Unit 1: The Global Tapestry

Classical Greek Learning

Known in Western Europe, an infusion of Greek rationalism into Europe's universities in the 11th century shaped intellectual development for several centuries; featured the philosophies of Aristotle, Plato and Socrates

Byzantine Empire

Term used by modern historians to refer to the surviving eastern Roman Empire during the medieval centuries; named after the ancient Greek city Byzantium, on the site of which the Roman emperor Constantine founded a new capital, Constantinople, in 330 CE

Eastern Orthodox Christianity

Branch of Christianity that developed in the eastern part of the Roman Empire and gradually separated, mostly on matters of practice, from the branch of Christianity dominant in Western Europe; noted for the subordination of the Church to political authorities, a married clergy, the use of leavened bread in the Eucharist, and insistence on church councils as the ultimate authority in Christian belief and practice.

Roman Catholic Christianity

Western European branch of Christianity that gradually defined itself as separate from Eastern Orthodoxy, with a major break in 1054 CE, that has still not been healed; "Roman Catholic" was not commonly used until after the Protestant Reformation,Western Christendom defined itself in centralized terms, with the bishop of Rome (the pope) as the ultimate authority in matters of doctrine

Constantinople

New capital for the eastern half of the Roman Empire, established by Emperor Constantine in 330 Ce on the site of the ancient Greek city of Byzantium; Constantinople's highly defensible and economically important site helped assure the city's cultural and strategic importance for many centuries

Crusades

Modern term meaning "ventures of the cross," used to describe the "holy wars" waged by Western Christendom from 1095 CE until the end of the Middle Ages and beyond; Crusades could only be declared by the pope and were marked by participants swearing a vow and receiving an indulgence in return.

Cyrillic

Alphabet based on Greek letters that was developed by Byzantine missionaries, Cyril and Methodius, to write Slavic languages.

European cities

Western Europe saw a major process of urbanization beginning in the 11th century, with towns that created major trade networks and that were notable for the high degree of independence they often enjoyed

Greek fire

form of liquid fire that could be sprayed at the enemy; invented by the Byzantines and very important in the efforts to halt the Arab advance into Byzantine territory

guild

An association formed by people pursuing the same line of work that regulates their professions and also provides a social and religious network for members

Holy Roman Empire

Term invented in the 12th century CE to describe the Germany-based empire founded by Otto I in 962 CE

hybrid civilization

The distinctive path of Western Europe in the centuries following the fall of the western Roman Empire, leading to a society that included elements of ancient Rome, the practices of Germanic invaders who formed new states, Christianity, and elements of pre-Roman culture that still survived

indulgence

A remission of the penalty (penance) for confessed sin that could be granted only by a pope, at first to Crusaders and later for a variety of reasons

Justinian

Byzantine emperor (r. 5270565 CE) noted for his short-lived reconquest of much of the former western Roman Empire and for his codification of Roman law.

Kievan Rus

State that emerged around the city of Kiev in the 9th century CE; a culturally diverse region that included Vikings as well as Finnic, and Baltic peoples. The conversion of Vladimir, the grand price of Kiev, to Orthodox Christianity in 988 CE had long-term implications for Russia

natural philosophy

The scientific study of nature which developed, especially in Europe, in the later Middle Ages

system of competing states

The distinctive organization of Western European political life that developed after the fall of the western Roman Empire in the 5th century CE in which the existence of many small, independent states encouraged military and economic competition

Vikings

Scandinavian raiders who had an impact on much of Western Europe in the late 8th to 11th centuries; their more peaceful cousins also founded colonies including Newfoundland, Greenland, and Iceland

Feudalism

A political, economic, and social system in which nobles are granted the use of lands that legally belong to their king, in exchange for their loyalty, military service, and protection of the people who live on the land (serfs)

High Middle Ages

Age of Faith (1000-1300 CE) People all over western Europe began to look to the Church and to the people to provide moral and spiritual leadership. spurred on by the success of the Gregorian reform movement, this was a time of vast increase in the power and reputation of the Church and papacy

Italian City-States

Venice, Milan, Florence, Naples

Three-field system

A system of farming developed in medieval Europe, in which farm land was divided into three field of equal size and each of these was successively planted with a winter crop, planted with a spring crop, and left un-planted

Scratch Plow

Plow used before the heavy plow ( c. 500 CE) and was pulled by man and less successful in mixing soil

Heavy Plow

Device of the 6th century CE permitting the turning of heavy northern soils of Europe, rotating crops, and increased agricultural production.

