Unit 1: Global Tapestry

How states formed, expanded, and developed

The scope of this class begins at 1200, everything before it is out of scope, we just went over it to help with understanding!!!

You will never be asked to produce a specific fate for anything, its just important to know to understand the context

Important tips:

• If it gives you a passage, make sure your answer is actually stated in the passage

Key Terms:

Chapter 1:

• Paleolithic Era: The early period of human history, marked by the use of stone tools and hunting-gathering economies, before the development of agriculture.

• Pastoral Society: A social organization where people raise livestock and migrate to find pasture, often living in small, mobile groups.

• Chiefdom: A political system where a single leader or chief exercises authority over multiple communities or groups, often based on kinship ties.

• Patriarchy: A social system in which men hold primary power, and authority is passed through male lineage.

• Hinduism: One of the world’s oldest religions, originating in India, characterized by belief in reincarnation, karma, dharma, and a multitude of deities.

• Upanishads: Philosophical texts in Hinduism that explore the nature of the self, the universe, and the divine, central to spiritual thought in India.

• Siddhartha Gautama: The historical Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, who attained enlightenment and shared teachings to end suffering.

• Theravada Buddhism: The "Teaching of the Elders" branch of Buddhism, which emphasizes personal enlightenment and the monastic path.

• Mahayan Buddhism: A branch of Buddhism that focuses on universal salvation and the role of bodhisattvas (enlightened beings who assist others).

• Bhakti Movement: A devotional movement in Hinduism that emphasizes love and devotion to a personal god, encouraging access to spirituality for all people.

• Confucianism: A Chinese philosophy that emphasizes ethics, proper behavior, familial respect, and social harmony.

• Han Dynasty: A Chinese imperial dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE), considered a golden age of Chinese culture and governance.

• Daoism: A Chinese philosophy and religious tradition that stresses living in harmony with the Tao (the Way), which is the fundamental principle of the universe.

• Judaism: One of the oldest monotheistic religions, based on the belief in one God and the teachings of the Hebrew Bible.

• Jesus of Nazareth: A Jewish preacher from the 1st century CE, central figure in Christianity, believed by Christians to be the Son of God.

• Saint Paul: A Christian apostle who spread Christianity throughout the Roman Empire and wrote many letters in the New Testament.

• Muhammad Ibn Abdullah: The founder of Islam, considered by Muslims to be the last prophet of God.

• Quran: The holy book of Islam, believed to be the literal word of God as revealed to Muhammad.

• Umma: The collective community of Muslims worldwide, bound together by the shared faith in Islam.

• Ulama: Scholars and religious leaders in Islam who interpret and teach Islamic law and theology.

• Sufism: A mystical and ascetic tradition within Islam, focusing on direct experiences of God through practices like meditation and music.

• Silk Roads: A network of trade routes connecting East Asia, Central Asia, and the Mediterranean, facilitating cultural and economic exchange.

• Sea Roads: Maritime trade routes connecting regions such as the Indian Ocean, Southeast Asia, Africa, and the Arabian Peninsula.

• Sand Roads: Trade routes across the Sahara Desert connecting sub-Saharan Africa to the Mediterranean world and beyond.

Chapter 2:

• Song Dynasty: A Chinese dynasty (960–1279) known for its cultural, economic, and technological advancements.

• Hangzhou: A city in China, the capital of the Southern Song Dynasty, known for its beauty and commercial importance.

• Foot binding: A practice in China where women's feet were tightly bound to restrict growth, a symbol of beauty and social status.

• Hangul: The alphabet created in the 15th century for the Korean language, developed to promote literacy.

• Chu Nom: A writing system used in Vietnam, based on Chinese characters, for the Vietnamese language.

• Bushido: The code of conduct followed by samurai in feudal Japan, emphasizing loyalty, honor, and martial skills.

• Abbasid Caliphate: An Islamic empire (750–1258) that ruled a vast region, with its capital in Baghdad, known for cultural and intellectual achievements.

• Seljuk Turkic Empire: A medieval empire founded by Turkic-speaking nomads in the Middle East, influencing Islamic civilization.

• Ottoman Empire: A vast empire (14th century–1918) centered in Turkey, ruling much of Southeastern Europe, Western Asia, and North Africa.

• Al-Andalus: Muslim-ruled Iberian Peninsula (711–1492), known for cultural and intellectual achievements in science, art, and philosophy.

• Byzantine Empire: The eastern continuation of the Roman Empire after the fall of Rome, with its capital at Constantinople.

• Constantinople: The capital city of the Byzantine Empire, later renamed Istanbul, known for its strategic location and cultural significance.

• Caesaropapism: A political system where the ruler has authority over both the government and the church, seen in the Byzantine Empire.

