East Asia and Dar al-Islam (c. 1200–1450) - VOCABULARY Flashcards
Topic 1.1 Developments in East Asia from c. 1200 to c. 1450
This period focuses on Governance (GOV), Cultural Developments and Interactions (CDI), and Economic Systems (ECN) in East Asia, particularly within the context of the Song Dynasty of China.
Governance (GOV)
Systems of Government and Development: You should be able to explain the systems of government employed by Chinese dynasties and how they evolved over time. The Song Dynasty, for instance, relied on traditional Confucian methods and a highly centralized imperial bureaucracy to maintain and justify its rule. This system contributed significantly to centralized authority and bureaucratic stability.
Continuity, Innovation, and Diversity: Recognize that empires and states across Afro-Eurasia and the Americas displayed elements of continuity, innovation, and diversity in the 13th century. The Song Dynasty exemplifies continuity through its use of Confucian principles, but also innovations in its administrative efficiency and intellectual developments that supported its state structure.
Cultural Developments and Interactions (CDI)
Effects of Chinese Cultural Traditions: Explain how Chinese cultural traditions influenced East Asia over time. These traditions continued and had a significant impact on neighboring regions like Heian Japan and Korea. Key cultural traditions include:
Filial piety: A cornerstone of East Asian society, emphasizing respect for elders and ancestors.
Neo-Confucianism: A synthesis of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism, which reshaped moral, ethical, and political thought.
Buddhism: Various branches, including Theravada, Mahayana, and Tibetan Buddhism, continued to shape societies across Asia, influencing philosophy, art, and daily life.
Confucian traditions concerning women: These traditions emphasized both respect for and expected deference from women.
Chinese literary and scholarly traditions: These rich traditions, encompassing poetry, history, and philosophy, spread widely to regions like Heian Japan and Korea, forming a basis for intellectual life there.
Economic Systems (ECN)
Effects of Innovation on the Chinese Economy: You should be able to explain how innovations impacted the Chinese economy over time. Song China's economy became increasingly commercialized, relying on free peasant and artisanal labor. Its flourishing economy was driven by:
Increased productive capacity.
Expanding trade networks.
Significant innovations in agriculture and manufacturing. These innovations included:
Champa rice: A fast-ripening, drought-resistant strain that allowed for multiple harvests per year, boosting food production and population.
Transportation innovations: Most notably, the expansion of the Grand Canal, which facilitated internal trade and economic integration.
Steel and iron production: Advancements in metallurgy led to increased production of tools, weapons, and structural components.
Textiles and porcelains: These high-value goods became major exports, supporting extensive trade.
Economic Growth and its Impacts: This economic growth fueled urbanization, expansion of markets, and strengthened trade connectivity not only within East Asia but also beyond its borders.
Topic 1.2 Developments in Dar al-Islam from c. 1200 to c. 1450
This topic focuses on Cultural Developments and Interactions (CDI) and Governance (GOV) within the Islamic world during this period.
Cultural Developments and Interactions (CDI)
Impact of Religions: Explain how Islam, Judaism, Christianity, and their core beliefs and practices continued to shape societies in Africa and Asia from c. 1200 to c. 1450. These religions influenced law, ethics, social structures, and cultural expressions across diverse communities.
Governance (GOV)
Rise of Islamic States: Explain the causes and effects of the rise of Islamic states over time. As the Abbasid Caliphate fragmented, its decline created opportunities for new Islamic political entities to emerge across the Dar al-Islam. Most of these new states, like the various Sultanates, were dominated by Turkic peoples.
Continuity, Innovation, and Diversity in Islamic States: These new states demonstrated a blend of continuity (e.g., adherence to Islamic religious and legal traditions) and innovation (e.g., new political formations, administrative practices, and economic networks). Turkic leadership notably influenced administrative practices, military organization, and cultural exchange throughout the Islamic world.
Key Implications: The fragmentation of the Abbasid Caliphate led to a proliferation of sophisticated political centers and dynasties, decentralizing but also diversifying power across the Islamic world.
Connections to Broader Themes and Exam Emphasis
Governance as a Unifying Thread: Understand how different states organized, legitimized, and exercised authority, comparing structures like the Song Dynasty's bureaucracy with the evolving Islamic polities.
Cultural Developments as Drivers of Change: Recognize how intellectual, religious, and social developments spurred political and economic transformations across regions.
Economic Networks and Technological Innovation: Explain how these factors catalyzed exchange and shifted power dynamics, such as the economic activity in Islamic polities (long-distance trade, taxation) supporting urban and scholarly institutions, and cultural exchanges linking Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.
Exam Readiness: Be prepared to:
Discuss the impact of cultural traditions (Confucianism, Buddhism, filial piety) on East Asian regional dynamics.
Recognize the economic transformations in Song China and the crucial role of technologies (Champa rice, Grand Canal, steel/iron production) in its growth.
Explain how religious and cultural developments (Islam, Judaism, Christianity) influenced societies under Islamic states.
Describe the rise and fragmentation of Islamic polities after the Abbasid era and the significant influence of Turkic leadership on governance.