Exam Review Notes

Unit 1: Snapshot of the World ~1450

  • Overview: Snapshotting the world at the tail end of the post-classical period.
  • Focus on major historical developments.

East Asia: China (Song Dynasty)

  • Belief Systems: Confucianism and Buddhism.
  • Confucianism: Moral and political philosophy, guided by five key relationships for social stability.
  • Bureaucracy: Civil service exam based on Confucian doctrine for government positions.
  • Meritocracy: Social mobility based on merit, unique for the time.
  • Champa Rice: Introduced from Vietnam, multiple growing seasons leading to population boom.
  • Grand Canal: Connects Southern and Northern China for crop transport.
  • Filial Piety: Showing honor to ancestors and parents.
  • Chinese influence spread to Japan, Korea, and Vietnam.

Dar Al-Islam

  • Definition: "House of Islam," unified by common beliefs (five pillars) and Arabic language.
  • Abbasid Empire: Relatively peaceful, expansion through merchants and missionaries.
  • Baghdad: Capital, center of learning (House of Wisdom).
  • Advances: Science, medicine, astronomy, mathematics (algebra, trigonometry, calculus).
  • Baghdad sacked by Mongols, later Seljuk Turks.

South and Southeast Asia

  • South Asia: India, primarily Hindu with the caste system.
  • Caste System: Strict social structure, unity through reincarnation belief.
  • Delhi Sultanate: Muslims establish presence in Northern India.
  • Sufis: Missionaries spreading Islam.
  • Southeast Asia: Kingdoms like Srivijaya become wealthy through Indian Ocean trade (Strait of Malacca).
  • Religion: Primarily Buddhism, reflected in art and architecture (Angkor Wat).

The Americas: Aztec (Mexica) and Inca

  • Aztec (Mexica): Central Mexico, militaristic society with city-state structure.
  • Tribute System: Domination through fear and intimidation.
  • Chinampa System: Floating gardens for agriculture.
  • Inca: Andean civilization, infrastructure projects (roads and bridges).
  • Capital: Cuzco.
  • Qipu: System of knotted ropes for record-keeping.
  • Terracing System: Agriculture on mountainsides.

Africa

  • West Africa: Centralized kingdoms, Mali Empire (gold and salt trade).
  • Mansa Musa: King, devout Muslim, pilgrimage to Mecca.
  • Ibn Battuta: Muslim traveler, visited Mali.
  • East Africa: Independent city-states, Indian Ocean trade.
  • Swahili Language: Syncretic language emerging from trade (Bantu, Arabic, Indian).

Europe

  • Politically decentralized after Roman Empire collapse.
  • Feudalism: Political and economic system representing decentralized nature.
  • Catholic Church: The most important institution.

Unit 2: Trade Routes

  • Silk Road, Indian Ocean, Trans-Saharan trade.
  • Luxury Goods: High-value goods exchanged for profit.
  • Key Cities: Kashgar and Samarkand on the silk road.
  • Banking Industry: Emerges because of trade.
  • Indian Ocean: Major trading zone.
  • Trans-Saharan: Gold and salt are valuable commodities.
  • Camel Saddle: Innovation for desert trade.

Unit 3: Land-Based Empires (Gunpowder Empires) 1450-1750

  • Utilized gunpowder technology for expansion.
  • Islamic Empires: Ottomans, Safavids (Persia), Mughals (India).
  • Other Empires: Songhai (West Africa), Qing Dynasty (China - Manchus), Russia.
  • Multi-Ethnic States: Direct political control over diverse territories.
  • Three Main Factors:
    • Expansion: Gunpowder technology, frequent wars, permanent armies.
    • Centralization: Consolidation of power, bureaucratic elites, tax collection.
    • Belief Systems: Religion tied to politics.
  • Ottoman devshirme System: Taking Christian boys and training them.
  • Religious Conflict: Ottoman (Sunni) vs. Safavid (Shia).
  • Protestant Reformation: Split within Christendom, various denominations emerge.

Unit 4: Age of Exploration/Discovery

  • Europeans seek access to Asian markets.
  • New Naval Technologies: Help to explore.
  • Portuguese: First to explore.
    • Bartolomeu Dias: First to navigate to the Cape of Good Hope.
    • Vasco da Gama: Sailed to India.
  • Trading Post Empire: More direct contact; did not seek colonies initially.
  • Spanish: Sponsored voyages of Columbus.
  • Americas: Brought into the trading zone.
  • Atlantic World: The Americas, Africa, and Europe.
  • The three S's: Silver, sugar, and slavery.
  • Encomienda System: Harsh labor in plantations for producing sugar.
  • The Mita System: Used in silver mines, like at Potosi.
  • Casta System: Social structure in Latin America.
    • Peninsulares: Those from Spain or Portugal.
    • Creoles: Descendants of Peninsulares.
    • Mestizos: European and native mix.
    • Mulatos: European and African mix.
    • Natives and Africans in the bottom of the pyramid.