Unit 1 (1200-1450)

Developments in the Islamic World

• Vocab:

  • Caliph - civil and religious ruler in muslim-majority governments, the successor of muhammed

  • Jihad - islamic religious term that means a kind of inner struggle for a spiritual goal. In many muslims, it is seen as a responsibility in their religious life.

  • Koran/Quran - Islamic sacred book

  • Crusades - Holy Wars between Christian European states and Arab States for the holy land, 1095-1291

  • Sultan - King, especially of a muslim state

  • Ulama - Muslim scholars who had specialist knowledge of Sharia law and theology

  • Hajj - A muslim who has made the pilgrimage to Mecca

  • Mosque - Muslim place of worship

  • Moors - Muslim occupants of North Africa, the western Sahara, Iberian Peninsula

• Mecca's leaders persecuted early muslims, fled to Medina.

• Dar-al islam "the abode of islam" is the land where islam is the dominant religion and sharia law is practiced

• Sharia Law defines requirements for daily life

  • Morality + honesty

  • Bans gambling, eating pork, alcohol

  • Cautions against enslaving muslims

• 5 Pillars:

  • Shahada: Believing in only one God (Allah)

  • Salat: Pray 5 times a day

  • Zakat: Giving alms (charity) to poor

  • Sawm: Fasting during ramadan

  • Hajj: Making pilgrimage to Mecca once

• Islamic expansion through north africa and middle east b/c of trade

  • Muslim caliphates conquered + tolerated other beliefs as long as they paid a tax (jizya)

• After Muhammad died, split against who would follow him (Islamic Schism/sunni-shite split)

  • Some believed his companion, Abu Bakr should follow him (should be based on merit instead of birth). This belief is in Sunni muslims and makes up 85% of the muslim population

  • Others believed his son, Ali, should take over as caliph (should be based on birth). This is a Shia muslim belief and makes up 15% of muslims

    • Most of Iran and Iraq

  • Abu Bakr took over as caliph

• Umayyad Dynasty (651-750)

  • Sunni

  • Capital was Damascus

  • Controlled area from Spain to India

  • Known for military conquests and cultural achievements

    • Construction of the dome of the rock in jerusalem and arabic language + literature

  • Also known for internal conflicts and persecutions of certain groups (shia muslims and people of the book)

• Abbasid Dynasty (750-1258)

  • Sunni

  • Capital in Baghdad

    • Baghdad house of wisdom was center of learning, spread of culture

  • Was a golden age in dar-al Islam

  • 1100-1200, faced attacks from outside groups

    • Nomadic movements in north africa and the middle east

    • Mamluks from egypt, a turkish group of former military slaves

    • Seljuk turks from central asia, their leader was a sultan, threatened byzantines

      • Baghdad fell to the seljuk turks

      • Caliph kept in place as a figurehead

    • Crusaders from europe, seljuks limited christian access to jerusalem, christians organized to regain access

    • Mongols from central asia, conquered what area was left, pushed turks out of baghdad, stopped by mamluks

      • Captured baghdad in 1258 and killed last abbasid caliph

• Muslim women

  • Veiling for women was solidified by islam, along with turbans for men

  • Women could study and read, but not in company of men not related to them

  • Muhammad raised status of women

    • Dowries paid to wife

    • No female infanticide

    • His first wife was educated and had her own business

  • Islamic women had higher status than christian or jewish women

    • Allowed to inherit property and retain ownership after marriage

    • Could remarry if widowed, could divorce

    • Practice birth control

• Islamic rule in spain

  • Umayyads pushed towards spain (al-andalus)

    • Place of trade, culture, learning

    • Had advanced government, sophisticated cities, diverse population

  • Battle of tours - frankish forces defeated islamic armies, limited push into western europe (which remained christian). Muslims ruled over spain for 7 centuries

    • Seen as end of islamic conquering of europe and beginning of european reconquering

    • Also slowed expansion of religion and helped consolidate power of christian kingdoms

  • Prosperity under islam

    • Toleration with muslims, christians, jews "people of the book"

