AP World Unit 2 Review

(Context) Silk Road

(Context) Silk Road

• existed for 1300 before 2nd golden age (8-9 century)

• left in disrepair for majority of history

• 12th-13th century > increased demand for luxury goods > improving technology > Mongol policing > 3rd golden age

• has always been more prosperous when ruled by one single empire (Roman, Han, Abbasid, Mongol)

Causes of Trade Growth - Silk Road

• increased demand for luxury goods (European crusades)

• improved transportation technology (magnetic compass, caravans, saddles, Chinese rudder/junk boat)

• was unified and protected under Mongol Empire

Effects of Trade Growth - Silk Road

• growth of cities (ex. Kashgar & Samarkand) that acted as rest stops + cultural exchange

• caravanserais > inns along Silk Road > led to cultural/technological exchange

• higher European luxury good demand > increased production > boosting Asian + European economies

• connected East Asian + Mediterranean Sea

• long distance trade > China money economy

• too heavy coins > flying cash > like modern day checks

• flying cash > European banking houses

• improved commercial practices > geographical range expanded

(Context) Mongol Empire

• before Mongol Empire > Afro-Eurasian empires began to decline > vulnerable to Genghis Khan

• Genghis Khan > built loyalty with lower class > goal of world domination > began half century of Mongol domination in 1209

Mongol Empire - Conquest + Rule

• fierce warriors > skilled on horseback + tough, arid terrain

• Genghis Khan > brutal

• Mongol Empire expanded > Song dynasty fell

Mongol Empire - Army

• highly trained

• used command structures > communication, mapping, + messenger units

• use advanced military tactics (ex. fake out)

• adopted technology of conquered people into arsenal (ex. Chinese siege weapons)

Mongol Empire - Peace + Rule

• peaceful

• Pax Mongolica > Mongol Peace > refers to time of econimic, social, + cultural growth/stability under Mongol rule

• religiously tolerant

• incorporated cultures he conquered

• promoted commerce + trade

Mongol Empire - Silk Road

• 3rd golden age of the Silk Road > under Mongol rule

• grew larger and more prosperous compared to Roman + Han empires

• improved roads, punished bandits, enforced laws, respected merchants, patrolled trade routes > Silk Road growth

Mongol Empire - Khanates

• death of Genghis Khan

• 4 grandsons came to power and made own Khanates in Eurasia

• personal loyalties made holding the large empire together difficult

Mongol Empire - Batu and the Golden Horde (West)

• Batu

• 100,000 soldiers (Golden Horde

• went to Russia > Europe wasn't happy > Christian nation

• ruled Russia through tribute system > eventually overthrown

• Mongol rule > Russia improved military organization > established centralized rule

Mongol Empire - Hulegu and the Islamic Heartlands (Southwest)

• Hulegu

• established II Khanate in Muslim territory

• means "vassal empire"

• ruled through indirect tribute system

• converted to Islam

• defeated by Muslim Mamluks + Christian crusaders

Mongol Empire - Kublai Khan and the Yuan Dynasty (China)

• defeated Song dynasty

• kept traditional Chinese government > Yuan Dynasty

• religiously tolerant > increased Daoists + Buddhist loyalty

• tried and failed to conquer Japan

• initially liked by the Chinese > hired foreigners > discontinuted civil exam > failure to assimilate > White Lotus Society overthrown Mongol rule > Ming Dynasty

Mongol Empire - Decline + Impact

• warring Khans + general resistance > fall of Mongol Empire

• was largest contiguous land-empire in history

• revitalized long distance trade > built new road systems > connected new places > interregional cultural exchange

• ex. Chinese scientific knowledge, Chinese paper + Greco-Islamic medical knowledge + Arabic numbering system moving west

• caused Black Death through trade

• understood centralized power > one law rules the land > numerous places copied

• improved siege + military technology

(Context) Indian Ocean Trade

• prophet Muhammad encourage Muslims to travel > Muslim empire connecting more cities

• crossed waterways from China to countries bordering Indian Ocean (Middle East + Africa)

• expansion of Islam > growth of trade in cities (Calicut, Malacca, Gujarat) > African Swahili states grew wealthy

