World History Modern AP Edition – Prologue to 1200 Vocabulary

Here is an overview of cause and effect relationships and the timeline of events described in the notes:

Timeline of Key Events

Early Human Development: ~200{,}000 B.C.E. to 10{,}000 B.C.E.

• Modern humans first appeared in East Africa between 200{,}000 B.C.E. and 100{,}000 B.C.E.

• Movements beyond East Africa began sometime between 100{,}000 and 60{,}000 years ago.

• By 10{,}000 B.C.E., humans lived on every continent except Antarctica.

The Agricultural Revolution and First Civilizations: ~8000 B.C.E. onward

• Around 10{,}000 years ago (about 8000 B.C.E.), climate warmed, and humans began farming in the Middle East.

• First Civilizations emerged in Mesopotamia, Egypt, Indus Valley, and China (e.g., Sumerians invented cuneiform).

• Hinduism originated at least 3{,}500 years ago, Judaism around 4{,}000 years ago, and Zoroastrianism in Persia.

The Classical Era: c. 600 B.C.E. to c. 600 C.E.

• Philosophies and Religions:

  • Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha) born around 530 B.C.E. in northern India (Buddhism).

  • Confucius (K’ung Fu-tzu) active around 551 B.C.E. (Confucianism).

  • Daoism also emerged.

• Empires and Dynasties:

  • Zhou Dynasty (1076 B.C.E.–256 B.C.E.) in China, followed by the Warring States period.

  • Qin Shi Huangdi unified China (221 B.C.E.).

  • Han Dynasty (206 B.C.E.–220 C.E.), a golden age.

  • Mauryan Empire (322 B.C.E.–187 B.C.E.) in South Asia, peaked under Ashoka.

  • Persian (Achaemenid Empire) roughly 559 B.C.E.–c. 330 B.C.E.

  • Alexander the Great spread Greek culture in the 3rd century B.C.E.

  • Roman Republic followed by Empire.

  • Constantine endorsed Christianity (4th century C.E.), becoming the empire's official religion.

  • The Byzantine Empire: Capital moved to Byzantium (330 C.E.); division into Western and Eastern empires (395 C.E.); Justinian I reigned (527–565 C.E.).

• American Civilizations:

  • Teotihuacan reached its height in the 6th century C.E.

  • The Maya reached their peak between roughly 250 C.E. and 900 C.E.

Postclassical Civilizations: c. 600 C.E. to c. 1200 C.E.

• The Spread of Islam began in the 7th century onward.

• The Abbasid Caliphate flourished from 750–1258.

• In China: Sui Dynasty (581–618), Tang Dynasty (618–907), Song Dynasty (960–1279).

• Japan experienced a golden age from 800–1200.

• Ghana emerged in West Africa around 700 C.E.

• Islam arrived in northern India around 711 C.E.

• The Great Schism split Christianity in 1054.

• The Crusades began in 1095.

• Great Zimbabwe emerged in Southeast Africa (12th–15th centuries).

• By 1200, Afro-Eurasia, the Americas, and Oceania were largely isolated from one another.

Cause and Effect Relationships

• Agricultural Revolution:

  • Cause: Climate warmed after the Ice Age, leading humans to begin farming and domesticating animals.

  • Effect: Led to surplus food, which in turn caused population growth, the development of larger settlements (cities), specialization of labor (artisans, merchants, priests), technological innovations (irrigation, wheel, metal tools), the emergence of longer-distance government, taxation, and writing, increased competition for resources, and intensified social stratification (with women generally losing status).

• Spread of Religions (Buddhism, Islam):

  • Cause: Ashoka's conversion to Buddhism and its rejection of caste distinctions.

  • Effect: Aided the spread of Buddhism within India and made it popular among lower castes.

  • Cause: Muslim traders and settlers traveling along trade routes (Indian Ocean and Trans-Saharan).

  • Effect: Caused the widespread diffusion of Islam across North Africa, West Africa, and parts of Spain and India.

  • Cause: Trade networks themselves allowed for the movement of people and ideas.

  • Effect: Enabled Buddhism and Islam to spread along these routes.

