AP World Unit 0: Foundations to 1200 CE

Paleo Characteristics

• Nomadic

• Simple stone tools

• No full-time leaders/specialized occupations

• No written language

• Hunter-gatherers

• No cities or real towns

• Fire

Agriculture

• Emerged around 10,000 years ago.

• Domestication of plants and animals.

• Settlement and population boom result

_Urbanization

Movement into cities

Social hierarchy (stratification)

• Divisions/inequality within society.

• Created from specialization of work.

Law codes

Reflected inequality

Patriachy

Gendered labor roles.

• Farming and warfare

• Land/wealth/rule goes to men

Centralization

Kings assisted by bureaucracies.

Bureaucracies

Managing government through departments run by appointed officials.

Infrastructure/Monumental Architecture

Facilities needed to operate society

• Roads and bridges

Emphasis on Trade

• Taxing trade within the empire = great wealth.

• Protecting trade routes = important govt role.

Silk Road

• Trade: Horses, silk, porcelain, paper, metals.

• Cultural Differences and Technology: Chariots, horse stirrups, Buddhism, Christianity, disease, bills of exchange, banks, and paper money.

Indian Ocean

• Cities: Coastal: Connects East Africa, Middle East, and South Asia.

• Monsoon winds.

• Trade: Pigments, pearls, spices, and tropical fruits.

• Cultural Differences and Technology Differences: Buddhism, compass, astrolabe, larger ship designs, lateen sail (triangle)

Monsoon winds

Seasonal winds that traders depended on at sea.

Trans-Saharan

• Connected Europe with West Africa

• Trade: Salt from South and West Sahara, Gold from West Africa.

• Cultural Differences and Technology: Islam, camel saddle, and caravan.

Why Empires Collapse

• Over-extension (maintaining borders)

• Political corruption

• Failing economics

• Peasant revolts

• Alienation of elite (high taxes)

• Disease epidemics

• Invasion

Monotheistic

Belief in one god.

Polytheistic

Belief of many gods.

Nontheistic

No god, but still has spiritual beliefs.

Animistic

Spirituality of plants, animals, inanimate objects, the universe, etc.

Atheist

No spiritual belief.

Zoroastrianism

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

• AP Loves:

  • Cultural contribution of Persia

  • Influenced later monotheistic religions in the region

Judaism

• Founder: Abraham

• Beliefs: Covenant between God and Abraham, 10 Commandments

• Sacred Text: Torah

• AP Loves: History DIASPORIC COMMUNITIES (living outside native land)

Hinduism

• Founder: Unknown, various traditions and texts

• Beliefs: Many forms of one God, Karma reincarnation

• Sacred Text: The Vedas

• AP Loves: Polytheism, cultural unity in India

  • Caste System

Caste System

Social standing determined by birth

Buddhism

• Founder: Siddhartha Gautama (becomes the “Buddha”)

• Beliefs: Four Noble Truths, Eightfold Path, Enlightenment

• AP Loves: Rejected Caste System, monastic communities, welcomed women and lower class, 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 systems, and monastic communities, welcomed women, and lower classes, spread on trade routes.

Islam

• Founder: Muhammad

• Beliefs: Monotheistic, 5 pillars, and Mecca and Medina are holy cities

• Sacred Text: Qur’an

• AP Loves: Displaced Zoroastrianism, Islam/Arabic provided a sense of unity in the Middle East