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

Introduction

• Focus on state building and maintenance across major civilizations.
• Definition of "state": a politically organized territory under a single government.

China: Song Dynasty

• Confucianism Revival

  • Neo-Confucianism: revival of Confucianism influenced by Buddhism.
  • Hierarchical societal order: filial piety emphasized.
  • Women in society: limited legal rights, social restrictions (e.g. foot binding).

• Imperial Bureaucracy

  • Expansion of bureaucracy to maintain control.
  • Civil service exams based on Confucian classics.

• Economic Developments

  • Commercialization and trade (e.g. porcelain, silk).
  • Introduction of Champa rice: agricultural advancements.
  • Expansion of the Grand Canal for trade and communication.

Dar al-Islam

• Political Changes

  • Transition from Arab to Turkic dominated Muslim empires (e.g. Seljuk Empire).
  • Abbasid Caliphate decline, rise of Seljuk Turks.

• Cultural and Scientific Innovations

  • Translation and preservation of Greek works.
  • Advances in mathematics and science (e.g. trigonometry by Nasir al-Din al-Tusi).

• Expansion of Islam

  • Military expansion, merchant activity, Sufi missionaries.

South and Southeast Asia

• Religious Influence

  • South Asia: Decline of Buddhism, dominance of Hinduism and introduction of Islam.
  • Bhakti movement in Hinduism.
  • Southeast Asia: Buddhism and Islam influence.

• Political Structures

  • Delhi Sultanate and resistance (e.g. Rajput Kingdoms, Vijayanagara Empire).
  • Southeast Asia: sea-based and land-based powers (e.g. Majapahit Kingdom, Khmer Empire).

The Americas

• Mesoamerica: Aztec Empire

  • Tribute system for governance.
  • Human sacrifice in religious practices.

• Andean Civilization: Inca Empire

  • Centralized bureaucracy, mita labor system.

• Mississippian Culture

  • Mound-building societies, agricultural focus.

Africa

• East Africa: Swahili Civilization

  • Trade-centered city-states, influence of Islam.

• West Africa

  • Ghana, Mali, Songhai Empires: trade-driven growth, partial adoption of Islam.
  • Hausa Kingdoms: trade brokers in trans-Saharan trade.

• Great Zimbabwe

  • Wealth from trade, maintained indigenous religion.

• Ethiopia

  • Christian state, hierarchical structure.

Europe

• Christianity as the Dominant Religion

  • Eastern Orthodox in Byzantine Empire, linked to Kievan Rus.
  • Roman Catholicism in Western Europe, unified fragmented states.

• Feudal System

  • Decentralized political power, feudalism and manorialism.
  • Rise of monarchs post-1000 CE, leading to centralization.