Regional and transregional Interactions (600CE to 1450 CE)
The Classical Era set the scene. It brought us the major civilizations, religions, and trade routes. But, what happens when all of the major world powers collapse? This is the Post-Classical era. The major world powers come from places you might not expect. There are some powers that are similar to the ones before and the ones after (Byzantine, China). But, the major players in the Post-Classical era come from totally backwards places. One sprouts out of a cave in the Arabian desert. The other comes from the base of a mountain on the steppes in Central Asia. I call this era, Muslims & Mongols. That's not everything, but it just about sums up the basics. (Of course, Trade, Migrations, Religion, and Labor are important...) The Post Classical Era is the FIRST era that represents 20% of the test. From here on out, these eras are worth more than the first two. Pay attention...
Geography
Key Concept 3.1 Expansion and Intensification of communication and Exchange Networks
Although Afro-Eurasia and the Americas remained separate from one another, this era witnessed a deepening and widening of old and new networks of human interaction within and across regions. The results were unprecedented concentrations of wealth and the intensification of cross-cultural exchanges. Innovations in transportation, state policies, and mercantile practices contributed to the expansion and development of commercial networks, which in turn served as conduits for cultural, technological, and biological diffusion within and between various societies. Pastoral or nomadic groups played a key role in creating and sustaining these networks. Expanding networks fostered greater interregional borrowing, while at the same time sustaining regional diversity. The prophetMuhammad promoted Islam, a new major monotheistic religion at the start of this period. It spread quickly through practices of trade, warfare, and diffusion characteristic of this period.
1. Improved transportation technologies and commercial practices led to an increased volume of trade, and expanded the geographical range of existing and newly active trade networks.
A. Existing trade routes flourished, leading to growth of powerful new trading cities. Required examples, existing trade routes: Silk Roads, Mediterranean Sea, Trans-Saharan, AND Indian Ocean basin
One example of new trading cities: Novgorod, Timbuktu, Swahili city-states, Hangzhou, Calicut, Baghdad, Melaka, Venice, Tenochtitlan, OR Cahokia
One example of new trading cities: Novgorod, Timbuktu, Swahili city-states, Hangzhou, Calicut, Baghdad, Melaka, Venice, Tenochtitlan, OR Cahokia
B. New Mesoamerica and Andes region trade routes developed
C. More sophisticated caravan organization, use of compass, astrolabe, larger ship design, new forms of credit and monestization, increased in luxury and other goods trade.
One example of luxury goods: silk and cotton textiles, porceilain, spices, slaves, precious metals and gems OR camel saddles
One example of new forms of credit and monetization: bills of exchange, credit, checks, OR banking houses
C. More sophisticated caravan organization, use of compass, astrolabe, larger ship design, new forms of credit and monestization, increased in luxury and other goods trade.
One example of luxury goods: silk and cotton textiles, porceilain, spices, slaves, precious metals and gems OR camel saddles
One example of new forms of credit and monetization: bills of exchange, credit, checks, OR banking houses
Indian Ocean Trade Carash Course Video
D. State practices, infrastructure building (i.e., Grand Canal in China) and trading organizations
(i.e., Hanseatic League) improved trade and
commercial growth One
example of state practices: minting of coins OR use of paper money
- TRADING ORGANIZATIONS (HANSEATIC LEAGUE)
hanseatic_league_2012.pdf | |
File Size: | 209 kb |
File Type: |
E. The expansion of Empires encouraged/facilitated trans-Eurasian trade –
newly conquered peoples
were drawn into their conquerors’ economies and trade networks. Required
examples: Byzantine Empire,
China, the
Caliphates, AND the Mongols
2. Movement of people caused environmental changes and linguistic effects.
A. Expansion and intensification of long-distance trade routes often depended on environmental knowledge and technological adaptations to the environment
Scandinavian Vikings and their longships video
- Arabs and Berbers adopted camels to travel across Sahara desert OR Central asian pastoral/ herding groups used horses to travel across steppes/grasslands
B. some migrations had significant environmental impacts Required examples of migration and their environmental impact -
- Migration of Bantu-speaking people who diffused (spread) iron technologies and agricultural techniques in Sub-Saharan Africa
- (Click here to follow the Bantu migration)
bantu_migrations__great_zimbabwe_freemanpedia.pdf | |
File Size: | 250 kb |
File Type: |
- Polynesian maritime migrations took food staples and domisticated animals to new islands.
polynesian_migrations_freemanpedia.pdf | |
File Size: | 284 kb |
File Type: |
C. Some migrations and commercial contacts led to the diffusion of languages (spread of Bantu language including Swahili, spread of Turkic and Arabic languages) through out a new region or the development of new languages.
