AP WORLD HISTORY: MODERN

Europe

  • 1200-1450: Trade and learning revived in the High Middle Ages.
  • Political structures were changing.
  • The Renaissance occurred.
  • The Crusades took place.

Religion

  • Religion is a way to make sense of the world around us.
  • Monotheistic: Worship of one God.
  • Polytheistic: Worship of many Gods.

Unit 1: The Global Tapestry (c.1200-c.1450)

  • Overview: Several large empires emerged, some revivals, others were new.
  • Shaped by regional trade since around 600.

East Asia: China, Japan, Korea

Song China: Government

  • Bureaucracy.
  • Civil Service Exam.
    • Scholar Gentry.
  • Tributary State System.

Confucianism

  • Founded by Confucius.
  • Analects: Collection of Confucius' sayings.
  • Major Beliefs:
    • Ren: Kindness, respect.
    • Li: Act appropriately, focus on morals.
    • Xiao: Filial Piety, respect for elders.

Chinese Culture

  • Foot-binding.
  • Filial Piety.
  • Literature.
  • Influence of Buddhism.
    • Zen Buddhism.
    • Neo-Confucianism.
      • In response to Buddhism in China.
      • Combines Buddhism's spiritual aspect with Confucianism.

Buddhism

  • Four Noble Truths:
    • The truth of suffering (Dukkha).
    • The truth of the origin of suffering (Samudāya).
    • The truth of the cessation of suffering (Nirodha).
    • The truth of the path to the cessation of suffering (Magga).

Spread of Chinese Culture

  • Japan
    • Imperial authority.
    • Confucianism and Buddhism.
    • Agricultural methods.
    • Irrigation systems.
  • Vietnam
    • Confucianism.
    • Tributary relationship.
    • Scholars studied Chinese thought.
  • Korea
    • Confucianism and Buddhism spread.

Japan, Korea, and Vietnam

  • Benefited from proximity to China, but sought to maintain distinct cultures.
  • Japan was feudal.
  • Korea had a powerful aristocracy.
  • Vietnam resisted Chinese power.

Economic Developments: Post-Classical China

  • Gunpowder.
  • Champa Rice.
  • Proto-Industrialization.
    • Commercialized.
    • Local consumption -> market production.
  • Tributary system.

Developments in Dar al-Islam

Context

  • The Abbasid Caliphate (750-1258) had a golden age for Islam.
  • Helped establish Silk Road trade and Trans-Saharan Trade.
  • Baghdad was a world-center for learning.
  • Shia/Sunni split.

Cultural Developments

  • Continuity: Islamic scholars followed Muhammad’s quest for knowledge.
  • Nasir al-Din al-Tusi.
  • A’ishah al-Ba’uniyyah.
  • Sufism.
  • Role of commerce.
  • Slavery.
  • Role of Women.

Governance in Islam

  • Break up of the Abbasid Caliphate.
  • Mamluk Sultanate in Egypt.
  • Seljuk Turks from Central Asia.
  • Crusaders.
  • Mongols.

Technology and Innovation

  • House of Wisdom in Baghdad.
  • Groundwork for the Renaissance and Scientific Revolution.

Developments in South and SE Asia

Governance in South Asia

  • Gupta Dynasty collapsed in 550, causing disunity in India for 1,000 years.
  • Southern India was more stable.
    • Chola Dynasty.
    • Vijayanagara Empire (1336-1646).
  • Northern India was less stable.
    • Rajput Kingdoms.
    • Delhi Sultanate.

The arrival of Islam

  • Islam sought converts.
  • Many converted to Islam voluntarily.
    • Islam attracted low caste members who hoped to improve social status.
    • Large number of Buddhist converts.