    • Promoted trade with china, se asia, india

    • Used dhows to carry goods

    • Largest library in the world was in cordoba (spain capital) at the time

• Social and cultural life

  • culture

    • Promotion of trade + cosmopolitan cities

    • Islamic scholars translated greek and roman texts

    • Focus on math, paper-making, medicine

  • Social class

    • Growth of merchant elite

    • Role of merchants more prestigious

    • Islam allowed slavery of non-muslims

      • Slaves from africa, kievan rus, central asia

      • Not hereditary

      • Many slaves converted to islam

  • Mystical sect of islam

    • Sufism, found in india and persia

      • They shaved their heads, followed rituals and chants to unite w god

      • Abstained from earthly pleasures

      • Emphasized introspections to grasp truths

      • Believed people were becoming too materialistic

• New islamic powers:

• Key developments of dar-al islam

  • Spread of islam

    • Home to a number of influential islamic empires and states like umayyad, abbasid, ottoman, which helped spread religion + culture

  • Cultural and scientific achievements

    • Dar-al islam as center of cultural and scientific achievements, number of influential scholars philosophers, scientists who helped w literature, mathematics, medicine

  • Political and economic developments

    • Home to a number of powerful empires + states, played role in global economy through trade

  • Modernization + reform

    • (in more recent times) Many muslim-majority states have sought to modernize economies, political + social structures, these have been influenced by colonialism, globalization, rise of islamic fundamentalism

Developments in East Asia

• Vocab:

  • Bureaucracy - large, complex organization that is characterized by a hierarchical structure, a division of labor, and a set of rules and procedures that govern the way it operates

    • Main features of a bureaucracy:

      • Clear hierarchy, organized into a pyramid-like structure w/ each level of the organization having a specific set of responsibilities and authority

      • Division of labor, specialized departments, each w/ a specific area of expertise and responsibility

      • Standardized procedures, they have detailed rules and procedures that govern how work is to be done and decisions are to be made

      • Emphasis on efficiency, designed to be efficient and to accomplish their goals in a systematic and organized way

      • Formalized communication, rely on formal channels of communications (written memos, reports, etc) to convey info and coordinate activities

  • Meritocracy - society or organization in which individuals are selected and promoted based on their merit, or ability and talent

    • Allows individuals to rise to positions of power and influence based on their abilities rather than family or social status

  • Civil Service Exam - Started under the Han dynasty, re-emerged under the Tang and Song dynasties.

    • Based on their abilities, Chinese men would take a series of exams that would award them greater power + influence

  • Scholar Gentry - A person who passed the civil service exam.

    • They were typically members of the elite and often drawn from wealthy merchant families or ranks of the aristocracy.

    • Involved in civil service -- many served in the bureaucracy or were advisers to the emperor

  • Artisan - Skilled craftsmen/women who created a wide range of fine and decorative arts (ceramics, textiles, woodcarving, metalworking, painting)

  • Tribute System - A system of international relations in which one state, esp. a smaller/weaker one, pays tribute to a more powerful state for protection or recognition

  • Hierarchy - System of ranking or organizing things in which people or things are ranked according to status or importance

  • Foot Binding - Done to high status women in China, act of molding girls' feet to be as small as possible to make them more "desirable"

  • Shogun - Military Leaders who made decisions when the emperor was a figurehead

  • Daimyo - Landowners, would hire samurai

  • Samurai - Knights, followed Bushido Code

  • Bushido Code - Chivalry code, promoted the way of the samurai and loyalty

  • Confucianism - an ancient Chinese belief system, which focuses on the importance of personal ethics and morality

  • Buddhism - belief that the human life is one of suffering, and that meditation, spiritual and physical labor, and good behavior are the ways to achieve enlightenment, or nirvana

• Sui Dynasty

  • Short-lived imperial dynasty (581-618)

  • Reunited china under a single imperial rule after centuries of fragmentation

  • Constructed of the grand canal (linked yellow and yangtze rivers, facilitated trade + communication between north and south china)

  • Known for military conquest (conquest of chen dynasty, led to reunification of china)

