East Asia, South East Asia, Africa, and Europe 1200-1450

Continuities and Traditions of Chinese Culture

  • Dynastic Cycle: Mandate of Heaven: Rulers were believed to be chosen by heaven to maintain order. This mandate could be lost if the ruler became unjust or ineffective, leading to the rise of a new dynasty.
  • Xenophobia: Fear of Foreigners: A prevalent attitude characterized by a fear and distrust of outsiders.
  • Ethnocentrism: The belief in the superiority of one's own race or ethnic group, often viewing it as the center of the world. One race is superior than another.
  • Creativity and Innovation: China was known for its advancements in science and technology, including inventions, art, and literature.
  • Importance of Family: Filial Piety: Emphasized respect and obedience towards elders and ancestors.
  • Low Status of Women: Women faced limitations in education and legal rights and were expected to obey husbands, fathers, and sons. Their primary role was to support men, exemplified by practices like foot binding.
  • Conflicts with Nature: China frequently experienced natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes, typhoons, droughts, and insect infestations.

Developments in East Asia (1200-1450)

  • Systems of Government: Chinese dynasties employed strong, centralized governments, with individuals vying for positions through the civil service exam.
  • Paper Money: Introduced due to the scarcity of resources amidst a growing population.
  • Gunpowder: Initially used for weapons.
  • Markets and Credit Systems: Facilitated trade and economic activity.
  • Iron and Steel Production: Advanced to levels not seen again until the Industrial Revolution.
  • Transportation Systems:
    • Expansion of the Grand Canal.
    • Refined roads and bridges (Silk Roads).
    • Improved ship designs.
    • Magnetic compass for navigation.
    • These enhancements led to increased trade, troop movements, and tax collection.
  • Farming Systems:
    • Introduction of Champa rice.
    • Irrigation systems.
    • New tools.
    • Terraced hillsides.
    • Crop rotation.
    • These innovations resulted in increased food production, population growth, and reduced starvation.
  • China’s Influence on Japan: Evident in pagoda-style architecture and the adoption of some Chinese characters in the language.
  • China’s Influence on Korea: The Korean language initially used Chinese characters (Hanzi) before developing its own script (Hangul).
  • Authoritarian, Strong Central Government: Created a competitive environment where people sought positions through the civil service exam.
  • Cultural Conservatism: Resistance to change, preserving traditional culture until the approach of the Industrial Revolution.
  • Education Valued: Demonstrated by the importance of the civil service exam.
  • Hard Life of Peasants: Those who did not pass the civil service exam faced low-paying jobs and difficult lives.

Song Dynasty

  • Politically:
    • Mandate of Heaven: Rulers were believed to have a divine right to rule.
    • Dynastic Cycle: Rulers could be replaced if they lost the mandate of heaven.
  • Socially:
    • Civil Service Exam: A rigorous three-day exam to select government officials.
    • Song Dynasty’s Influence over Japan: Evident in architecture and pictographs.
    • Filial Piety: Respect for elders.
  • Economics:
    • Champa Rice: Increased rice production, leading to population growth and urban expansion.
    • The Grand Canal: Facilitated transportation of food from rice farms to cities.
    • Development of Gunpowder.
  • Sought to diminish Confucianism and the influence of Buddhism.
  • Society had a natural order (State < citizen, Men < women, Elders < juniors, Parents < children).
  • A three-day written exam determined bureaucratic job placement based on scores.

Dynastic Cycle Stages

  1. New dynasty claims mandate of heaven.
  2. Emperor reforms government.
  3. Common people's lives improve; taxes are reduced.
  4. Conflicts arise.
  5. Taxes begin to rise.
  6. Government becomes corrupted.
  7. Conflicts with nature occur (droughts, famine, floods).
  8. Peasants rebel.
  9. Change of leader.
  10. The emperor is overthrown, and the cycle repeats.

Three Branches of Buddhism

  • Theravada Buddhism: Originated in Sri Lanka, focused on the practice of monks and monasteries.
  • Mahayana Buddhism: Originated in East Asia, encouraged broader participation in Buddhist practices.
  • Bodhisattvas Buddhism: Focused on helping others reach enlightenment.

Grand Canal

  • An extensive canal system used for transporting food and facilitating trade and communication.

Champa Rice

  • A drought-resistant rice introduced to China from Vietnam as tribute, leading to increased population due to its resilience and fast growth.

Core Understandings of Major Religions

  • Islam: Belief in one God (Allah) and that Muhammad is the final prophet. Salvation is found in righteous actions like alms-giving, prayer, and fasting.

  • Judaism: The ethnic religion of the Jews, based on the teachings of the Torah and the covenant with Abraham.

  • Christianity: An extension of Judaism based on the teachings of Jesus Christ, emphasizing love, forgiveness, and salvation through faith.

Chinese Culture’s Effects on East Asia

  • Theravada Buddhism: Originated in Sir Lanka, Believed in only practice of Monks and monasteries, others too occupied on worldly matters.
  • Mahayana Buddhism: Originated East Asia, encouraged a broader participation on Buddhist practice
  • Bodhisattvas Buddhism: Aims to help others reach path of enlightenment

Innovation Effects on the Chinese Economy

  • Commercialization of the Economy: Manufacturers and artisans produced more goods than were sold locally, selling excess goods to markets in China and across Eurasia. Main goods included porcelain and silk.

