World History Unit 1 Review

Song China

• Maintained rule through Confucianism and an imperial bureaucracy.
• Buddhism continued to shape society.
• The economy flourished, boosted by Champa rice and commercialization.
• Grand Canal facilitated trade.

Dar-al-Islam

• New Islamic political entities emerged as the Abbasid Caliphate declined.
• Expanded significantly, fostering intellectual innovations and transfers.
• Military expansion and merchants helped spread Islam.
• Sufi movement played a role.
• Innovations occurred in fields like math and literature.
• Translation of works facilitated the transfer of knowledge, including papermaking and Indian math.

South and Southeast Asia

• Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam influenced state building.
• Examples include the Vijaynagara Empire, Srivijaya Empire (prospered via trade routes), and Majapahit Empire.

Americas

• Civilizations developed strong states, large urban centers, and complex belief systems.
• Examples: Inca, Maya (tribute system), Aztecs (Maya tribute system).

African States

• State building facilitated by participation in trade networks and religion.
• Zimbabwe and involvement in the Indian Ocean trade network are examples.
• Bantu migrations played a role.

Europe

• State building characterized by religious belief, feudalism, and decentralized monarchies.
• Roman Catholic Church was significant, especially in Spain under Ferdinand and Isabella.
• Muslim presence in the Iberian Peninsula.
• Decentralized political system: feudalism (manorialism).
• Agriculture: 3 field system used.

Unit I Summary

• Key regions: Americas, East Asia, and the Middle East.
• Belief systems impacted each region: Buddhism, Confucianism, Islam.
• Major innovations: gunpowder and Champa rice.
• Dar-al-Islam innovations: medicine/philosophy and algebra.
• Feudal system was prevalent, with many places remaining decentralized.