• Eastern Orthodox Christianity: A branch of Christianity that developed in the Byzantine Empire, characterized by its distinct liturgy and theology.

• Crusades: A series of religious wars between Christians and Muslims, primarily aimed at reclaiming Jerusalem from Muslim rule.

• Kievan Rus: A medieval state in Eastern Europe, centered around the city of Kiev, which is considered a precursor to Russia.

• Western Christendom: The Christian community in Western Europe, centered around the Roman Catholic Church.

• Roman Catholic Church: The largest Christian denomination, centered in Rome, with the Pope as its spiritual leader.

• Maya Civilization: A Mesoamerican civilization known for its advanced writing system, mathematics, and architecture, flourishing in present-day Mexico and Central America.

• Aztec Empire: A powerful Mesoamerican empire that ruled in central Mexico, known for its impressive architecture, human sacrifices, and agricultural innovations.

• Inca Empire: A vast empire in South America, centered in modern-day Peru, known for its advanced agricultural techniques, road systems, and monumental architecture.

Background

• “Out of Africa Thesis“ - humans came from East Africa and migrated to other continents

Stone Age - 3.7 million years ago - 3000 BCE

• Homo-sapiens are thought to have developed about 300,000 to 500,000 years ago

Paleolithic era - Old stone age

• 95% of the time that humans occupied the planet

• Foraging and hunter gatherers

• Very small bands of groups (~25 people)

• Not much gender inequality compared to larger agricultural societies

• Low life expectancy

Neolithic era - New stone age

• ~12,000 to 4,000 years ago

• Agricultural revolution

• Taming of animals

• Settled villages and growing populations

• Technological innovation

• Happened separately in Asia, Africa, and Americas

Bronze age 3000 BCE - 1200 BCE

• Mesopotamia, Egypt, Indus Valley, China

Iron age 1200 BCE - 600 BCE

• Gender inequality

  • Role of women worldwide in history: property

• Class structure: leader, soldiers, farmers, supervisors, potters, carpenters, priests, etc.

Pastoral societies

• Societies in Central Asia, Arabian Peninsula, Sahara who depended on animals for transport and food because farming was difficult or impossible

• Moved seasonally because their animals had to eat

• Often had conflict with farming societies because they wanted grazing land and wealth but also sometimes exchanged technologies

Agricultural village societies

• Agricultural societies without kings, chiefs, bureaucrats or aristocracies

• Doesn’t have the oppressive political power that large states would

• Organized politically by chiefdoms

Civilizations

• Mesopotamia, Egypt, Peru b/t 3500 to 3000 BCE

• Over the next 4000 years this way of living spread to India, China, Europe, Ethiopia, East African Coast, Mesoamerica, etc

• Civilization - societies based in cities and governed by states

• Cities served as administrative capitals while many people still lived in rural areas

• Occupational specialization

  • Scholars, artisans, soldiers, farmers, etc

• Wealth and gender inequality

• Environmental destruction due to heavy irrigation and chopping

• Organizational structures such as city states or bureaucracies (China and India)

• Slaves (debtors or prisoners of war) were at the bottom of the social hierarchy

Religion

• Many people may not have known why an earthquake happens so they turn to religion

Political Structure

• Feudalism in Europe

• City states in Greece

• Pharaohs (Gods on Earth) in Egypt, etc

Culture

• values, stories, art, religion, etc

Economy

• Trade

Migration

• People migrating to follow food sources

• Most places rn don’t have real societies

• Civilization is mainly near river valleys

Stateless Societies

• Central Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, Amazon Basin, Oceania, North America

China

• their history is broken down by dynasties

• We pick up with the Song Dynasty (960-1270)

• Central Asia is still Stateless at this time

• In Chinese, they refer to themselves as the Middle Kingdom (zhong guo)

• The emperor rules with the Mandate of Heaven - heaven supports their rule

  • The emperor loses their mandate of heaven when things go badly such as floods, peasant uprisings, etc.

• They have a civil service exam

• Celestial Bureaucracy

• 99% peasants

• Rice, Silk, Jade, Porcelain

3 Ways of thinking (philosophies to structure society)

• Confucianism

  • Confucius (551-479 BCE)

• Taoism

• Legalism

• Buddhism (religion)

Japan

• Begins much later than China

• Asuka period (538-710)

• Nara period (710-794)

• Heian period (794-1185)

  • Heavily influenced by China

  • Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, the system of writing, etc

• Shintoism - religion in Japan

• Feudalism

  • Not a very centralized state unlike China due to geography (islands, mountains)

  • Emperor does exist but not that important

  • Daimyos - regional lords

• Samurai

• Shogunate

  • Kamakura Period (1185-1333)

  • Emperor is mainly a symbolic figure (usually based in Kyoto)

