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Global State Building and Expansion (1200-1450)

Apr 27, 2025

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AP World History - Unit 1: State Building and Expansion (circa 1200-1450)

Key Concepts:

  • Focus on major civilizations and how they built and maintained their states
  • Definition of "State": A territory politically organized under a single government

The Song Dynasty (China)

Confucianism

  • Revival of Confucianism, termed "Neo-Confucianism"
  • Emphasis on hierarchical society: citizens defer to the state, women to men, children to parents
  • Filial piety: children's obedience to parents and ancestors

Women's Role

  • Subordinate position; loss of legal rights
  • Practice of foot binding as a status symbol among elites

Expansion of Imperial Bureaucracy

  • Hierarchical government structure
  • Civil service examination based on Confucian classics
  • Merit-based bureaucratic jobs

Influence on Neighboring Regions

  • Korea, Japan, Vietnam adopted Chinese traditions
  • Influence in civil service examination and Buddhism

Buddhism in Song China

  • Originated in India, spread to China
  • Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path
  • Mahayana Buddhism: broader participation, bodhisattvas help others to Enlightenment

Economy and Innovations

  • Prosperity and population growth
  • Commercialization: production of goods like porcelain and silk
  • Introduction of Champa rice: led to population growth
  • Expansion of the Grand Canal for trade

Dar al-Islam

Rise and Fall of Empires

  • Abbasid Caliphate (Arab) declining by 1200
  • Rise of Seljuk Empire, Mamluk Sultanate, Delhi Sultanate (Turkic)
  • Sharia law as the foundation of legal systems

Cultural and Scientific Innovations

  • Nasir al-Din al-Tusi: advances in mathematics, trigonometry
  • Preservation of Greek philosophy
  • House of Wisdom in Baghdad

Spread of Islam

  • Military expansion, merchant activities, and Sufi missionaries

South and Southeast Asia

Belief Systems

  • Hinduism dominant in South Asia, Islam as a significant influence
  • Bhakti movement: devotion to one Hindu god, simplified practices

State Building

  • Delhi Sultanate: Muslim rule in India
  • Rajput Kingdoms: Hindu resistance
  • Vijayanagara Empire: Southern Hindu kingdom
  • Southeast Asia: Majapahit Kingdom (Buddhist) and Khmer Empire (Hindu/Buddhist)

Americas

Mesoamerica

  • Aztec Empire (founded 1345): tribute system, human sacrifice

Andean Civilization

  • Inca Empire: centralized bureaucracy, mita system

Mississippian Culture

  • Large-scale agriculture and mound-building

Africa

Swahili Civilization (East Africa)

  • Trade-based city-states, influenced by Islam

West Africa

  • Empires like Ghana, Mali, Songhai centered around trade
  • Hausa Kingdoms: city-states, trade-focused

Great Zimbabwe

  • Trade-driven economy, maintained indigenous religion

Ethiopia

  • Christian state, hierarchical society

Europe

Belief Systems

  • Dominated by Christianity: Eastern Orthodox (Byzantine) and Roman Catholic (Western Europe)
  • Influence of Muslims and Jews

Political Organization

  • Feudalism: lords and vassals system
  • Manorialism: economy centered on manors
  • Rise of monarchs post-1000 CE

Conclusion

Unit 1 covers the development of political states, religious influences, and economic systems across various regions from 1200 to 1450. The interactions between different cultures, trade practices, and religious movements played significant roles in shaping the world during this period.

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