AP World History Unit 1 Overview

Unit One Overview: Circa December to 1450

  • Focus on major civilizations and their governance during this historical period.
  • Definition of "state": A territory politically organized under a unified government (e.g., countries like the USA or Japan).

The Song Dynasty of China

  • Time period: September to December (exact dates are not crucial for the exam).
  • Main question: How did the Song Dynasty maintain and justify its rule?
    • Method 1: Confucianism Revival
    • Emphasized hierarchy in society (e.g., citizens submitting to the state, women to men).
    • Filial piety stressed the importance of honoring parents and ancestors, creating social cohesion.
    • Neo-Confucianism: A revival system that sought to remove Buddhist influences and strengthen traditional Confucian values.
    • Women's position declined, losing legal rights and facing societal restrictions (e.g., limited education, foot binding).
    • Method 2: Expansion of Imperial Bureaucracy
    • Bureaucracy as a hierarchical government entity executing the emperor's wishes.
    • Civil service exams required to join the bureaucracy, based on Confucian teachings, promoting meritocracy (though accessibility was limited by socioeconomic status).

Influence of Chinese Traditions

  • Neighboring kingdoms (Korea, Japan, Vietnam) influenced by China, particularly through the adoption of bureaucratic systems and Buddhism.

Buddhism in Song China

  • Originated in India, spread to China.
  • Teachings: The Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path; focus on moral living and addressing suffering.
  • Branches of Buddhism:
    • Theravada: Focused on monastic lifestyles, seen as for monks only.
    • Mahayana: More inclusive; emphasis on aiding others toward enlightenment.

Economic Developments in Song China

  • Inherited prosperity from Tang and Sui dynasties; population boom.
  • Commercialization: Growth of manufacturing and trade, specifically in goods like porcelain and silk.
  • Introduction of Champa rice: Early maturity and drought resistance led to increased food production.
  • Infrastructure improvements, notably the Grand Canal, enhanced trade and communication.

The House of Islam (Dar al Islam)

  • Encompasses regions where Islam is the primary organizing principle.
  • Three main religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam (monotheistic).
  • Abbasid Caliphate: Centered in Baghdad, beginning to fragment, leading to Turkic empires.
    • Example: Seljuk Empire took military control; Sharia law maintained.
    • Significant contributions in math (Tusi) and preservation of Greek philosophy through the House of Wisdom.

State Building and Religion in South Asia and Southeast Asia

  • Religions in South Asia: Hinduism, Buddhism (in decline), Islam (growing influence through the Delhi Sultanate).
  • Bakti movement: A shift in Hindu devotion practices, focusing on personal god devotion.
  • In Southeast Asia, Islam and Buddhism competed for dominance through trade and cultural integration.

The Aztec and Inca Empires

  • Aztec Empire: Founded in 1345, notable for its tribute system and human sacrifice practices.
  • Inca Empire: Established a bureaucracy and labor system instead of tribute, more intrusive governance of conquered peoples.

Civilization in North America: Mississippian Culture

  • Focus on agriculture and monumental mounds as symbols of political organization.

African Civilizations: Trade and Religion

  • Swahili Civilization: Commerce-based cities along the East African coast, influenced by Islamic culture.
  • West African Empires: Ghana, Mali, Songhai; growth spurred by trade; Islam primarily adopted by elites.
  • Great Zimbabwe: Centered on gold trade without major conversion to Islam; maintained local religious practices.
  • Ethiopia: Unique as a Christian state in predominantly Muslim Sub-Saharan Africa.

European Political Structure and Influence

  • Dominated by fragmented political states post-Rome, organized through feudalism and manorialism.
  • Two main branches of Christianity: Eastern Orthodox (Byzantine Empire) and Roman Catholic (Western Europe).
    • Kievan Rus united through Eastern Orthodox Christianity; Catholicism linked Western European states.
  • The impact of external forces (Muslims in the Iberian Peninsula) and internal societal dynamics (Jewish communities).

Conclusion

  • From 1250 to 1450, significant developments in state mechanisms, religion's role, and economic practices characterized global civilizations, setting the stage for future historical transformations.