Transcript Period 3 Regional and Transregional Interactions

Period 3
Regional and
Transregional Interactions
c. 600 C.E. to 1450 C.E.
Origins of Islam
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Arabian Peninsula center
of trade
Exposure to monotheistic
faiths (Judaism, Christianity,
Zoroastrianism)
Prophet Muhammad had
vision and gained followers
after 622 C.E.
Built empire on Arabian
Peninsula prior to his
death
Basic Beliefs of Islam
Monotheistic (Allah)
 5 Pillars
 Heaven/Hell
 Equality of all believers
 Evangelical (seeking converts)
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Islam as a Social Cement
Tribes finally united by common faith
 Arabic in origins (language/culture)
 No priestly class – opportunity for all
 Provided authority & moral code
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Islamic Expansion
Unity of tribes = confidence
 Need for valuable land & trade routes
 Not to force conversion on neighboring
societies
 Nomadic roots was military advantage
 Jizya (tax) on non-Muslims & treasure
built wealth
 Neighboring societies were weakening
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Islamic Expansion
Sunni – Shi’a Split
No clear successor to Muhammad
 Rashidian Caliphs (1st 4) expanded
successfully
 Conflict over control leads to split
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Sunni
Shi’a
Majority
Minority
Follow Muhammad’s example
Must be blood related
Accepted Umayyad rule
Followers of Ali (rejected
Umayyads)
Umayyad Caliphate (661 – 750)
Conquest continues
(empire stretches from
India to Spain)
 Capital moved to
Damascus
 Women’s status generally
improved
 Decline results from
internal fighting,
corruption, leaders’
separation from the
people
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Abbasid Caliphate (750 – c. 900)
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Originates in Iran (Persians)
◦ Shift away from Arab-centric
Empire
Capital moved to Baghdad
 Ruled as kings
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◦ Powerful bureaucracy led by wazir
Women’s status declines
 Gradual decline
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◦ Vast & diverse empire with little
loyalty
◦ Caliphs manipulated
◦ Nomadic attacks along borders
Golden Age of Islam
Dynamic urban expansion
◦ Market, Mosque, Medina
 Explosion of creativity & advancement
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 See picture tour for examples
Although ethnically & politically divided Islamic
Empire was religiously & culturally united
 Preserved/built upon Mediterranean & Middle
Eastern learning
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Golden Age of Islam
More social mobility than most societies
 Trade crossroads brought cultural
diffusion
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West Africa
Gold, Salt and
Slaves
East Asia
Silk
Muslim Merchants
East Africa
Ivory and Gold
India/SE Asia
Spices
Islam in South & SE Asia
India politically fragmented but
culturally, economically,
intellectually rich
 Northern India (Indus –
Ganges Plains) invaded starting
in 700s
 Delhi Sultanate created in
1206
 Blending of beliefs
◦ Influence went both
directions
◦ Sufi mystics
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Islam in South & SE Asia
Merchant class in coastal urban areas &
low caste Hindus were more likely to
convert
 Hinduism adapted to deal with “threat” of
a new faith
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◦ High caste Hindus were most against Islamic
influence
◦ India least converted region
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SE Asia had large # of converts due to
trade & lack of centralized resistance
Islam in Sub-Saharan Africa
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Africa geographically diverse =
culturally diverse = fragmented
societies
Political organization varied
◦ Hierarchy (Ghana)
◦ Stateless societies
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Despite differences, pre-Islamic
beliefs did contain some
similarities
Trade contact was signficant
◦ Indian Ocean & Trans-Saharan
Islam in Sub-Saharan Africa
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Conversion successful
because:
◦ Conquest & cultural diffusion
◦ African kings benefitted from
order & structure
◦ Equality popular amongst
masses
◦ Coexisted with native beliefs
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Ghana, Mali & Songhai in West
Swahili Coast in East
◦ Aksum remained Christian
Islam in Sub-Saharan Africa
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Long-term influence of
Islam on Sub-Saharan
Africa
◦ Increased long-distance
trade
◦ Mosques and Islamic
architecture
◦ Language (i.e. Swahili)
◦ Islam spreads mostly
among merchants and
elites (opposite of India)
◦ Slave trade grows
China after the fall of the Han
Politically
unstable
 Constant warfare
 Famine
 Nomadic
invasion
 Buddhism grew
in popularity
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Sui Dynasty (589 – 618 C.E.)
Reunited former
Han lands
 Drove back nomads
 Lowered taxes
 Promoted the
scholar gentry class
 Excessive spending
led to decline by 618
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Tang Dynasty (618 – 906 C.E.)
Duke of Tang emerged after struggle for
power
 Defeated nomadic groups & repaired Wall
 Controlled Korea as a vassal state
 Power held by scholar gentry
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◦ Civil service exams became harder, but
corruption remained
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Buddhism had gained popularity &
Confucianists & Daoists felt threatened
Tang Dynasty (618 – 906 C.E.)
Tang Dynasty expanded territory
 Decline starts in mid 9th c.