  • Had major internal conflicts and lack of stability

    • Frustration of by high taxes + dictatorship

• Tang Dynasty

  • Chinese imperial dynasty (618-907)

  • Viewed themselves as the Middle Kingdom, ethnocentrism

  • Known for cultural achievements and strong centralized government

    • Influenced trade and cultural exchange with other parts of asia, europe, and the middle east

  • Also known for literature, art, music, dance

  • Military conquests (esp. Against turks in central asia)

  • Eventually declined due to a combination of internal conflicts, economic problems, and external invasions

• Song dynasty

  • Chinese imperial dynasty (960-1279)

  • Known for cultural achievements, economic growth, and technological innovations

    • Expansion of trade and adoption of a paper money system

  • Military struggles

    • Wars against jin dynasty, which eventually conquered the north part of china and became the jin dynasty)

    • Mongol conquests

  • Had a very centralized government

    • Implemented a number of reforms

    • Bureaucratic + merit-based system of administration

• Economic Development

• Social Structures in China

  • Chinese hierarchical society:

    • Top: Emperor

    • Scholar Gentry + Nobility

    • Peasants

    • Bottom: Merchants

  • China is a patriarchal society, men dominate most systems of power

    • Women were charged with raising children and given little to no political/economic roles

    • Exemplified in process of footbinding

• Periphery of China

Developments in South and Southeast Asia

• People of southeast asia were heavily influenced by china to the northland the trade with the west within the indian ocean trade network

  • Indian ocean trade network was a network of maritime trade routes that connected the countries of the indian ocean region to the rest of the world

  • It emerged in the 1st century and reached its peak in the 15th and 16th centuries (age of exploration)

  • It also included trade routes that extended to east Africa, the middle east, and southeast Asia

  • It was used to transport various goods (spices, textiles, gold, silver, etc)

• Important empires/kingdoms in southeast Asia:

  • The Khmer Empire was a powerful state from 802-1431. Its capital was angkor wat, which was originally a hindu temple but morphed into a buddhist temple

  • Srivijaya Empire was an indonesian hindu empire and was an important center for trade between china and india. Led to the expansion of buddhism from 8th-12th centuries

  • Majapahit empire was a smaller javan buddhism kingdom that controlled shipping lane from strait of malacca

  • Islamic merchants and sufi missionaries brought their faith to Indonesia

• What makes Southeast Asia a distinct region?

  • Geography: tropical climate and a wide variety of landscapes (mountains, forests, coastal areas)

  • Culture: Home to a wide variety of ethnic groups, languages, religions. Long history of cultural exchange and has been influenced by a variety of cultures (indian, chinese, european)

  • Economics: Home to some of the world's fastest-growing economies, known for abundant natural resources and strategic location as a hub for international trade

  • Political environment: Countries of the region have a wide range of political systems (democracies, authoritarian regimes, military governments), history of political instability

• What were the key factors in shaping Southeast Asia?

  • Geography: Location as a crossroads of trade between Indian and Pacific Ocean, tropical climate + diverse landscape

  • Cultural Exchange: long history of cultural exchange with other regions, influenced by variety of cultures (indian, chinese, european)

  • Political and economic developments: rise and fall of empires, influence of colonialism, emergence of modern nation-states

  • Environmental factors: affected by a variety of environmental factors (natural disasters, earthquakes, typhoon, deforestation, pollution)

• How did world religions spread in Southeast Asian societies?

  • Trade: merchants, travelers, missionaries brought religious ideas and practices

  • Conquest and colonization: in some cases, religious beliefs/practices were imposed on local populations through military force or establishment of colonial rule

  • Missionary activity: missionaries have traveled the region to convert people to their faith, established schools, hospitals, etc to support their work

  • Local adoption and adaptation: in some cases, people in the region embraced new religious beliefs and practices and incorporated them into their own cultural traditions

• How did Southeast Asian states develop and maintain power?

