AP REVIEW SESSION600-1450

Regional Geography: East Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, etc.

Regions are NOT countries! “Africa” is a continent, as is “Europe.” Can these

be divided (regionally speaking) further? When asked to discuss regions (you will be

asked to do this!), be sure you understand where the regions exist on your “mental map”

Be able to identify countries/civilizations that exist w/in those regions during the time periods specified. This is key to successful essay writing!!!

The Big Picture: 600-1450

1. Culture areas vs. States– how should you approach history?

2. Change in society– why did people move around, impact of that movement. Think: internal vs. external pressures

3. Economy and trade: similarities b/t societies/cultures. Monetary systems, trade routes, trade practices

The Islamic World (ch. 8)• From Sasanid to Muhammad• 610- the “Night of Power and Excellence”• Mecca to Medina, back to Mecca• Muhammad dies 632: who follows?• Abu Bakr: caliph, Islamic empire (growth of empire=growth of Islam)Umayyad Dynasty (to 750): capital @ Damascus; Mecca spiritual ctr;

Arabic; gold/silver coins official $ unit; conversions of conquered or taxes

• Expansion & Conflict: Byzantines, Europe (Iberian peninsula & Sicily) • Succession?? Shia- Ali (M’s son-in law) rightful heir

Sunni- caliphs ok, leaders from the people

Abbasid Dynasty (750-1258): capital @ Baghdad; golden age for arts and sciences;

• Trade: merchant system of credit; medicine & math; steel for sword• Society: translate classics of Athens and Rome to Arabic• Religion: conversions hastened by Sufis (Islamic mystics) who

encouraged adaptation of Islam to local customsMuslims not taxed = best interests to convert!

http://www.hyperhistory.com/online

_n2/History_n2/a.html

Women and the Fall of Islamic Empire

Women: Koran said equal before Allah• Subservient to men• Dowry returned if divorced• Veiled in public• Testimony only have worth as men• Primary role in the home; protected/respected

under Koran

Fall of Empire: blame it on the Mongols! 1258 Baghdad sacked

EUROPE AND THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE (ch. 9)

395 CE: Rome split east/west• East: Byzantine Empire• West: Dark Ages a.k.a. Middle Ages (period after fall and

before Renaissance)Byzantine Empire:• Greek; eastern cultures; Orthodox Christianity; capital @

Constantinople• Trade and arts: at a crossroads; coins, major

construction of buildings/churches; mosaics to decorate churches

• Justinian Code (r. 527-565): Roman legal principles• Secular rulers headed the church; 1054 official split w/

Roman Catholic Church in West

Religion and Kievan Russia (ch. 9)

Orthodox Christianity localized: services in local language

• Political emperors in control of both politics and church

• Secular empire

Russia: 980 Vladimir, Kievan Prince, converted to Orthodox Christianity

• Russian Orthodox church aligned w/ Byzantine traditions, not Roman Cath. Church

Western Europe: Fall of Rome, Rise of the Franks and Feudalism

(ch. 9)Fall of Rome: invasions by Germanic tribes; settled in W. Eur;

converted to ChristianityFranks: King Clovis Charles Martel (stopped spread of Islam @

Battle of Tours 732) Pepin (Carolingian Dynasty) Charlemagne (crowned by the Pope)

Franks built kingdom, not empire; Charlemagne’s empire a.k.a. Holy Roman Empire (northern Italy, Germany, Belgium, France)

Politics/Society: Charlemagne overall control, but local lords had local power

Rise of Church influence: W. Eur still invaded by Vikings, invaders converted; Christianity institutionalized at every level of society

Middle of Middle Ages, Roman Catholic Church most powerful institution in W. Eur, world.

Empires in Eastern & Western Europe; Southwest Asia

European Feudalism (ch. 9)

Feudalism: soc, ec, pol system during M.Ages w/ strict hierarchy

• Lord & peasants on manor; Lord in charge of own manor

• Fulfill obligations to lords above and vassals below– this deal made it work!

• Male-dominated; women powerless

• Primogeniture• Peasants became skilled

workers• Manors self-sufficient• What happens to trade???

KING|

NOBLESGranted land (fiefs) for military

service and loyalty to kingKnights considered part of nobility

|

VASSALSLesser lords; had subordinate

vassals, too.|

PEASANTS (SERFS)Worked land for lord, who gave

shelter and protection

Western Europe Revival 1000-1200 (ch. 9, 14)

• Note: during Middle Ages as W. Eur declined then slowly re-engaged w/ world, what was happening in Southwest Asia and Islamic empires?

• Skilled peasants, growth of towns led to increased trade; middle class, manor system not as rigid

• Towns/Cities formed alliances (Hanseatic League)• Art: Gothic Cathedrals• Crusades: take the Holy Land, convert; contact w/ Southwest Asia &

old Greek/Roman texts (Renaissance)• Universities• Scholasticism• Pope Innocent III• Inquisition• Thomas Acquinas

Nation-States of Europe (ch. 14)

Organization of W. Eur by feudal kingdoms; end of Middle Ages by cultural/linguistic ties

Germany and Italy: decentralized; strong independent townships & kingdoms (city-states); merchants/tradespeople gained power

England: united quickly; monarchy limited by Magna Carta, 1215; Parliament established

France: Hundred Years War 1337-1453- French nationalism b/c of Eng. occupation of Fr. territory Joan of Arc: rally French, kicked out Eng