Windmill

An engine powered by the wind designed to produce energy from an inexhaustible source. Adopted in Europe c. 12th and 13th centuries.

Water-driven mill

An engine powered by rivers adopted in Europe by the ninth century CE

Gunpowder

An invention originating in China but adopted in Europe by the 14th century

Roger Bacon

English scientist and Franciscan monk who stressed the importance of experimentation and helped lay important foundations for science (c. 1260 CE)

Tertullian

Father of Latin theology (c. 150-225 CE) He disliked the influence of Greek Rationalism on Christianity and is famously quoted as saying "What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?"

An Lushan

Foreign-born general who led a major revolt against the Tang dynasty in 7550763 CE, perhaps provoking china's turn to xenophobia.

bushido

The "way of the warrior," referring to the military virtues of the Japanese samurai, including bravery, loyalty, and an emphasis on death over surrender.

Chinese Buddhism

Buddhism was China's only large-scale cultural borrowing before the 20th century; It entered China from India in the 1st and 2nd centuries CE but only became popular in 300-800 CE through a series of cultural accommodations. At first supported by the state, Buddhism suffered persecution during the 9th century but continued to play a role in Chinese society.

foot binding

Chinese practice of tightly wrapping girls' feet to keep them small. begun in the Tang dynasty; an emphasis on small size and delicacy was central to views of female beauty.

hangul

A phonetic alphabet developed in Korea in the 15th century CE

Hangzhou

China's capital during the Song dynasty with a population of more than a million people.

Jurchen

A nomadic people who established a state that included parts of northern China (1115-1234 CE)

Koryo

Korean Dynasty (918-1125 CE)

Kumsoung

The capital of Korea in the medieval era, modeled on the Chinese capital of Chang'an

Nara

Japan's first capital city, modeled on the Chinese capital of Chang'an

Neo-Confucianism

A philosophy that emerged in Song-dynasty China; it revived Confucian thinking while adding in Buddhist and Daoist elements.

Pure Land Buddhism

A school of Buddhism that proved to be immensely popular in China; emphasized salvation by faith in the Amitabha Buddha.

Samurai

Member of Japan's warrior class, which developed as political power became increasingly decentralized

Silla dynasty

The first ruling dynasty to bring a measure of political unity to the Korean peninsula (688-900 CE)

Song dynasty economic revolution

A major economic quickening that took place in China under the Song dynasty (960-1279 CE) marked by rapid population growth, urbanization, economic specialization, the development of an immense network of internal waterways, and a great increase in industrial production and innovation

Sui dynasty

Ruling dynasty of China (581-618 CE) that effectively reunited the country after several centuries of political fragmentation.

Tang dynasty

Ruling dynasty of China (618-907 CE) noted for its openness to foreign cultural influences

Tribute system

Chinese method of dealing with foreign lands and peoples that assumed the subordination of all non-Chinese authorities and required the payment of tribute - produce of value from their countries - to the Chinese emperor (although the Chinese gifts given in return were often much more valuable)

Emperor Wendi

Sui emperor (r. 581-604 CE) who particularly patronized Buddhism

Xiongnu

Major nomadic confederacy that was established ca. 200 BCE and eventually reached from Manchuria to Central Asia.

Grand Canal

1,100 mile waterway connecting the Yellow and Yangzi Rivers, completed by the Sui Dynasty

censorate

Part of the Chinese bureaucracy that made sure government officials were doing their jobs.

examination system

Testing bureaucracy that was open to most males and used to recruit officials and bureaucrats in imperial China.

Marco Polo

(1254-1324) Italian explorer and author. He made numerous trips to China and returned to Europe to write of his journeys. He is responsible for much of the knowledge exchanged between Europe and China during this time period.

Movable Type

Type in which each individual character is cast on separate piece of metal. It replaced woodblock printing, allowing for the arrangement of individual letters and other characters on a page, rather than requiring the carving of entire pages at a time. It may have been invented in Korea in the 13th century.