  • Military strength: states that have strong militaries have been able to defend their territory and expand their influence through force/threats

  • Economic power: states that have a strong economy (natural resources, thriving trade network) have been able to exert influence and control over other states

  • Political stability: states that are able to maintain a stable political system are more likely to maintain their power over long periods of time

  • Ideology: states that have been able to cultivate a sense of national identity and purpose are able to maintain power and rally support

Developments in the Americas

• Vocab:

  • Quipu -  Recording device in the Incan Empire, consisted of rope/thread being knotted

    • Used for keeping track of tax payment, census date, military campaigns, communication, etc

    • Largely destroyed by the Spanish conquistadors

  • Mita system - System of labor obligations in the Incan empire

    • All male citizens were required to perform a certain amount of labor every year

    • Used to construct public works (road, bridges, irrigation) and to support military + bureaucracy

    • Later was abolished by Spanish conquistadors in the 16th century

  • Animism - Belief system that holds all objects, places, creatures, possesses a distinct spiritual essence.

• Mayan Empire

  • The mayans thrived in the rainforest of the Yucatan peninsula

  • They were a kingdom of city-states that worked for mutual benefit

  • were able to build large temples, cities, trade networks

  • Created an accurate calendar, complex writing systems, and pyramids

  • Internal conflict and lack of food leed to their collapse in ~900

• Aztec Empire

  • Came after the collapse of the Maya in modern-day Mexico City and south

    • Their capital, Tenochtitlan, is present-day Mexico City. it had a population at around 200,000

  • Built a series of pyramids in their city, demonstration power + authority

  • Aztecs built chinampas (floating gardens) to grow food

  • Practiced human sacrifice

    • Sacrifices were either those captures in battle or were tributes from lands that did not want to be attacked by Aztecs

    • They were sacrifices to their sun god, Huitzliopochtli

  • Has a complex and extensive trade network that stretched throughout much of mesoamerica

    • Traded luxury items (feathers, jade gold), practical items (food, clothing tools)

    • They used a system of trade routes that connected their capital to other parts of the empire

  • Believed in animism and had hundreds of gods

• Incan Empire

  • Dominated a north to south region along the Andes mountains

  • Much more united monarchy (when compared to the Aztec city-state empire)

  • Incan state was led by the Sapa Inca, supreme rule of the empire and was considered to be a descendent of the gods

    • The Sapa Inca was assisted by officials + administrators who helped manage the affairs of the states, and a bureaucracy

  • Believed in animism and had hundreds of gods

Developments in Africa

• Vocab:

  • Trans-Saharan Trade Network - Trade route that connected the Mediterranean region with sub-Saharan Africa.

    • Facilitated trade of a wide variety of goods (salt, gold, ivory, slaves)

    • Key factor in the spread of islam in Africa

• Post-Classical Africa

Developments in Europe

• Vocab:

  • Feudalism - Social, economic, political system in which people were given land and protection by people of higher rank, and worked and fought for them in return

    • King/monarch owned all the land, and granted parcels of land (fiefs) to nobles in exchange for their loyalty + military service

    • Nobles granted smaller parcels of land to vassals in exchange for their service or labor

    • Top: King/monarch

    • Nobles/Lords

    • Vassals/Knights

    • Bottom: Peasants/Serfs

• After the fall of Rome, Western Europe was dominated by smaller kingdoms and regional powers

• In places like France and England, people were feudal

  • Many serfs would utilize the three-field system, where farmers rotated wheat, beans, or let the land go unused to stop overuse of the soil

• Regionalism to Kingdoms

  • In the beginning, each power was tied to the Catholic Church and feudal

  • Overtime, Catholic Church began to lose influence leading to the reformation of the 1500s

  • Feudalism weakened monarchs

    • King Phillip ll of France created a large bureaucracy that worked with the Estates-General

  • Regional kingdoms with powerful princes and the church had a lot of power versus the central government

    • Concordat of Worms (Germany) allowed the Pope of the Catholic Church to appoint bishops but gave the king the ability to veto

    • Magna Carta (England) was an agreement between king and subject that established certain rights and freedoms for the English people and limited the power of the monarchy.

      • The English parliament was a strong legislative body.

    • The Hundred Years War was a result of competition for trade, land, resources.