Social Structures and Cultural Interactions

  • Caste system.
  • Urdu.
  • Bhakti Movement.
  • Indian Caste System
    • Brahmins
      • Priests
    • Kshatriyas
      • Kings/Rulers, Warriors
    • Vaisyas
      • Merchants, Craftsman,
        Landowners, Skilled Workers
    • Sudra
      • Farm workers, unskilled
        workers, servants
    • Dalits (Untouchables)
      • Street sweeper, clean up human/animal waste, deal with dead bodies
        (out-castes)

SE Asia

  • Indian merchants introduced Hinduism and Buddhism to SE Asia.
  • Strategically significant because of trade routes.
  • Sea-Based Kingdoms:
    • Srivijaya Empire.
    • Majapahit Kingdom.
  • Land-Based Kingdoms:
    • Sinhala Kingdoms.
    • Khmer Empire.

Developments in the Americas

North America

  • Chaco
    • Pueblo people.
    • New Mexico.
    • Long distance trade.
    • Population increase in 875.
  • Mesa Verde
    • Four corners area (Colorado, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico).
    • Pueblo people.
    • Settled in the year 550.
    • Started to farm.
    • Developed weaponry.
    • Increase in trade=increase in population.

Maya

  • Many city states.
  • Fought to gain tribute, not territory.
  • Kings claimed to be descended from a god.
  • Common people paid taxes.
  • No central government.

Aztecs (Mexicas)

  • Used tribute system to maintain control over conquered people.
    • Allowed political dominance without direct administrative control.
  • Tenochtitlan.
  • Theocracy.
  • Conquered by the Spanish in 1519.
  • Women played a major role.

Inca

  • Split into four provinces, each with own governor and bureaucracy.
  • Mit’a system.
    • No tribute system.
  • Worshipped Inti, the Sun God.

Developments in Africa

Political structures in Inland Africa
  • Bantu Migrations
    • Spread culture, technology, and political ideas.
  • Kin-based networks
    • Not highly centralized.
    • Families govern themselves.
    • Male head-chief.
    • Groups of village=districts.
  • Population increase challenged kin-based network.
  • Kingdoms started to emerge.
Great Zimbabwe
  • East Africa.
  • Stone dwellings.
  • 12th century.
  • Economy: agriculture, trade, and GOLD.
  • Traded with coastal cities and across Indian Ocean.
Hausa Kingdom
  • Modern day Nigeria.
  • Formation around the year 1000.
  • 7 city states formed the Kingdom
    • Each had their own specialty.
  • Major trade hub.
  • Brought to kingdom through Muslim merchants.
Ethiopia
  • Established in 1270, kingdom of Axum.
  • Traded with Egypt, Arabia, Mediterranean Sea, Roman empire.
  • Christian led Kingdom.
  • Built stone churches.
Other notable African kingdoms
  • Swahili City States (10th century)
    • Bantu language combined with Arabic.
    • Major coastal trading hub.
  • Ghana (300-1100)
    • Traded Gold and Ivory to Muslim traders for salt, copper, cloth.
  • Mali (1230-1600)
    • Replaced Empire of Ghana.
    • Emphasis on Islam.
Social Structures: Sub Saharan Africa
  • Small communities organized by kinship, age, and gender
  • Work divided by age, creating age grades or sets depending on the work needed
  • Men dominated most activities that used a specialized skill. Women gatherers and worked within the home.
  • Slavery existed in Africa for centuries before Europeans.
Culture in Sub-Saharan Africa
  • Music and song were Vital
    • Way of communicating with the spirit world
  • Griots/griottes = storytellers
    • Conduits of history for a community
Governance in Europe
  • Europe was politically fragmented
  • Feudalism
  • Monarchies grew later
    • Philip II of France
  • Holly Roman Empire
Crusades (1095-1200s)
  • Young men who didn’t inherit wealth or land
  • Desire for trade routes through Middle East
  • Four crusades
  • Promoted cultural exchange between Europe and Middle East
    • Middle East had higher standard of living
Renaissance
  • Renaissance = Revival
    • Revival of interest in classical greek and roman literature, art, culture, and civic virtue
  • Interest in Humanism
  • Cultural changes increased the use of vernacular language,rise of monarchies, centralization of government, birth of nationalism
Other cultural changes

More commerce led to larger cities

  • Little Ice Age
  • Attitudes towards jews and muslims