AP World History - Unit 1: The Global Tapestry (copy)

Religious Mysticism

Religious Mysticism

adherents within religions focusing on mystical experiences that bring them closer to divine - prayer, meditation

Buddhism

• Cultures: India, China, Southeast Asia, Japan

• Context:

  • Founded by Siddhartha Gautama, a young Hindu prince - lived in Nepal from 563-483 BCE, rejected wealth and world possessions and became Buddha (Enlightened One)

  • No supreme being - 4 Noble Truth: (1) all life is suffering, (2) suffering caused by desire, (3) can be freed of desire, (4) freed of desire following a prescribed path

• Mahayana Buddhism: great ritual, spiritual comfort - more complex but with greater spread

• Theravada Buddhism: meditation, simplicity, nirvana as renunciation of consciousness and self

• rejects caste system - appealed to those of lower rank

Christianity

• Cultures: started as group of Jews, quickly expanded through Europe, northeastern Africa, Middle East

• Context:

  • Based around Jesus of Nazareth, a figure who claimed to be Messiah the Jews had awaited - teachings of devotion to God and love for others

  • Based on Bible teachings

  • World was created by God, but world has fallen from God

• Impact: compassion, grace through faith appealed to lower classes and women

Confucianism

• Cultures: China (400 BCE+)

• Context:

  • Founded by Confucius, educator and political advisor - thoughts and sayings collected in the Analects

  • Deals with how to restore political and social order, not with philosophical or religious topics

• Impact: Stayed within Chinese culture

Hinduism

• Cultures: India

• Context:

  • Belief in one supreme force called Brahma who created everything - many gods

  • Goal of believer is to merge with Brahma - believe it takes multiple lives to accomplish

• Impact: religion and social caste system, which has prevented global acceptance of religion

Islam

• Cultures: caliphates (Islamic kingdoms), North Africa, central Asia, Europe

• Context

  • Allah presented words through prophet Muhammad, whose words were recorded in the Qur’an

  • Salvation is won through submission to God

• Impact: Rapidly spread to Middle East

Judaism

• Culture: Hebrews

• Context:

  • God selected a group of holy people who should follow his laws and worship them

  • Hebrew Bible - Torah, miracles, laws, historical chronicles, poetry, prophecies

• Impact: First of major monotheistic faiths

Abbasid Dynasty

Islamic Empire from 750-1258 CE - capital in Baghdad

• Centre for arts and sciences - mathematics (Nasir al-Din al Tusi), medicine, writings (House of Wisdom library)

• Built around trade - used receipt and bill system

What caused the decline of Islamic Caliphates?

1. Challenged by revolt of enslaved Turkish warriors

2. New Shia dynasty in Iran

3. Seljuk Turk Sunni group

4. Persians, Europeans, Byzantines

5. Most importantly Mongols - overtook and destroyed Baghdad in 1258

Middle Ages in Europe

1. Fall of Rome before Renaissance - complicated time

2. Eastern Roman Empire became Byzantine Empire

3. Western Europe: collapsed entirely - Christianity remained strong

European Feudalism

Hierarchy social system of Middle Ages

Feudalism Structure

1. King: power over whole kingdom

2. Nobles: had power over sections of kingdom in exchange for loyalty to king and military service

3. Vassals: lesser lords with sections of Noble land who could divide it further - estates were called fiefs or manors (self-sufficient)

   • Male dominated - women could not own land

4. Peasants or Serfs: worked the land

   • Had few rights or freedoms outside of manor

   • Skilled in trades, which helped them break out of feudal mode as global trade increased

Emergence of Modern Countries

At end of Middle Ages, people began moving from feudal kingdom organization to linguistic and cultural organization

Germany’s Path to Statehood (13th Century)

reigning family of emperorship died out, entering a period of interregnum (time between kings)

• Merchants and tradespeople became more powerful in the meantime

England’s Path to Statehood (13th Century)

English nobles rebelled against King John and forced him to sign the Magna Carta - reinstated the nobles, laid foundation for Parliament

• Later divided into House of Lords and House of Commons

France’s Path to Statehood (13th Century)

England began to occupy many parts of France which spurred revolts - Joan of Arc fought back English out of Orleans

• Hundred Year’s War

Hundred Year’s War (1337-1453)

Unified France, leading to England’s withdrawal from the country

Spain’s Path to Statehood (13th Century)

Queen Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon married to unite Spain in a single monarchy and forced all residents to convert to Christianity - Spanish Inquisition

Russia’s Path to Statehood (13th Century)

Taken over by Tartars (group of eastern Mongols) under Genghis Kahn in 1242 until Russian prince Ivan III expanded his power in 1400s and became czar

China’s Song Dynasty (960-1279)

• Confucianism justified subordination of women

• Neo-Confucianism: Buddhist ideas about soul, filial piety, maintenance of proper roles, loyalty to superiors

Foot Binding

Song Dynasty practice of bounding women’s feet after birth to keep them small

China’s Ming Dynasty (1368-1644)

Took over China again after brief period of Mongol dominance

China’s Zen Practice

meditation and appreciation of beauty

Japan

relatively isolated from external influences outside Asia for many years

• Feudal Structure

Japan’s Feudal Structure

1. Emperor

2. Shogun (chief general)

3. Daimyo: owners of larger pieces of land, powerful samurai (like knights)

   • Followed Code of Bushido code of conduct - loyalty, courage, honour

4. Lesser samurai (like vassals)

5. Peasants and artisans

India

History filled with conflict between Islam and Hinduism

• Delhi Sultanate: Islamic invader kingdom in Delhi

• Islam took over Northern India - clash between Islam monotheism and Hinduism polytheism

• Rajput Kingdoms: several Hindu principalities that united to resist Muslim forces from 1191 until eventual takeover in 1527

Khmer Empire (9th-15th century)

Hindu Empire in modern day Cambodia, Laos, Thailand

• Beliefs were carried through Indian Ocean trade network

• Crafted the Angor Wat temple

Africa

• Islamic Empire spread to North Africa in the 7th to 8th centuries - travelled through Sahara Desert and reached the wealthy sub-Saharan

  • An explosion of trade began

• Hausa Kingdoms

Africa’s Hausa Kingdoms

off Niger River, series of state system kingdoms

• achieved economic stability and religious influence though long trade (salt and leather) - notably city of Kano

• Political and economic downturn in 18th century due to internal wars lead to their downfall

3 Great Ancient Civilizations of the Americas

Maya, Incas, Aztecs

Aztecs

• Arrived in Mexico in mid 1200s

• Expansionist policy and professional, strict army

• Empire of 12 million people with flourishing trade, many of people enslaved

• Women were subordinate, but could inherit property

Incas

• Andes Mountains in Peru

• Expansionist - army, established bureaucracy, unified language, system of roads and tunnels

• Many people were peasants

• Women were more important and could pass property to their daughters

• Polytheistic religion with human sacrifice - Sun god was most important