Amsco AP World History Modern: Prologue - History Before 1200 CE (Study Guide Final Part + Summary Of All Necessary Terms)

Modern Humans first appeared in

East Africa during 200,000 BCE - 100,000 BCE

What religion did early humans develop?

Animism

Animism

reverence for deities associated with nature's features like animals or specific mountains and rivers

By 10,000 BCE, humans

lived on every continent but Antarctica.

Agricultural Revolution

Humans began planting crops and raising animals for food around 8000 BCE; began in the Middle East

People produced a surplus of food during the Agricultural Revolution allowing for

people to specialize in non-food producing activities

What trends and innovations did the Agricultural Revolution cause?

Cities, people becoming highly skilled in one job (non-food producing of course), new technology, more extensive government and taxes, and writing.

The Evolution of Cities

Surplus of food ➡️ population growth ➡️ larger settlements ➡️ became cities.

The first civilizations were a result of

the Agricultural Revolution

Mesopotamia

World's first civilization(s); a region around the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in modern day Iraq

Sumer

Accity-state in Mesopotamia that invented the first written language in history - Cuneiform

Cuneiform

First written language in history and was used for practical development such as the recording of trade and laws

Egypt

Civilization in the Nile River Valley which had a centralized government ruled by a pharaoh

Indus River Valley Civilization(s)

Ancient civilizations that existed along the Indus River in South Asia

Strange/Amazing accomplishments of the Indus were

indoor plumbing and urban planning (grid street system)

China

Highly patriarchal and centralized system that developed along the Huang He River; it's people gave special honors to ancestors

Hinduism

Sometimes called polytheistic and monotheistic other times; origins go back at least 3,500 years

The Vedas

Scriptures around which Hinduism is based

Hinduism's Main Focus

reincarnation

Buddhism

Founded by Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha) and focused around the 4 Noble Truths and Eightfold Path

Buddhism's goal

To reach nirvana

4 Noble Truths and Eightfold Path are meant to

eliminate desire and sufferings

Confucianism

Developed during the Warring States period; focused on benevolence, virtue, and filial piety (specifically the emperor)

Filial Piety

respect for an important elder/figure, usually the male head of house; emperor was head of the entire empire and Confucianism taught to give him respect according to filial piety

Greece

Region of many city-states, most important of which were Athens and Sparta

Athens

Developed concept of democracy

Sparta

Developed the idea of a republic

Rome

Created idea of "innocent until proven guilty" founding the concept of due process; also had Justinian Law Code which had a huge impact on modern government

Mayans

Most influence classical civilization in the Americas and can be traced as far back as 1,500 BCE

Mayan accomplishments

created a very accurate calendar, understood the importance of the concept of zero, and made monumental temples dedicated to the gods of the sun and moon

Problems which led to the decline of Classical Empires were

-challenges collecting taxes which weakened the government
-declines in trade decreased access to foreign goods and markets
-spread of disease which reduced urban populations
-increases in the gap between rich and poor which created social conflict
-lack of broad support for leadership which made problem solving harder
-attacks by outside groups (more spending on defense instead of other needs)

Islam

Founded by a man named Muhammad who believed he got revelations from God; Qur'an were the sacred scriptures of Islam

Muhammad

was believed by Muslims to be the last in line of great prophets, or, in other words, the savior; he didn't dispute Old Testament teachings or Christianity, but taught that Jesus was a prophet but not the last.

Five Pillars of Islam

Were the teachings of Islam; were belief in one god called Allah, prayer, almsgiving, fasting, and pilgrimage to Mecca.

Sunnis and Shi'a

the two modern branches of Islam (which divided after Muhammad's death); they disagree about post-Muhammad leadership

The Abbasid Caliphate

Golden Age of Islamic culture

What did the Abbasid Caliphate do?

-created a stable government and trade prospered
-helped China re-establish a booming trade along the Silk Road
-facilitates growth of Trans-Saharan trade to West Africa
-major players in the diffusion of ideas and goods throughout the Indian Ocean
-Islamic society thrives
-empire became center of learning where people made advances in medicine, built astronomical observatories, developed algebra (IT WAS YOU!), improved the astrolabe, and preserved Greek and Roman texts
-government practiced degree of religious tolerance; non-Muslims could keep their faith by paying a tax (jizya)
-ended female infanticide and strengthened marriage and property rights of women
-supported the ceiling of women and man's right to take up four wives

The Dynasties which caused China to enter several centuries of growth were

Sui Dynasty (581 CE - 618 CE) , Tang Dynasty (618 CE - 907 CE), and the Song Dynasty (960 CE - 1279 CE)

Sui Dynasty

They provided a foundation for China to become prosperous again and constructed the Grand Canal

Grand Canal

-stretched over 1,000 miles
-connected agricultural south to population centers in the north
-helped unify the varied ethnic and cultural groups of China

Japanese Post-Classical Hierarchy

Top: shogun which were military personnel
Under shogun: daimyos which were powerful landlords
Under daimyos: samurai (each daimyo had a force of warriors called samurai)
Below samurai: peasants
Below peasants: merchant (HA, losers.)

What major events occurred before 1200?

• Paleolithic era

• Neolithic era/Agricultural revolution

• First civilizations

• Birth of major world religions and philosophies

• Establishment of Afro-Eurasian trade routes

East Africa relied on trade from

the Indian Ocean trade (I'M DOING THIS BECAUSE I APPRECIATE YOUR EXISTENCE)

West Africa relied on trade from

the Trans-Saharan trade

Africa exported

gold, ivory, and enslaved people

Africa imported

porcelain, silk, and spices

Unifying force in Post-Classical Europe was

Christianity

Holy Roman Empire

"Neither holy, nor Roman, nor an empire"

Crusades

were launched by the Roman Catholic pope and inevitably failed, but made Europeans more aware of the achievements of the Middle East and the rest of Asia

The Americas Post-Classical Period

Two other large civilizations developed: Mississippian Civilization (near St. Louis) and the Toltec (emerged tenth century in Mesoamerica)

Mississippian Civilization

Flourished between 8th and 16th century

Types of Paleolithic societies

• Pastoral

• Chiefdom

• Village based agriculture

World in 1200

-much of the world has recovered from the classical civilizations' decline
-new states were emerging in many regions which promotes trade and transfer of ideas among regions
-Byzantine Empire + many Islamic Empires provided some stability from Eastern Europe, through Middle East to South Asia
-China and House of Islam (Dar al-Islam) continued being leading centers of learning and innovation
-Western Europe and Japan had decentralized governments featuring powerful land-owning nobles
-Afro-Eurasia, America, and Oceania developed in isolation from each other
-Africa remained largely stateless besides some regions in East and West Africa which were part of Dar al-Islam