Unit One Global Tapestry

Buddhism

1. cultures: China, India, Southeast Asia, Japan
2. Context:


1. founded by siddhartha gautama
2. 4 noble truths:


1. all life is suffering
2. suffering caused by desire,
3. can be freed of desire
4. freed of desire following a prescribed path
3. death of Buddha caused division:


1. Theravada: centered around breaking the cycle of samsara (reincarnation); meditation; simplicity
2. Mahayana: achieve enlightenment through Buddha’s teaching while remaining in cycle of samsara; complex; spread more
3. Impact:


1. many followers due to rejection of caste system


1. influenced Hinduism
2. thrived in East and Southeast Asia
3. spread along trade routes (Ex. Silk Roads)

Christianity

1. Cultures
* started as group of Jewish people; spread quickly to Europe, northeastern Africa & Middle East
2. Context:


1. crucified by Roman and Jewish leaders
2. belief Jesus is God’s son; heaven is attainable through him
3. Impact: appealed to lower-ranked people & women


1. most influential in Mediterranean region
2. official religion of Roman Empire
3. driving force of Crusades

Confucianism

1. culture:


1. China
2. Context:


1. deals with how to restore political & social order
2. 5 fundamental relations:


1. ruler and subject
2. parent and child (filial piety)
3. husband and wife
4. older and younger siblings
5. friend and friend
3. Impact:


1. ethnic religion
2. distinctive culture of tight-knit communities
3. basis of civil service exam

Hinduism

1. culture:


1. india
2. Context:


1. belief in one supreme force called Brahma
2. goal of believer is to merge with Brahman


1. through reincarnation, the soul is reincarnated to escape the material world and become closer with Brahman
3. following dharma allows you to be more connected with Brahma; dependent on karma
4. Vedas & Upanishads
3. Impacts:


1. continuity in caste system
2. Bhakti Movement


1. similar to Sufism ideals
3. indian culture influenced by hinduism


1. advances on astronomy and mathematics
4. spread to Southeast Asia vis trade routes (ex. Khmer Empire & Angor Wat Temple)

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Islam

1. cultures


1. caliphates (islamic kingdoms), north africa, central asia & europe
2. context:


1. Allah provided knowledge to Prophet Muhammad which is recorded in Quran
2. Salvation is won through submission


1. 5 Pillars: 1. confession, 2. prayer 5x a day, 3. charity, 4. Ramadan fasting, & 5. Hajj (pilgrimage to holy site of Mecca)
2. 2 groups


1. Shia: leader should be blood descendant of Muhammad
2. Sunni: believe the community should decide whoever best fits as a leader
3. Impacts:


1. Dar al Islam
2. Conflict w/ Crusaders (caused by Seljuk Empire)
3. Transfer of greco-islamic medical knowledge and rise and expansion on technological innovations


1. economic innovations: business contracts and new systems of banking
4. islamic empires in india improved farming methods & brought education

Judaism

1. cultures: Hebrew
2. Context:


1. Hebrew Bible: Torah, miracles, laws, historical chronicles, poetry, prophecies, etc.
2. subcultures:


1. Ashkenazi
2. Sephardic
3. Impacts:


1. one of first monotheistic faiths
2. Theodore Herzl started Zionist movement

Development of Islamic State-building

1. Abbasid Dynasty


1. center for arts and sciences (Dar al Islam)


1. transfer of Islamic-greco knowledge
2. mathematics (nasir al-din al-tusi) and medicine
3. built around trade via Silk Road
2. Delhi Sultanate


1. empire in India via invasion
2. cultural & religious syncretism


1. arts & architecture; Sikhism
3. responses to spread of Islam in India


1. conflict due to varying factors


1. rebellion of rajput kingdoms
2. many converts from lowest class due to rejection of caste system
3. Sufism was appealing
3. West Africa


1. spread via trade routes from Muslim merchants
2. Mali ruler, Mansa Musa, went on Hajj, displaying great amounts of weath