• Unification and Golden Ages in China:

  • Cause: Qin Shi Huangdi unified China and standardized script, weights, measures, built canals and roads.

  • Effect: Laid the groundwork for stability and trade, leading to the Han dynasty's golden age of peace, population growth, and scientific/technological progress (e.g., magnetic compass, paper, sternpost rudder).

  • Cause: Construction of the Grand Canal during the Sui Dynasty.

  • Effect: Connected the agricultural south to northern capitals, fostering economic growth and cultural integration.

• Decline of Classical Empires:

  • Cause: Factors such as difficulties in tax collection, declines in trade, shrinking urban populations due to disease (e.g., smallpox, bubonic plague), growing wealth gaps, social unrest, weak political support for leadership, and external invasions (e.g., Huns, Goths in Rome).

  • Effect: Led to the fragmentation and decline of classical empires.

  • Cause: The decline of political systems.

  • Effect: Religion (Christianity in Europe, Confucianism in China, Hinduism/Buddhism in South Asia) often maintained social cohesion.

• Crusades:

  • Cause: European aim to reclaim Jerusalem and surrounding areas.

  • Effect: Exposed Europeans to technological and scientific advancements from the Islamic and

Political

• City State: A self-governing urban center and its surrounding territory that functions as an independent political unit. Early civilizations like Sumer in Mesopotamia were organized into city-states.

• Mauryan Empire: An empire in South Asia that existed from 322 B.C.E. to 187 B.C.E., reaching its peak under Emperor Ashoka, who converted to Buddhism.

• Gupta: An ancient Indian empire that existed from the early 4th century to the late 6th century C.E., often considered a golden age of Indian science and innovation.

• Empire: An extensive group of states or countries under a single supreme authority, typically an emperor or empress.

• Mandate of Heaven: A traditional Chinese philosophical concept concerning the legitimacy of rulers. It suggested that heaven granted an emperor the right to rule based on his ability to govern well and fairly.

• Qin Han: Refers to the Qin Dynasty (which unified China in 221 B.C.E. under Qin Shi Huangdi) and the subsequent Han Dynasty (206 B.C.E.–220 C.E.), a golden age known for stability, population growth, and technological advancements.

• Persian Empire: Specifically the Achaemenid Empire, which existed roughly from 559 B.C.E. to c. 330 B.C.E., stretching across vast regions including the Middle East, parts of North Africa, and Central Asia.

• Greece: Refers to the ancient Greek civilization, which influenced the spreading of Greek culture by Alexander the Great in the 3rd century B.C.E., shaping subsequent Western thought and politics.

• Roman Empire: Evolved from the Roman Republic, this vast empire dominated the Mediterranean world and beyond. Christianity became its official religion in the 4th century C.E. Its decline was influenced by issues like tax collection, disease, and external invasions.

• Byzantine Empire: The continuation of the Roman Empire in the East, with its capital moved to Byzantium (330 C.E.). It became the Eastern Roman Empire after the division in 395 C.E., and its empire, notably under Justinian I (527–565 C.E.), preserved Roman law and culture.

• Abbasid Caliphate: An Islamic caliphate that flourished from 750 to 1258, known for its golden age of intellectual and cultural achievements.

• Sui Dynasty: A Chinese dynasty from 581 to 618 C.E., which reunified China after a period of fragmentation and is known for initiating the construction of the Grand Canal, fostering economic growth.

• Tang Dynasty: A golden age of imperial China (618–907 C.E.), characterized by strong centralized government, cultural flourishing, and territorial expansion.

• Song Dynasty: A Chinese dynasty (960–1279 C.E.) celebrated for its economic prosperity, technological innovations, and cultural advancements.

• Ghana: An early West African kingdom that emerged around 700 C.E., known for its wealth supported by trans-Saharan trade in gold and salt.

• Great Zimbabwe: A medieval city in Southeast Africa that emerged between the 12th and 15th centuries, serving as a powerful kingdom and trade center.

• 12 Tables: The earliest written legal code of ancient Rome, created around 450 B.C.E., laying the foundation for Roman law.

