Unit 1 - The Global Tapestry 1200 C.E. – 1450 C.E.

AP World History: Modern Source: AMSCO. AP World History: Modern (1200-Present). Perfection Learning. 2020

Context: Growth of regional trade since 600 CE led to the rise of large empires.
Revival of Empires:
  - Song Dynasty (China): Wealthy and innovative, continuing a long Chinese tradition of unified rule.
  - Aztecs (Mesoamerica): Influenced by the earlier Mayan empire.
  - Baghdad & Spain: Became centers of Islamic learning.
New Developments:
- West Africa: Rise of Ghana and Mali empires due to Trans-Saharan trade.
- East Africa & Southeast Asia: Growth of states in Zimbabwe and India propelled by Indian Ocean trade.
Mongol Impact:
- Conquest: Created the largest land empire in history, stretching from Central Europe to the Pacific Ocean.
- Trade: Initially devastating, Mongol rule later facilitated Eurasian trade, spreading ideas and technology.
Global Interactions: These developments set the stage for increased global connections after 1450.

Timeline: 960 C.E. – 1279 C.E.
Government Developments:
- After replacing the Tang in 960, the Song lost control of northern lands to Manchuria's pastoralists, who formed the Jin Empire.
- Despite losing land, the Song managed a smaller, more organized China for three centuries.
Bureaucracy:
- China’s strength stemmed from its imperial bureaucracy, with appointed officials executing policies.
Meritocracy:
- The civil service exam was pivotal in elevating officials based on merit, traditionally confined to higher social classes.
- Emperor Song Taizu expanded the exam to include lower classes, enhancing social mobility.

The Grand Canal: Connected the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers, creating the world’s most populous trading area.
Agricultural Productivity:
- Introduction of fast-ripening and drought-resistant Champa rice from Vietnam increased food production.
- Population in Song China grew from 60 million to over 100 million, fostering urban growth and improving nutrition.
Manufacturing and Trade:
- Experience in proto-industrialization, producing more goods than could be sold, relying on community-based production.
- Artisans created steel and other goods, distributed from monitored facilities, with the government expecting taxes and tributes.

Scholar Gentry:
- Emerged as a new social class from educated lower-class individuals through expanded civil service exams.
- Eventually outnumbered the aristocracy.
Role of Women:
- Confucian traditions mandated women's submission to men, with foot binding seen as a symbol of sophistication and confinement.

Buddhism:
- Transplanted from India via the Silk Roads, it adapted and syncretized with Daoism into Zen (Chan) Buddhism, appealing to the educated elite.
Neo-Confucianism:
- Combined Confucian ideals with Buddhist elements, emphasizing ethics over spiritual growth.

Prince Shotoku Taishi (574-622): Promoted Buddhism, Confucianism, and Shinto.
Heian Period (794-1185): Emulated Chinese political and cultural traditions. Notable works like The Tale of Genji by a woman emerged.
Feudalism:
- A decentralized government structure, with more power held by aristocratic generals (daimyo) than nobility.
Buddhism's Impact: Promoted cultural developments like gardens, tea ceremonies, and art forms.

Tributary Relations:
- Bonded with China through trade, adopting Confucian frameworks and cultural practices, until the invention of Hangul in the 15th century.

Independence and State Formation:
- Adopted Chinese bureaucratic practices post-independence, prioritizing meritocracy and legal codes while differing in family structure and marital practices compared to China.

Tribute System:
- A hierarchical foreign relations setup recognizing the Chinese emperor’s superiority, requiring tribute from states like Korea and Japan.
Rituals:
- Affirmed China’s status as the