  • 900-mile canal connecting inland rice fields to cities, easing food transport, increasing population growth, facilitating trade, and communication

Developments of Religions in the Middle East (Dar al-Islam)

  • Islam: Prophet Muhammad claimed to be the final prophet of God's messengers; salvation found in righteous actions: almsgiving, prayer, and fasting.

  • Rightly guided Caliphs, Umayyads, Abbasids facts [political, social, economic, etc]

  • Spread of Islam by Sufi merchants and missionaries [describe how these two groups spread Islam]

  • Advances in math, literature, and medicine [what specific things did Islam spread 1200-1450?]

Rightly Guided Caliphs

  • Followed Muhammad's death, using his teachings to conquer other countries, amassing wealth through trade, contradicting Muhammad's simple lifestyle

Umayyads

  • Took over after the Caliphs' overthrow, causing a split between Shi'a (followers of Ali) and Sunnis (followers of Muhammad)

Abbasids

  • Implemented a tax called Jizya for non-Muslims in exchange for not having to do military service and freedom to practice their religion.

Merchants

  • Controlled trade throughout Afro-Eurasia, adopting cultural practices and spreading Islam through trade

Missionaries

  • Settled in new areas of Afro-Eurasia to promote Islam.

Intellectual Innovation Spread by Islam

  • Main trade networks: Indian Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and Silk Roads to China

  • Advances in math: Established banks with letters of credit (Sakks) for merchants

  • Literature: Notable advances in Algebra

  • Medicine: Medical encyclopedias

Developments in South and Southeast Asia (1200-1450)

Belief Systems and Practices

To understand how a ected society, bear in mind the following:

  • Islam: Second most important religion. (Delhi Sultanate was established) There was Heavy Muslim control, and caused Islam to be the main religion for Muslims.

  • Hinduism: First more important religion in India *Bhakti movement: Innovation on traditional polytheistic Hinduism -Created challenges to social and gender hierarchies

  • Buddhism: The first religion India however, least important (smaller communities)

Khmer Empire

  • Land-based empire in Southeast Asia

  • Shifted from Hindu control to Buddhism; Angkor Wat stands as a symbol of religious continuity and change

State Building in the Americas

Aztec Empire

  • Founded in 1345 by the Mexica people, with the capital city of Tenochtitlan

  • Tribute systems: Conquered peoples provided labor and contributions. Enslaved people played significant roles, including human sacrifices

State Building in Africa

Ethiopia

  • Hierarchical power structure; the first Christian empire

  • Traded salt and was dominated by Muslim states and indigenous beliefs

Great Zimbabwe

  • Focused on trade: gold, crops, and cattle

Developments in Europe (1200-1450)

Belief Systems

  • Christianity: Dominated Europe and split into versions:

    • Eastern Orthodox(Byzantine empire-Kievan Rus united the people and increased trade)

    • Roman Catholicism(Western Europe linked every state in the region culturally, hierarchy of popes, priest, bishops, churches influenced society, culture, and politics)

Decentralization of Power

Explain the idea of “decentralization of power” in Europe.

Decentralized Monarchs

  • Independent towns connected through languages and culture (strong ties)

  • King John attempted to raise taxes to fund a war, but nobles rebelled and forced him to sign the Magna Carta in 1215, limiting monarch power and granting rights to lower classes and nobles.

Agriculture’s Effects on Society in Europe

Feudalism

  • A system of allegiances between powerful monarchs (in charge of land distributed to lords), lords (benefited from tax), knights (protection collected crops taxes give to lords), and peasants (worked in farms, paid taxes to lords).

Manorialism

  • A manor, a huge piece of land owned by a lord, was rented out to peasants. Peasants were bound to the land, working it for protection from lords and military.

Coerced Labor

  • Basically slavery, work against one's will.

Definitions

  • Bureaucracy: Government entity hierarchically arranged to carry out the emperor's will
  • Buddhism: Centers on the Four Noble Truths: (life is suffering), (suffering arises from craving), (suffering ceases when craving ceases), and (the Eightfold Path leads to the cessation of suffering and craving).

Basic Differences Between Sunni and Shi’a Muslims

Sunni

  • Make up about 83% of all Muslims today

  • Believe that the 1st four caliphs were “rightly guided”

  • Believe that Muslim rulers should follow Muhammad’s example, but do not have to be related to Muhammad

  • Claim that the Shi’a have distorted the meaning of various passages of the Qur’an

Shi’a

  • Make up about 16% or all Muslims today

  • Believe that Ali, the Prophet’ son-in-law, should have succeeded Muhammad

  • Believe that all Muslim rulers should be descended from Muhammad

  • Claim the Sunnis have distorted the meaning of various passages of the Qur’an

Buddhism and Hinduism

Buddhism

  • Both Cycle of birth and death and reincarnation

  • Ultimate goal * dissolve into the oneness of ones universe(Nirvana

Hinduism