Innovations

• Stone tools: Early implements made from stone, fundamental to human development during the Stone Age, used for cutting, hunting, and processing materials.

• Cuneiform: One of the earliest systems of writing, invented by the Sumerians in Mesopotamia, using wedge-shaped marks on clay tablets.

• Ziggurats: Massive stepped pyramids built in ancient Mesopotamia predominantly during the 3rd and 2nd millennia B.C.E., serving as temples to local deities.

• Hieroglyphics: A formal writing system used by the ancient Egyptians, combining logographic, syllabic, and alphabetic elements.

• Complex math: Advanced mathematical concepts and systems developed by various ancient civilizations, such as those in Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, and among the Maya.

• Pyramids: Monumental structures, notably in ancient Egypt and Mesoamerica (like those built by the Teotihuacan and Maya civilizations), primarily serving as tombs or religious sites.

• Stirrups: Devices attached to a saddle to support a rider's feet, which revolutionized cavalry warfare and riding techniques after their introduction.

• Camel Saddle: Innovations in saddle design for camels, particularly the North Arabian saddle, which allowed for military and trade use of camels, significantly aiding trans-Saharan trade.

Environment

• Agricultural Revolutions: A series of significant transitions in human history from hunting and gathering to settled agriculture. The first occurred around 10{,}000 years ago (8000 B.C.E.) when a warmer climate led humans to begin farming and domesticating animals, resulting in surplus food, population growth, urbanization, and social changes.

• Monsoon Winds: Seasonal prevailing winds, especially in South Asia, characterized by heavy rainfall, crucial for agriculture in regions like the Indian subcontinent due to their predictable nature.

Cultural

• Hinduism: An ancient religion originating in India at least 3{,}500 years ago, characterized by a diversity of beliefs, practices, and scriptures.

• Judaism: A monotheistic religion originating around 4{,}000 years ago, characterized by a covenant between God and the Jewish people, codified in the Torah.

• Buddhism: A religion founded by Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha) around 530 B.C.E. in northern India, advocating a path to enlightenment through spiritual development.

• Confucianism: A system of ethical, philosophical, and religious thought based on the teachings of Confucius (active around 551 B.C.E.), emphasizing morality, social harmony, and duty.

• Daoism: An ancient Chinese philosophy and religion that emerged alongside Confucianism, emphasizing living in harmony with the Dao (the way of nature).

• Christianity: A monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, which gained official endorsement in the Roman Empire under Constantine in the 4th century C.E. and later split into different branches.

• Islam: A monotheistic religion founded by Muhammad in the 7th century C.E., which spread widely throughout North Africa, West Africa, and parts of Spain and India through Muslim traders and settlers.

• Dar Al-Slam: An Arabic term meaning "House of Islam" or "Abode of Islam," referring to regions where Islam is practiced and a Muslim government rules, indicating the extent of Islamic cultural and political influence.

• Shinto: The indigenous religion of Japan, focusing on the worship of kami (gods or spirits) and reverence for nature and ancestors.

• Roman Catholic: One of the two major branches of Christianity after the Great Schism of 1054 C.E., centered under the authority of the Pope in Rome.

• Orthodox Church: The other major branch of Christianity that emerged from the Great Schism of 1054 C.E., primarily found in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, with its own distinct theological and liturgical traditions.

• Teotihuacan: A pre-Columbian Mesoamerican city that reached its height in the 6th century C.E., known for its massive pyramids, complex urban planning, and obsidian trade.

• Mayans: A Mesoamerican civilization that reached its peak between roughly 250 C.E. and 900 C.E., known for its advanced writing system, complex mathematics, astronomy, and elaborate architecture.

• Mississippian: A pre-Columbian Native American culture that flourished in the midwestern, eastern, and southeastern United States from about 800 to 1600 C.E., known for its mound-building and widespread trade networks.

• Toltecs: A Mesoamerican civilization that dominated central Mexico from the 10th to 12th centuries C.E., influencing later cultures like the Aztecs.

Economic

• Silk Road: A vast network of trade routes connecting East and West, facilitating the exchange of goods (like silk, spices, and precious metals), ideas, and cultures across Eurasia.

