Unit 1 - The Global Tapestry (1200-1450)

• Explain the similarities and differences in processes of state formation from c. 1200 to c. 1450.

  • As the Abbasid Caliphate fragmented, new Islamic political entities emerged, most of which were dominated by Turkic peoples. These states demonstrated continuity, innovation, and diversity.

  • Empires and states in Afro-Eurasia and the Americas demonstrated continuity, innovation, and diversity in the 13th century. This included the SongDynasty of China,which utilized traditional methods of Confucianism and an imperial bureaucracy to maintain and justify its rule.

  • State formation and development demonstrated continuity, innovation, and diversity, including the new Hindu and Buddhist states that emerged in South and Southeast Asia.

  • In the Americas, as in Afro-Eurasia, state systems demonstrated continuity, innovation, and diversity, and expanded in scope and reach.

  • In Africa, as in Eurasia and the Americas, state systems demonstrated continuity, innovation, and diversity, and expanded in scope and reach.

Developments in East Asia

Tang and Song 2022-23-1.pdf

• Power in Song China (960–1279) 

1. Confucianism (Revival from Tang)

   1. Philosophy created by Confucius stating that human society is hierarchical by nature, society composed of unequal relationships. (ex. Ruler and Subject)

   2. To achieve harmony, lower entities should obey superiors, who should treat their lowers with benevolence

      1. Used filial piety: The practice of honoring one's family and ancestors

   3. Regarded as Neo-Confucianism as it was a revival, demonstrating a historical continuity between ancient China and Song period, also illustrating innovation

      1. Incorporated Buddhist and Daoist (natural order) ideas

   4. Women relegated to subordinate positions in Song China, foot binding was a common practice 

2. Imperial Bureaucracy

   1. Governmental entities that carry out wills of the emperor

   2. Made up of 10k+ gov’t officials to ensure emperor control was maintained

   3. Allowed with Civil Service Exam

      1. To ensure bureaucracy was staffed by most qualified men

         1. Awarded on merit from exam

      2. Increased competency and efficiency of bureaucratic task

• Influence on Surrounding States

  • Korea (due to influence of China)

1. Korean court used a similar civil service exam to staff bureaucracy

2. Adopted many Confucian principles which organized family

3. Marginalized role of women more than done in China

• Heian Japan (done voluntarily) 