      • War between England and France (1337-1453).

      • Ended with the Treaty of Calais, which recognized French control over most of the territories in question and established the English Channel as the border between the two countries

• Religious Conflict in Europe

  • By 1492, Catholic Church expelled Muslims from Spain in the Reconquista

  • Crusades caused crusaders to attack the Orthodox Christians in Constantinople

    • They failed to conquer Jerusalem, and the crusades led to the weakening of the Catholic Church and increased the power of regional monarchies

    • Crusades led to Europe getting spices and access to Greek and Roman texts translated by Muslims

• Renaissance in Europe

  • By 1450, Europe saw an increase in literacy, urbanization, and connection to the global community

  • Gutenberg's printing press revolutionized the way information was disseminated in Europe

    • It allowed for the mass printing of books, pamphlets, documents, etc.

  • Renaissance began in Italy in the 14th century and spread to the rest of Europe in the 15th and 16th centuries.

    • Known for its revival of classical learning and emergence of a new way of thinking that placed more emphasis on the individual.

    • People began to question the traditional ways of thinking and to explore new ideas in art, science, literature, philosophy

Unit 2 (1200-1450)

The Silk Roads

• Vocab:

  • Caravanserai - Roadside inns along trade routes merchants could stop and rest in.

    • Typically large, fortified buildings with a central courtyard and a guarded entrance.

    • Had stables for animals, warehouses for storing goods, workshops for craftsmen.

  • Bills of exchange -  An order to pay a certain sum of money to a specified person or entity at a specified time in the future.

    • Used to finance trade and facilitate the exchange of goods and services betweens merchants and buyers in different countries.

  • Banking houses - Place that would issue bills of exchange.

    • In some cases, these places may have acted as centers of trade and exchange where merchants could exchange currencies, transfer funds, obtain credit, or other financial services.

    • In other cases, these places may have had a more specialized purpose, like financing trade or facilitating the exchange of goods and services.

• Silk Road was a network of trade routes that connected Asia, Europe, and Africa from ancient times through the Middle Ages.

  • It is named so because of the silk trade that took place along these routes, which linked the civilizations of China, India, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean.

  • It was not just one single road, it was a network of routes that crisscrossed the continents.

  • It not only transported goods, it transported ideas, cultures, and technologies across regions.

• Empires were rapidly expanding and with a growing empire, came a growing desire for goods.

  • Though these economies were expanding as fast as they could, they were not able to provide everything.

  • This is the main reason why most trade routes (esp. The silk road) traded mostly luxury goods (sugar, gold, porcelain, silk)

• Profit-seeking merchants began to build off of old technology to make it work for this much bigger trade network (caravanserai, bills of exchange, banking houses).

• Textile production dramatically increased across Eurasia as well as steel in China.

  • The Song Dynasty rapidly expanded as demand for their silk grew, and began to rely on peasant and artisan labor to fuel their economy.

• Ideas of the merchants carrying the goods would travel along the roads.

  • Religions like Chrisianity, Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, and Chinese customs spread across the trade routes, along with goods such as Champa rice.

• With more simple ways to travel, common people were more free to travel and share their observations.

  • Marco Polo is an example of this.

• Disease also spread.

  • The Black Plague originally started in China, and it spread to Europe, killing ⅓ of the population.

• Summary of causes:

  • Availability of goods that were in high demand in other regions (silk from China, spices from India, metals from central Asia)

  • Desire of merchants and traders to find new markets for their goods and to secure new sources of raw materials.

  • Development of transportation technologies (camels as pack animals) which made it possible to traverse long distances

  • Political and economic instability in certain regions, making it harder for traders to operate within those regions and causing them to spread to new markets along the Silk Road.

  • Desire of rulers to control trade along silk road and to extract tolls and taxes from traders passing through their territories.

• Summary of effects:

  • Helped to stimulate economic growth and development in some areas by providing new markets for goods and raw materials.

  • Spread of religions (Buddhism, Islam) as well as exchange of artistic styles and techniques.

  • The Silk Road was often controlled by powerful states or empires, which used it to exert influence over the regions it connected.

