Download REVIEW Unit II: The Postclassical Era

REVIEW
Unit III: The Postclassical
Era-600 to 1450
Dr. Afxendiou
Sachem North High School
PERIODIZATION
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Major events and developments that
characterize these years as a distinct
time period:
• Major religions determine and define areas of
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the world – Christianity, Hinduism,
Confucianism, Buddhism
2 nomadic groups impact history – Bedouins
and Mongols
PERIODIZATION
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Major events and developments
• Islam
• Major empires in Mesoamerica and South
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•
America
Chinese hegemony
Amount and complexity of trade and contact
REVIEW TOPICS
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The Islamic World
Interregional networks and contacts
China’s internal and external expansion
European developments
The Amerindian World
Demographic and environmental
changes
THE ISLAMIC WORLD –
Dar al-Islam
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Islam “submission”
• 2nd largest number of supporters in the world
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today
Started in Arabian Peninsula among the
Bedouins
Bedouins – nomads who controlled trade
routes across the desert.
Trade towns linked long caravan routes –
Mecca and Medina
Mecca also a religious destination due to
Ka’aba – contained the black stone
THE ISLAMIC WORLD –
Dar al-Islam
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Founding of Islam
• In Mecca by Muhammad
• Muhammad – trader (married to Khadija –
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wealthy widow). Began to meditate in
mountains outside Mecca. Angel Gabriel
revealed himself to him.
Believed himself to be the last of the prophets
of the one true god.
Started spreading the new religion
Muslims – his followers – people who have
submitted to the will of Allah
THE ISLAMIC WORLD –
Dar al-Islam
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Founding of Islam
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Muhammad’s preaching of monotheism was a thread
to the social and economic order – threatened
pilgrimage business to Ka’aba
622 hijra (hegira) flight to Yathrib which he remaned
Medina – marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar
Many converts to Islam – created the community of
believers – the Umma
Became a political and military leader – 630 captures
Mecca, destroys idols around Ka’aba and declares it a
holy structure of Allah and the Black stone claimed to
be the foundation placed by Abraham in establishing
Judaism.
THE ISLAMIC WORLD –
Dar al-Islam
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Islamic Beliefs and Practices
• The Five Pillars
• Most important source of religious authority
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•
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the Qur’an – the actual words of Allah
The Sunna – Muhammad’s life, the best
model for proper living
Shar’ia – body of law based on Qur’an and
Sunna, regulated family life, moral conduct,
business and community life.
All people equal before god
THE ISLAMIC WORLD –
Dar al-Islam
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The Spread of Islam
• 632 Muhammad dies – Islam spread over
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most of Arabian Peninsula
Caliphate – government set up to rule
Muslims after Muhammad – theocratic empire
Caliph – successor, leader of caliphate and all
Muslims – chosen by the leaders of the umma
Abu-Bakr-first caliph. Close friend of
Muhammad. Followed by 3 other caliphs who
also knew Muhammad. These four were
known as the “rightly guided” caliphs.
THE ISLAMIC WORLD –
Dar al-Islam
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The Spread of Islam
• Rapid expansion – within 300 years the
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Middle East, North Africa and South Asia fell
to armies of Islam
Spread helped by
• weakness of Empires of the time – the Persian and
Byzantine Empires
• Well-disciplined, well-organized armies
• Exclusion of Muslims from taxation – conversion of
conquered people in order to avoid taxation
THE ISLAMIC WORLD –
Dar al-Islam
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Empire grows as religion splits
• Sunni-Shi’a split – who should succeed
Muhammad
• Shi’a-only family members of Muhammad,
descendants of Ali should be caliphs
• Sunni-any member of umma
• Each of the 4 early caliphs was murdered by
rivals. Death of Ali triggered a civil war when
Umayyad family rose to power (enemies of
Muhammad in Mecca)
THE ISLAMIC WORLD –
Dar al-Islam
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The Golden Age
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Institutions of higher learning – Cairo, Baghdad,
Cordoba
Muhammad al-Razi-encyclopedia
Preserved learning of ancient Greeks, Romans and
Persians – translated writings of Plato and Aristotle
into Arabic
Language-Umayyads:Arabic; Abbasids: Persian