1. Took what they thought was useful from Song China

• Vietnam

1. Adopted confucianism 

2. Tributary state

• Buddhism in China

1. 4 Noble Truths

   1. Life is suffering, suffering because we crave

   2. Cease suffering when we cease craving

   3. Eightfold path leads to cessation of suffering and craving

2. Eightfold path

   1. Outlines principles and practices a Buddhist must follow

      1. A moral lifestyle + practice in meditation

3. In China, Mahayana Buddhism was used which made Buddhism more widespread and showed buddhism like a god

• Economy in Song 

  • Began in the Tang Dynasty

1. Commercialization of China

   1. Sold overproduced goods

2. Iron + Steel Production

   1. Had large scale manufacturing of steel and iron

3. Agricultural Innovation

   1. Champa Rice (from Vietnam) allowed for more prosperity in rice

   2. Rice allowed more food to population, leading to growth

4. Transportation Innovation

   1. Connected canals and rivers to make trade cheaper

   2. Magnetic Compass

      1. Improved naval trade 

   3. New shipbuilding techniques

      1. Made navigation easier and better trade

Developments in Dar-Al-Islam 

Golden Age of Islam 2022-23.pdf

• 3 Major (Monotheistic) Religions

  • Judaism, Christianity, Islam

1. Judaism

   1. Ethnic religion of the Jews

   2. Originated from the Middle East

2. Christianity

   1. Established by Jewish prophet Jesus Christ

3. Islam

   1. Founded by Muhammed on Arabian Peninsula

   2. Taught followers salvation would be found through righteous action

   3. Spread of islam throughout Middle East called Dar-Al-Islam (House of Islam)

   4. Allowed for more trade connections in Dar-Al-Islam

• New Islamic States

1. Abbasid Caliphate (750-1258)

   1. Ethnically Arab

   2. In power during Golden Age of Islam

   3. Began to fragment during 1200s

   4. Replaced Umayyad Caliphates

      1. Umayyad dynasty: 661-750

         1. First power established after the last caliph’s death (Ali)

         2. Sunni Muslim 🡪 expanded Muslim territory

   5. Several new islamic empires began to rise in place of the Abbasid

      1. Mostly made up of Turkic people, not Arab

      2. From Muhammad to fall of Abbasid, Islamic empires were run by Arabs

2. Seljuk Empire

   1. Central Asia

   2. By 1200s, Seljuks gained more and more political power through military even though Abbasids were in power

3. Mamluk Sultanate

   1. Under Saladin, from Egypt

   2. Saladin enslaved mamluks, who seized power and gave rise to new muslim state

4. Delhi Sultanate

   1. South Asia

   2. Ruled over Indian population for years

• Continuity in Muslim Empires

1. Military in charge of administration

2. Implemented Sharia Law

   1. Set of laws based off of the Quran

• Spread of Islam

1. Military Expansion

   1. Delhi Sultanate

2. Merchant Activity

   1. Through trade

   2. Different routes, coastal (avoiding deserts), Silk Road

3. Muslim Missionaries

   1. “Sufism”

      1. “Anyone could be a muslim”

      2. Allowed for more widespread practice

• Innovations and Transfers

1. Mathematics

   1. Nasir Al-Din Al-Tusi

      1. Inventor of trigonometry

      2. Astronomer who studied planets

2. Medicine

   1. Al-Razi

      1. Greatest physician of the Middle Ages

      2. Classified materials into 3 categories and treated measles and smallpox

   2. Ibn Sina

      1. Wrote The Canon of Medicine, to be used by west for 600 year

3. House of Wisdom

   1. Established in Baghdad during Golden Age of Islam

   2. Preserved Greek works and helped spread works through arabic translations

   3. Allowed for cultural flowering of old resources

State Building in South/Southeast Asia

• 3 major belief systems, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism

• Hinduism

1. Polytheistic belief system

   1. Adherents believe in many gods, not only one

   2. Different from Judaism and Islam, both monotheistic

2. Ultimate goal is to reunite wto world soul known as Brahman

   1. Involves reincarnation to achieve

3. Provided conditions for unified culture in India through the caste system

• Buddhism

1. Started in India

2. Rejected caste, believed in equality for all

3. Seen as a universalizing religion (more likely to spread)

• Islam

1. Set up Delhi Sultanate (Muslim state) by Turkic Muslim invaders in 1206

2. Became religion of elite

• Changes in Religion

1. Hinduism

   1. Bhakti Movement

      1. Encouraged monotheistic view of Hindu gods

      2. Rejected hierarchy of hinduism

      3. Encouraged religion to all regardless of class

2. Islam

   1. Sufism

      1. More spiritual version of Islam

      2. Encouraged access to experience to all people

3. Buddhism 

   1. Began to become more and more exclusive

• State-Building in South Asia

1. Muslim rulers had trouble imposing Islam on India

2. Rajput Kingdoms (Hindu) and Vijayanagara Empire made it more difficult to spread Islam

• Sea Based State in Southeast Asia

1. Srivijaya Empire (800-1200)

   1. Heavily influenced by hindi

   2. Strait of Malacca provided riches to rulers

2. Majapahit Empire

   1. Strong buddhist influence

   2. Created tributary system nearby the empire

• Land Based State in Southeast Asia

1. Sinhala Dynasty

   1. Buddhist state

2. Khmer Empire

   1. Hindu empire

   2. Prosperous state, built Angkor Wat to represent Hindu universe

   3. Allowed for syncretism, blending of 2 religions

State Building in the Americas

The Americas - Mayans.pdf

The Americas - Aztecs.pdf

• Mesoamerican Civilizations

• Mayans (250-900)