Indian Ocean Trade - Technologies

• maritime advances > made Indian Ocean trade possible

• understanding Monsoon winds, Lateen (triangle) sails, sterns rudders, astrolabe, Chinese junk

Indian Ocean Trade - Demand for Products

• Islam connections > increased demand for goods > more trade

• maritime trade > cheaper than land trade > more common goods were exchanged

• India - cotton, leather, stonework, pepper spices (from Calicut)

• Malay + Indo > spice islands (cinnamon + nutmeg)

• African Swahili states > ivory, gold, slaves

• China > silk, porcelain

• SW Asia > horses, figs, dates

Indian Ocean Trade - Effects of Trade

• understanding monsoon winds > helped merchants learn when + where to maritime travel

• caused merchants to stay longer > disaporic communities > intermarriage between cultures > cultural interactions (ex. Islam in Southern Asia)

• ex. Arab + Persian communities in East Asia, Chinese merchant communities in SE Asia, Malay communities in Indian Ocean Basin

• increased trade + demand > stronger state gov. to form

• ex. Malacca > grew from trade + taxes to pass through strait

• Calicut > massive trade port > search for spices like pepper

• Swahili City-States (east coast of Africa) > increased trade in gold, ivory, slaves > more wealth

• Gujarat > go-between port between East + West

• religion continued to spread (Islam usually) > encouraged trade on existing routes

(Context) Trans-Saharan Trade

• East African coast > populated for centuries before Islam arrived (7-8 centuries) > arid Saharan desert > little trade

Trans-Saharan Trade - Impact

• Muslim merchants moved into Africa > spread desire to trade > brought architecture + religion > some women enjoyed higher level of freedom (ex. Songhai Kingdom)

Trans-Saharan Trade - Innovations

• Somali camel saddle > East Africa > allowed camels to carry up to 600 lbs > increasing ability to trade

• caravans increased in use > made trade safer

Trans-Saharan Trade - Growth of State + Empire

• Africa dominated gold trade > helped build empires > ex. Mali empire (one of the richest in the world)

• Timbuktu > center of trade + Islamic learning

• growth of trade > growth of government > new currencies > expanded militaries

• empires grew > more people > introduction to cultures + Islam

Spread of Technology

• China > gunpowder + paper

• India to China > Champa Rice

• India > spread of math in Afro-Eurasia

• seafaring technology > easier trade

• seafaring scholars > translated Greek classics to Arabic

• advancements in medicine

• Africa > Swahili developed > trade spread easier > mix of Arabic + Bantu languages

Growth of Cities

• political stability > lack of invasions

• safe + reliable transportation

• rise of commerce + trade

• large labor supplies

• increased agricultural output

• introduction of Islam during Abbasid Caliphate > encouraged trade in Africa + Indian Ocean Basin

Spread of Religion

• Buddhism > spread to East Asia (China, Korea, Vietnam) > from India > found favor in lower classes (vs. Confucianism)

• Buddhism + Hinduism > spread to SE Asia > contributed to empire growth (ex. Khmer empire)

• Islam > spread all over Afro-Eurasia

• ex. Africa > center of Islam + Islamic learning

• South Asia > egalitarian beliefs of Islam > encouraged lower caste Hindus + disillusioned Buddhists to convert

• Bhakti movement > seeks to connect Hinduism + Islam

• Muslim architecture + culture spreads > merchants bring trade everywhere they go

Travels

• Ibn Battuta > Sunni Muslim > traveled across Indian Ocean network > greater Muslim world understanding

• writings > depict African + Islamic economies > political/societal info > other cultural traditions

• Marco Polo > European traveler > searched for trade possibilities (as far as China)

• brought back depiction of life in China > much more advanced compared to Europe

Effects of Trade

• Black Plague > 25 million Europeans die > impacted labor supply > economic output declines > labor rights increase > Europeans cities decline > feudalism declines > peasant life improves

• Champa rice > goes from India > Vietnam > China

• Bananas > introduced to Africa

• Cotton, sugar, citrus fruits > introduced to Mediterranean

• increased population > pressure on resources

• overgrazing, deforestation, soil erosion > problematic