AP World History: The World Before 1200

B.C.E and C.E ( Before the Common Era and Common Era )

B.C.E and C.E ( Before the Common Era and Common Era )

• Secular (non-religious) terms for marking time.

• They follow the preexisting model of marking time of before and after Christ.

• We live in C.E. time. B.C.E time is further in the past. 

State

A political entity with geographic boundaries and a system of government (empire, kingdom, country etc.)

Golden Age

A period of stability, prosperity and achievement.

Universalizing religion

A religion that seeks out converts and has spread widely among diverse populations.

Ethnic religion

A religion that doesn’t actively seek out converts and is associated with a particular ethnic group.

Afro-Eurasia

The landmass that includes the continents of Africa, Europe and Asia.

The Americas

The landmass that includes the continents of North and South America.

South Asia

A geographical term that refers to the Indian subcontinent, including modern day India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Bhutan.

Hinduism

• The oldest, largest, and most prominent religious tradition in South Asia, and is considered by some historians to be the oldest religion with a large following today. (The origins of Hinduism go back at least 3,500 years, beginning between 2300-1500 B.C.E)

• Has NO historical founder or centralized structure. Beliefs consist of a vast diversity of gods, spirits, beliefs, practices, rituals, and philosophies. Central scriptures to this religion are called the Vedas. The Vedas taught that the soul of a person is reborn, or reincarnated many times. Eventually, a soul would spiritually advance to be released from this cycle of death and rebirth and achieve moksha. Moksha is also achievable through knowledge, study or passionate devotion to a deity or through meditation.

• The Vedas also included the concept of karma, the sum of a person's actions in this and previous lifes which determines which form a human soul would take in the next life.

• Often viewed as polytheistic. However, over time some followers began to describe all of the deities as the expression of one supreme deity so it can also be monotheistic.

• Was not a universalizing religion seeking converts. Often considered an ethic religion.

Buddhism

• A religion also native to South Asia, but developed much later in the 500’s B.C.E.

• The founder of this religion is Siddhartha Gautama was a prince from a small kingdom in north India. Once he discovered human suffering, he set out for a quest that ended with an indescribable experience of spiritual realization which made him become the Buddha.

• No central texts.

• The belief is summarized by the Four Noble Truths which sought to eliminate desire and suffering by following the Eightfold Path. This path requires an individual to meditate, reflect, and refrain from excessive earthly pleasures. The goal is to achieve enlightenment and the peaceful bliss known as nirvana, which would end the cycle of reincarnation.

• Neither monotheistic nor polytheistic. The Buddhist religion does not focus on the worship of a deity.

• Buddhism also has a monastic tradition or a religious way of life in which devoted followers (such as nuns or monks) renounce worldly pursuits to devote oneself fully to spiritual work.

• Is a universalizing religion.

Confucianism

• Religion started in China

• During the Warring States period, the philosopher K'ung Fu-tzu, known today as Confucius, was born. He lived from 551–479 B.C.E and lead the religion around the same time as Buddha.

• The Analects, (which are the teachings written down by his followers) describe how people should behave in everyday life. Later scholars elaborated on his ideas, creating a body of thought known as (insert the religion here). 

• According to Confucius, human society consisted of relationships: the father and son; husband and wife; the older brother and younger brother; ruler and subject. If the superior party in each of these relationships would treat one with respect, then the other will reflect obedience, which eventually leads to harmony in the relationship.

• A major concept within this religion is filial piety, the honoring of one’s parents, elders and ancestors. This idea was also applied to the government. Those who failed to govern these moral norms forfeited the “Mandate of Heaven,” and would be replaced by a new dynasty. 

Daoism

• Religion started in China

• This religion is associated with the legendary figure Laozi, who, according to tradition, is said to have written a short poetic volume, the Daodejing (The Way and Its Power,) in the 500’s B.C.E. before vanishing in the wilderness.

• Similar to Confucianism since its often considered a philosophy. However, this religion focuses on nature.

• This religion centralizes around the concept of Dao, the natural order of the universe (which is not a being or a deity but rather the fundamental principle that underlies all existence)

• Wu Wei is the practice of acting in accordance with the natural order, without force or excessive effort, in order to achieve perfect harmony with the flow of the Dao.

