Post-Classical World History 600 to 1450 CE. Common Themes Post-classical political developments...

Post-Classical World History

600 to 1450 CE

Common Themes

• Post-classical political developments• Nomadic empires• Impact of interaction• Recovery and Renaissance in Asia and

Europe • American Civilizations

Post-Classical Political Developments

•Sui Dynasty (581-618 CE)•Used Buddhism & Confucian civil service

examination to establish legitimacy•Grand Canal

•Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE)– Political Development

•Scholars over soldiers•China expanded to Tibet & Korea•Supported Buddhism first; Daoism, and

Confucianism were less important•High taxation led to tension and peasant

rebellions•Korea, Japan, & Vietnam became tributary states


• Tang Dyansty (Cont.)– Economic Developments

•Silk Road security•Equal-field system

– Cultural Developments•Heavily influenced by spread of Buddhism•Empress Wu … increased influence •Anti-Buddhist campaign•Rise of Neo-Confucianism•Poetry = Li Bai, Du Fu•Kowtow practiced .. Superiority over foreigners


• Song Dynasty (960-1279 CE)– Political Development

•Re-established centralized rule•Civil service exam retained•Checked power of aristocracy while a

powerful, moral elite rose alongside•De-emphasized military approach of Tang•Paid tribute to neighboring nomadic powers•Military & economic weakness eventually

led to their fall to the Mongols in 1279.


• Song (cont.)– Economic Development

• Economic revolution – rice from Vietnam, internal trade flourished from Grand Canal, population growth, cannons, moveable type, water-powered mills, high-quality porcelain, paper money, “flying cash”, magnetic compass

– Cultural Developments• Women could keep their dowries and could

access new jobs.• Also subject to footbinding


• Islamic Caliphates– Islam: The Religion

•Muhammad (570-632 CE)•Kaaba•Allah•Mecca & Medina•Quran•Five Pillars•Universal religion


• Islamic Caliphates (cont.)– Political Developments

•Shia-Sunni split•Umayyad Caliphate - Damascus (661 CE)•Abbasid Caliphate – Baghdad

– “Golden Age” of Islam– Dar-al-Islam


• Islamic Caliphates (cont.)– Economic Developments

•Trade flourished•Improved irrigation•Increase in tax revenues•Artisans flourished: pottery, fabrics, rugs•Paper mills set up (Chinese influence)


• Islamic Caliphates (cont.)– Cultural Developments

•Mosques, hospitals, schools, orphanages•Algebra, latitude & longitude, spread of

Greek Hellenism•Universities: Cordoba, Toledo, Granada (Al-

Andalus, aka Spain)•Art & Architecture: images were forbidden;

use of geometric shapes & calligraphy


•Byzantine Empire– Political Developments

•Eastern Roman Empire•Justinian•Greek language•Strong central government•Great laws, efficient military, land

distribution, elaborate bureaucracy, theme system


•Byzantine Empire (cont.)– Economic Developments

•Excellent location for controlling trade•Silk worms smuggled out of China >

strong silk industry developed•Glassware, linen, jewelry, gold,

silversmithing


•Byzantine Empire (cont.)– Cultural Developments

•Greek•Theoretically, social mobility was

possible but was rare•Constantinople > political, commercial,

and intellectual center w/ great libraries•Split w/ western Church in 1054•Eastern Orthodox vs. Roman Catholic


•Western Europe (500-1000 CE)– Political Development

•Frankish Kingdom•Charlemagne•Feudal system – lack of strong central gov’t

– Economic Developments•Serfdom•Manors•No surplus of food so Europe lagged behind


• Western Europe (500-1000 CE)– Cultural Developments

•Birth = status•Noblewomen had a lot more power than peasant

women•Nunneries = escape for women to be treated

equally•Code of Chivalry•Christianity = religious, moral, and cultural

authority of this time w/ strong papacy•Role of monasteries


•Japan (600-1000 CE)–Political Developments

•Impact of geography•Yamato Clan > emperors of Japan

–Failed to centralize Japanese state

•Fujiwara Clan (710-785 CE)–Modeled Japan after China–Unsuccessful w/ Chinese-style bureaucracy–Strict hierarchy developed instead


•Japan (600-1000 CE)–Political Developments (cont.)

•Kamakura Shogunate–Feudalism–Shogun–Daimyo–Samurai–Bushido–Role of emperor


• Japan (600-1000 CE) – Economic Developments

•Predominantly an agrarian society•Artisans > weavers, carpenters, ironworkers•Local trade regulated by clans•Kamakura period > foreign trade w/ Korea

and China•Peasants were very similar to serfs in Europe•“Genin”


• Japan (600-1000 CE)– Cultural Developments

•Buddhism popular but Shintoism maintained its respected traditions

•Adopted Chinese technology, written language, and Buddhism (Zen Buddhism)

•Heian Period (794-1185) – Chinese contact cut off and focus on Japanese cultural values

– Tale of Genji – women were highly regarded– By the end of this period women began to lose

power

Nomadic Empires

• Vikings (800-1000 CE)•Scandinavia•Seasonal raids to supplement low farm

production•Viking boats > terrorized coastal

communities in France, Scotland, Ireland, & England

•Greenland & Iceland•Normans (aka “Northmen”) > Normandy•1066 > William the Conqueror

Nomadic Empires

•Turks (1000-1450)•Central Asian steppes•Often hired as mercenaries•Seljuk Turks (1055) > captured Baghdad

–1071 – defeated the Byzantines and took most of modern Turkey

•Afghan Turks–Series of raids into India in the 10th century–Began Delhi Sultanate in India (1206-1526)

Nomadic Empires

•Mongols (1200-1550)•World’s largest empire > mobility•Genghis Khan

–“Submit and live. Resist and die–Every male, 15-70, had to serve–Unique military strategies–Took Central Asia, Tibet, Northern

China, and Persia–Died in 1227

Mongol kingdoms

• Mongols (1200-1550)•China: Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368)

– Kublai Khan – Style of rule?

