Post-Classical Golden AGes

Judaism

• Jerusalem

• 2000 BCE

• covenant Abraham

• Torah

• 10 Commandments

Christiantiy

• Jerusalem

• 0

• Jesus Christ Son of God

• Bible

• 10 Commandments

Islam

• Mecca, Saudi Arabia

• 622 CE

• Muhammad Hegira

• Koran

• 5 Pillars

similarities (Abrahamic religions)

• Jerusalem (sacred city)

• monotheistic

• sacred text

• moral code (10 Commandments; 5 Pillars)

• Abraham

covenant

Abraham

Koran (Quran)

sacred text of Islam

Hegira

Muhammad’s flight from Mecca to Medina started Islam

Jerusalem

where Judaism and Christianity originated/sacred city to all 3 religions

Jesus

son of God

Hajj

pilgrimage (religious journey) to Mecca

5 Pillars

core beliefs of Islam (includes: monotheism, charity, Ramadan, the Hajj, pray 5x a day)

Muhammad

prophet of Islam by hearing a calling

tolerance

religious acceptance/diversity (Judaism, Christianity, Islam allowed)

monotheism

belief in one God (all 3 Abrahamic religions)

Allah

Islamic God

Torah

sacred text of Judaism

Bible

sacred text of Christianity

Abraham

made a sacred promise with God (foundations of all 3 Abrahamic religions)

10 Commandments

core beliefs of Judaism and Christianity (moral code)

geographic context of Abbasid Caliphate

• Abbasids controlled strategic trade routes in the Middle East led to wealth

historical context of Abbasid Caliphate

• Muhammad’s Hegira and Caliphs spread Islam due to trade, tolerance, military conquest

• Abbasids took over Umyadd for strategic trade

accomplishments of Abbasid Caliphate

• art

• literature

• architecture

• medicine

• paper and publishing

• astronomy

• engineering

• math

• Islamic Spain

geographic context of Byzantine Empire

• located on a strategic land/water trade routes (Silk Roads)

• Bosphorus: sliver of water connects Aegean to Black Sea

historical context of Byzantine Empire

• 286 Diocletian partitioned Roman Empire west (Rome) and east (Byzantine)

• 330 Constantine named capital

• 476 Western Rome fell, Eastern Rome continued

accomplishments of Byzantine Empire

• Greek fire

• Hagia Sophia

• Hippodrome (entertainment)

• Justinian’s Code

• women’s rights increased

• impact on Russia

geographic context of Tang Dynasty

• the Grand Canal (united China —> peace and prosperity)

• Tributary States (surrounding China, weaker, paid China —> peace and prosperity

historical context of Tang Dynasty

• 220 Han Dynasty collapsed

• claimed Mandate of Heaven/Dynastic Cycle

accomplishments of Tang Dynasty

• civil service exams

• gunpowder

• mechanical clock

• art

• foot-binding

• Pagodas

• block printing and moveable type

Grand Canal

connects Yellow and Yangtze rivers —> united China (military control/trade)

Justinian’s Code

maintained control over the diverse and vast empire by unifying under one law

Cordoba

(Umyadd) taken over by Abbasids for strategic trade

Foot Binding

based on Confucianism (women inferior) —> differentiated between rich/poor, gap between men/women

Algebra

Indo-Arabic numeral system still used today (symbols)

Hagia Sophia

House of Wisdom whose architecture was based on Greco-Roman design (later conquered by Muslims & converted into a mosque)

Geometric shapes

art in Abbasid (Islam does not allow images of living thngs)

Clock

mechanical clock (first automated machine), still used today

Bagdad

capital of the Abbasid Caliphate

Cyrillic Alphabet

calligraphy in the Abbasid Caliphate (from China)

Gunpowder

used for weapons —> strong military —> peace and prosperity (can bully tributary states)

Shariah Law

Islamic laws based on the Koran

Confucianism

influenced Tang Dynasty, social mobility, women inferior

Theocracy

govt. based on religion

Beijing

start of the Silk Road

Diocletian

partitioned Roman Empire west (Rome) and east (Byzantine)

Block printing

text printed on paper —> fast printing of books —> increased literacy —> spread of knowledge

Pagoda

memorial for sacred Buddhist beliefs

Tributary states

weak kingdoms that surrounded and paid China —> peace/prosperity

Religious Tolerance

acceptance towards all religions

Constantinople

capital of Byzantine named by Constantine

Justinian

emperor of the Byzantine

Preservation of Greek and Roman knowledge (used 2x)

accomplishments of the Abbasid Caliphate and Byzantine

Hippodrome

entertainment helped govt. rule, not violent (Christian Empire)

Theodora

Justinian’s wife, increased rights for women in Justinian’s Code (based —> rights today)

Christianity

Greek orthodox Christianity in the Byzantine Empire (main religion)