Decline of Islamic Caliphates

1. challenged by revolt of enslaved Turkish warriors
2. Shia Dynasty in Iran (Safavid)
3. Seljuk Turk Sunni group
4. Persians
5. Europeans
6. Byzantines
7. Mongols


1. destroyed Baghdad
2. defeated Seljuk Empire
3. Ottoman Turks reunited Egypt, Syria & Arabia
4. Mamluks: defeated incoming Mongolian invasions

Developments in Europe

1. Middle Ages: fall of Rome before Renaissance
2. Eastern Roman Empire became Byzantine Empire
3. Constant continuity was the Roman Catholic Church


1. Christian influenced art to educate peasantry
4. Cultural and political divided by small kingdoms for dominance


1. organized by Feudalism (Dark Ages):


1. lords, nobles, knights, serfs


1. founded 3 field system
2. trade & intellectual life declined
3. Roman Catholic church acted as unifying force
2. 1000s t0 1450s: High Middle Ages


1. feudal lords to monarchs


1. able to consolidate through establishment of bureaucracies and armies
2. conflict of power between church and monarchs


1. response by Church to consolidate power: Crusades; made people believe reclaiming Jerusalem = heaven
3. 13th Century: Transfer of power to nobles


1. via Magna Carta
2. also Parliament; divided into House of Lords and House of Commons
5. Late 13th Century: Marco Polo


1. account of travels led to innovations in mapmaking and cartography
2. emergence in new social class: middle class
3. economy was still lacking due to less trade due to less agriculture because of poor weather conditions
6. After 13th Century:


1. Renaissance


1. rebirth of ancient greek and roman literature & art

Emergence of Nation-States

1. change in organizations: feudal kingdoms to linguistic and cultural based
2. Arising modern states


1. Germany:


1. period of interregnum
2. craftsmen and merchants became powerful
2. England: nobles rebelled against King John


1. Magna Carta
2. Parliament


1. divided into House of Lords and Commons
3. Spain


1. Queen Isabella & King Ferdinand marriage for unification of Spain


1. consolidated power of monarchy via Christianity
4. Russia:


1. taken over by Tatars (under Genghis Khan)
2. Prince Ivan III expansion of power and became tsar

developments in east asia: china

1. China


1. Sui Dynasty:


1. reunified China through military conquest of Chen Dynasty & promoted Buddhism
2. reforms: Great Canal (connected Yellow and Yangtze Rivers, Great Wall, & granaries to prevent famine
2. Tang Dynasty


1. centralized government
2. known for campaigns against Turks
3. advancements in art & literature
3. Song Dynasty


1. centralized government


1. bureaucracy & meritocracy/scholar gentry
2. trade expansion


1. commercialized society
2. not enough resources to make coins led to change and formation of paper money
3. Neo-Confucianism


1. Confucianism helped organize gov; continuity
4. technological innovations: gunpowder

development in east asia: japan

1. in China’s orbit


1. buddhism spread
2. feudal hierarchy:


1. emperor
2. shogun (chief general)
3. daimyo: powerful samurai who owned big land


1. followed bushido
4. lesser samurai/vassals
5. peasants & artisans

developments in africa & americas

1. Hausa Kingdom


1. kin based networks
2. specialization in certain skills but no centralization
3. economic stability & islamic religious influence via long trade of salt
4. griot & griottes (storytellers; important in literature continuities)
2. Americas


1. Mayans, Aztecs, & Incas


1. Aztecs:


1. expansionist policy & strict army
2. trade flourished & political dominance due to tribute system
2. Incas:


1. expansionist policy, bureaucracy, unified language & system of roads
2. matriarchy
3. human sacrifices
4. mit’a system

State-building in India & Southeast Asia

1. Vijayanagara Empire


1. set up by two Muslim men who were sent to Southern India for prospects of empire expansion but converted back to Hinduism
2. Souteast Asia


1. kingdoms emerged due to sea-based trade


1. Majapahit Empire


1. consolidated power through control of sea-based routes
2. Khmer Empire


1. rise in agricultural innovations and technology (ex. complex irrigation systems)