Unit 3 AP World History Notes

Unit 3: Expansion and Intensification of Communication and Exchange Networks (600 CE - 1450 CE)

Key Concept 3.1: The Development of New Trading Networks

• Silk Roads:

  • Trade Routes: Long-distance trade networks connecting East Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.

  • Key Goods: Silk, porcelain, spices, precious metals, and paper.

  • Cultural Exchange: Spread of Buddhism, technologies (e.g., papermaking), and ideas (e.g., the concept of zero).

  • Political Stability: The role of empires like the Tang and Mongols in facilitating trade.

• Indian Ocean Trade Network:

  • Maritime Routes: Trade connecting East Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and China.

  • Key Goods: Textiles, spices, and precious stones.

  • Technological Advances: Use of dhows, lateen sails, and the astrolabe, which facilitated navigation.

  • Cultural and Religious Exchange: Spread of Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism along with merchant communities.

• Trans-Saharan Trade:

  • Trade Routes: Connecting North Africa with Sub-Saharan Africa.

  • Key Goods: Gold, salt, ivory, and slaves.

  • Cultural Impact: Spread of Islam into West Africa and the rise of powerful empires like the Mali Empire.

  • Technology: Camel caravans and the introduction of the saddle.

• American Trade Networks:

  • Mesoamerican and Andean Civilizations: Trade in goods like cacao, textiles, and feathers.

  • The Mound Builders: Trade networks in North America, often involving copper and shells.

Key Concept 3.2: Continuity and Change in Networks of Exchange

• Spread of Islam:

  • Islamic Caliphates: The rise of the Abbasid Caliphate and its role in promoting trade across Afro-Eurasia.

  • Cultural Diffusion: Islamic culture spread through trade, including advances in science, mathematics, medicine, and architecture.

  • Cultural Interactions: Syncretism in Southeast Asia, the spread of Arabic as a common language, and the introduction of Islamic agricultural practices.

• Technological and Scientific Diffusion:

  • Paper: Spread from China to the Islamic world and then to Europe.

  • Compass and Gunpowder: Innovations from China that revolutionized navigation and warfare.

  • Islamic Golden Age: Preservation and translation of Greek, Roman, and Persian texts, contributing to the European Renaissance.

• Formation of New Empires:

  • Byzantine Empire: Continued the legacy of Rome, preserving Greco-Roman knowledge, Christianity, and acting as a bridge for trade between East and West.

  • Mongol Empire: Created the largest contiguous empire in history, which fostered trade and communication across Eurasia.

  • The Rise of European States: The Crusades, the rise of maritime powers like Venice, Genoa, and later Portugal and Spain, and their impact on trade.

Key Concept 3.3: Increased Cross-Cultural Interactions

• The Spread of Religions:

  • Buddhism: Spread from India into Central and East Asia, particularly under the Tang Dynasty and through the Silk Roads.

  • Christianity: Expanded through Byzantine influence in the Eastern Mediterranean, and through missionaries in Western Europe and the Byzantine sphere.

  • Islam: Spread rapidly throughout the Middle East, North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, and parts of Asia, facilitated by trade and military conquests.

• Intensification of Trade Networks:

  • Venetian and Genoese Influence: Both Italian city-states played key roles in Mediterranean trade.

  • Hanseatic League: A commercial and defensive confederation of merchant guilds and market towns in Northern Europe.

  • Mongol Influence: Pax Mongolica and the facilitation of trade along the Silk Roads.

  • Marco Polo: His travels to Yuan China and the accounts that brought greater awareness of Asian goods and cultures.

• Spread of Technologies:

  • Paper: Paper manufacturing spread from China to the Islamic world and Europe, significantly impacting education and communication.

  • Gunpowder: Originated in China and spread across Eurasia, altering the nature of warfare.

  • Printing Press: Introduced by the Chinese and later developed in Europe, revolutionizing the dissemination of knowledge.

• Cultural Exchanges and Syncretism:

  • Sufi Mysticism: Spread of Sufi Islam along trade routes, leading to syncretic religious practices.

  • Buddhism and Confucianism: The blending of Buddhist beliefs with indigenous practices in East Asia.

Key Concept 3.4: Environmental Consequences of the Expansion of Trade

• Spread of Crops:

  • Agricultural Diffusion: The exchange of crops like sugar, cotton, and citrus fruits across continents, influencing diets and economies.

  • The Columbian Exchange (later period): Exchange of plants, animals, and diseases between the Old and New Worlds (although it technically starts in the post-1450 period, its roots can be traced back to earlier trade contacts).

• Environmental Changes:

  • Deforestation: The growth of trade, particularly the demand for wood and shipbuilding materials, led to deforestation in many regions.

  • Urbanization: Increased trade led to the growth of major urban centers like Baghdad, Constantinople, and Hangzhou, which had environmental consequences such as pollution and resource depletion.

Key Individuals & Groups

• Marco Polo: Venetian explorer who traveled to Yuan China and later wrote about his experiences, sparking European interest in Asia.

• Ibn Battuta: Moroccan traveler who visited much of the Islamic world, Africa, India, and Southeast Asia, providing important records of medieval life.

• The Mongols: Leaders like Genghis Khan and Kublai Khan were responsible for the Pax Mongolica, facilitating trade across Eurasia.

• Sufi Missionaries: Spread Islam through peaceful and syncretic practices, especially in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.

