Religions, Trade Routes, Centralized and Decentralized Powers, Chinese Dynasties, Buddhism, Three Abrahamic Religions

Religions

  • Religions greatly affect people's decisions, interactions, and power dynamics.
  • Merchants and missionaries facilitated the spread of religions via trade routes.

Trade Routes

  • Merchants facilitated the spread of religions
  • Christian missionaries went into Europe and the Mediterranean.
  • The Silk Road facilitated the spread of Buddhism and Islam.

Centralized and Decentralized Powers

  • Centralized states: Abbasid Caliphate, Aztec (Mexico).
  • Decentralized states: the Maya, Europe (feudalism).
  • Japan was feudal, similar to Europe; it also saw the spread of Chinese culture.

Japan

  • Feudalism is occurring simultaneously in Japan as it is in Europe.
  • Signification: The spread of Chinese culture to Japan.
  • Syncretism: Buddhism from China (Mahayana Buddhism) spreading to Japan and morphing with Shintoism, creating a unique form of Buddhism.
  • Korea was a tribute state to China, the reason why it is most affected by signification.
  • Vietnam is part of the Indian Ocean Trade Network.

Chinese Dynasties

  • Mandate of Heaven: Explanation for the rise and fall of dynasties.
  • Han Dynasty: Confucianism was fully integrated into society and politics.
  • Social Structure: Fluid, with the possibility of social mobility through the civil service exam.
  • Confucianism values education, with the most educated people being the most valued in society.
  • Emperor: most important person in society and everyone should respect him.

Silk Road

  • China increased production of silk, porcelain, iron, and steel
  • The Silk Road connected all the way across Asia from east to west and connected all the way to Europe.
  • Grand Canal: Interconnects all of these waterways to increase the ease of transportation.

Buddhism

  • Originated in India as a backlash to the rigid caste system.
  • Mahayana Buddhism spreads to China, then to East Asia.
  • Theravada Buddhism stays close to India.
  • Monastic religion with monks spreading the religion.
  • Mahayana Buddhism - community based. Theravada Buddhism - individual journey.
  • Bodhisattva their enlightenment in their lifetime.

3 Abrahamic Religions

  • Judaism is the oldest of the three.
  • Christianity; Jesus was a Jew.
  • Islam; violent altercations between the Safavid and their surrounding areas.

Ottoman Empire

  • The Ottomans are Sunni, which is the predominant still to this day.
  • The Ottomans, Safavid, and Mongols have ties to Turkic backgrounds.

Crusades

  • Holy wars that the Catholic Church sent to the Holy Land to take back Jerusalem and spread Christianity.
  • Spread information from Baghdad and the House of Wisdom to Europe.

Abbasid Empire

  • Collapses.
  • Delhi Sultanate and Mughal are in Northern India.

Islam

  • African Kings liked the idea of the Caliph because it solidified their power as ruler of the political state and religious leader.
  • The sultans were not religious rulers.
  • Sufi orders.

Hinduism

  • Spreading.
  • Rigid social structure where you can go down if you don't do your duty.

Slavery

  • Capital slavery is looking upon the Africans that will be forced to be transported to the Americas to work on the cash crop plantations.
  • Regarded as property, not fellow human beings.

Ming Dynasty

  • Adopted an isolationist policy.