Unit 1 Overview: State Building, Religion, and Technology in AP World History

Flashcards covering major themes in AP World History Unit 1: state-building, religion, technology transfer, and early interactions across Song China, Abbasid Caliphate, and other regions.

What is the AP World History 'state' as used in Unit 1?

An organized political community under one government; distinct from the modern American use of 'state' as a subdivision.

What big-picture trends are highlighted at the start of the lecture?

Civilizations grow larger; world religions shape life and culture; technology (gunpowder, paper) proliferates while smaller states and older technologies decline.

Name two major technological innovations mentioned for global impact.

Gunpowder and paper.

Which Chinese dynasty's golden age is discussed, and what agricultural innovation helped support growth?

The Song dynasty; Champa rice.

What was the Grand Canal's significance during the Song period?

It boosted trade and helped maintain a unified Chinese culture across regions.

What is Champa rice and why was it important?

A fast-maturing, drought- and flood-resistant rice that could be harvested three times a year, boosting food supply and population.

How did Confucianism influence Song China beyond ideas?

It provided cultural stability and underpinned governance; civil service exams required Confucian classics, expanding bureaucratic meritocracy.

What was the impact of the civil service examination on Song governance?

Expanded bureaucratic positions beyond the nobility and fostered a merit-based bureaucracy.

What happened to the Abbasid Caliphate during this period, and which new states arose from its fragmentation?

It fractured due to invasions; new states included the Delhi Sultanate in India and the Mamluk Sultanate in North Africa.

What does 'Mamluk' mean, and what was the Mamluk Sultanate?

'Slave'; a slave-soldier empire in North Africa that overthrew Abbasid rule and established its own sultanate.

How did Song China compare to the Abbasid Caliphate in this period?

Song was flourishing socially, politically, and economically, while the Abbasid Caliphate was dying in those areas.

Name two South Asian polities and how they built state power.

Vijayanagara Empire and the Chola Kingdom; both built power through trade and expansion of influence.

How did the Mali Empire differ from the Ghana Empire in state-building and wealth, and who exemplified wealth?

Mali centralized power more than Ghana; wealth was exemplified by Mansa Musa.

How did the Aztecs and Incas structure their states in the Americas?

Aztecs used a tribute system backed by a strong military; Incas used the Maeda system mandating public service.

What European political system characterized early state-building in this period?

Feudalism: hierarchical social order (kings, nobles, knights, peasants/serfs) with power shifting toward centralized monarchs over time.

How did religion contribute to state-building globally during this period?

Religions provided legitimacy and cohesion: Islam with a shared Arabic, Confucianism in Song, Hinduism/Buddhism enabling rulers in South and Southeast Asia, and Catholic Church offering organizational structure apart from the state; widespread missionary activity spread beliefs.

What does 'conversionist' mean in this historical context?

Religions such as Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism actively sought converts and spread widely.

Beyond missions, what were other pathways of religious conversions?

Military campaigns (e.g., Delhi Sultanate in Northern India) and trade-driven conversions, including conversions to avoid the jizya or gain opportunities.

What is the jizya?

Tax paid by non-Muslims; some converted to Islam to avoid it or to gain opportunities.

How did merchants contribute to cultural diffusion?

Merchants carried not only goods but also cultural and religious ideas across trade networks (Silk Road, Indian Ocean).

What role did Champa rice play in Asia's food supply and population?

Increased food production that supported population growth.

What was the impact of the transfer of paper-making to the West?

Led to increased literacy and learning in Europe and Southwest Asia/North Africa, fueling advances in fields like medicine and mathematics.

What was the House of Wisdom, and where was it located?

A center of study and translation in Baghdad during the Abbasid era.

How did the Mongol Empire affect trade and cultural exchange?

Provided political stability across Afro-Eurasia, boosted Silk Road trade and cross-cultural interactions; nomadic influence began to wane as merchants gained influence.

What happened to nomadic influence in cultural transfers during 1200-1450?

It waned as more organized merchants and traders assumed a larger role.