REVIEW Unit III: The Postclassical Era-600 to 1450

REVIEWUnit III: The Postclassical

Era-600 to 1450

Dr. Afxendiou

Sachem North High School

PERIODIZATION

Major events and developments that characterize these years as a distinct time period:• Major religions determine and define areas of

the world – Christianity, Hinduism, Confucianism, Buddhism

• 2 nomadic groups impact history – Bedouins and Mongols

PERIODIZATION

Major events and developments• Islam

• Major empires in Mesoamerica and South America

• Chinese hegemony

• Amount and complexity of trade and contact

REVIEW TOPICS

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 Islam “submission”

• 2nd largest number of supporters in the world 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 Founding of Islam

• In Mecca by Muhammad

• Muhammad – trader (married to Khadija – 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 Founding of Islam

• 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

Islamic Beliefs and Practices• The Five Pillars

• Most important source of religious authority 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 The Spread of Islam

• 632 Muhammad dies – Islam spread over 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 Spread of Islam• Rapid expansion – within 300 years the

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


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 Golden Age• 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 Arts, Sciences and Technologies

• Art • calligraphy, designs-arabesque• Architecture-minarets, mosques• Literature-Poetic works, A Thousand and One Nights

• Science• Use of logic – from ancient Greeks• Mathematics from India

• algebra

• Navigation• Astronomy• Medicine

• Surgery• hospitals


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 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 Political structures

• Umayyad caliphate – Sunnis • Capital in Damascus

• Theocratic rulers

• Abbasid caliphate• Shi’ites rebelled, overthrew Umayyads and installed

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


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

Major trade routes• Mediterranean- western Europe, Byzantine

Empire, Islamic Empire

• Hanseatic League• Baltic/North Sea Regions

• Formed in 1241 – 100 cities joined

• Silk Road

• Trans-Saharan routes – west Africa, Islamic Empire

• Indian Ocean trade – Persians, Arabs


Cultural Diffusion• Spread of languages and religions

• Spread of art and literature

• Spread of plague – led to end of European feudal society

Global trade network• Made up of interconnected regions

• everyone except Americas involved


Trans-Saharan Trade• Ghana – land of gold – 700s

• 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

• Mali – replaces and absorbs Ghana – 13th century• Islamic• Mansa Musa – pilgrimage

• Timbuktu • Libraries and Islamic schools• Mosques

INTERREGIONAL NETWORKS AND CONTACS 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


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


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 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 Silk Routes

• Connected China to Mediterranean since Roman times

• Used heavily during Mongol rule – 1200-1600

• Products: • Silk

• Porcelain

• Paper

• Ideas• Military technology

• Religions-Buddhism, Islam, Christianity

• foods

INTERREGIONAL NETWORKS AND CONTACS The Mongol Empire

• 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 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 The Mongol Empire

• Hordes or Khanates • Golden horde

• Great Khanate - included China• Kubilai Khan – created Yuan Dynasty in China

• Dismissed Confucian scholars

• Kept Mongol and Chinese cultures separate

• Impact • Pax Mongolica – trade

• Exchange of goods, ideas and cultures

• Silk Road flourished

• Influenced Russian empire

• No Golden Age

CHINESE INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL EXPANSION

China was the richest of the empires of the postclassical time period – the Middle Kingdom

Dynasties:• Sui

• Tang

• Song

• Yuan

• Ming

CHINESE INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL EXPANSION 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


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

Song Dynasty 960 – 1279• Weaker than Tang

• Conflict with northern neighbors


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


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


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 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


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, 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


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 Influence on surrounding areas• Tributary states

• Japan

• Korea

• Vietnam

• Kow-tow

• Intensification of ethnocentrism


Japan• 4 main islands (archipelago)• Relative isolation but influenced by China throughout• Political

• Emperor descendant of Yamato Clan (no dynastic cycle)• During Tang Dynasty heavily influenced by China

• 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


Japan• 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 leader-beginning 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


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


Japan• Social

• Women • Noblewomen educated

• No freedoms

• Code of Bushido – way of the warrior • Loyalty, courage, honor

• Art• Ink sketches

• Tea ceremony – tranquility, ritual

• Decorative gardens – importance of nature

• Haiku verses – simplicity, peacefulness, enlightenment

CHINESE INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL EXPANSION Korea

• Peninsula, bridge between China and Japan

• Political • Captured by Tang who withdraw in return for tribute

payments• Silla kingdom a vassal of China

• Economic • Participated in Chinese trading network

• Social• Adapted Chinese writing

• Scholars trained in Confucian classics

• Art- porcelain manufactured improved Chinese methods – Celadon bowls (pale green color)


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


Vietnam• Social

• Accepted some Chinese traditions

• Agriculture and irrigation

• Veneration of ancestors

• Women

• Had more autonomy than women in other Asian cultures

• Trung sisters – led revolt against Chinese

• Had economic roles in local commerce

CHINESE INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL EXPANSION Yuan Dynasty

• 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)


Ming Dynasty• Overthrew Yuan Dynasty

• See Indian Ocean trade information

EUROPEAN DEVELOPMENTS

Fall of Rome - Western Europe and Byzantine Empire

WESTERN EUROPE• 500 – 1000 The Dark Ages

• 1000 – 1300 The High Middle Ages

• Dark Ages – loss of • Roman civilization

• written language

• complex government

• Need for protection – Vikings, Magyars (8th & 9th centuries) led to rise of feudalism


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)


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


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


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 WESTERN EUROPE

• Crusades• 4th crusade raided Constantinople – undermining of Byzantine

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


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


WESTERN EUROPE• Economic 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

• Social developments

• Universities in High Middle Ages

• Gothic Architecture


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


WESTERN EUROPE• Hundred Years’ War – 1337 – 1453

• France v. England

• Long bow

• Peasant armies

• Knights made obsolete

• end of Medieval period


BYZANTINE EMPIRE• Established by emperor Constantine –

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


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

REVIEW Unit III: The Postclassical Era-600 to 1450

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