Review of History Within Civilizations

• What rises out of collapse of classical civilization and interactions developing between new states

  • Growth of long-distance trade

Overview of World’s Major Religions in 1200

• Most events are connected to religion

• Key Points:

  1. Most belief systems still are impacting history

  2. Most major religions have divisions = subgroups and sects (focus more on overall religion)

  3. Understand theological basis of belief systems and impact of belief systems on social, political, cultural, military developments

  4. Origin and spread of belief systems - cultural interactions

• Religious Mysticism: adherents within religions focusing on mystical experiences that bring them closer to divine - prayer, meditation

• Buddhism

  • Cultures: India, China, Southeast Asia, Japan

  • Context:

    • Founded by Siddhartha Gautama, a young Hindu prince - lived in Nepal from 563-483 BCE, rejected wealth and world possessions and became Buddha (Enlightened One)

    • No supreme being - 4 Noble Truth: (1) all life is suffering, (2) suffering caused by desire, (3) can be freed of desire, (4) freed of desire following a prescribed path

    • Death of Buddha (483 BCE) = Buddhism split - Theravada Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism

    • Theravada Buddhism: meditation, simplicity, nirvana as renunciation of consciousness and self

    • Mahayana Buddhism: great ritual, spiritual comfort - more complex but with greater spread

  • Impact: rejects caste system - appealed to those of lower rank

    • India: reabsorbed in Hinduism

    • China, Japan, Southeast Asia: Buddhism continued to thrive

    • Further: spread via trade routes

• Christianity

  • Cultures: started as group of Jews, quickly expanded through Europe, northeastern Africa, Middle East

  • Context:

    • Based around Jesus of Nazareth, a figure who claimed to be Messiah the Jews had awaited - teachings of devotion to God and love for others

    • Jesus was crucified by Roman and Jewish leaders in 30 CE and his followers believe he rose from dead into heaven

    • Based on Bible teachings

    • Believe Jesus is the Son of God - forgiveness of sins, everlasting life is achievable through him

    • World was created by God, but world has fallen from God

    • Believers should seek God and care for him and others

  • Impact: compassion, grace through faith appealed to lower classes and women

    • Became most influential religion in Mediterranean basin by 3rd century

    • Became official religion of Roman Empire, then branching north and west

    • Connection with Roman Empire had profound impact on global culture

• Confucianism

  • Cultures: China (400 BCE+)

  • Context:

    • Founded by Confucius, educator and political advisor - thoughts and sayings collected in the Analects

    • Deals with how to restore political and social order, not with philosophical or religious topics

    • 5 fundamental relations build society and make it orderly - (1) ruler and subject, (2) parent and child, (3) husband and wife, (4) older sibling and younger sibling. (5) friend and friend

  • Impact:

    • Compatible with other religions, causing it to flourish

    • Led to distinctive Chinese culture of tight-knit communities

    • Stayed within Chinese culture

• Hinduism

  • Cultures: India

  • Context:

    • Belief in one supreme force called Brahma who created everything - gods are manifestations of Brahma (Vishnu = preserver, Shiva = destroyer)

    • Goal of believer is to merge with Brahma - believe it takes multiple lives to accomplish and believers live to determine who they will be in their next life

    • Following the dharma (rules and obligations of your caste) will move you towards Brahma - moksha is highest stake of being (internal peace and release of soul)

    • No sacred text - Vedas and Upanishads guide Hindus

  • Impact:

    • Religion and social caste system, which has prevented global acceptance of religion

    • Recently, Hindus are rebelling caste system

    • Spawned Buddhism

• Islam

  • Cultures: caliphates (Islamic kingdoms), North Africa, central Asia, Europe

  • Context:

    • 7th century - Muslims are the believers

    • Allah presented words through prophet Muhammad, whose words were recorded in the Qur’an

    • Salvation is won through submission to God - 5 Pillars of Islam: (1) confession, (2) prayer 5 times a day, (3) charity, (4) fasting during Ramadan, (5) pilgrimage to Mecca

    • 2 groups, Shia and Sunni, who disagreed who should succeed Muhammad

  • Impact:

    • Rapidly spread to Middle East

• Judaism

  • Cultures: Hebrews

  • Context

    • God selected a group of holy people who should follow his laws and worship them

    • Unique relationship with God

    • World is for them to enjoy, free will - destiny of world is paradise

    • Hebrew Bible - Torah, miracles, laws, historical chronicles, poetry, prophecies

  • Impact

    • First of major monotheistic faiths

Developments in the Middle East

• Abbasid Dynasty: Golden Age to Remember

  • Islamic Empire from 750-1258 CE - early mid-9th century golden age

  • Capital in Baghdad (modern-day Iraq)

  • Centre for arts and sciences - mathematics (Nasir al-Din al Tusi), medicine, writings (House of Wisdom library)

  • Built around trade - used receipt and bill system

• Decline of Islamic Caliphates: Internal Rivalries and Mongol Invasions

  • Challenged by revolt of enslaved Turkish warriors, new Shia dynasty in Iran, Seljuk Turk Sunni group, Persians, Europeans, Byzantines, and most importantly Mongols

  • Mongols overtook and destroyed Baghdad in 1258

  • Ottoman Turks would later reunite Egypt, Syria, and Arabia in new Islamic state until 1918