Al-Andalus-Islamic Spain-flowering of culture in
otherwise backwards Europe
Religion-respect for other religions “dimmis” people of
the book; sufis-Islamic mystics
THE ISLAMIC WORLD –
Dar al-Islam
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Arts, Sciences and Technologies
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Art
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Science
• calligraphy, designs-arabesque
• Architecture-minarets, mosques
• Literature-Poetic works, A Thousand and One Nights
• Use of logic – from ancient Greeks
• Mathematics from India
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algebra
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Surgery
hospitals
• Navigation
• Astronomy
• Medicine
THE ISLAMIC WORLD –
Dar al-Islam
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Women in Islam
• Positive elements:
• Qur’an changed negative treatment of women in
pre-Islamic societies
• Treated them with more dignity
• Equal before Allah
• Dowry returned to wife after divorce
• Infanticide forbidden
• Gained power within the home
• In early stages they had power outside home
(Khadijah-Muhammad’s boss)
THE ISLAMIC WORLD –
Dar al-Islam
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Women in Islam
• Negative Elements
• Before Islam
• Women viewed as property
• Man kept dowry after divorce
• Female nfanticide
• After Islam
• Up to 4 wives if a man could afford to support them
• patrilineal inheritance
• Testimony of woman in court half the weight of man
• Veiled in Persia/Mesopotamia later in entire empire
• Overtime empire become even more patriarchal
THE ISLAMIC WORLD –
Dar al-Islam
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Political structures
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Umayyad caliphate – Sunnis
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Abbasid caliphate
• Capital in Damascus
• Theocratic rulers
• Shi’ites rebelled, overthrew Umayyads and installed
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Abbasid rulers
Initially had Shi’a support but had to bring them under
control eventually
Capital moved to Baghdad
Problems with succession
Empire too large to govern
High taxes made them unpopular
THE ISLAMIC WORLD –
Dar al-Islam
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Political Structures
• Fall of the Abbasids
• Local kingdoms gained power
• Sultans – Persian leaders took control of Baghdad
in 945
• Seljuk Turks take Baghdad and manipulate caliphs
• 1258 Mongols destroy Baghdad
INTERREGIONAL NETWORKS
AND CONTACS
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Major trade routes
• Mediterranean- western Europe, Byzantine
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Empire, Islamic Empire
Hanseatic League
• Baltic/North Sea Regions
• Formed in 1241 – 100 cities joined
• Silk Road
• Trans-Saharan routes – west Africa, Islamic
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Empire
Indian Ocean trade – Persians, Arabs
INTERREGIONAL NETWORKS
AND CONTACS
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Cultural Diffusion
• Spread of languages and religions
• Spread of art and literature
• Spread of plague – led to end of European
feudal society
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Global trade network
• Made up of interconnected regions
• everyone except Americas involved
INTERREGIONAL NETWORKS
AND CONTACS
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Trans-Saharan Trade
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Ghana – land of gold – 700s
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Mali – replaces and absorbs Ghana – 13th century
• In the savanna region
• Gained wealth by taxing goods traders carried through
territory
• Arab traders spread Islam and expanded knowledge of Africa
to world
• Gold and salt trade
• Islamic
• Mansa Musa – pilgrimage
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Timbuktu
Libraries and Islamic schools
Mosques
INTERREGIONAL NETWORKS
AND CONTACS
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Indian Ocean Trade
• Different zones dominated by regional powers
• West-Arabs
• Middle zone-Indian kingdoms
• East-China
• Reached coast of East Africa – Swahili Coast
• Stretched over 6,000 miles
• Used monsoon winds
• Intermixing of cultures due to marriage of
sailors with local women
INTERREGIONAL NETWORKS
AND CONTACS
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Indian Ocean Trade
• Goods
• From Africa-ivory, animal hides, gold, slaves
• From Middle East-textiles, carpets, glass, Arabian
horses
• From India-gems, elephants, salt, cotton cloth,
cinnamon
• From China-silk, porcelain, paper
• From Japan-silver
INTERREGIONAL NETWORKS
AND CONTACS
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Indian Ocean Trade
• China during the Ming dynasty
• Made Indian Ocean trade its focus
• Expeditions of Zheng He
• Chinese junks
• Forced to end his expeditions – bureaucrats jealous
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of his success
New emperor did not want to invest further money –