• This religion values simplicity and humility, encouraging a life free from excessive desires, advocating for a simple and natural way of living.

Yin and Yang

Expresses a belief in the unity or complementary of opposites. The _______ are also heavily associated with Confucianism and Daoism since these religions are known to complement each other. Confucius focused on the world of human relationships, Daoists focused on nature. but A Chinese government official might pursue Confucian values of duty during the day, but in the evening might read Daoist philosophy, practice meditation and breathing exercises in mountain settings.

Judaism

• Religion started in the Middle East

• This religion originated around 1200-1000 B.C.E.

• Believes in a single powerful deity, Yahweh, who demanded their exclusive loyalty.

• Believes that they have entered into a covenant, or mutual promise, with their God, who in return for their devotion, would consider them his chosen people

• The text of this religion are Hebrew Bible or Tanakh

• Considered a ethnic religion since  proselytizing (seeking out converts) is not a major practice.

Jewish Diaspora

The dispersion of Jewish people moving away from their homeland. The Babylonian conquest of the Kingdom of Judah in 586 BCE led to the exile of a significant portion of the Jewish population. This event, known as the Babylonian Exile marked the beginning of this event. Following the Babylonian Exile, empires such as the Persian, Greek, and Roman Empires persecuted Jews, furthering the ______.

Christianity

• This religion began in the Middle East remote Roman province of Judaea in the 1st century C.E.

• A young Jewish craftsman, Jesus of Nazareth was a “wisdom teacher,” who challenged the conventional values of his time, urged the rejection of wealth and selfishness, and emphasizing the importance of love and compassion. Since he spoke on behalf of the poor and the oppressed and criticized the powerful, this led to social movement that threatened Roman authorities, so he was crucified by them.

• Once originated from Jesus’ Jewish tradition but eventually leads to becoming a second religion. (Jesus did not intentionally do this)

• Spreads his teachings and texts with the Bible. 

• Monastic tradition

• Universalizing religion

Islam

• Religion developed in the Middle East

• The leader of this religion is  Muhammad Ibn Abdullah (570–632 c.e.,) a merchant from the city of Mecca in the Arabian peninsula. Muhammad was deeply troubled by the religious corruption and social inequalities so he went to meditate in mountains around the city. There, Muhammad had a powerful religious experience that left him convinced that he was Allah’s (Arabic word for God) messenger to the Arabs,

• According to Muslim tradition, the revelations began in 610 C.E. and were recorded in the Quran, which became the sacred scriptures of this religion. The Quran denounced the prevailing social practices of greed, exploiting the poor, corruption and the abuse and neglect of women/orphans

• Additionally, this religon challenged the tribal and clan structure of Arab society.

• Umma: the community of believers of ______, replaced tribal, ethnic, or racial identities. Like Jesus, Muhammad was threatening to the established authorities in Mecca, and he was forced to leave. Unlike Jesus, there was no overwhelming force such as the Roman Empire to contend with

Great Schism

The culmination (climax) of long-standing differences between the Eastern (Byzantine) and Western (Latin) branches of Christianity. One of the central issues that led to the ________ was the question of papal authority (the power of the Pope, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church).

Crusades

This is another significant event in Christianity in 1095, when the Roman Catholic pope called for a Holy _______ (religious war) to free Jerusalem and the lands around it from Islamic control. The early _____ had some success, but after two centuries of trying, the crusades failed to seize power. Despite the military failure of the ______, they had a large impact on Europe. The ______ made Europeans more aware of the achievements of the Middle East and the rest of Asia and as a result, more interested in opening up trade with the east.

Caliph

Political leader of Islam

Sunni & Shi’a Divide

This event occurred due to an argument on how a new caliph could be chosen. _____ Muslims felt that the caliph could be selected from among all leaders in the Islamic community but _____ Muslims felt that the caliph should be a blood relative of Muhammad.

Dar al Islam

Also known as the House of Islam.  In less than a century, Islam had united southern Spain, North Africa, the Middle East, and parts of India which caused this name to emerge.

Kin-Based

Communities where people are related to each other.

