Developments in East Asia, Dar al-Islam, and Global Trade (1200–1450)

What was the significance of the Song Dynasty in China?

The Song Dynasty (960-1279) brought wealth, political stability, artistic and intellectual innovations, and made China the most commercialized society in the world.

What major technological advancement spread from China to Eurasia?

Gunpowder technology spread via traders on the Silk Roads.

What was the Grand Canal and its significance?

An efficient waterway transportation system that enabled China to become the most populous trading area in the world.

How did the Song Dynasty's bureaucracy promote social mobility?

Through meritocracy, allowing individuals to rise based on their abilities rather than their birth.

What were the three forms of Buddhism that influenced Asia?

Theravada Buddhism, Mahayana Buddhism, and Tibetan Buddhism.

What is Neo-Confucianism?

A syncretic system that evolved in China, combining rational thought with Daoism and Buddhism.

What characterized the feudal society in Japan?

Landowning aristocrats (daimyo) battled for control, and there was no centralized government for hundreds of years.

When was the shogunate established in Japan?

In 1192, when the Minamoto installed a shogun as military ruler.

How did Korea's relationship with China manifest politically?

Korea centralized its government in the style of China and maintained a tributary relationship.

What social structure was maintained in Korea compared to China?

A more powerful landed aristocracy that limited social mobility.

What was a notable difference in social structures between Vietnamese and Chinese women?

Vietnamese women enjoyed greater independence in their married lives compared to Chinese women.

What were some innovations in Dar al-Islam from c. 1200 to 1450?

Advances in mathematics, literature, and medicine, including the groundwork for trigonometry and improved hospital care.

How did Islamic society view merchants compared to other societies?

Merchants were viewed as more prestigious in Islamic society than in Europe and Asia at the time.

What rights did Muslim women have compared to Christian or Jewish women?

Muslim women could inherit property, retain ownership after marriage, and had rights to divorce and birth control.

What was the House of Wisdom?

A center in Abbasid Baghdad for the preservation and commentary on Greek philosophy.

What was the significance of Islamic rule in Spain?

Muslims ruled Spain for seven centuries, creating a climate of toleration among Muslims, Christians, and Jews.

What was the Chola Dynasty?

The first kingdom in southern India that reigned for over 400 years (850-1267).

What was the Delhi Sultanate?

A Muslim kingdom that reigned in northern India for 300 years, bringing Islam to the region.

What are some key differences between Hinduism and Islam?

Hinduism is polytheistic with a hierarchical caste system, while Islam is strictly monotheistic and promotes equality among believers.

What was the Bhakti Movement?

A spiritual movement in the 12th century emphasizing emotional attachment to a deity rather than rituals or texts.

What role did tributes play in China's economy?

Tributes were payments made by other states to honor the Chinese emperor, providing income.

What was the impact of irrigation systems in China?

They increased agricultural productivity, leading to a rapid population growth.

What characterized the social structure of China during the Song Dynasty?

A hierarchy consisting of the emperor, gentry, aristocrats, wealthy landowners, civil service, peasants, farmers, artisans, and merchants.

What was the role of women in Song Dynasty China?

Women were expected to defer to men, exemplified by the practice of foot binding.

What was the cultural influence of Buddhism in China?

Buddhism spread from India via the Silk Roads and influenced various aspects of Chinese culture.

Which empire was a Hindu kingdom based on Sumatra?

The Srivijaya Empire (67H-1025)

What was the primary source of prosperity for the Srivijaya Empire?

Charging fees for ships traveling between India and China.

What was the Majapahit Kingdom known for?

Controlling sea routes and having 98 tributaries at its height.

What type of kingdom was the Majapahit Kingdom?

Buddhist

What significant cultural influence did South Asia have on Southeast Asia?

It strongly influenced the lands of Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam.

What was the Khmer Empire's primary source of power?

Complex irrigation and drainage systems leading to economic prosperity.

What characterized the Mississippian Culture?

It was the first large-scale civilization in North America with a rigid class structure and a matrilineal society.

When did the Mayan civilization reach its height?

Between 250 and 900 CE.

What was the main political structure of the Mayan civilization?

City-states ruled by kings, each claiming descent from a god.

What significant achievement did the Aztecs accomplish in 1325?

They founded their capital, Tenochtitlan, on the site of present-day Mexico City.

What type of government did the Aztecs have?

A theocracy where religious leaders held power.

What was the Incan system of public service called?

The mit'a system.

What was the most important Incan god?

Inti, the sun god.

What was the primary economic activity of the Inca?

Cultivation of crops such as potatoes and maize using terrace systems.

What was a significant factor in the development of Sub-Saharan Africa?

The migrations of Bantu-speaking people.

How were communities organized in Sub-Saharan Africa?

Around kinship, age, and gender.

What was the impact of the spread of Islam in Africa?

It added to the continent's religious diversity alongside animism and Christianity.

What was the economic foundation of Zimbabwe?

A mixture of agriculture, grazing, trade, and gold.

What role did griots play in Sub-Saharan Africa?

They were storytellers and conduits of history for their communities.

What was feudalism's role in medieval Europe?

It provided security for peasants and land for those working for a lord.

What was the manorial system?

