Untitled Flashcards Set

Key Regions and Civilizations

• Major civilizations during this period included the Islamic world, China under the Song and Yuan dynasties, and the Mongol Empire

• Islamic world encompassed a vast region from the Iberian Peninsula in the west to the Indian subcontinent in the east

  • Abbasid Caliphate ruled much of the Islamic world until the Mongol conquest of Baghdad in 1258

  • Mamluk Sultanate in Egypt and the Delhi Sultanate in India emerged as powerful Islamic states

• China experienced a golden age under the Song dynasty (960-1279) with advancements in technology, trade, and culture

  • Yuan dynasty (1271-1368), established by the Mongols, continued many of the Song dynasty's policies and practices

• Mongol Empire, founded by Genghis Khan, became the largest contiguous land empire in history

  • Encompassed much of Eurasia, from China to Eastern Europe

  • Facilitated trade and cultural exchange through the Pax Mongolica

• Other notable civilizations included the Byzantine Empire, the kingdoms of Western Europe, and the civilizations of the Americas (Maya, Aztec, and Inca)

Major Trade Networks

• The Silk Roads, a network of overland trade routes connecting East Asia and the Mediterranean, flourished during this period

  • Facilitated the exchange of goods, ideas, and technologies between civilizations

  • Mongol Empire's control of the Silk Roads during the Pax Mongolica enhanced trade and cultural exchange

• Indian Ocean trade network connected civilizations in East Africa, the Middle East, India, and Southeast Asia

  • Monsoon winds facilitated maritime trade across the Indian Ocean

  • Swahili city-states (Kilwa) and port cities (Calicut) emerged as important trade hubs

• Trans-Saharan trade routes linked West Africa with the Mediterranean world

  • Gold, salt, and slaves were major commodities traded across the Sahara

  • Spread of Islam and the rise of empires (Mali) in West Africa were closely tied to trans-Saharan trade

• Maritime trade in the Mediterranean and the Baltic Sea connected European kingdoms with the Islamic world and the Byzantine Empire

  • Italian city-states (Venice, Genoa) and the Hanseatic League dominated maritime trade in Europe

Cultural and Religious Developments

• Islam continued to spread throughout Afro-Eurasia during this period

  • Sufi mysticism gained popularity and contributed to the spread of Islam

  • Syncretism between Islam and local beliefs and practices occurred in many regions (Southeast Asia)

• Christianity remained a significant force in Europe and the Byzantine Empire

  • Roman Catholic Church held considerable political and spiritual authority in Western Europe

  • Eastern Orthodox Church dominated religious life in the Byzantine Empire and Eastern Europe

• Buddhism, Hinduism, and Confucianism continued to shape societies in Asia

  • Neo-Confucianism emerged in China during the Song dynasty, emphasizing moral cultivation and social harmony

• Interreligious interactions and intellectual exchanges increased, particularly along trade routes

  • Translation of Greek and Arabic texts into Latin in medieval Europe

  • Transmission of Indian mathematics and astronomy to the Islamic world

• Syncretic religions and new religious movements emerged, such as Sikhism in India and the Bhakti movement

Technological and Scientific Advancements

• Islamic Golden Age witnessed significant advancements in mathematics, astronomy, medicine, and engineering

  • Development of algebra and trigonometry

  • Improvements in medical knowledge and the establishment of hospitals

  • Innovations in architecture and urban planning (round city of Baghdad)

• China under the Song dynasty experienced a period of technological innovation

  • Invention of movable type printing, gunpowder, and the magnetic compass

  • Advancements in shipbuilding and navigation technologies

• Diffusion of technologies and knowledge across Afro-Eurasia increased through trade networks

  • Spread of papermaking and printing technologies from China to the Islamic world and Europe

  • Transmission of Islamic medical knowledge to medieval Europe

• Agricultural innovations, such as the introduction of new crops and irrigation techniques, increased food production

  • Champa rice from Vietnam spread to China and increased agricultural yields

• Advancements in military technology, particularly gunpowder weapons, began to transform warfare