wanted to use money to protect against nomadic
invasions – Really?
INTERREGIONAL NETWORKS
AND CONTACS
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Silk Routes
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Connected China to Mediterranean since Roman
times
Used heavily during Mongol rule – 1200-1600
Products:
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Ideas
• Silk
• Porcelain
• Paper
• Military technology
• Religions-Buddhism, Islam, Christianity
• foods
INTERREGIONAL NETWORKS
AND CONTACS
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The Mongol Empire
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Nomads, great horsemen and archers
Genghis Khan-Chinggis Khan
Largest empire ever – from Pacific to Eastern Europe
Success due to:
• Military organization – tjumen
• Ruthless warriors, highly mobile-could travel 90 miles
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per day (Romans only 25/day)
Bow range 300 yards
Motivated soldiers – traitors punished, courage
rewarded
Used spies
Military innovations – in armor, strategies.
INTERREGIONAL NETWORKS
AND CONTACS
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The Mongol Empire
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Hordes or Khanates
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Golden horde
Great Khanate - included China
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Kubilai Khan – created Yuan Dynasty in China
• Dismissed Confucian scholars
• Kept Mongol and Chinese cultures separate
Impact
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Pax Mongolica – trade
Exchange of goods, ideas and cultures
Silk Road flourished
Influenced Russian empire
No Golden Age
CHINESE INTERNAL AND
EXTERNAL EXPANSION
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China was the richest of the empires of the
postclassical time period – the Middle Kingdom
Dynasties:
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Sui
Tang
Song
Yuan
Ming
CHINESE INTERNAL AND
EXTERNAL EXPANSION
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Sui Dynasty, 589-618
• Ended civil war era that followed the Han
• Construction of the Grand Canal
• Buddhism adopted by rulers
• Rebellions due to unrest caused by natural
disasters that led to famine
CHINESE INTERNAL AND
EXTERNAL EXPANSION
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Tang Dynasty, 618-907
• accomplishments
• Expanded territory to Tibet and into Korea
• strong transportation and communications system
– Canals, road systems with inns and stables.
Courier service connected empire
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Song Dynasty 960 – 1279
• Weaker than Tang
• Conflict with northern neighbors
CHINESE INTERNAL AND
EXTERNAL EXPANSION
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Tang/Song Dynasties
• Stable bureaucratic system based on civil
service exam (started during Han dynasty)
• Confucian principles
• Scholar gentry
• Meritocracy not aristocracy
• New business practices
• Paper money
• Flying money-letters of credit
CHINESE INTERNAL AND
EXTERNAL EXPANSION
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Tang/Song Dynasties
• New technologies
• Gunpowder for military use
• Junks
• Magnetic compass
• Block printing
• Trade
• Involved in regional trade with Southeast Asia and
Pacific Coast – sea routes
• Silk Road with Asia
• Network of road and canals connect North and South
regions
CHINESE INTERNAL AND
EXTERNAL EXPANSION
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Tang/Song Dynasties
• Agriculture
• Champa Rice – Vietnam
• New agricultural techniques
• Increased production leads to increased population
from 45 to 115 million leads to urbanization (growth
of cities) especially in the South.
• More production needed for increased population,
drain swamp land, terrace hillsides
CHINESE INTERNAL AND
EXTERNAL EXPANSION
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Tang/Song Dynasties
• Social Changes
• In all areas – art, science, philosophy, porcelain
making, silk weaving, transportation systems
• Tang – poetry
• Song – printing – expanded literacy
• Women
• Empress Wu – first empress, supported Buddhism
• Inferior
• Song – footbinding
• Power of upper class women through males – sons
or as favorites of rulers
CHINESE INTERNAL AND
EXTERNAL EXPANSION
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Tang/Song Dynasties
• Religion
• Buddhism - Greatest influence by outside religion
• State sponsored during Sui
• Favored in the beginning of Tang (Empress Wu)
• Mahayana Buddhism – followed by the masses, mystical,
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emphasis on quiet and peaceful existence
• Chan Buddhism (Zen in Japan) – followed by elite. Focus
on meditation.
Confucian Reaction
• Bureaucrats threatened by its popularity
• Seen as economic drain to national treasury (no taxes)
• monasteries destroyed-Buddhism never regained power
CHINESE INTERNAL AND
EXTERNAL EXPANSION
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Tang/Song Dynasties
• Art – stylized and symbolic landscape
•
paintings by scholar-gentry