• Mansa Musa: The emperor of Mali, known for his extravagant pilgrimage to Mecca and for promoting Islam and trade in West Africa.

1. Expansion of Empires and Political Structures

• Byzantine Empire: The continuation of the Roman Empire in the east after the fall of Rome in 476 CE. The Byzantine Empire preserved Roman law, culture, and administration. The rise of Justinian I, his codification of Roman law (the Justinian Code), and the construction of the Hagia Sophia are important developments.

• Caliphates (Islamic Empires): The rise of Islam and the Umayyad (661–750) and Abbasid (750–1258) Caliphates, which spread Islamic rule and culture across the Middle East, North Africa, and Spain. The Abbasid Caliphate was known for its intellectual and cultural achievements, especially in areas like science, mathematics, and medicine.

• European Feudalism: Following the collapse of the Western Roman Empire, Europe experienced the rise of feudalism, a political system based on land ownership, loyalty, and military service. Lords, vassals, and serfs defined the structure of medieval European society.

• Mongol Empire: The Mongol Empire, under Genghis Khan and his successors, became the largest contiguous empire in world history, stretching from China to Europe. The Mongols had a profound impact on trade, communication, and cultural exchanges, especially along the Silk Roads.

• Song and Tang Dynasties (China): China experienced significant political and cultural growth under the Tang (618–907) and Song (960–1279) dynasties. Innovations like the civil service exams, paper money, and advancements in printing technology were key developments during this period.

2. Religious and Cultural Developments

• Islam: The rise of Islam as a major world religion in the 7th century. The teachings of the Prophet Muhammad, the Qur'an, and the spread of Islam through conquest, trade, and missionary work shaped much of Afro-Eurasian history. Sunni and Shia Islam became two major branches.

• Christianity: Christianity spread in Europe and the Byzantine Empire, often influencing political and social structures. The Pope and the Holy Roman Empire played significant roles in the religious and political spheres.

• Buddhism: The spread of Buddhism across Asia, particularly into China, Korea, and Japan, during this period. Zen Buddhism and the development of Buddhist art and culture were important during the Tang and Song dynasties.

• Hinduism and Bhakti Movement: In South Asia, Hinduism remained dominant, and the Bhakti Movement emphasized personal devotion to deities, influencing religious practices.

• Confucianism and Neo-Confucianism: Confucianism, which had been influential in China for centuries, saw a revival during the Tang and Song dynasties through Neo-Confucianism, which incorporated Buddhist and Daoist ideas into traditional Confucian teachings.

3. Economic and Technological Developments

• Trade Networks: The period saw the expansion of global trade networks, including the Silk Roads, the Indian Ocean Trade, and Trans-Saharan Trade Routes. These routes facilitated the exchange of goods like silk, spices, and gold, and also the spread of ideas, religions, and technologies.

• Technological Innovations: Advances in agriculture, irrigation, and technologies like the compass, gunpowder, and printing press had significant impacts. The Chinese invention of paper and the movable-type printing press revolutionized communication.

• Banking and Credit: The development of financial institutions, including bills of exchange, letters of credit, and the use of banking houses, facilitated long-distance trade, particularly in the Islamic world and medieval Europe.

4. Social and Gender Structures

• Social Hierarchies: Most societies during this period had hierarchical social structures. In China, the gentry and the landed aristocracy had power, while in feudal Europe, the nobility dominated society. In the Islamic world, the caliphate system created distinct social classes, while in Africa, the kingdoms of Mali and Ghana exhibited complex social hierarchies.

• Gender Roles: Women’s roles varied significantly across regions. In the Islamic world, women’s rights under Islamic law gave them some property rights, but patriarchy still dominated. In China and Japan, women’s roles were often limited to domestic spheres, although women in Japan (like empresses and samurai wives) had some degree of power. In medieval Europe, women’s roles were often confined to the household, though some women played prominent roles in religious life (e.g., nuns).

• Slavery: Slavery continued in many parts of the world, especially in the Islamic world, Africa, and Europe, where slavery was tied to military conquest, debt, and agricultural labor.

5. The Decline of Some Empires and States

• Fall of the Abbasid Caliphate: The decline of the Abbasid Caliphate in 1258, following the Mongol invasion, marked a significant shift in the Islamic world. Afterward, regional powers such as the Mamluks and Ottomans took prominence.

• Decline of the Byzantine Empire: The Byzantine Empire began to weaken due to internal strife and external threats (e.g., the Ottoman Turks), leading to its eventual fall in 1453 with the conquest of Constantinople.

• Fall of the Khmer Empire: The Khmer Empire (which built Angkor Wat) began to decline in the 15th century, partly due to internal conflict and external pressure from neighboring states like Vietnam.

6. Key Concepts and Themes

• Cultural Diffusion: The period from 600 to 1450 CE witnessed significant cultural exchanges. Religion, technology, and ideas spread across the globe, particularly through trade routes and the movement of empires. The spread of Islam to Africa and Southeast Asia, the transmission of Buddhism into East Asia, and the spread of Christianity into Eastern Europe and Africa are key examples.

• Environmental Effects on Society: The development of new agricultural techniques, such as the three-field system in Europe, and the use of new crops in the Islamic world and China (e.g., rice cultivation), had profound effects on society and economy.

• Interactions Between Religions: Religious interactions, including Islam’s interactions with Christianity (e.g., the Crusades) and the rise of syncretic religions, such as Sikhism in South Asia, highlight the interplay of faiths during this period.