• Indian Ocean Trade Route: A significant maritime trade network across the Indian Ocean that facilitated the exchange of goods and cultures between East Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, and Southeast Asia; heavily utilized by Muslim traders.

• Trans Saharan Trade Route: A network of trade routes across the Sahara Desert, connecting West Africa with North Africa and the Mediterranean, primarily for the exchange of gold, salt, and other goods.

• Taxation: The system of levying fees or compulsory contributions on individuals or property by a government to fund public expenditures. It emerged with the development of larger settlements and governments following the Agricultural Revolution.

• Entrepot: A trading post where merchandise can be imported and exported without paying import duties, often serving as a central hub for trade and cultural exchange (e.g., in the Indian Ocean Trade Route).

Social Interactions

• Patriarchy: A social system in which men hold primary power, especially in political, moral authority, social privilege, and control of property. This system intensified with the rise of social stratification following the Agricultural Revolution.

• Civil Service exam: A system of bureaucratic examinations in China, notably during the Han and Tang dynasties, that selected government officials based on merit rather than birth, promoting social mobility.

• Diaspora: The dispersion of a people from their original homeland, particularly used to refer to the dispersion of Jews beyond Israel.

• Shogun: A military dictator in feudal Japan, who often held more power than the Emperor during periods like Japan's golden age from 800 to 1200.

• Daimyos: Powerful Japanese feudal lords, subordinate only to the Shogun, who controlled large

Here is an overview of the rise, golden age/peak, and downfall of various civilization areas based on the provided notes, emphasizing causes and notable figures:

Early Civilizations

• Mesopotamia (Sumerians)

  • Rise due to: Climate warming after the Ice Age, leading to farming, surplus food, population growth, development of cities, specialization of labor, and technological innovations (like cuneiform).

  • Peak/Golden Age: Marked by inventions like cuneiform.

  • Fall due to: Not explicitly detailed.

  • Notable Figures/Innovations: Sumerians (invented cuneiform).

• Egypt and Indus Valley

  • Rise due to: Climate warming after the Ice Age, leading to farming, surplus food, population growth, development of cities, specialization of labor, and technological innovations.

  • Peak/Golden Age: Not explicitly detailed.

  • Fall due to: Not explicitly detailed.

  • Notable Figures/Innovations: Hieroglyphics (Egypt).

Classical Era Civilizations

• China

  • Zhou Dynasty

    • Rise due to: Not explicitly detailed.

    • Peak/Golden Age: Not explicitly detailed.

    • Fall due to: Transition into the Warring States period (implying fragmentation and conflict).

    • Notable Figures/Innovations: Mandate of Heaven (philosophical concept).

  • Qin Dynasty

    • Rise due to: Unification of China under Qin Shi Huangdi.

    • Peak/Golden Age: Laid groundwork for stability and trade.

    • Fall due to: Not explicitly detailed.

    • Notable Figures/Innovations: Qin Shi Huangdi (unified China, standardized script, weights, measures, built canals and roads).

  • Han Dynasty

    • Rise due to: Building on the foundations of stability and trade laid by the Qin.

    • Peak/Golden Age: A golden age of peace, population growth, and scientific/technological progress.

    • Fall due to: Not explicitly detailed.

    • Notable Figures/Innovations: Magnetic compass, paper, sternpost rudder (technological advancements), Civil Service exam.

• South Asia (Mauryan and Gupta Empires)

  • Mauryan Empire

    • Rise due to: Not explicitly detailed.

    • Peak/Golden Age: Peaked under Emperor Ashoka.

    • Fall due to: Not explicitly detailed.

    • Notable Figures/Innovations: Emperor Ashoka (converted to Buddhism, aiding its spread).

  • Gupta Empire

    • Rise due to: Not explicitly detailed.

    • Peak/Golden Age: Considered a golden age of Indian science and innovation.

    • Fall due to: Not explicitly detailed.

    • Notable Figures/Innovations: Complex math.

• Persian Empire (Achaemenid Empire)

  • Rise due to: Not explicitly detailed.

  • Peak/Golden Age: Stretched across vast regions.

  • Fall due to: Implied decline after c. 330 B.C.E., influenced by Alexander the Great's conquests.

