Unit 1 Lesson 1.3-1.4 - State Building in South and Southeast Asia and the Americas (1200-1450)

Hinduism

The dominant religion in India despite the presence of Islam and a declining influence of Buddhism.

Buddhism

A religion that saw a decline in influence in its birthplace, India, during the period.

Islam

A religion that arrived in South Asia through both forceful conquest and peaceful means like trade and Sufi missionary work.

Syncretism

The blending of religious traditions leading to dynamic developments in various aspects of life.

Delhi Sultanate

A political entity established by Turkic invaders in 1206 that marked the arrival of Islam in India.

Bhakti Movement

A Hindu devotional movement that emerged in the 12th century, emphasizing emotional attachment to a particular deity and rejecting social hierarchies.

Sufism

A mystical spiritual experience-based version of Islam that grew during this period.

Qutub Minar

A monument in Delhi exemplifying the blending of Hindu art with Islamic architecture.

Urdu

A new language developed in South Asia, blending Hindi grammar with Arabic and Persian vocabulary.

Mayan city-states

Characteristics of urban centers in the Americas known for their advanced civilization.

Aztec Empire

A powerful empire in Mesoamerica that rose during this period.

Inca Empire

A significant empire in South America that developed during this time.

Pueblo

A society in North America known for its unique cultural practices.

Navajo

A Native American tribe in North America with distinct cultural traditions.

Mississippian culture

A North American culture known for its mound-building and agricultural practices.

Iroquois Confederacy

A political alliance of several Native American tribes in North America.

Cultural interactions

The exchanges between different religious and cultural traditions leading to syncretism.

Resource management

Factors influencing state building, including how societies utilized their natural resources.

Military power

An essential factor in the development and organization of states during this period.

Infrastructure

The physical systems and structures that support a society's economy and development.

Role and status of women

An aspect touched upon in the context of South Asian religious movements.

Emotional attachment

A key aspect of the Bhakti movement, emphasizing personal devotion to a deity.

Inner reflection

An emphasis in both Bhakti and Sufi practices to achieve a personal relationship with a deity.

Cultural fusion

The blending of different cultural elements, as seen in the development of Urdu.

Decentralized Political Landscape in South Asia

After the fall of the Gupta Dynasty, South Asia was largely decentralized, with various regional kingdoms.

Delhi Sultanate

A Muslim-ruled state that dominated much of northern India from the 13th to the 16th centuries.

jizya

A tax imposed by the Delhi Sultanate on all non-Muslim subjects of the empire.

Vijayanagara Empire

A Hindu kingdom founded by former officials of the Delhi Sultanate who reconverted to Hinduism.

Srivijaya Empire

A sea-based kingdom that prospered by charging fees for ships traveling between India and China.

Majapahit Kingdom

A Buddhist kingdom that sustained its power and wealth by controlling sea routes.

Khmer Empire

A land-based kingdom that flourished because of their complex irrigation and drainage systems.

Religious Syncretism

The process of combining different religious beliefs, as seen in the Khmer Empire's transition from Hinduism to Buddhism.

Use of Religion in Governance

Rulers often used religion to legitimize their rule and unify their populations.

Importance of Trade

Control over key trade routes, particularly in the Indian Ocean, was significant for the rise of sea-based empires.

Mayan City-States

Characterized by warfare, tribute collection, and a religious emphasis on human sacrifice.

Aztec Empire (Mexica)

Rose to power in central Mexico, establishing Tenochtitlán and creating a large empire through military conquest.

Chinampas

Sophisticated agricultural infrastructure developed by the Aztecs.

Bernal Díaz del Castillo

Described the Aztec capital as having an immense market, a large temple, and an aqueduct.

Aqueducts

Infrastructure developed by the Aztecs for transporting water.

Human Sacrifice

A religious practice emphasized in Mayan civilization, often involving captives from warfare.

Tribute System

A system established by the Aztecs to collect goods and services from conquered peoples.

Regional Kingdoms

Various independent states that emerged in South Asia after the Gupta Dynasty.

Cultural Resistance

Challenges faced by Muslim rulers in the Delhi Sultanate due to the entrenched nature of Hinduism.

Indian Ocean Trade Routes

Key maritime routes that were crucial for the prosperity of Southeast Asian empires.

Political Ideas

Concepts used by the Srivijaya to construct a government, influenced by Indian and Buddhist beliefs.

Sea-based Kingdoms

Empires like Srivijaya and Majapahit that thrived on maritime trade.

Land-based Kingdoms

Empires like the Khmer Empire that relied on agriculture and land management.

Pueblo and Navajo Societies

These societies in the American Southwest developed settled agricultural communities through irrigation and built distinctive housing structures (e.g., Mesa Verde cliff dwellings, large Chaco housing structures).

Mesa Verde people

Built multi-story homes into the side of cliffs using bricks made of sandstone.

Chaco people

Built large housing structures using stone and clay, some of which included hundreds of rooms.

Mississippian Culture

The first large-scale civilization in North America, known for building monumental earthen mounds (e.g., Cahokia).

Political structure of Mississippian Culture

Dominated by powerful Chiefs known as the great sun which ruled each town.

Iroquois Confederacy

Developed a political confederacy among several distinct peoples, demonstrating a unique form of governance.

Great league of peace

Demonstrated the Iroquois ability to organize their societies in such a way that there was less conflict.