Philosophy – Neo-Confucianism
• Used ancient Confucian texts
• Codified traditional Chinese philosophy
• Reinforced gender and class distinctions
CHINESE INTERNAL AND
EXTERNAL EXPANSION
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Chinese Influence on surrounding areas
• Tributary states
• Japan
• Korea
• Vietnam
• Kow-tow
• Intensification of ethnocentrism
CHINESE INTERNAL AND
EXTERNAL EXPANSION
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Japan
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4 main islands (archipelago)
Relative isolation but influenced by China throughout
Political
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Emperor descendant of Yamato Clan (no dynastic cycle)
During Tang Dynasty heavily influenced by China
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Taika Reforms
• Chinese characters (didn’t work)
• Buddhism
• Court etiquette
• Chinese architecture
• Confucian classics
• Bureaucratic government organization
• Law codes
• Tax system
• Art, literature, music
Emperor attempted to establish scholar gentry – resisted by aristocracy
CHINESE INTERNAL AND
EXTERNAL EXPANSION
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Japan
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After 794 increased aristocratic power, the emperor
becomes a figurehead
Division into small territories ruled by powerful clans
with private armies
1192 the Shogun becomes the political leaderbeginning of Japanese feudal system
• Gempei Wars- peasants v. Samurai
• Military state
• Damyo – huge landowner-controls Samurai
• Divides land to lesser vassals and Samurai
• Peasants exist to serve samurai
CHINESE INTERNAL AND
EXTERNAL EXPANSION
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Japan
• Social
• Early religion – Shinto
• Kami
• Emperor descendant of spirit of emperor sun
goddess
• Buddhism gained hold but Shintoism remained
• Literature –
• Poetry written by men
• Prose women – Lady Murasaki Tale of Genji
CHINESE INTERNAL AND
EXTERNAL EXPANSION
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Japan
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Social
• Women
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Noblewomen educated
No freedoms
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Loyalty, courage, honor
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Ink sketches
Tea ceremony – tranquility, ritual
Decorative gardens – importance of nature
Haiku verses – simplicity, peacefulness, enlightenment
• Code of Bushido – way of the warrior
• Art
CHINESE INTERNAL AND
EXTERNAL EXPANSION
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Korea
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Peninsula, bridge between China and Japan
Political
• Captured by Tang who withdraw in return for tribute
payments
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Silla kingdom a vassal of China
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Economic
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Social
• Participated in Chinese trading network
• Adapted Chinese writing
• Scholars trained in Confucian classics
• Art- porcelain manufactured improved Chinese methods
– Celadon bowls (pale green color)
CHINESE INTERNAL AND
EXTERNAL EXPANSION
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Vietnam
• South of China
• Political
• Valued their independence, not willing to become
tributaries
• Made up of small kingdoms – the Khmer the
strongest
• Periodically absorbed into China but always
resisted
CHINESE INTERNAL AND
EXTERNAL EXPANSION
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Vietnam
• Social
• Accepted some Chinese traditions
• Agriculture and irrigation
• Veneration of ancestors
• Women
• Had more autonomy than women in other Asian
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cultures
Trung sisters – led revolt against Chinese
Had economic roles in local commerce
CHINESE INTERNAL AND
EXTERNAL EXPANSION
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Yuan Dynasty
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Mongols in China
1271 Kubilai Khan
Religious tolerance but end of civil service exams
Kubilai Khan keeps Mongols separate from Chinese to
maintain culture
Mongol women have more freedoms than Chinese
women
Foreigners used in government positions (Marco Polo)
Merchants gained status
Attempted to capture Japan (failed both times –
Kamikaze)
CHINESE INTERNAL AND
EXTERNAL EXPANSION
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Ming Dynasty
• Overthrew Yuan Dynasty
• See Indian Ocean trade information
EUROPEAN DEVELOPMENTS
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Fall of Rome - Western Europe and Byzantine
Empire
WESTERN EUROPE
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500 – 1000 The Dark Ages
1000 – 1300 The High Middle Ages
Dark Ages – loss of
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Need for protection – Vikings, Magyars (8th & 9th
centuries) led to rise of feudalism
• Roman civilization
• written language
• complex government
EUROPEAN DEVELOPMENTS

