AP World History Unit 2 Study Notes (1200-1450)

AP World History Unit 2 Study Notes (1200-1450)

Big Picture

• Time Period: 1200 to 1450

• Focus: Connection of various states and empires through networks of exchange rather than merely trading routes.

  • Networks of Exchange: Facilitated not just economic interaction but also cultural diffusion, language transfer, and technological exchange.

Major Networks of Exchange

• There are three networks of exchange to study in detail:

  1. Silk Roads

  2. Indian Ocean Network

  3. Trans-Saharan Trade Network

General Developments among Networks

1. Geographical Expansion:

   • All networks expanded in geographic scale from prior periods (preceding 1200).

2. Innovations in Commercial Practices and Technology:

   • Increase in connectivity due to commercial and technological innovations.

3. Wealth and Power Growth:

   • Increased participation in networks made states wealthier and more powerful.

4. Rise and Fall of States and Cities:

   • Increased interconnectivity led to both the flourishing of some states and the collapse of others.

Detailed Features of Each Network

Silk Roads

• Geography:

  • Stretched across Eurasia.

• Goods Traded:

  • Primarily luxury goods (e.g., Chinese silk and porcelain).

  • Merchants specialized in high-value items due to travel difficulties.

    • Example Proverb: "If it don't make the boom boom, I ain't got the room room to carry it on my camel."

• Expanding Demand:

  • Increase in demand for luxury items led to higher production in regions like China, India, and Persia.

  • Peasants shifted from food to luxury goods production, increasing risk due to potential food shortages.

Innovations Facilitating Silk Roads Expansion

1. Transportation Technology:

   • Caravanserai:

     • Inns along the Silk Roads for safety and rest, promoting cultural and technological exchanges.

2. Commercial Practices:

   • Money Economies:

     • Development of paper money for facilitating trade (known as the Flying Money System).

     • Allowed merchants to deposit and withdraw money at different locations, making trade safer and more efficient.

   • Credit Systems:

     • Introduction of bills of exchange, similar to modern checks, spread from China to Europe enhancing trade ease.

Economic Impact of the Silk Roads

• Rise of Trading Cities:

  • Kashgar:

    • Convergence of major Silk Road routes; grew wealthy from trade.

Indian Ocean Network

• Geography:

  • Connected regions through maritime trade.

• Goods Traded:

  • Included bulk goods like textiles and spices (in contrast to luxury goods of the Silk Roads).

Innovations Facilitating Indian Ocean Trade

1. Technological Improvements:

   • Magnetic Compass:

     • Helped sailors navigate the ocean.

   • Improved Astrolabe:

     • Assessed latitude and longitude based on stellar observations.

   • Ship Designs:

     • Introduction of larger cargo ships, specifically Chinese junks.

2. Commercial Practices:

   • Similar to Silk Roads, credit systems facilitated trade flow.

Economic Growth Examples

• Swahili City-States:

  • Acted as brokers in trade between the African interior and global markets, leading to increased power and wealth.

  • Became Islamic under Muslim influence, enhancing regional connectivity.

Diaspora Communities

• Definition: Settlement of ethnic groups outside their homeland.

  • Example: Arab and Persian traders established communities in East Africa, fostering cultural intermingling and trust for trade.

  • Resulted in the emergence of the Swahili language, blending Bantu and Arabic.

Cultural Diffusion via Trade Routes

• Zheng He:

  • Notable for expanding tributes under Ming China, instrumental in the exchange of technology and culture.

Trans-Saharan Trade Network

• Geographical Expansion:

  • Connected West Africa to North Africa, facilitating trade.

Innovations Supporting Expansion

• Camel Saddle:

  • Innovations allowed for larger loads to be transported across the desert, enhancing trade capacity.

Example of Wealth Accumulation

• Mali Empire:

  • Converted to Islam in the 9th century, integrating into extensive Muslim trade networks.

  • Reached peak wealth under Mansa Musa, with gold trade and taxation aiding economic power.

Consequences of Increasing Connectivity

Cultural Consequences

1. Transfer of Religions:

   • Buddhism spread into China via the Silk Roads, illustrating the role of trade in spreading belief systems.

2. Literary and Artistic Transfers:

   • Islamic scholars facilitated the translation of Greek and Roman texts in Baghdad; influenced the European Renaissance.

3. Scientific and Technological Transfer:

   • Notable transfer of gunpowder from China to Muslim empires and Europe, altering military power dynamics.

Rise and Fall of Cities

• Rise Example:

  • Hangzhou:

    • Became a major trade hub due to the Grand Canal, fueled urban growth and wealth.

• Fall Example:

  • Baghdad:

    • Destroyed by Mongol armies in 1258, illustrating the vulnerabilities of cities to military incursions.

Travel Writing Contributions

• Ibn Battuta:

  • A Muslim scholar who documented his extensive travels across Dar al-Islam, providing unique insights into the cultures encountered.

Environmental Consequences

1. Crop Transfers:

   • Champa Rice:

     • Introduced to China, leading to increased food production and population growth.

2. Disease Transfers:

   • Bubonic Plague:

     • Spread along trade routes starting in China, causing widespread fatalities in the Middle East and Europe during the 14th century.

Mongol Empire

• Significance:

  • Established the largest land-based empire, facilitating connectivity across Eurasia.

Key Contributions to Exchange Networks

1. Expansion of Trade Networks:

   • Mongol control led to increased safety and efficiency of trade along the Silk Roads, termed the Pax Mongolica.

2. Technological/Cultural Transfers:

   • Spread Greek and Islamic medical knowledge to Western Europe; adopted the Uighur script for administrative use, linking cultures across the empire.