AP World History: Unit 1 Overview (1200-1450)

Introduction

• Time Period: 1200-1450
• Focus: Building and maintaining states worldwide
• Definition of 'State': A politically organized territory under a single government

Song Dynasty China

Key Features

• Period: 960-1279
• State Maintenance:
  • Confucianism Revival: Known as Neo-Confucianism, removed Buddhist influences
  • Hierarchical Society: Emphasized filial piety and social order
  • Women's Roles: Subordinate, loss of legal rights, foot binding as a social status
• Imperial Bureaucracy:
  • Civil Service Exam: Based on merit, rooted in Confucian classics

Influence on Neighboring Regions

• Korea, Japan, Vietnam: Adopted Chinese traditions, like bureaucracy and Buddhism

Economy

• Commercialization: Increased production of goods for trade (porcelain, silk)
• Agricultural Innovation: Champa rice led to population growth
• Transportation: Expansion of the Grand Canal facilitating trade

Dar al-Islam

Islamic Political Entities

• Decline of Abbasid Caliphate: New Turkic empires rise (Seljuk, Mamluk, Delhi Sultanate)

Cultural and Scientific Contributions

• Nasir al-Din al-Tusi: Advances in mathematics, trigonometry
• Preservation of Greek Philosophy: Translated into Arabic, housed in the House of Wisdom

Expansion of Islam

• Methods: Military expansion, merchant activities, Sufi missionaries

South and Southeast Asia

Religious Influence

• South Asia:
  • Decline of Buddhism, rise of Hinduism and Islam
  • Bhakti Movement: Simplified Hinduism, challenged social hierarchies
• Southeast Asia: Dominated by Buddhism and Islam

State Building

• Delhi Sultanate: Struggled to impose Muslim rule over Hindu majority
• Rajput Kingdoms: Hindu resistance to Muslim rule
• Vijayanagara Empire: Hindu kingdom formed after Muslim emissaries reconverted
• Majapahit and Khmer Empires: Influenced by trade, Buddhism predominant

The Americas

Mesoamerica

• Aztec Empire:
  • Founding: 1345, known for Tribute System
  • Religion: Human sacrifices as part of belief system

Andean Civilizations

• Inca Empire:
  • Mita System: Labor on state projects
  • Comparison with Aztecs: More centralized vs decentralized

Mississippian Culture

• Agricultural Focus: Around Mississippi River Valley
• Notable Features: Monumental mounds

Africa

East Africa

• Swahili Civilization: Trade-centric, influenced by Muslim traders, language hybrid

West Africa

• Empires: Ghana, Mali, Songhai – centralized power through trade
• Hausa Kingdoms: City-states, trade-focused, similar to Swahili

Great Zimbabwe

• Economic Focus: Farming, cattle herding, gold trade
• Religion: Indigenous, not converted to Islam

Ethiopia

• Unique Feature: Christian state amidst Islamic predominance

Europe

Belief Systems

• Two Christianities:
  • Eastern Orthodox: Byzantine Empire, adopted by Kievan Rus
  • Roman Catholicism: Dominant in Western Europe, linked decentralized states

State Building

• Feudalism: Lords and vassals, exchange of land for military service
• Manorialism: Economic power centered on manors
• Rise of Monarchies: Gradual centralization over centuries

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These notes provide an overview of the key concepts and developments in various regions around the world during the period 1200-1450, focusing on state-building efforts, cultural exchanges, and the influence of major belief systems.