Result of 100 Yrs War: royal power in Fr. centralized Spain: Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand united various kingdoms

of Spain into single monarchySpanish nationalism led to Spanish InquisitionIberian unificationRussia: Eastern Orthodox; Mongols conquered in 1242Late 1400s: Ivan III expands Muscovy, declared czar; Moscow became

center of Eastern Orthodox Church

CHINA (ch. 10, 12)

• Tang (618-907) Song Dynasty (960-1271)• Art, architecture, literature (Tang poetry)• Printing in China- spread of literature to Korea

and Japan• Stability from civil service exam system• Meritocracy; Confucian principles; core of

educated loyal gov’t workers• Money and credit system• Song: gunpowder, junks, steel, Champa rice• Population growth, expansion of urban ctrs,

increased trade/cultural diffusion

Women and Religion in ChinaWomen and Religion in China

WomenWomen: Wu Zhao, first empress of Tang China• Patriarchal society, women considered inferior• Women seen as worth protecting• Foot-binding

Religion:Religion:• Buddhism had greatest impact, mass appeal• Confucians and Daoists saw Buddhism as

threat; Buddhists persecuted in mid 800s (Tang) and influence decreased

Japan(ch. 10,12)

• Yamato clan first ruling family

• 500s: Buddhism from China; Chinese culture

• Noble classes hereditary (no civil service exams); Birth more important than outside influences or education

• 794 Fujiwara Family: capital @ Heian; power spread to noble families by 1100s

Feudalism in JapanDeveloped same time as Western Europe1185 Kamakura ShogunateCode of Bushido: samurai, strict code of conduct; loyalty, honor, courageFeudal arrangement based on group loyalty and identity

Japan:Shogun (chosen by emperor)

|Daimyo (huge landowners &

samurai)|

Vassals|

Peasants/artisans

Europe:KING

|NOBLES

Granted land (fiefs) for military service and loyalty to king

Knights considered part of nobility|

VASSALSLesser lords; had subordinate

vassals, too.|

PEASANTS (SERFS)Worked land for lord, who gave

shelter and protection

THE MONGOLS(ch. 12)

• Genghis Khan: universal ruler, transcend all cultures and religions

• 1200s- Mongol conquests: superior horse skills, bows, cavalry, discipline; China, Russia, Persia

• Pacific Ocean to Mediterranean; largest empire• Pax Mongolica; not a “cultural” civilization, rather one of

territory• Mongols were illiterate, arts & sciences not created in

Mongol empires; they did promote diffusion of other cultures through trade/contact

• Major consequences of Mongol rule: Russia lagged behind W. Europe; growth of world trade, cultural diffusion grew

• By 1450 Mongols declining (1368 Ming China) but global connections maintained

Khublai Khan:Yuan China

Hulegu: Il-Khan Iran

AFRICA(ch. 13)

• 200 CE: Kush empire south of Egypt• Axum (Ethiopia): 300s conversion to Christianity; 600s

Islam• Both empires had contact w/ other cultures through tradeSub-Saharan Africa: caravans south to Ghana (800-1000

CE), Mali (1200-1450) GOLD!!!Ghana ultimately defeated by Islamic forcesMansa Musa: Mali ruler; capital @ Timbuktu; 1307

pilgrimmage to Mecca;Songhai: 1450s, Timbuktu major cultural center, Islamic

scholarsArts in Africa: oral literature; sculptures

THE AMERICAS(ch. 11)

Maya: 300-800 CE southern Mexico, parts of Cent. America• Calendar system, zero• Agricultural, polytheistic, religious warfareAztec: mid 1200s-1500 Mexico, capital @ Tenochtitlan; expansionist,

strong army; empire of 12 million• Roads, trade; military to obtain victims for human sacrifice• Women in household and crafts• Allowed people in distant areas to govern selves if paid tributeInca: 1000 CE-1520s capital @ Cuzco; bureaucracy, unified language,

roads• Human labor, military expansionist• Peasants gave harvests to ruling classes, surplus led to growth of

cities• Polytheistic, human sacrifice; temples• No writing system

Aztec and Old Maya Civilizations

Inca Civilization

Trade Networks and Cultural Diffusion

600-1450 world tied together through trade Boats, roads, monetary systems/credit, accounting

methods all helped trade and businessIndian Ocean TradeIndian Ocean Trade: dominated by Persians and Arabs;

dhows and monsoons; Islam the common denominator, intermixing of cultures

Silk RoadSilk Road: 1200-1600 heavy use; even w/ collapse of Mongols, trade still went on!

Silk, spices, porcelain, paper, military tech, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, food, disease

Global Trade: not controlled by one force, group, empire600-1450600-1450: expansion of religion and empires; isolationism

of Eur and Japan

The Crusades (ch. 9) & Movement of Peoples

1096 Pope Urban calls First Crusade to conquer Holy Land from Muslims (Seljuk Turks)

1204: Constantinople sackedImpactImpact: violence and mistrust b/t Christianity and

Islam Relig/Pol/Econ motives; violence; interaction b/t

cultures– Europe rediscovered Greek and Roman texts

Populations: growth led to bigger cities, spread; cities as centers of empire; pilgrimmages

MAJOR COMPARISONS: 600-1450

• Japanese and European Feudalism• Political and Social institutions in both eastern

and western Europe• Compare the role and funtion of cities in major

societies• Compare Islam and Christianity• Gender systems and changes ie; impact of Islam• Compare Aztec and Inca empire• Compare European and sub-Saharan African

contacts with the Islamic World