  • Played a role in the development of diplomatic relations between different countries and empires.

  • SIlk Road may have contributed to the spread of disease.

• Events that occurred along the Silk Roads

The Historical Influence of the Mongol Empire

• Vocab:

  • Pastoralists - Sheep or cattle farmers.

• Mongols were nomadic people and formidable pastoralists who lived in the steppes of Central Asia.

• Because they were pastoralists, the Mongols were well equipped with horses and bows, allowing them to quickly and efficiently conquer land.

  • They had siege weapons which could bypass exterior defense and cause destruction inside castle walls.

• The Mongols were led by Genghis Khan, born by the name Temujin. The Mongols lived peacefully under him, "Pax Mongolia," but they were still seen as a deadly force by many.

• Collapse of old governments due to Mongol expansion contributed to new state formation, administrative procedures, and institutional bodies to retain power.

• After Genghis' death, the Mongols split up into four khanates.

  • Golden Horde.

    • Controlled much of modern-day Russia and Ukraine.

    • Introduced new forms of governance and administration.

    • Shaped political and structure of Russian state.

    • In exchange for tribute, Mongols allowed the cities to choose their own leaders.

    • Major hub of trade, facilitated spread of ideas, technologies, cultural practices throughout its territory.

    • System of postal roads and caravanserais that facilitated trade and communication.

  • Great Khanate/Yuan Dynasty.

    • Reunited China under single rule after the collapse of the Song Dynasty.

    • Brought a period of peace and stability to China.

    • Established a centralized system of governance that built on established governmental procedures.

    • Introduced China to new technologies, paper money and compass, bolstering Afro-Eurasian trade and increasing global communication.

    • Intermarriage was not allowed, creating a social ladder.

  • Ilkhanate.

    • Mongols took over rule of the Middle East by capturing Baghdad in 1258, cutting off the Abbasid Caliphate and by extension, the golden age of Islam.

    • Many Mongols converted to Islam or had religious tolerance.

    • Persia remained moderately unchanged with the exception of trade and communication expansions.

  • Chagatai khanate.

    • Controlled Central Asia.

    • Not much changed.

  • A khanate was a political entity ruled by a leader or ruler, the khan, who was similar to a king or emperor and was a territory that a khan governed.

• Mongols were more accepting than other empires at the time.

  • Religiously tolerant and let everyone practice their own religion freely.

  • Treated women more fairly than most empires.

• Reduced complications for crossing borders or dealing with foreign raiders due to the empire's huge territory.

  • Standardized weights and measurements across Eurasia.

• Greco-Roman and Islamic medical knowledge came west toward  Europe, and helped found the Renaissance.

  • Numbers came from the Middle East.

  • Mongols adopted the Uyghur script.

Exchange in the Indian Ocean.

• Vocab:

  • Lanteen sails - Triangular sails that were efficient in various wind conditions.

  • Dhow ships - Distinctive hull shape and lantenn sails that helped with long-distance sailing.

  • Astrolabe - Astronomical instrument used to measure the position of celestial bodies.

• Indian Ocean trade was driven by favorable geography, climate of the region, development of political and economic systems that supported trade, adoption of technologies that facilitated navigation and communication.

• Trade involved a wide variety of goods (spices, textiles, metals, other commodities with high demand).

• Why was the Indian Ocean trade important?

  • Major source of economic growth and prosperity for many of the regions involved. Facilitated the exchange of goods and commodities and generated significant wealth through trade.

  • Major source of cultural exchange. Traders brought goods, ideas, technologies from one part of the world to another, leading to spread of religion, language, and various cultural traditions.

  • Control of trade routes and ports was a source of power and influence. Shaped by the actions of empires and kingdoms that sought to control access to these routes.

  • Facilitated the spread of technologies and innovations (compass, new sailing technology).

• Trade on the Indian Ocean faced obstacles such as unpredictable wind patterns and monsoons.

  • Knowledge of these winds helped develop new technology, sailors could utilize the winds to help blow their sails in their desired direction.