  • Notable Figures/Innovations: Alexander the Great (spread Greek culture).

• Ancient Greece

  • Rise due to: Not explicitly detailed as an empire's rise.

  • Peak/Golden Age: Spread of Greek culture by Alexander the Great.

  • Fall due to: Not explicitly detailed.

  • Notable Figures/Innovations: Alexander the Great (significant cultural influence).

• Roman Empire

  • Rise due to: Evolution from the Roman Republic and expansion.

  • Peak/Golden Age: Became its official religion under Constantine in the 4th century C.E.

  • Fall due to: Difficulties in tax collection, declines in trade, shrinking urban populations due to disease (e.g., smallpox, bubonic plague), growing wealth gaps, social unrest, weak political support for leadership, and external invasions (e.g., Huns, Goths).

  • Notable Figures/Innovations: Constantine (endorsed Christianity), 12 Tables (legal code).

• Byzantine Empire

  • Rise due to: Continuation of the Roman Empire in the East after the capital move to Byzantium and division of the empire.

  • Peak/Golden Age: Under Justinian I, who preserved Roman law and culture.

  • Fall due to: Not explicitly detailed.

  • Notable Figures/Innovations: Justinian I.

• American Civilizations

  • Teotihuacan

    • Rise due to: Not explicitly detailed.

    • Peak/Golden Age: Reached its height in the 6th century C.E., known for massive pyramids, urban planning, and obsidian trade.

    • Fall due to: Not explicitly detailed.

    • Notable Figures/Innovations: Massive pyramids, complex urban planning, obsidian trade.

  • Maya

    • Rise due to: Not explicitly detailed.

    • Peak/Golden Age: Reached their peak largely between 250 C.E. and 900 C.E., known for advanced writing system, complex mathematics, astronomy, and elaborate architecture.

    • Fall due to: Not explicitly detailed.

    • Notable Figures/Innovations: Advanced writing system, complex mathematics, astronomy, elaborate architecture.

Postclassical Civilizations

• Abbasid Caliphate

  • Rise due to: Flourished as an Islamic caliphate.

  • Peak/Golden Age: Known for its golden age of intellectual and cultural achievements.

  • Fall due to: Not explicitly detailed beyond its end date in 1258 C.E.

  • Notable Figures/Innovations: Not explicitly named, but associated with intellectual and cultural advancements and Dar Al-Slam.

• China

  • Sui Dynasty

    • Rise due to: Reunified China after a period of fragmentation.

    • Peak/Golden Age: Initiated construction of the Grand Canal, fostering economic growth and cultural integration.

    • Fall due to: Not explicitly detailed.

    • Notable Figures/Innovations: Grand Canal.

  • Tang Dynasty

    • Rise due to: Strong centralized government, cultural flourishing, and territorial expansion.

    • Peak/Golden Age: A golden age of imperial China.

    • Fall due to: Not explicitly detailed.

    • Notable Figures/Innovations: Civil Service exam.

  • Song Dynasty

    • Rise due to: Not explicitly detailed.

    • Peak/Golden Age: Celebrated for its economic prosperity, technological innovations, and cultural advancements.

    • Fall due to: Not explicitly detailed.

    • Notable Figures/Innovations: Notable for economic prosperity and technological innovations.

• Japan

  • Rise due to: Not explicitly detailed.

  • Peak/Golden Age: Experienced a golden age from 800 to 1200.

  • Fall due to: Not explicitly detailed.

  • Notable Figures/Innovations: Shogun, Daimyos (political structures).

• Ghana

  • Rise due to: Wealth supported by trans-Saharan trade in gold and salt.

  • Peak/Golden Age: Not explicitly detailed.

  • Fall due to: Not explicitly detailed.

  • Notable Figures/Innovations: Trans-Saharan Trade (economic driver), Camel Saddle.

• Great Zimbabwe

  • Rise due to: Not explicitly detailed.

  • Peak/Golden Age: Served as a powerful kingdom and trade center.

  • Fall due to: Not explicitly detailed.

  • Notable Figures/Innovations: Not explicitly named figures.