  • Shogun - military ruler that actually has all the power

  • Zen Buddhism - adopted by Samurai, and it emphasizes self-discipline

    • Promises a better land for peasants

  • Samurai - The elite class

• First Emperor of Japan - Jimmu

  • Son of the sun

  • Family is still in power TODAY lol

India

• Indus Valley Civilization (3300-1800 BCE)

• Vedic period (1500-600 BCE)

• Maurya Empire (323-184 BCE)

• Gupta Empire (320-650)

• Spaces b/t time periods is the “fall“ part of the civilization

• Religions

  • Buddhism

    • started in India to evade the cycle of reincarnation

  • Hinduism (~300 BCE)

    • Brahma - the masculine, world soul

    • Shiva - “the destroyer,“ dancing god of creation and death

    • Vishnu - friend to humanity, “preserver“ or savior of people

  • Islam

• Caste System*

  • Very restrictive

  • People are born into their caste

  • Brahmins - priests (top of the caste)

  • Kshatriyas - warriros

  • Vaisyas - herders, farmers, merchants, craftspeople

  • Sudras - farm workers, servants (bottom of the caste)

  • People start to question the Brahmins being in control of everything

  • Karma

  • Reincarnation

  • Suttee/Sati

    • Wives - can’t use husband’s name, can’t walk alongside of him, can’t look him in the eye, if their husband dies they have to die by fire

• Veda - songs that will eventually make up Hinduism

• Brahmins - people in charge of the religion and the songs

• Karma/reincarnation

• Would form states which would collapse

  • Very different from China (great continuity of a centralized state) and Japan (weak, feudal state)

  • India was most often stateless

Dar al-Islam - Developments of Islam

• Began in Arabia

• Syncretic religion (combines aspects of other religions)

• Caliphate - Islamic kingdoms/successors to the prophet of Islam

• Rashidun Caliphate (632-661)

• Umayyad Caliphate (661-750)

• Abbasid Caliphate (750-1258)

  • Disintegration of the Abbasid state resulted in the emergence of numerous Islamic states controlled by Turkic peoples

• 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

• 610 CE - Archangel Gabrielle visits Mohammed

• Mohammed is upsetting the social order and made so many enemies he had to flee Mecca

• Sharia - codification of law based on Islam

• Umma - politica/social community

• The 5 pillars of Islam

  • Hajj - At least once go on pilgrimage to Mecca

  • Zakah - give alms to poor people

  • Shahadah - There is only one god

  • Salah - Pray 5 times daily facing Mecca

  • Sawm - Fast during the month of Ramadan

Africa

• Geographical/cultural diversity

  • Geographical barriers leading to a lack of unity

  • Southern is isolated and is generally a stateless society

• North:

  • Roman Empire

  • Umayyad Caliphate

  • Abbasid Caliphate

  • Ghana

  • Mali

• South:

  • Great Zimbabwe

    • Fairly advanced society participating in porcelain trade

    • Isolated: little to no influence from Islam

  • Swahili city states

    • Part of the Indian ocean trade route

• Sub Saharan Africa

  • Mostly stateless and decentralized

  • Sub-Saharan African culture is passed generation to generation through oral tradition

  • Having 2000 languages in Sub-Saharan Africa impedes state building and diplomatic relations

• Niger River

  • 3000 BCE - farming and climate change

  • Bantu tribes migrate a lot due to inconsistent rain

  • 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

• Diseases such as Malaria limit population growth

Developments in the Americas

• Last area to be developed

• Largely nomadic

• very little domestication of animals

  • little exposure to disease

• North to South geography rarely conductive to trade

Central America:

• Olmecs (1400-400 BCE)

• Maya (250-900)

  • Calendars

  • Very good astronomy

  • Exotic goods very important to social status and power

• Toltecs (800-1100)

  • Warrior Society

• Aztecs (1200 -1500 BCE)

  • Trade

  • Human sacrifice

    • People sometimes wanted to be sacrificed

    • Believed that they needed to sacrifice in order for the sun to rise

  • Tenochtitlan - large city, aquaculture

  • Very militaristic - professional army

  • Religion

    • Polytheism

    • Huitzilopochtli - god of war (worshiped a lot by Aztecs)

South America:

• Chavin (900-200 BCE)

• Moche (200-700)

• Inca

  • 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

North America:

• Mississippian Civilization (700-1500)

  • They build their towns on mounds

Developments in Europe

• Ancient Greece (700-323 BCE)

  • Athens

    • Birthplace of democracy

• Roman Republic/Empire (700-1453 CE)

  • soon after the adoption of Christianity, the Roman Empire collapsed and Europe went into a Dark Age

• Trade routes

  • Mediterranean

  • Silk Road

  • Indian Ocean

• Persian Wars (499-449 BCE)

Religion

• Christianity

• Islam

• Judaism