AP World History: 1200-1450 CE
AP World History: 1200-1450 CE
Major Civilizations and State Building
State: Territory politically organized under a single government
Song Dynasty (960-1279)
Political Structure and Ideology
* Maintained rule through emphasis on Confucianism
* Continued the revival of Confucianism from Tang Dynasty
* Neo-Confucianism: Sought to remove Buddhist influence
* Confucian principles: Society is hierarchical by nature
* Filial piety: Children obeying and honoring parents/ancestors
Women in Song China
* Relegated to subordinate positions
* Stripped of legal rights
* Endured social restrictions
* Foot binding as status symbol for elite
* Widowed/divorced women couldn't remarry
Imperial Bureaucracy
* Hierarchical government carrying out emperor's will
* Civil service examination required for bureaucratic jobs
* Positions earned on merit
* Open to men of all socioeconomic statuses, but required wealth to study
Buddhism in Song China
* Originated in India
* Four Noble Truths:
* Life is suffering
* We suffer because we crave
* We cease suffering when we cease craving
* The Eightfold Path leads to cessation of suffering
Economic Developments
* Inherited and expanded economic prosperity
* Population doubled between 8th-10th centuries
* Commercialization of economy
* Manufacturers produced excess goods for markets
* Significant exports: porcelain and china
* Agricultural innovation: Champa rice (early maturation, drought resistance)
* Transportation: Expansion of Grand Canal
Developments in Dar-Al-Islam
Political Shifts
* "House of Islam" - regions where Islamic faith was organizing principle
* Abbasid Caliphate (centered in Baghdad) began to lose power
* Turkic peoples replaced Arab dominance
* Seljuk Empire established in 11th century by Turkic pastoralists
* Mongols sacked Baghdad in 1258
Turkic Empires: Continuities
* Military-administered states
* Established Sharia law (legal code based on Quran)
Intellectual Achievements
* Nasir Al-Din Al-Tusi: invented trigonometry
* Muslim scholars preserved Greek philosophy
* House of Wisdom: center of scholarly works
* Golden Age of Islam: center of world scholarship and wealth
Expansion of Muslim Rule
* Military expansion (Seljuk, Mamluk)
* Muslim merchants spread influence
* Empire of Mali converted through trade access
* Muslim missionaries (Sufis adapted to local beliefs)
South and Southeast Asia
Religious Landscape
* Hinduism: Most widespread religion
* Islam: Second most important, influenced elites
* Delhi Sultanate established
* Bhakti Movement: Innovation emphasizing devotion to one Hindu god
* Challenged social and gender hierarchies
Political Entities
* Rajput Kingdoms: Hindu kingdoms that resisted Muslim rule
* Majapahit Kingdom: Buddhist state controlling sea trade routes
* Declined when China supported rival Sultanate of Malacca
* Angkor Wat: Hindu temple later incorporating Buddhist elements
State Building in the Americas
Aztec Empire (1345)
* Capital: Tenochtitlan (largest pre-European city in Americas)
* By 1428, formed alliance with two other states
* Aggressive expansion program
* Administration through tribute states
* Conquered peoples provided labor and goods
* Enslaved people used for human sacrifice
* Relatively decentralized rule
Inca Empire
* Located in Andean civilization
* Elaborate bureaucracy with rigid hierarchy
* Mit'a System: Required labor on state projects
* Highly centralized rule
Mississippian Culture
* First large-scale civilization in Americas
* Agricultural focus
* Large towns dominated smaller settlements
* Known for monumental mounds
State Building in Africa
Swahili Civilization
* Series of politically independent trading cities
* Common social hierarchy with merchant elite
* Influenced by Muslim traders
* Development of Swahili language (Bantu with Arabic script)
* Elite converted to Islam while commoners maintained indigenous beliefs
Great Zimbabwe
* Grew through trade
* Economic strength in farming and cattle
* Shifted to gold exports
* Unlike other African states, never converted to Islam
* Maintained indigenous shamanistic religion
Kingdom of Ethiopia
* Flourished through trade
* Christian state (different from other African states)
* Hierarchical power structure
Europe
Religious Division
* Dominated by Christianity in two forms:
* Eastern Orthodox
* Roman Catholicism
* Byzantine Empire nearly gone by 1200
* Kievan Rus revived Eastern Orthodox tradition
* Roman Catholicism linked fragmented Western European states
* Muslim and Jewish influences also present
Political Organization
* No large empires
* Decentralization and political fragmentation
* Feudalism: System of allegiances between lords, monarchs, knights
* Vassals received land in exchange for military service
* Manorialism: Lords owned land worked by peasants
* Serfs bound to the land
* Political and economic power concentrated in nobility
Tab 2
Unit 2
1200-1450 (still)
Emphasis is how states were connected by networks of exchange
Not only were merchants carrying goods for sale but also brought religion and languages and cluures (faviliated cultural diffusion)
Geographic of all three major exchange networks expanded in this time period (existed long before 1200)
During this time each of these networks increased in geographic scale and that led to further connections among states
Range of these networks expanded due to innovations in commercial practices and technological innovations
Increased connectivity between all these places caused various states to grow wealthy