  • Lanteen sails, dhow ships, and astrolabe helped sailors navigate.

• Causes of Indian Ocean Trade:

  • The Indian Ocean region has a long history of trade due to its favorable geography.

    • Ocean is surrounded by major land masses (Africa, Asia, Australia), which provide a diverse range of goods. Relatively shallow ocean which made it easier to navigate.

  • The Indian Ocean region has a tropical and monsoonal climate, which allows for crop cultivation (spices, sugar, cotton, etc.)

  • The Indian Ocean region had a long history of political and economic systems that supported trade and facilitated the exchange of goods.

    • Empires and kingdoms that controlled trade routes and ports, merchants guilds, other organizations that helped regulate trade.

  • Development of sailing technologies made it possible for traders to expand the scale of trade.

  • Driven by cultural exchange, traders brought goods, ideas, and technologies from one part of the world to another. SPread of religions, languages, other cultural traditions.

• Effects of Indian Ocean Trade:

  • Diasporic communities were set up by merchants to introduce their own cultural traditions into other cultures.

    • Arab and Persians in Eastern Asia.

    • Chinese merchants in Southeast Asia.

    • Malay communities in the Indian Ocean basin.

    • Along the Swahili coast, city-states grew rich from trade.

  • Indian Ocean trade facilitated the spread of ideas.

    • Buddhism to Southeast Asia.

    • Islam across Eurasia.

    • Marco Polo, Ibn Battuta, Zheng He utilized trade routes to learn about various cultures.

  • Major source of economic growth and prosperity for many regions involved. Supported development of local and regional economies.

  • Control of trade routes and ports in the Indian Ocean has become a source of power and influence.

Trans-Saharan Trade Routes.

• Vocab:

  • Trans-Saharan trade routes - Network of trade routes that crossed the Sahara Desert in Africa, connecting the Mediterranean coast to the West African savannah and the sub-Saharan region.

  • Berber nomads - A group of indigenous people who live in the Sahara Desert and other arid regions of North Africa.

  • Caravan - A group of people traveling together, typically on a long journey.

• The Trans-Saharan trade routes were used to transport gold, ivory, salt, and slaves.

  • They were a major source of cultural exchange, traders brought goods, ideas, technologies, from one part of the world to another, which led to the spread of religions, languages, and other cultural traditions.

• Trans-Saharan trade routes facilitate the formation of diasporic communities.

  • These were often the product of the movement of people along trade routes, as traders and travelers settled in new areas and established communities in their adopted homes.

• Trans-Saharan trade routes facilitated the spread of new technologies and innovations throughout Africa.

  • The camel, an animal domesticated in the Middle East and brought to Africa by Arab traders, proved to be an invaluable tool for trade and transportation in the Sahara Desert. They could travel long distances with minimal water and carry large loads.

  • Other technologies included ironworking, the wheel, and the compass.

• The Trans-Saharan routes connected West Africa to the Islamic world, which led to the spread of religion.

  • Islam appealed to people in West Africa due to emphasis in social justice, personal responsibility, and equality.

  • Spread of Islam was facilitated by establishment of Islamic centers of learning and trade

    • The city of Timbuktu, which became a major center of scholarship and commerce.

    • Also supported growth of Islamic empires such as the Mali Empire and the Sokoto Caliphate.

• Mansa Musa, the king of the Mali Empire in the 14th century, made a pilgrimage to Mecca. He is said to have brought large amounts of followers and gold, and gave to the poor and funded construction of mosques and other various works.

  • He continued to support Trans-Saharan trade routes when he returned to his own empire.

• Causes of the Trans-Saharan trade:

  • Berber nomads used camel saddles to ride their camels and carry supplies/equipment.

  • Caravans were often used in trade and commerce, they provided a way to transport goods over long distances.

    • Important in desert regions, where they were used to transport goods across the desert and connect distant trade centers.

• Expansion of Trans-Saharan Empires:

  • The Mali Empire was located along major trans-Saharan trade routes and was known for its rich deposits of gold.

    • They had a strong centralized government, strong military, and were able to get tribute from neighboring states.