3. Intensification of existing or creation of new trade and communication networks/ routes led to more cross cultural exchanges
A. Islam, based on the revelations of the prophet Muhammad, developed in the Arabian peninsula. The beliefs and practices of Islam reflected interactions among Jews, Christians, and Zoroastrians with the local Arabian peoples. Muslim rule expanded to many parts of Afro-Eurasia due tomilitary expansion, and Islam subsequently expanded through the activities of merchants and missionaries
Islam Crash course Video
|
|
B. Merchants often set up diasporic communities (away fro ancestral homelands) in cities along important trade routes where they introduced their own cultural traditions into local/indigenous culture. Examples-
C. The writings of interregional travellers illustrate both the extent and limitations of intercultural knowledge and understanding. Examples-
- Muslim merchants in the Indian Ocean
- Chinese in the SE Asia
- Sogdians in Central Asia
- Jewish merchants in Mediterranean, Indian Ocean, Silk roads.
C. The writings of interregional travellers illustrate both the extent and limitations of intercultural knowledge and understanding. Examples-
D. Increased cross cultural interactions resulted in the diffusion of literary, artistic, and cultural traditions. Example-
- Neoconfucianism and Buddhism in SE Asia
- Hinduism and Buddhism in SE Asia
- Toltec/Mexica and Inca traditions in Mesoamerica and Andean America
Mansa Musa and Islam in Afric crash Course Video
It also resulted in the diffusion of scientific and technological traditions. Examples-
Greek and Indian mathematics on Muslim scholars
return of Greek science and philosophy to Western Europe via Muslim al-Andalus in Iberia
Spread of printing and gun powder technologies from East Asia into Islamic empires and Western Europe
Greek and Indian mathematics on Muslim scholars
return of Greek science and philosophy to Western Europe via Muslim al-Andalus in Iberia
Spread of printing and gun powder technologies from East Asia into Islamic empires and Western Europe
4. There was continued diffusion of crops and disease pathogens throughout the Eastern Hemisphere along the trade routes.
A. New foods and agricultural techniques(Bananas in Africa, New rice varieties from East asia, spread of cloth, sugar, and citrus throughout Dar-al-Islam and Mediterranean basin) were adopted in populated areas.
B. The spread of epidemic diseases, including black Death, followed the well established paths of trade and military conquests.
Story of Manking: Spread of Plague Video
|
|
|
Key Concept 3.2 continuity and Innovation of State (Political units) Forms and their interactions
1. Empires collapsed and some were re-established; in some regions new states emerged.
A. Following the collapse of empires, most reconstitued governments, including Byzantine Empires and the Chinese dynasties -Sui, Tang, and Song -- combined traditional sources and power and legitimacy (Patriachy, Religion, Land-owning elites)with new political innovations( new methos of taxation, tributary systems, adaption of religious institutions) better suited to the currentcircumstances.
B. In some places new forms of governance/ political systems emerged including those developed in various Islamic states. (abassids, Muslim Iberia, Delhi Sultanate,), the Mongol Khanate, city-states(Italian peninsula, East Africa, Southeast Asia, Americas), and decentralized government (feudalism) in Europe and japan
|
|
While Europe was in the Dark Ages, Islamic and chinese civilizations were...Crash Course Video
|
C. some states synthesized/combined local and borowed governance traditions( Persian tradition that influenced Islamic states, Chinese traditions that influenced Japan.
D. State/political systems expanded in scope and power in the Americas - network of Mayan city-states and imperial Mexico/Aztec and Inca states at the end of the period.
D. State/political systems expanded in scope and power in the Americas - network of Mayan city-states and imperial Mexico/Aztec and Inca states at the end of the period.
2. Interregional contacts and conflicts between states and empires encouraged significant technological and cultural transfers
Required examples:
- between Tang China and Abbbasids
- , across the Mongol Empires
- and during the Crusades
The Crusades- Pilgrimage or holy war/ Crash Course Video
|
|
Key Concept 3.3 Increased Economic Production and its Consequences
Changes in trade networks resulted from and stimulated increasing productive capacity, with important implications for social and gender structures and environmental processes. Productivity rose in both agriculture and industry. Rising productivity supported population growth and urbanization but also strained environmental resources and at times caused dramatic demographic swings. Shifts in production and the increased volume of trade also stimulated new labor practices, including adaptation of existing patterns of free and coerced labor. Social and gender structures evolved in response to these changes.
