AP World History Unit 1 Lecture Notes: 1200 to 1450

Introduction

• Focus on major civilizations and their state-building efforts.
• Definition of "state" as a politically organized territory under one government.

Song Dynasty in China

Maintenance of Rule

• Emphasized Confucianism and revived it as Neo-Confucianism:
  • Hierarchical society: citizens submit to the state, women to men, juniors to elders, etc.
  • Filial piety: importance of children honoring and obeying parents/ancestors.
• Expansion of the Imperial bureaucracy:
  • Civil service exams based on Confucian classics.
  • Jobs based on merit rather than nepotism.

Role of Women

• Subordinate position; stripped of legal rights.
• Practices like foot binding as a status symbol.

Chinese Influence on Neighbors

• Korea, Japan, Vietnam influenced by Chinese traditions:
  • Civil service exams, Buddhism, etc.

Economy

• Commercialization: production of surplus goods for local and international markets.
• Introduction of Champa rice, leading to significant population growth.
• Expansion of the Grand Canal for trade.

Dar al-Islam

Political Entities

• Transition from Arab to Turkic Muslim empires (e.g., Seljuk Empire).

Cultural and Scientific Achievements

• Preservation and translation of Greek works.
• Innovations like trigonometry by Nasir al-Din al-Tusi.
• House of Wisdom in Baghdad during the Islamic Golden Age.

Expansion of Islam

• Through military expansion, trade, and missionary work (Sufis).

South and Southeast Asia

Belief Systems

• Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam as major religions.
• Bhakti movement: emphasized devotion to one god, challenging Hindu hierarchies.

State Building

• Delhi Sultanate: Muslim rule with challenges in enforcing universal conversion.
• Hindu resistance: Rajput Kingdoms and Vijayanagara Empire.
• Southeast Asia: diverse empires influenced by trade with China and India.

The Americas

Mesoamerica

• Aztec Empire: Tribute system, large capital city Tenochtitlan.

Andean Civilization

• Inca Empire: Centralized rule using the mit'a system for labor.

North America

• Mississippian culture: Large-scale agriculture and construction of mounds.

Africa

East Africa

• Swahili Civilization: Trade-based city-states with Islamic influence.

West Africa

• Empires like Ghana, Mali, Songhai driven by trade and partially converted to Islam.

Great Zimbabwe

• Wealth from trade; maintained indigenous religion.

Ethiopia

• Unique as a Christian state; hierarchical monarchy.

Europe

Belief Systems

• Dominated by Christianity with Eastern Orthodox (Byzantine Empire) and Roman Catholicism (Western Europe).

State Organization

• Fragmented states organized around feudalism and manorialism.
• Monarchs began to centralize power post-1000 CE.

These notes aim to capture the key points of the AP World History lecture on unit 1, providing a high-level summary that is useful for review and study.