Polynesia/Mongolia

Polynesia

• Geographic Overview:

  • Polynesia, Micronesia, and Melanesia are island groups within the Pacific.
  • Key locations include Hawaii, Kiribati, Samoa, Tonga, New Zealand and French Polynesia.
  • The lecture mentions the Tropic of Cancer and Capricorn, and the Equator in relation to Polynesia's location.

• Polynesian Navigation:

  • Polynesians were known for their long-distance ships.

• Fauna:

  • Haast's Eagle: An extinct eagle from New Zealand, which died out around 1400 CE.
  • The Haast's Eagle was a very large bird.
  • Sometimes it is considered to have been larger with a 3 meter wingspan.

• Polynesian Empires:

  • Tu'i Tonga: A Tongan confederacy of islands existed from 950-1500 CE.

• Hawaiian History (1100-1778):

  • Knowledge of Hawaiian history is derived from mo’olelo: traditional Hawaiian histories, transmitted orally until the adoption of the alphabet around 1800.
  • Arrival in Hawaii is estimated around 1100.
  • Land and power were divided among an aristocracy called the ali’i.
  • In the late 1300s, the religious leader Pa’ao arrived from Tahiti, bringing with him the origins of Ku worship.

• Transformations of Hawaiian Life (1300-1500):

  • The worship of Ku became prominent.
  • Centralized states began to rise.
  • Irrigation projects led to intensive and highly productive agriculture.
  • Human sacrifice was adopted.
  • A divide emerged between commoners and the ali’i.

• Key Figures:

  • Liloa: King of the Island of Hawaii in the 15th century; the first to unify the island of Hawaii.
  • Liloa's sons, Hakau and Umi, had a falling out after Liloa’s death, leading to the island splitting into multiple kingdoms.
  • Liloa’s sash remains part of the royal regalia of Hawaii.
  • Kamehameha the Great (1736-1819).

• Moai of Rapa Nui (Easter Island):

  • The lecture includes images of the Moai of Rapa Nui (Easter Island), both unexcavated and excavated.

Mongolia

• Pax Mongolica:

  • The Pax Mongolica existed around 1258-1379.

• Song Dynasty of China (960-1234):

  • Founded by the Brothers Zhao.
  • Considered a "proto-industrial state."
  • The civil service opposed the “regularly submitted names.”
  • Example: Su Dongpo (1037-1101).

• Innovations of the Song Dynasty:

  • Paper production from rags, differing from papyrus and parchment.
  • In 981, the first encyclopedia was created.
  • Paper was used as money.
  • The printing press was developed.
  • Gunpowder emerged around the 1040s.
  • The compass appeared around 1086.

• Key Figures:

  • Genghis Khan (Temujin/Chinggis Khan) (1162? – 1227 CE).

• Temujin’s Rise to Power:

  • 1190: Becomes a local khan.
  • 1190s: Attacks the Northern Song (Jin) Empire with other Mongols.
  • 1206: At a quriltai, he becomes the single khan of all Mongols.
  • 1209: Conquers the Xia Empire.
  • 1210-11: Conquers Kyrgyzstan.
  • 1217: Conquers the Jin Empire.
  • 1220: Conquers Afghanistan.
  • 1221: Conquers Persia.

• Mongol Military Success:

  • Speed of cavalry.
  • Extensive communication network.
  • Use of rumor and fear as military weapons.
  • Ruthless conduct of war alongside a later reputation for such conduct.
  • Recruiting enemy soldiers and armies.

• The Mongol Queens (1206-1306):

  • “Our daughters are our shields.”
  • Temujin married his daughters to ruling nobles in conquered nations; these daughters then became chief diplomats and consuls.
  • After the death of Ogedai Khan, the queens briefly ruled the empire.
  • They consolidated and administered the Silk Road.
  • Khutulun of Oxus (1260-1306).

• Division of the Empire (1294):

• The Four Successors:

  • Yuan Empire: China, Korea, Tibet, western Russia.
  • Chagatai Khanate: Central Asia, Afghanistan.
  • Ikhanate: Persia (Iran), Iraq, Caucasus.
  • Khanate of the Golden Horde: Russia, Ukraine, Eastern Europe, Central Asia.

• The Silk Road:
  *Travels:
  * Silk.
  * Spices.
  * Technology: printing press, paper, gunpowder, sailing.
  * People: Marco Polo (1254-1324), the semu-ren.
  * IDEAS: Buddhist, Confucian, Daoist, Muslim texts.
  * RUMORS: Power & influence of the Mongols
  * Diseases.
  * Money.

• Yuan Dynasty of China (1279-1368):

  • Established by Kublai Khan, grandson of Temujin.
  • Ruled Mongolia, Korea, & China, becoming the largest of the Chinese dynasties.
  • Ruled in a Confucian style, eventually adopting Buddhism.
  • Originally imported administrators from China & Russia.
  • Eventually the Confucian sages reestablish their influence.
  • The first dynasty to have a capital at Beijing.
  • Growth of arts & theatre.