AP World Unit 0 (Foundations)

Paleolithic Age

Paleo Characteristics:

• Nomadic

• Hunter-gatherers

• Simple stone tools

• No cities or real towns

• No full time leaders/specialized occupations

• No written language

• Fire

Neolithic Age

Agriculture - Emerges around 10,000 years ago; domestication of plants and animals.

Results: People settled into permanent, farming villages, population booms

Urbanization (Similarities with Early Cities)

Movement into cities

Similarities with Early Cities

1) Urban focus

2) Social hierarchy

3) Patriarchy

4) Centralization

5) Infrastructure / Monumental Architecture

6) Emphasis on Trade

Social Hierarchy (Similarities with Early Cities)

• Divisions.inequality within society

• Specialization of work leads to this

• Law codes reflected inequality

• Wealth piled up, not out

• Slavery

198 Hammorabi’s Code

“If any one strike in the body of a man higher in rank than he, he shall receive sixty blows with an ox-whip in public.”

Patriarchy (Similarities with Early Cities)

• Gender labor roles (farming, warfare)

• Land/wealth/rule goes to men

Centralization (Similarities with Early Cities)

Kings assisted by bureaucracies

• Managing government through departments run by appointed officials

Infrastructure / Monumental Architecture (Similarities with Early Cities)

Facilities needed to operate society (roads, bridge)

Emphasis on Trade (Similarities with Early Cities)

• Taxing trade within the empire = Great wealth

• Protecting trade routes = Import and government role

Silk Road (Trade Routes)

• Relay trade using caravans

• Cities —> Social/Economic hotspots that facilitated exchange

• Luxury products = Dangerous routes

• Traded horses, silk, porcelain, paper, metals

Silk Road (Cultural Diff. & Technology)

Chariots, horse stirrups, Buddhism, Christianity, & disease.

• Bills of exchange, banking houses, paper money

Indian Ocean (Trade Routes)

Cities; coastal; connects E. Africa, Middle East, S. Asia. Depends on monsoon winds

• Traded pigments, pearls, spices, tropical fruits

Monsoon winds

Seasonal winds in the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean (Cultural Diff. & Technology)

Buddhism in SE Asia

Trans-Saharan (Trade Route)

• Connected Europe w/ West Africa

• Traded salt from South & West Sahara. Gold from West Africa

Trans-Saharan (Cultural Diff. & Technology)

Islam, camel saddle, and caravan

Reasons Empires Collapse

• Over-extension (Maintaining borders)

• Political corruption

• Failing economies

• Peasant revolts

• Alienation of elite (High taxes)

• Disease epidemics

• Invasion

Types of Religion in 1200s

• Monotheistic

• Polytheistic

• Nontheistic

• Animistic

• Atheist

Monotheistic

One God

Polytheistic

Many gods

Nontheistic

No god, still has spiritual beliefs

Animistic

Spirituality of plants, animals, inanimate objects, the universe

Atheist

No spiritual beliefs

Zooastrianism

Beliefs: Free will, right vs. wrong, final judgement

AP Loves:

• Cultural contribution of Persia

• Influenced later monotheistic religions in the region

Judaism

Founder: Abraham

Beliefs: Covenant between God & Abraham | 10 Commandments

Sacred Text: Torah

AP Loves:

• History DIASPORIC COMMUNITIES (Living outside of native land)

Hinduism

Founder: Unknown, various traditions, & texts

Beliefs: Many forms of one God, karma, reincarnation

Sacred Text: The Vedas

AP Loves:

• Polytheism

• Caste System

Caste System

Social standing determined by birth

• Cultural unity in India

Buddhism

Founder: Siddhartha Gautama (becomes the “Buddha”)

Beliefs: Four Noble Truths, Eightfold Path, Enlightenment

AP Loves:

• Rejected caste system

• Monastic communities

• Welcomed women & lower classes

• Spread on trade routes

Christianity

Founder: Jesus of Nazareth

Beliefs: Jesus as the messiah, monotheistic, teachings of Jesus

Sacred Text: The Bible (New Testament)

AP Loves:

• Rejected caste system

• Monastic communities

• Welcomed women & lower classes

• Spread on trade routes

Islam

Founder: Muhammad

Beliefs: Monotheistic, 5 Pillars, Mecca & Medina are holy cities

Sacred Text: Qur’an

AP Loves:

• Displaced zoroastrianism

• Islam/Arabic provided a sense of unity in the Middle East