1. Innovations stimulated agricultural and industrial production in many regions
A. Agricultural production increased significantly due to technological innovations (Champa rice varieties, chinampas field system, waru waru raised beds and canals in Andes region, improved terracing , horse collar)
B. in response to increasing demand in Afro-Eurasia for foreign luxury goods, crops were transported from their indigenous homelands to equivalent climates in other regions.
C. Chinese, Persian, and Indian artisans and merchants expanded their production of textiles and porceleins for export; industrisl production of ironand steel expanded in China
2. The fate of cities varied greatly, with periods of significant decline, and with periods of increased urbanization by rising productivity and expanding trade networks.
A. Multiple factors contributed to the decline of some cities. Required examples of factors-
- Invasions
- diseases
- The decline of agricultural productivity
- The little Ice Age
B. Multiple factors influenced urban revival, including:
- end of invasions
- safe and reliable transportation
- rise of commerce and warmer temperatures between 800 and 1300
- increased food production and subsequent population rise
- AND/OR greater availability of labor helped urban growth
C. Older cities decline, while new cities developed to take on established urban roles and functions/activities. Cities continue to play key roles as governmental, religious, and commercial/economic/trade centers. many older cities declined at the same time that numerous new cities emerged to take on these established roles
- students should be able to explain the cultural, religious, commercial and governmental function of atleast two major cities
rise_and_fall_of_the_cities_freemanpedia.pdf | |
File Size: | 321 kb |
File Type: |
3. Despite continued traditional patterns in many socio-economic class systems and economic production, there were important changes in labor systems and the effect of religious conversions on gender relations and family life.
A. As in the previous time period; there were many forms of labor systems/organization:
B. As in the previous period, social systems were shaped by socio-economic class and caste hierarchies (rankings)
C. Patriarchy persisted; however in some areas, women exercised more power and influence, most notably among the Mongols, in W. Africa, Japan, and SE Asia.
D. New forms of coerced labor appeared, including serfdom in feudal Europe and Japan, and the mit’a system in the Inca Empire. Free peasants resisted attempts to raise dues and taxes by staging revolts. The demand for slaves for both military and domestic purposes increased – particularly in central Eurasia, regions in Africa, and the eastern Mediterranean. One example of regions where free peasants revolted: China OR the Byzantine Empire
Learn one illustrative example of regions where free peasants revolted ether from the list below or an example of your choice
- Free peasant agriculture
- nomadic pastoralism/herding and foraging
- craftt production and guild organization
- various forms of coerced and unfree labor (slavery, serfdom, mit’a, corvee labor)
- government imposed labor taxes
- military obligations
B. As in the previous period, social systems were shaped by socio-economic class and caste hierarchies (rankings)
C. Patriarchy persisted; however in some areas, women exercised more power and influence, most notably among the Mongols, in W. Africa, Japan, and SE Asia.
D. New forms of coerced labor appeared, including serfdom in feudal Europe and Japan, and the mit’a system in the Inca Empire. Free peasants resisted attempts to raise dues and taxes by staging revolts. The demand for slaves for both military and domestic purposes increased – particularly in central Eurasia, regions in Africa, and the eastern Mediterranean. One example of regions where free peasants revolted: China OR the Byzantine Empire
Learn one illustrative example of regions where free peasants revolted ether from the list below or an example of your choice
new_labor_managment_2012.pdf | |
File Size: | 263 kb |
File Type: |
E. The diffusion/spread of Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, and Neoconfucianism often led to significant changes in gender relations and family structure.
|
PEOPLE TO KNOW
BELOW ARE SOME DOCUMENTS TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND PERIOD III: REGIONAL AND TRANSREGIONAL INTERACTIONS
period_3_illustrative_examples_final.pdf | |
File Size: | 772 kb |
File Type: |
CONTINUITIES
European and Japanese feudalism
Chinese cultural patterns & dynastic cycle
major cities centers of trade, government, religion, and culture
transregional trade
Roman legal system maintained in Byzantine Empire basis for western European legal system
Shintoissm, Buddhism, Confucianism in Japan and the Japanese imperial family
patriarchy - regional inequality increased slavery and other forms of forced labor
mixture of African agricultural, nomadic, and urban cultures
Chinese cultural patterns & dynastic cycle
major cities centers of trade, government, religion, and culture
transregional trade
Roman legal system maintained in Byzantine Empire basis for western European legal system
Shintoissm, Buddhism, Confucianism in Japan and the Japanese imperial family
patriarchy - regional inequality increased slavery and other forms of forced labor
mixture of African agricultural, nomadic, and urban cultures