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Palace intrigue
Focus on luxury
Nomadic invasion
Rebellious local leaders
Falls by 906
Song Dynasty (960 -1279 C.E.)
After 50 years of war, Emperor Taizu
emerged on top, creating Song Dynasty
 Weakened military out of fear of being taken
over
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◦ Paid northern nomads tribute so they would not
attack
◦ Lost territory
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Militarily weak, culturally strong
Song Dynasty (960 -1279 C.E.)
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Oversaw an economic
revolution
◦ Centered in capital of
Hangzhou
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Neoconfucianism grew
◦ Stressed hierarchy, obedience,
high standards, very hostile
towards outside ideas &
women
◦ Foot binding
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Glorious age of invention for
China
Song Dynasty (960 -1279 C.E.)
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Decline of the Song was
steady & gradual
◦ Could not take control of
northern borders – forced retreat
to Southern China by Jurchens
◦ Treasury depleted by bloated
scholar gentry, tribute payments to
nomads
◦ Reforms attempted but not
accepted
◦ China slowly weakened, paving
way for eventual Mongol takeover
European Feudalism
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Politics/Government
◦ Decentralized
◦ Chaos & violence
 Viking raids created need for protection
◦ Reciprocal relationship of protection & food
(landowning lords & knights) in return for loyalty &
labor (serfs)
◦ Some centralized governments were formed
 Charlemagne & Holy Roman Empire, William the
Conqueror in England
◦ Eventually governments start to modernize
 Magna Carta & birth of parliament
European Feudalism
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Economics/Trade
◦ Cities fell in importance as trade routes became unsafe,
government offices closed and people retreated to rural
areas for land & protection
◦ Trade was minimal and local
◦ Until Crusades, Western Europe becomes relatively isolated
◦ Eventually guilds, banking systems trade leagues & common
currency emerge
 Hanseatic League
European Feudalism
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Culture/Religion
◦ Christianity spread throughout Europe
following fall of Rome
◦ Catholic Church replaced Roman
government as source of order &
authority
◦ Pope was most powerful man in Europe
◦ Faith provided hope in an otherwise
desolate existence
◦ Learning preserved by the Church (very
little new advancements during this time)
◦ Art almost always religious in theme
European Feudalism
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Society/Gender Relations
◦ Society in strict feudal hierarchy
(most people poor peasants or
serfs)
◦ Women often restrained to the
home except in cities &
convents
◦ Peasant women had daily
freedom, but poor quality of life
◦ Royal women had little freedom,
but high quality of life
◦ Could not own property
Japanese Feudalism
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Politics/Government
◦ Unified in the “Imperial Period”
from the 500s to 800s
◦ Taika Reforms (646) made Japan
more like China
◦ Reforms were resisted by
aristocratic families and an
attempt to decentralize
occurred in the 800s
◦ Japan adopts feudal system
known as Bakufu (“tent
government”)
Japanese Feudalism
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Economics/Trade
◦ Most trade occurred with China & Korea
◦ Primarily an agricultural (rice) economy
◦ Despite decentralized government, economy
consistently grew
Japanese Feudalism
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Culture/Religion
◦ Sinification was met with
mixed acceptance
◦ Native religion of Shintoism
◦ Confucianism, Buddhism,
civil service exams, imperial
government/army
Japanese Feudalism
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Society/Gender Relations
◦ Strict social hierarchy based on
bloodline
◦ Warrior class followed code of
Bushido
◦ Aristocratic landowners had most
power
◦ Peasant class relied on landowners
for protection & were used for labor
◦ Women & merchants had inferior
social status, although later in period
experienced more opportunities
Similarities between European &
Japanese Feudalism
Decentralized government
 Relative Isolation
 Strict social hierarchy
 Valued military strength/loyalty above all
else
 Foreign beliefs spread rapidly (Christianity,
Buddhism, Confucianism)
 Women seen as inferior
 Eventually centralized power emerges
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The Mongol Empire
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Mongols were
nomadic herdsmen
fragmented into clans
& tribes
◦ c. 1100 2 million
Mongols divided into
over 30 tribes
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Fierce hunters &
warriors who valued
courage & physical
strength above all else
The Mongol Empire
Temujin (Chinggis Khan) was
elected supreme ruler (khan) by
tribal chieftains
 Due to skill & charisma he was
able to unit tribes
 Reorganized the army into
tumens & led 1st wave of
conquest
 Army was highly mobile, tough &
had superior weapons & tactics
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The Mongol Empire
The Mongol Empire
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Pax Mongolica
◦ Single Authority from
China to Europe
◦ Trade flourished
(routes were safer)
◦ Uniform legal code
(Yasa)
◦ Postal System (Yam)
◦ Religious tolerance
The Mongol Empire
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Strengths
Nomadic roots
Culture of Honor &
courage
Efficiently organized
Not afraid to borrow
Tolerant of those
they conquered
Weaknesses
 Successors of
Chinggis fought each
other for power
 Empire was too large
to control
 Communication &
control difficult to
achieve
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