Political Structures and Empires

• The Mongol Empire's conquest of much of Eurasia led to significant political changes

  • Establishment of the Yuan dynasty in China and the Ilkhanate in Persia

  • Mongol rule facilitated trade and cultural exchange but also caused widespread destruction

• Islamic empires, such as the Mamluk Sultanate and the Delhi Sultanate, emerged as powerful political entities

  • Mamluks, a slave-soldier elite, ruled Egypt and Syria and successfully repelled Mongol invasions

  • Delhi Sultanate, established by Turkic and Afghan rulers, controlled much of the Indian subcontinent

• Feudalism characterized political organization in medieval Europe

  • Decentralized political authority and the rise of the nobility

  • Growth of towns and cities led to increased political and economic autonomy

• The Byzantine Empire, although in decline, remained a significant political and cultural force in the eastern Mediterranean

  • Decline accelerated after the Fourth Crusade's sack of Constantinople in 1204

• Rise of regional empires and kingdoms in Africa (Mali) and the Americas (Aztec, Inca)

Social and Economic Systems

• Agricultural production remained the foundation of most societies during this period

  • Feudal system in Europe and Japan characterized by lords, vassals, and serfs

  • Iqta system in the Islamic world, where rulers granted land revenue rights to military commanders

• Urban growth and the expansion of trade led to the development of new social and economic classes

  • Merchant class and guilds in Europe and the Islamic world

  • Scholarly-gentry class in China, based on merit and Confucian education

• Slavery and forced labor were prevalent in many societies

  • Trans-Saharan slave trade supplied labor to Islamic societies

  • Plantation slavery in the Mediterranean and the Americas

• Gender roles and relations varied across civilizations

  • Patriarchal structures were common, but women played important roles in trade, religion, and politics in some societies (Southeast Asia)

  • The practice of foot binding in China reflected changing gender norms and aesthetics

• Social hierarchies based on factors such as birth, wealth, and occupation shaped social interactions and opportunities

Artistic and Intellectual Achievements

• Islamic art and architecture flourished, reflecting the diversity of Islamic cultures

  • Development of unique architectural styles (mosques, madrasas)

  • Calligraphy and decorative arts (carpets, ceramics) reached new heights

• Gothic architecture emerged in medieval Europe, characterized by pointed arches, ribbed vaults, and large windows

  • Construction of grand cathedrals (Notre-Dame, Chartres) showcased the wealth and piety of European societies

• Chinese art and literature thrived under the Song and Yuan dynasties

  • Landscape painting and poetry reflected Confucian and Daoist ideals

  • Porcelain production and blue-and-white ceramics became renowned exports

• Intellectual developments in philosophy, theology, and science occurred across Afro-Eurasia

  • Scholasticism in medieval Europe, which sought to reconcile Christian theology with classical philosophy

  • Islamic philosophers (Averroes, Avicenna) made significant contributions to logic, metaphysics, and ethics

  • Neo-Confucianism in China, which synthesized Confucian, Buddhist, and Daoist ideas

• Oral traditions and literature flourished in many societies (African epic of Sundiata, Icelandic sagas)

Environmental and Demographic Changes

• The Medieval Warm Period (950-1250) led to improved agricultural conditions and population growth in many regions

  • Expansion of agriculture in Europe and Asia

  • Viking settlements in Iceland, Greenland, and Newfoundland

• The Little Ice Age (1300-1850) brought cooler temperatures and more erratic weather patterns

  • Famines, crop failures, and population declines in some regions

  • Abandonment of Viking settlements in Greenland

• The Black Death (1347-1351), a pandemic of bubonic plague, devastated populations across Afro-Eurasia

  • Estimated to have killed 30-60% of Europe's population

  • Led to significant social, economic, and religious upheavals

• Mongol conquests and the expansion of trade networks facilitated the spread of diseases

  • Spread of the Black Death along the Silk Roads

  • Introduction of new diseases to the Americas by European explorers and colonizers

• Urbanization and the growth of cities led to new challenges in sanitation and public health

  • Inadequate waste disposal and contaminated water supplies contributed to the spread of disease in urban centers