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Overview of Major Civilizations (1200-1450) unit 1

Apr 5, 2025

AP World History Unit 1 Overview (1200-1450)

Introduction

  • Focus on major civilizations and their state building and maintenance.
  • Understanding the concept of "state" as a politically organized territory under a single government.

China and the Song Dynasty

  • Period: 960-1279

  • State Maintenance:

    • Confucianism Revival: Neo-confucianism focused on a hierarchical society.
      • Influence on social structure, especially on women's rights.
      • Women's rights and social status declined; practices like foot binding emphasized.
    • Imperial Bureaucracy: Expansion helped maintain rule.
      • Civil service exams based on Confucian classics, theoretically open to all men.
  • Economy:

    • Commercialization: Production for markets, not just local consumption.
    • Important Goods: Porcelain, silk.
    • Agricultural Innovations: Introduction of Champa rice leading to population growth.
    • Transportation: Expansion of the Grand Canal.

Influence of Chinese Traditions

  • Influenced Korea, Japan, and Vietnam.
    • Adoption of similar civil service systems and Buddhism.

Buddhism

  • Spread from India:
    • Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path.
    • Variations:
      • Theravada: Monastic focus.
      • Mahayana: Broader participation, bodhisattvas aiding others.

Dar al-Islam

  • Geographic Spread: Across Afro-Eurasia.

  • Religious Context:

    • Judaism: Centered on Torah.
    • Christianity: Teachings of Jesus Christ.
    • Islam: Teachings of Muhammad.
  • Empires:

    • Abbasid Caliphate: Decline by 1200.
    • Turkic Empires: Seljuk Empire, Mamluk Sultanate, Delhi Sultanate.
  • Cultural and Scientific Advances:

    • Scholars like Nasir al-Din al-Tusi.
    • Preservation and translation of Greek works.
  • Expansion:

    • Military: New empires established.
    • Merchants: Spread through North Africa and West Africa (e.g., Mali Empire).
    • Sufis: Missionary activities in South Asia.

South and Southeast Asia

  • Religious Influence:

    • South Asia: Decline of Buddhism, dominance of Hinduism, and Islam.
    • Bhakti Movement: Devotion to single Hindu gods.
  • State Building:

    • South Asia: Challenges to Muslim rule by Rajput Kingdoms and Vijayanagara Empire.
    • Southeast Asia: Majapahit Kingdom and Khmer Empire.

Americas

  • Mesoamerica:

    • Aztec Empire: Expansion and tribute system.
    • Inca Empire: Centralized control, mita system.
  • North America:

    • Mississippian Culture: Mound-building, agriculture.

Africa

  • East Africa:

    • Swahili Civilization: City-states, influenced by Muslim traders.
  • West Africa:

    • Empires: Ghana, Mali, Songhai.
    • Islam mainly among elites.
  • Central Africa:

    • Great Zimbabwe: Trade-driven growth, maintained indigenous religion.
  • Ethiopia:

    • Christian state in a predominantly Muslim region.

Europe

  • Religious Context:

    • Byzantine Empire: Eastern Orthodox Christianity.
    • Western Europe: Roman Catholicism.
  • State Structure:

    • Feudalism: Decentralized power.
    • Manorialism: Land-based economy.
    • Centralization: Gradual shift towards monarchal powers.