Mandate of Heaven

The idea/concept that "heaven," or some universal force, gave approval for an emperor and his family to rule China. If the ruler was corrupt or ineffective, "heaven" would show its displeasure in the form of natural disasters or revolts. This was a sign that the ruler had lost the Mandate of Heaven and should be replaced by more competent rulers.

Civil Service Exam

Required students to prove their knowledge of Confucian teachings and those who scored well on the exam received prestigious jobs in the government. This system produced a government of well-educated individuals who shared similar values. This requirement would be adopted by all succeeding Chinese dynasties until 1912. 

Zhou Dynasty

• Time Period: 1076 B.C.E-256 B.C.E

• One legacy of this dynasty in China was in how people thought about the government. This was the concept of a Mandate of Heaven.

Qin Dynasty

• Time Period: 221 B.C.E.-207 B.C.E.

• This dynasty established centralized control, standardized Chinese script, and established a uniform system of weights and measures. Also built canals and roads which provided the foundation for increased trade and prosperity and began the development of the Great Wall to protect China from invaders from the north.

Han Dynasty

• Time Period: 207 B.C.E-220 C.E.

• This dynasty ushered in a Golden Age of Chinese history. China was largely peaceful and its population grew. Science and technology prospered, with developments such as the magnetic compass, paper, and the stern rudder. Under their rule, trade prospered as the Silk Road extended west to the Mediterranean Sea.

• This dynasty also Confucianism the official state religion, and transformed China's government by creating a civil service exam largely based on Confucian beliefs which lead to the creation of the Civil Service Exam

Sui Dynasty

• Time Period: 581-618 C.E.

• After the Han Dynasty declined in the third century, China experienced turmoil and disunity. This short-lived dynasty ended their period of troubles.

• The dynasty's most dramatic accomplishment the creation of the Grand Canal. Stretching over 1,000 miles, it connected the agricultural south to the population centers in the north, fostering economic growth and uniting China

Grand Canal

Internal man-made waterway. Stretching over 1,000 miles, it connected the agricultural south to the population centers in the north, fostering economic growth and uniting China

Tang Dynasty

• Time Period: 618-907 C.E

• This dynasty extended China's boundaries north into Mongolia, west into Central Asia, and south into Vietnam

• Established a centralized government that provided stability and expanded the civil service exam.

• Often regarded as a Golden Age in China. Poetry, literature, calligraphy, painting, music, technology, science and dance thrived during this period. Innovations such as woodblock printing, porcelain production, gunpowder, and the magnetic compass would have a profound impact on world history.

• Rulers created more economic equity through the equal-field system, which redistributed land to peasants and China's population grew significantly.

Song Dynasty

• Time period: 960-1279 C.E

• This dynasty adopted Neo-Confucianism, a blend of Confucianism, Daoism and Buddhism.

• Oversaw a period of significant economic growth and urbanization and had the largest cities in the world.

• Expanded on the existing government by establishing a merit-based version of the civil service exam, allowing talented individuals from all socio-economic backgrounds to pursue careers in government

Damiyos

Between about 800 and 1200 C.E., Japan had an age of political stability and cultural development. This led to the development of the system, feudalism (basically, a buddy system that works between a powerful rank and a weaker rank in order to gain benefits). At the top of the social and political hierarchy was the Emperor (even though he was more of a symbolic leader). The real power was vested in the shogun, a military general, followed by powerful landlords called ______.

Shinto

A set of beliefs centered around the veneration of ancestors and nature spirits.

Abrahamic faiths

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. These faiths revered the biblical character, Abraham.

Monotheism

The belief in the existence of a single, all-powerful deity who is the sole creator and ruler of the universe. This deity is typically understood to be omniscient (all-knowing), omnipotent (all-powerful), and omnipresent (present everywhere)

 Sparta & Athens

Reflected the great variety among Greece's many city-states. ______ organized their society around a powerful military. On the other hand, _________ made impressive advances in architecture, literature, theater, and philosophy. Also developed the concept of democracy, a system of government in which a large part of the population runs the government. However, they both believed in many deities.

Hellenism

In the 300s B.C.E. the army of Alexander the Great would spread Greek culture into Egypt, across Persia, and east to India, a process known as __________.