________________________________,
however, non-Muslims did have to pay heavy taxes.


The Ottoman Empire lasted until the early _________________________.
The Safavid Empire

The Persian Muslims called the __________________________ began building an empire around the
1500s and soon came into conflict with the Ottoman’s and other Muslim empires.

The Safavid were ________________ and the other Muslims were ___________________________.

Esma’il, whose father was killed by Sunni’s, expanded his empire through a series of military victories
before taking up the title ___________________, or king, in modern day Iran.

The Safavid Empire had a unique culture due to the blending of the _____________________________
__________________________ influences.

They encouraged traditional products such as Persian rugs to be manufactured.
The Mughal Empire

After the fall of the ___________________ Empire in the 500s India broke into several smaller kingdoms with no
single ruler.

Muslim traders appeared during this period and attacked North India creating a capital in __________________.

The Muslims allowed the Indians to keep their traditional customs and religions but also spread
______________________ religion and culture through India.

_______________________ founded the ___________________ Empire known for its wealth and power, after
Babur died his grandson ___________________ took the throne.

Akbar attempted to unify his empire through ____________________________________________ – he
abolished taxes on people of different faiths and encouraged discussion between people of different religions.

After Akbar died ____________________________, his son, became ruler who continued the policy of religious
tolerance and ________________________________.

Jhangir’s son Shah Jahan also encouraged art and learning.

He had the _________________________________ built as a tomb for his beloved wife.

Following Shah Jahan, Aurangeb expanded the Mughal empire to its greatest size.
Japan

Japan consists of a series of thousands of islands that form an ________________________________________,
or large island chain.

Japanese practice __________________________, or “way of kami.”

According to Shinto beliefs everything in nature has a “________________”

Shintoism does not have a formal text or structure but followers build ______________________ and pray to
the “kami.”

The first emperor of the Japanese were the ____________________ clan, thought to be descendants of one of
the Sun gods.

Other clans gained power over the Yamato but did not get rid of the _________________________________,
instead they controlled him.

By the 1100s Japan’s central government had begun to lose control of the empire and local clans began to fight
for power.

Large landowners hired ____________________________, or trained professional warriors, for protection.

Japan adopted a _____________________________________________ very similar to Europe.

In exchange for their service Landowners paid samurai with ____________________, usually rice.

Samurai were trained warriors that wore ______________________, were trained in weapons, and rode on
horseback.

Samurai followed a strict code of ethics called _____________________, which means “the way of the warrior.”

Samurai’s were required to be courageous, honorable, obedient, and loyal.

Many samurai adopted ________________________________________, a form of Buddhism that spread from
China to Japan and stressed discipline and meditation as ways to focus the mind and gain wisdom.

After many years of warfare Japan was united by the ____________________________ family who became the
_________________________________, or generals, of Japan.

The emperor of Japan acted as a _________________________________, or ruler with no political power.

During Tokugawa rule ______________________________ production rose, population grew, and economic
activity increased.

Under Tokugawa rule feudal society hierarchy became rigid.

Ruling Class: ________________________  ____________________  ____________________ (landowners)
 ____________________________

Below the ruling class were the _______________________________________________________________.
Korea

The Korean _____________________________ lies southwest of China and just northwest of Japan, leaving
them open to invasion by the Chinese and the Japanese.

The first Koreans were _______________________ and travelled in clans that formed their own culture.

China defeated these nomadic tribes and shared Confucianism as well as their writing system, agricultural
practices, and government systems.

The __________________________ dynasty in Korea continued some of the Chinese practices and worked to
develop a distinct Korean identity.

Korean society was sharply divided between the ___________________________________________________.
African Civilizations

Africa’s ________________________________________ has contributed to the wide variety of cultures that
have emerged in Africa.

Each section has its own ________________________ and provides different ____________________________
for the people who live there.

Northern Africa is dominated by the ___________________________ desert while central and southern Africa is
characterized by plains called the _____________________________.

In the early phase of their history most Africans lived as _____________________________________________.

Their villages were based around their _________________ or families with very strict division of labor between
men and women.

They were __________________________________, meaning they believed that bodies of water, animals,
trees, and other natural objects have spirits.

They did not develop a system of writing but rather passed down their histories through
____________________________________________.

After the Iron Age, Africans began to migrate throughout the rest of the continent sharing their culture, beliefs,
and languages.

The ____________________ language formed and was shared through southern and eastern Africa creating a
more common culture.
African Kingdoms

Aksum

The Aksum kingdom developed in east Africa and controlled __________________ along the Red Sea.

This made it the richest of the kingdoms in east Africa.

Aksum was a center of trade for _____________________ goods like frankincense, ivory, and gold, but
also had a sustainable agriculture.


Aksum became a _____________________________ nation after Christianity was brought from traders.

Aksum began to decline in the 700s due to Muslim invaders.
Ghana

Ghana did not have access to the ____________, however, it still became a trading empire.

They used _________________ to cross the Sahara and trade with the other African kingdoms.

Ghana controlled all of the _____________________________________ trade in West Africa.

They ______________ the goods that were brought to their empire’s markets which built them great
wealth.

Mali

After Ghana declined due to Muslim invaders, Mali rose to power expanding the empire to the Atlantic
Ocean.


Mali reached it’s height under _______________________________________.

He gained most of his wealth by taxing the _________________________________ trade.

Mansa Musa was a devout ____________________________.

In 1324 he set out with 60,000 other Muslims to complete the ______________________.

When he returned he built large mosques, schools, and libraries to spread Islam in Timbuktu, the capital.
Songhai

The rulers following Mansa Musa were not as strong as he had been and was eventually overshadowed
by the smaller kingdom of the Songhai.

The Songhai were _______________ along the _______________________________________ trade
route that became Muslim.