•Middle East: The Ilkhanates– 1258 – Hulegu > defeated Abbasids– Style of rule? … many converted to Islam

•Russia: The Golden Horde– Batu – heavy taxes – Moscow collected – Kiev resisted

•Pax Mongolica– For nearly 100 years Eurasia was united– Mongol Exchange

•Mongol decline … Mamluks (Egypt), Japanese Kamikaze, overspending led to inflation

Impact of Interaction

• West African Kingdoms– Ghana (500-1200 CE)

•Trans-Saharan Trade•Gold, ivory, slaves, salt, horses, cloth•Arrival of Islam (10th century)

– Mali (1235-1400’s)•Islamic conversion encouraged•Mansa Musa•Timbuktu > êntrepot


• Christianity in North & East Africa (~1st century CE)

•Egypt & Ethiopia (Coptic Christians)•Unique style of architecture

• East African City-States (900-1500)•Indian Ocean Trade•Mogadishu, Kilwa, Sofala … Swahili city-states

•Zimbabwe


•Europe during the High Middle Ages (1000-1450)

•~1100 CE pre-modern economy was evolving•Breakdown of feudalism = growth of towns &

commercial cities emerged– Bruges, Hamburg, Florence

•Service providers & craftspeople set up in these towns

•These cities began to plan their growth, regulate businesses, and collect taxes

•Wealthy towns (Italy) invested in beautification


•Crusades (1095-1204)– Series of Christian holy wars conducted against infidels– Pope Urban II– 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th Crusades– Christian Europe gains trade & technology

•Long Distance Trade– Silk Road– Trans-Saharan – Indian Ocean – Mediterranean


• Missionary Campaigns•Buddhism

– Theravada & Mahayana Buddhism– Central Asia – Tibet– Personal salvation– Korea & Japan– Zen Buddhism – syncretism – Buddhism & Shintoism

•Christianity– Both east & west spread Christianity– Christian syncretism?– Nestorian Christians


• Missionary Campaigns•Islam

– Spread: military conquest OR trade & missionary activity

– Tolerance– Sufi missionaries (after 900 CE)– Islam in Africa …. Syncretism

• Travelers•Ibn Battuta, Marco Polo, Rabban Sauma


– The Spread of Diseases•Black Plague•Trade routes impact•Population decrease = labor shortage

= decrease in serfdom•Anti-Semitism grew

Recovery & Renaissance in Asia and Europe

• Chinese Political Development– Ming

– “comeback kids” (1368-1644) – Hongwu– Eliminated all evidence that the Mongols ever ruled– Civil service examination– Mandarins = class of powerful officials– Temporarily supported Chinese exploration (Zheng

He)– Rebuilt irrigation systems & agrarian production

improved– Porcelain, silk, and cotton actively traded


• European Political Development•By the 1400’s, regional kingdoms replaced by

strong, powerful monarchies (France, England, Spain)

•Key = professional, standing armies paid with taxes

•Competition among these states led to a refinement and improvement in weapons, ships, and technology

•These states now positioned to dominate the world


•Chinese Intellectual Developments•Neo-Confucian schools•Self-discipline, filial piety, and obedience to

rulers stressed•Yongle Encyclopedia•Printing, novels, poetry•Jesuit missionaries in China (Matteo Ricci) …

Chinese interested in European technology, not Christianity


• European Intellectual Developments•Renaissance “rebirth”•Contact w/ Islamic world = Greek & Roman texts•Painters, sculptors, and writers drew inspiration

from the Greco-Roman world•Humanists•Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles??•Medici family (Florence)


•Chinese Exploration•1405-1433•Seven massive naval expeditions to re-

establish Chinese presence in the Indian Ocean network

•Spy mission?•Zheng He•Why did Ming order explorations to stop?


•European Exploration•Impact of Renaissance?•Gold, God, Glory•Eastern spices in high demand … Ottoman

Empire’s impact?•Portuguese were FIRST, Spanish SECOND•Henry the Navigator•Vasco da Gama•Christopher Columbus•Naval race??

American Civilizations

•Maya (300-900 CE)•Borrowed Olmec traditions

–Agricultural economy–Distinctive temple complexes and massive

pyramids–Ritualistic polytheism–Urban areas with thousands of people– Independent city-states, linked by trade–Staple diet of maize (corn) and beans


•Aztec (1400-1521)– Aka. … Mexica

– Militant warrior tradition– Rule by severe despots– Priestly class to oversee rituals, including human

sacrifice– Large urban capital (Tenochtitlan) ~ 150,000 people– Agricultural economy with cacao beans sometimes

used as currency– Decentralized network of city-states that paid

tribute


• Inca (1400-1540)– Centralized empire with its capital at Cuzco– Extensive, irrigated agricultural economy adapted to

the rugged terrain of the Andes– Large urban centers– Polytheistic religion centered on worship of the sun– Patriarchal society with few rights for women– Privileged noble class, headed by a king (Inca) in which

royal ancestors revered and worshipped (mummification)

– No written language– Impressive achievements in building with cut stone

Post-Classical World History 600 to 1450 CE. Common Themes Post-classical political developments...

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