  • Mamluks: Egyptian group that defeated Mongols in Nazareth, helping preserve Islam in Near East

Developments in Europe

• Middle Ages: fall of Rome before Renaissance - complicated time

• Eastern Roman Empire became Byzantine Empire

• Western Europe: collapsed entirely - Christianity remained strong

• European Feudalism: Land Divided

  • Feudalism: European hierarchy social system of Middle Ages

    1. King: power over whole kingdom

    2. Nobles: had power over sections of kingdom in exchange for loyalty to king and military service

    3. Vassals: lesser lords with sections of Noble land who could divide it further - estates were called fiefs or manors (self-sufficient)

       • Founded three-field system: 3 fields for fall, spring, and empty one to replenish nutrients

       • Conflict between lords was regulated with code of chivalry which condemned betrayal and promoted mutual respect

       • Male dominated: women could not own land and land was passed down to eldest son (primogeniture), their education was limited to domestic skills

    4. Peasants or Serfs: worked the land

       • Had few rights or freedoms outside of manor

       • Skilled in trades, which helped them break out of feudal mode as global trade increased - led to middle class emergence of craftsmen and merchants

Emergence of Nation-States

• At end of Middle Ages, people began moving from feudal kingdom organization to linguistic and cultural organization - emergence of modern countries

• Achievement of statehood in 13th century took different paths

  • Germany: reigning family of emperorship died out, entering a period of interregnum (time between kings) - merchants and tradespeople became more powerful

  • England: English nobles rebelled against King John and forced him to sign the Magna Carta - reinstated the nobles, laid foundation for Parliament

    • Later divided into House of Lords (nobles and clergy - legal issues) and House of Commons (knights and wealth burghers - trade and taxation)

  • France: in 12th century, England began to occupy many parts of France which spurred revolts - Joan of Arc fought back English out of Orleans

    • Hundred Years’ War (1337-1453): unified France, leading to England’s withdrawal

  • Spain: Queen Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon married to unite Spain in a single monarchy and forced all residents to convert to Christianity - Spanish Inquisition

  • Russia: taken over by Tartars (group of eastern Mongols) under Genghis Kahn in 1242 until Russian prince Ivan III expanded his power in 1400s and became czar - Ivan the Terrible became a ruthless ruler utilizing secret police in 1500s

Developments in Asia

China and Nearby Regions

• Song Dynasty (960-1279)

  • Confucianism justified subordination of women - foot binding: women’s feet bound after birth to keep them small

  • Neo-Confucianism: Buddhist ideas about soul, filial piety, maintenance of proper roles, loyalty to superiors

• Ming Dynasty (1368-1644): after brief period of Mongol dominance

• Religion: influenced by Nestorianism, Manichaeism, Zoroastrianism, Islam, and especially Buddhism in two of its forms

  • Mahayana: peaceful and quiet existence apart from worldly values

  • Chan or Zen: meditation and appreciation of beauty

Japan

• Relatively isolated from external influences outside Asia for many years

• Feudal Japan (1192):

  1. Emperor

  2. Shogun (chief general)

  3. Daimyo: owners of larger pieces of land, powerful samurai (like knights)

     • Followed Code of Bushido code of conduct - loyalty, courage, honour

  4. Lesser samurai (like vassals)

  5. Peasants and artisans

• Women had little rights and esteem

India

• Delhi Sultanate: Islamic invader kingdom in Delhi

• Islam took over Northern India - clash between Islam monotheism and Hinduism polytheism

• Islam rulership brought in colleges and farming improvements

• Rajput Kingdoms: several Hindu principalities that united to resist Muslim forces from 1191 until eventual takeover in 1527

Southeast Asia

• Religion spread and established different states

  

• Khmer Empire (9th-15th century): Hindu Empire in modern day Cambodia, Laos, Thailand

  • Beliefs were carried through Indian Ocean trade network

  • Crafted the Angor Wat temple

Developments in Africa

• Islamic Empire spread to North Africa in the 7th to 8th centuries - travelled through Sahara Desert and reached the wealthy sub-Saharan

• An explosion of trade began

• Hausa Kingdoms: off Niger River, series of state system kingdoms

  • Islam region, achieved economic stability and religious influence though long trade (salt and leather) - notably city of Kano

  • Political and economic downturn in 18th century due to internal wars

Developments in Americas

• 3 great civilization in Central and South America: Maya, Incas, Aztecs

• Aztecs: Trade and Sacrifice

  • Arrived in Mexico in mid 1200s

  • Tenochtitlan: capital city (modern Mexico City)

  • Expansionist policy and professional, strict army

  • Empire of 12 million people with flourishing trade, many of people enslaved

  • Women were subordinate, but could inherit property

• Inca: My Land is Your Land

  • Andes Mountains in Peru

  • Expansionist - army, established bureaucracy, unified language, system of roads and tunnels

  • Many people were peasants

  • Capital of Cuzco had almost 300000 people in late 1400s

  • Women were more important and could pass property to their daughters

  • Polytheistic religion with human sacrifice - Sun god was most important

    • People were mummified after death

  • Military was very important

  • Temple of the Sun and Machu Picchu architecture

• The Mayans (textbook does not go into detail)