1. State structure that was decentralized city-states that were frequently at war

2. Had sophisticated writing systems and large urban centers

3. Fought to create big network of tributary states in neighboring areas

4. Emphasis on human sacrifice ♥

• Aztec (1345-1528)

1. Mexica people formed alliance with 2 other mesoamerican states to form Aztec Empire

2. Political power system of Aztec was similar to Maya, decentralized and used a tributary system

3. Human sacrifice was a key motivator for extending influence

4. To secure legitimacy, Mexica claimed heritage from older mesoamericans

5. Tenochtitlan

   1. Had vast marketplaces and complex buildings

• Andean Civilizations

1. Wari

   1. Collapsed around 1000 CE

2. Inca (1200 to 1533)

   1. Borrowed from many older civilizations such as the Wari

   2. Group of outsiders who rose to power through military prowess

   3. Centralized power using a bureaucracy to control large amount of empire

   4. Made requirements of people they conquered using Mit’a system

      1. Required labor of all people for a period of time each year to work on state projects 

• North American Civilizations

1. Mississippian Culture

   1. First large-scale civilization in NA

   2. Developed around agriculture

   3. Political structure was dominated by powerful chiefs (Great Sun) who ruled each town, extending power over smaller satellite settlements

   4. Had extensive mound projects, showing political order in civilization

   5. Biggest mound made in Cahokia, largest urban center

2. Chaco + Mesa Verde Societies

1. Developed innovative ways to store water

2. Used sandstone and timber from distant lands due to barren lands

3. Had to adapt to their surroundings

State Building in Africa

• Sub-Saharan Africa

1. Swahili Civilization

   1. Rose to prominence through location near the Indian Ocean

   2. Collection of independent city-states

   3. Capitalized on merchants interested in gold, ivory, timber, and slaves

   4. Imported many goods they sold from interior farmers and pastoralists  

   5. Islam became a dominant belief system

      1. Conversion was voluntary, connecting Swahili to trade connections in Dar-al-Islam

      2. Influenced Swahili language

2. Great Zimbabwe

   1. Gained power by participating in Indian Ocean trade through control of ports on the coast

   2. Constructed large capital cities, which housed seed of power for state

• East and West Africa

1. Hausa Kingdoms

   1. Collection of city-states that were politically independent and gained power through trade across Trans-Saharan trade routes

   2. Resembled Swahili Civilizations

   3. States were urbanized and commercialized

   4. Rulers eventually converted to Islam, expanding influence in trade with Dar-al-Islam

2. Ethiopia

   1. Christian, commissioned large churches

   2. Grew wealthy through trade

      1. Traded both in Mediterranean Sea and larger Indian Ocean network

      2. Salt was a valuable commodity 

   3. Centralized power

      1. King ruled, stratified class hierarchy below king

Developments in Europe

1. Christianity

   1. Had large influence in Roman Empire due to Constantine making it official religion

   2. After western half fell, Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine) kept religion for another millenia

      1. Eastern Orthodox Christianity

         1. Helped Byzantine consolidate centralized power

         2. After Byzantine fell to Ottomans, Kievan Rus revived Eastern Orthodox

         3. Used church structures to organized state

      2. Roman Catholic Christianity

         1. After Western Rome fell Roman Catholic Church gained massive power

         2. Provided common structure among states through hierarchy of popes and bishops

         3. Provided occasions to fight muslims in distant lands through crusades (religious war)

            1. Helped to connect to trade

• Judaism and Islam still had large influence in Europe

2. Political Decentralization in the West 

   1. Social, political, and economic order was organized around feudalism

      1. System of allegiance between lords, monarchs, knights

      2. Greater lords gained allegiance from lesser lords

      3. Land exchanged to keep everyone loyal

      4. Manorialism

         1. Peasants/serfs were bound to land and worked in exchange for protection from lord and his knights

         2. Were not owned like slaves, but worked in the land

   2. Monarchs in different states began to gain power and centralized states by having larger militaires and bureaucracies

      1. European nobility held power previous to this

      2. Competed for influence and territory through wars of conquest