WESTERN EUROPE
• Feudalism-social and political system
• Lords, vassals, knights – land for service and
loyalty
• Fiefs
• Status defined by birth
• Power based on how much land you control
• Code of Chivalry
• Decentralized government – local rule on the
manor
• Local power struggles – “feuds” (feudalism)
EUROPEAN DEVELOPMENTS
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WESTERN EUROPE
• Manorialism- economic system
• manors - self-sufficient
• Serfdom
• Crude tools – 9th century the moldboard
• Weakened by Crusades and increase of trade and
rise of towns
• Destroyed by Black Plague
EUROPEAN DEVELOPMENTS

Western Europe
• Women
• Traditional roles – home/children
• Peasant women work in fields
• Code of Chivalry reinforces idea of women as
weak, subordinate, in need of protection
• Alternative to traditional roles - the convent
• Women in towns can participate in trade and be
members of guilds
• Cannot inherit
• Education limited to domestic skills
EUROPEAN DEVELOPMENTS

WESTERN EUROPE
• Crusades 11th – 13th centuries
• Pope Urban II
• Free the Holy Land from Muslim control
• Initial success but ultimately failed to achieve goal
• Brought Europe into the major world trade routes of
the time – Mediterranean trade, Silk Road
• Europe changed by encounter with Middle East –
new products, new technologies, new ideas
• Demand for foreign products created in Europe
• Venice and Genoa – rich trade cities – geographic
location
EUROPEAN DEVELOPMENTS
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WESTERN EUROPE
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Crusades
• 4th crusade raided Constantinople – undermining of Byzantine
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Empire
Power of kings increases – they gain the right to tax for armies
Beginning of Muslim/Christian hostilities
Increased Eurasian trade
Growth of banking
Creation of urban middle class
Renewal of economy, learning, arts
Move towards centralized political authority
Import of new military technology – guns and cannons –
castles and knights are obsolete
EUROPEAN DEVELOPMENTS

WESTERN EUROPE
• Black Plague – the tiny flea topples
feudal/manorial system
• Comes from Asia through trade routes – Chinese
or Mongol origin?
• Labor shortage
• Labor of serfs valuable in cities – leave the manor
EUROPEAN DEVELOPMENTS

WESTERN EUROPE
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Economic developments
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Social developments
• Rise of towns
• Use of money (move away from barter)
• Banking system, credit system, insurance
• Towns regulate their businesses and collect own taxes
• guilds
• Universities in High Middle Ages
• Gothic Architecture
EUROPEAN DEVELOPMENTS

WESTERN EUROPE
• England
• Norman invasion 1066 – William the Conqueror
• Alternative feudalism – all vassals owe allegiance to
king
• Bureaucracy, single system of laws
• Parliamentary government – unique to England
• Places limitations on king
• Magna Carta –
• no taxation without consent
• No arbitrary arrest
• King is not above the law
EUROPEAN DEVELOPMENTS

WESTERN EUROPE
• Hundred Years’ War – 1337 – 1453
• France v. England
• Long bow
• Peasant armies
• Knights made obsolete
• end of Medieval period
EUROPEAN DEVELOPMENTS
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BYZANTINE EMPIRE
• Established by emperor Constantine –
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Eastern Roman Empire
Capital Constantinople
Strategic position between Black Sea and
Mediterranean
Lasted 1000 years after fall of Rome
Christian theocracy – absolute rule
EUROPEAN DEVELOPMENTS

BYZANTINE EMPIRE
• Adapted Greek language
• Blended Greek and Roman cultures
• Art- iconography
• Architecture – the dome
• Emperor Justinian
• Justinian Code – legal system based on Roman 12
Tables of Law
• Hagia Sophia
EUROPEAN DEVELOPMENTS

The Great Schism - 1054
• Christianity of Western Europe and
Christianity of Eastern Europe
• Roman Catholicism and Christian Orthodoxy
• Differences:
• Communion
• Priests and marriage
• Language and church ceremonies
• Byzantines did not want papal interference