An economic system that provided self-sufficiency and defense.

What was the Great Schism of 1054?

The split of the Christian Church into Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox branches.

What was the role of the Roman Catholic Church during the Middle Ages?

It established the first universities in Europe and was the main influence on philosophers and thinkers.

What was the Estates-General in France?

A body advising the king, including representatives from the clergy, nobility, and commoners.

What was the Hundred Years' War?

A series of battles between England and France from 1337 to 1453.

What was a key feature of Aztec worship?

It involved numerous rituals, feast days, and human sacrifices.

What institution established the first universities in Europe?

The Church

Who held great power in the feudal system during the Middle Ages?

The Roman Catholic Church

What was the role of bishops in the Church hierarchy?

Bishops owed allegiance to the pope, the supreme bishop.

What led to corruption in the Church during the 13th and 14th centuries?

Wealth and political power

What were the Christian Crusades aimed at?

Reclaiming control of the Holy Land in the Middle East.

What economic and social trends contributed to the Crusades?

Economic and social pressures of the 11th century.

What was the bourgeoisie during the Middle Ages?

The growing middle class, including shopkeepers, craftspeople, merchants, and small landholders.

What happened to Jews in England, France, Spain, and Portugal during the Middle Ages?

They were expelled due to widespread anti-Semitism.

What characterized the Renaissance period?

A revival of interest in classical Greek and Roman literature, culture, art, and civic virtue.

What invention by Johannes Gutenberg contributed to the spread of ideas during the Renaissance?

The movable-type printing press.

What was humanism during the Renaissance?

A focus on individuals rather than God, emphasizing education and reform.

What was the status of women during the urbanization of the Middle Ages?

Women lost many rights due to growing patriarchal thinking.

What was the Song Dynasty known for?

Continuing progress in China during the period from c. 1200 to c. 1450.

What was the impact of the Mongol Empire on the Silk Roads?

Unified control improved safety and increased trade.

What financial innovation did China develop to manage increased trade?

A system of credit known as flying cash.

Who was Genghis Khan?

The founder of the Mongol Empire who expanded it significantly in the 13th century.

What policy did Genghis Khan institute throughout his empire?

Religious tolerance.

What was the result of the Crusades on trade?

They helped expand networks of exchange and increased demand for luxury goods.

What was the mit'a system used by the Incas?

A labor system that required subjects to work for the state.

What characterized the expansion of the Aztec Empire?

The use of a tributary system.

What was the significance of the Abbasid Caliphate during this period?

It was fragmented by invaders, leading to the emergence of new states.

What was the impact of urbanization on women in medieval societies?

Women lost rights as patriarchal norms became more prevalent.

What were the four types of state-building from c. 1200 to c. 1450?

Emergence of new states, revival of former empires, synthesis of different traditions, and expansion in scope.

What technological advancements improved transportation along trade routes?

Saddles for camels and advances in naval technology.

What was the role of cities along trade routes during the growth of exchange networks?

They became centers of trade.

What was the significance of the Crusades in relation to the Silk Roads?

They helped pave the way for expanding networks of exchange.

Who led the Mongolian army into Russia in 1236?

Batu, the son of Khan's oldest son

What was the name of Batu's army?

The Golden Horde

What impact did resistance to the Mongols have on Russia?

It created the foundation for the future modern Russian state.

What was the largest continuous land empire in history?

The Mongol Empire

What system did the Mongols build to maintain trade routes?

A system of roads

What significant knowledge did the Mongols transfer to Western Europe?

Greco-Islamic medical knowledge and the Arabic numbering system

How did Mongol fighting techniques affect Western Europe?

They led to the end of the use of knights in armor.

What caused the expansion of exchange in the Indian Ocean?

The spread of Islam and increased demand for specialized products

What role did enslaved people play in the Indian Ocean trade?

They were part of the exchanges in the Indian Ocean.

What were the Swahili city-states?

Thriving city-states along the east coast of Africa created by Indian Ocean trade.

What was the most precious commodity traded in the trans-Saharan trade?

Gold

Which West African kingdoms profited from the trans-Saharan trade?

Ghana and Mali

What cities became centers of Muslim life in West Africa?

Timbuktu and Gao

Who was Mansa Musa?

A political and religious leader of the Mali Empire.

What was the legacy of the Mali Empire in terms of trade?

It connected West and North Africa through trade and spread Islam.

How did Buddhism influence East Asian culture?

It spread from India to China and was adopted in Japan and Korea.

What were the sea-based empires in Southeast Asia that adopted Hinduism and Buddhism?

The Srivijaya Empire (Hindu) and the Majapahit Kingdom (Buddhist)

What scientific advancements did Islamic scholars bring back from trade routes?

Mathematics texts from India and techniques for papermaking from China.

What environmental consequence resulted from increased population in China?

Environmental degradation due to pressure on resources.

What disease was transmitted through the Mongol conquests?

The Bubonic Plague (Black Death)

What were the similarities among the Silk Roads, Indian Ocean, and Trans-Saharan trade routes?

They all facilitated the exchange of goods and led to the rise of trading cities.

What was a major effect of the growth of trading cities?

Centralization of power and the establishment of standardized currencies.