Inca Empire

Built a vast empire in the Andean region, characterized by a centralized government, extensive road networks, and sophisticated agricultural techniques.

Mit'a system

A system of mandatory public service that consumed the majority of the year's labor.

Resource Management

The ability to manage resources, including water for agriculture and control over trade, was crucial for the development and maintenance of power.

Religion in state building

Played a role in legitimizing rulers and unifying populations, often demonstrated through monumental architecture.

Military Power and Expansion

Military conquest and the establishment of tribute systems were key to the expansion and wealth of empires like the Aztecs and Incas.

Aztec Empire

Conquered the surrounding peoples and created an empire.

Maya's tributary States

Sought to create a vast network of tributary States.

Infrastructure

The development of infrastructure, such as irrigation systems, aqueducts, roads, and bridges, facilitated economic activity and communication.

Syncretism

A significant feature in both regions, involving the blending of religious and cultural traditions.

Trade routes control

Vital for the prosperity of certain kingdoms in Southeast Asia, similar to how access to resources and trade networks influenced state power in the Americas.

Religious role in societies

Played a crucial role in shaping societies and legitimizing rulers, although specific traditions differed.

Timeline of Main Events

Covers significant historical events from c. 500 BCE to c. 1646 CE.

Indian merchants in Southeast Asia

Had early contact with Southeast Asian lands, initiating trade and cultural exchange around c. 500 BCE.

Buddhists in Sri Lanka

Arrived in the 3rd Century BCE, and the island became a center of Buddhist study.

Champa kingdoms

A collection of independent Cham polities that existed along the coast of central and southern Vietnam, adopting Hinduism.

Mayan civilization

Reached its height in Mesoamerica around 250 - 900 CE, characterized by independent city-states.

Gupta Dynasty

Dominated South Asia until its collapse around 550 CE, leading to a period of disunity in India.

Islam in South Asia

Begins to shape the history of South Asia in the 7th Century CE with initial forceful entry.

Srivijaya Empire

A Hindu kingdom based on Sumatra, established in the 7th Century CE, flourishing by controlling sea trade routes.

Islamic armies in Pakistan

Invaded in the 8th Century CE, bringing little immediate change to everyday life.

Mississippian culture

Emerges in North America's Mississippi River Valley in the 8th Century CE.

Khmer Empire

Flourished in Southeast Asia from 802 - 1431 CE, known for its complex irrigation systems and initially Hindu, later Buddhist, religious practices.

Chaco and Mesa Verde societies

Established themselves in the southwestern part of North America in the 9th Century CE, developing innovative water management and building techniques.

Chola Dynasty

Reigned over southern India from 850 - 1267 CE, extending its rule to Ceylon in the 11th century.

Bhakti Movement

Begins in southern India in the 12th Century CE, emphasizing emotional devotion to particular Hindu deities.

Sufi missionaries

Actively worked to spread Islam in Southeast Asia during the 12th Century CE.

Delhi Sultanate

Established in the early 13th Century CE after Islamic forces conquered Delhi and much of northern South Asia.

Majapahit Kingdom

Established on Java in the early 13th Century CE, a Buddhist sea-based empire that controls sea routes.

Religious syncretism

Characterizes the rise and influence of sea-based empires like Majapahit and land-based empires like the Khmer and Sinhala dynasties.

Aztec Empire

Rises to power in Mesoamerica during the period of 1200 - 1450 CE.

Lal Ded (Mother Lalla)

A Kashmiri poet whose work bridges Hindu and Sufi traditions, lived from 1320 - 1392 CE.

Tenochtitlán

The capital founded by the Aztecs in central Mexico in 1325 CE.

Vijayanagara Empire

A Hindu kingdom in southern India founded by former Delhi Sultanate officials who reverted to Hinduism, existing from 1336 - 1646 CE.

Mira Bai

A famous female poet of the Bhakti Movement who lived in the 16th Century CE.

Sukhothai Kingdom

Expelled the Khmer from Angkor in 1431 CE.

Mughal Empire

Gained power over the Delhi Sultanate in 1526 CE.

Rajput Princes

Leaders of decentralized Hindu kingdoms in northern India who often resisted Muslim conquerors and limited their influence.

Sultans of Delhi Sultanate

Muslim rulers who established the Delhi Sultanate in northern India, bringing Islam to the region.

Mughal Leaders

Leaders of a new empire who defeated the Delhi Sultanate in 1526 and traced their ancestry to the Mongols.

Muslim Merchants

Traders in the Indian Ocean network who moved to Indian port cities, married local women, and played a role in the spread of Islam.

Mira Bai

A renowned female poet of the Bhakti Movement, emphasizing devotion to a particular deity and highlighting the movement's appeal to women and those of lower social status.

Siddhartha Gautama (The Buddha)

The founder of Buddhism, whose teachings spread through India and Southeast Asia.

Ashoka

A Mauryan emperor in India who played a significant role in spreading Buddhism by sending missionaries along trade routes.

Malay Sailors

Seafarers who reached Madagascar, bringing language and crops like bananas and coconuts, demonstrating early maritime connections.

Leaders of Champa Kingdoms

Rulers of Hindu kingdoms in present-day Vietnam that interacted with Indian religious and cultural influences.

Leaders of Khmer Empire (Angkor Kingdom)

Rulers of a powerful land-based empire in Cambodia, initially Hindu but later adopting Buddhism, known for their irrigation systems and impressive temple complexes like Angkor Wat.