Silk Road

A trade route that stretched from China to the Mediterranean Sea

Yuan Dynasty

(1279-1368 CE) The dynasty with Mongol rule in China, centralized with bureaucracy but structure is different: Mongols>Persian bureaucrats>Chinese bureaucrats

Ming Dynasty

Succeeded Mongol Yuan dynasty in China in 1368; lasted until 1644; initially mounted huge trade expeditions to southern Asia and elsewhere, but later concentrated efforts on internal development within China

Great Wall

A system of fortified walls with a roadway along the top, constructed as a defense for China against the nomads of the regions that are now Mongolia and Manchuria; completed in the 3rd century BCE, but later repeatedly modified and rebuilt; 2000 miles long

Kowtow

A ritualistic bow that the Chinese forced foreigners to act out in order to participate in the tribute system. Supposedly enforced the cultural superiority of the Chinese

Red River Valley

Major cultural hub of Vietnam: fans out into a delta near Hanoi and drains into the Gulf of Tonkin. Was fully integrated into the Chinese state for more than 1000 years from 111 BCE to 939 CE

Kyoto

Japanese capital city based on the Chinese capital of Chang'an

Pillow Book

Written by Sei Shonagon c. 1000 CE. Details court life and the role of women in Japan.

Gunpowder Revolution

The military advances that resulted from the development of gunpowder weaponry first invented in China c. 1000 CE.

Quanzhou

Starting point of the silk road. This city was established in 718 during the Tang Dynasty. In those days, it was China's greatest seaport, hosting a large community of foreign-born inhabitants from across the Eurasian world

Han Yu

(768-824 CE) Played a pivotal role in the revival of Confucianism in a period when both Daoism and Buddhism were popular

What are some examples of how China was influenced by outside civilizations during the Post-Classical period?

-barbarians posed military threats (conquered some parts)

-Buddhism, Christianity and Islam took roots in China

How were politics in China affected by the collapse of the Han Dynasty?

-signaled the rise of powerful aristocratic families

-incursion of nomads

-discredited Confucianism (greater acceptance of Buddhism and Daoism in the elites)

How was the environment of China affected after the fall of the Han Dynasty?

-migration towards the Yangzi River Valley

-retreat of elephants

-intensive agriculture

-destruction of old-growth forests

What dynasty reunified China in the Post-Classical era and how were they able to do so?

The Sui dynasty's emperors solidified unity by an extension of the country's canal system (1,200 miles)

What two dynasties replaced the Sui?

The Tang and The Song

Why are the centuries of the Tang and Song dynasties in China sometimes refereed to as the "golden age"?

Set standard of excellence in poetry, landscape painting and ceramics

What is "neo-confucianism"?

An effort to receive Confucian thinking while incorporating it into some of the insights of Buddhism and Daoism

What political continuities persisted in China during the Post-Classical era?

-major ministries:personnel, finance, rites, army, justice and public works

-Censorate: an agency that exercised surveillance over the rest of the government

Describe how government officials were selected during this time period:

-went to the privileged sons most often

-revived and elaborated examination system

-upper class primarily prepared and took exams

What change occurred to the Chinese population during this time period? What caused this change to happen?

Populations sprouted from 50-60 million to 120 million because of the adoption of a fast-ripening and drought-resistant strain or rice from Vietnam

What would a traveler encounter in a typical Chinese city?

-specialized markets

-actor performances

-restaurants with unique food

-inns

-dinner parties for wealthy

-schools (musicians had 13 courses)

-clubs

What are examples of the Chinese altering their environment to improve their quality of life?

-internal waterways (canals, rivers, lakes) to provide the cities food

-air pollution from coal production

What are three important inventions the Chinese contributed to the world during this time period?

-the world's first printed books

-gunpowder

-coins, tools and bells

What change did the Chinese government make in regard to collecting taxes? How did this affect the Chinese economy overall?

-must be paid in cash

-led to the society being highly commercialized and inventive

How did the Tang dynasty's treatment of women differ from that of the Han dynasty? What accounts for the difference?

Difference: The Song Dynasty tightened women's restrictions and social life freedom

Reasoning: The revival of Confucianism and the growing economy