  • The Ghana Empire is known for controlling trade of gold, salt, and various other goods at important trans-Saharan trade locations.

    • They had a strong military and could get tribute from neighboring states.

  • The Songhai Empire was known for its strong centralized government, military might, and ability to get tribute from neighboring states.

    • Their political and economic power was based on its control of trade routes and valuable commodities.

Cultural and Environmental Effects of Trade

• Vocab:

  • Connectivity - The ability to communicate and exchange ideas, goods, and other forms of cultural expression.

• The exchange of ideas and cultural practices led to the enrichment and diversity of some society's cultures.

  • Cultural exchange along the Silk Road contributed to the spread of ideas, religions, and technologies between the East and the West.

• The loss of cultural traditions and homogenization of cultures was another consequence of trade networks.

  • Spread of global consumer culture has led to the proliferation of mass-produced goods and the erosion of local crafts and traditions.

• Spread of Religion across trade networks.

  • Buddhism spread into East and Southeast Asia.

    • Spread into Japan due to China and India, created their own version, "Zen Buddhism," that mixed their shintoism traditions with Buddhist ones.

    • Neo-Confucianism began to rise in China in response to Buddhism. Confucianists wanted Confucianism back in power after Buddhist began to be powerful during the Tang Dynasty, so a blend of Buddhism and Confucianism was created.

  • Hinduism spread into Southeast Asia.

    • Angkor Wat in present-day Cambodia was originally constructed as a Hindu temple (for the Hindu god Vishnu the Preserver), but was later a Buddhist temple.

  • Islam spread into sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.

    • Islam began to spread to Africa, where mosques were erected, such as the Great Mosque of Djenne.

• Technology spread similarly to traditions and religions.

  • Papermaking (from China) was convenient because it was easier to make, lighter, and cheaper.

  • Gunpowder (also from China) led to the reinvention of weaponry. China began to develop guns using this, and Europe quickly followed.

• Famous Travelers along trade networks.

  • Ibn Battuta was a 14th century Moroccan scholar who traveled throughout the Islamic world.

    • He gave much insight into various Islamic cultures and regions.

  • Marco Polo was a 13th century Italian merchant who traveled to the Far East.

    • He reached the court of the Mongol ruler, Kublai Khan, where he spent several years and wrote about his experience there.

    • He gave much insight into East Asia and their cultures.

• Exchange of knowledge and technology.

  • Spread of information and ideas about renewable energy and conservation practices can help reduce the negative impact of humans on the environment.

• Overconsumption of natural resources and spread of pollution.

  • The globalization of consumer culture has led to an increase in the production and transportation of goods, which can contribute to greenhouse gas.

• Bubonic Plague, a disease transmitted to humans by fleas which are carried by rodents, spread to Europe and is considered one of the worst pandemics in history.

  • It is estimated to have killed around ⅓ of the population at the time.

  • The plague started in China before spreading to Europe via trade routes.

  • Mongols used biological warfare to spread the plague to Europe, they would load infected catapults and launch them over castle walls, resulting in spread of disease and the death of the people inside.

• Trade of crops, such as spices, shaped cultural, political, and social development of various regions of the world.

  • Trade of spices was an important factor in the development of trade routes and empires.

  • Trade of crops led to spread of agriculture and development of new technology and techniques for growing crops.

    • Bananas originated in the Pacific Region and Southeast Asia, when Arab traders utilized the Indian Ocean trade network to bring them everywhere, especially Africa. Their cultivation became lucrative here.

    • Champa rice spread from Southeast Asia to China first, since Vietnam was under China's tribute system. Champa rice was drought-resistant and early-ripening, and quickly became a staple of the Chinese diet.

    • Citrus originated in Southeast Asia and through the Indian Ocean and SIlk Road to the Mediterranean.

• Negative impacts on the environment:

  • Overgrazing, when the grazing of natural pastures at stocking intensities above the carrying capacity of livestock.

  • Deforestation, the loss of forest trees due to overuse of farmland.

  • Soil erosion, the wearing away of soil from the surface due to overuse of farmland.