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Overview of Global Civilizations (1200-1450)

May 6, 2025

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.