Unit 1 Overview

State Building in Song China, Dar-al Islam, South and

Southeast Asia, the Americas, Africa, and Europe.
 Context Building

Before the year 1200, the world has already seen the rise and fall of
many empires all around the world setting the stage for new states to
develop, new religions to take hold, and new trade relationships to be
built around the world.

Without the agricultural revolution (the neolithic revolution and the

spread of agriculture), these periods of state building would not have
been possible.

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 Topic 1.1 - Song China

Context leading up to 1200: Bureaucracy in China:

∙ In a largely decentralized world, China ∙ China had a centralized imperial
had experienced decades of strong bureaucracy which required members of
central control that resulted in a very government to take merit exams.
prosperous China. ∙ Song China expanded the imperial
∙ The Qin Dynasty (221 - 207) bureaucracy, making it easier to
lower class people to take the exam
introduced a strong central
and enter the government.
bureaucracy that remained and ∙ This eventually hurt Song China, as
expanded under Song China, showing the large bureaucracy became too
an example of continuity in East Asia. expensive to maintain.
∙ The Tang Dynasty improved
agriculture, roads, and canals, which ★ The Chinese Meritocracy system
encouraged foreign trade and allowed
provided more upward mobility
Song China to be the economic
than any other government
powerhouse of the world in the post-
1200 world hiring system in the world at
the time.
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Innovation!
Song China innovated in many ways:
∙ Grand Canal - Increased Trade -
THEY’RE RICH!
∙ Steel/Iron Production - Allowed farm
tools to be stronger and more efficient.
∙ Champa Rice - High caloric rice that grew
in dry soil year around created a surplus in
food. Came because of increased tribute
trade with Vietnam.
∙ Created unique porcelain and silk
luxury goods that were highly desired
trade goods.
★ These innovations allowed fewer people to
farm, and more people to become artisans or
laborers who lived in urban areas.
○ This is called proto-industrialization.
★ China experienced massive technological
innovation which led to
advancements/innovation in agriculture
and manufacturing. This led to a
population boom 4
Religion in Song China Confucianism,
1. Confucianism – A major social ideology in Song Buddhism, and Neo-
Confucianism spread
China, Confucianism emphasized filial piety
around Asia through
a. This was the idea the men were the head of trade and brought with
the household and their needs came first. it new ideas, art, and
architecture.
b. When new religions entered China, the
government was hesitant to give up
Confucianism and this idea.
2. Buddhism - Came to China on the SIlk Road
a. Combined with Taoism to create Zen-
Buddhism.
b. Popular among Chinese people, but resisted
by the Confucianists.
3. Neo-Confucianism - Rose in Song China as a
response to the rise of Buddhism
★ Each of these impacted local areas like Korea,
Japan, and Vietnam.
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 Topic 1.1 - Song China

Social Stratification Tributary System:

∙ Song China was the most ∙ States surrounding China had to pay a
urbanized land in the world! tribute to China in the form of money or
∙ There was some social mobility in goods.
∙ This continued to increase Chinese
China, with the emperor at the
prosperity.
top, the scholar gentry (those
Japan, Korea, and Vietnam:
educated in Confucian
philosophy) up next, followed by ∙ These regions were heavily influenced by
farmers, artisans and craftsmen, China.
∙ Japan - adopted Buddhism and
and the merchant class. At the
Confucianism, but was not as centrally
bottom were peasants and the governed.
poor. ∙ Korea was very close to China with a
∙ Women deferred to men for all centralized system of government and the
things. use of Confucianism and Buddhism.
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∙ ∙ Vietnam adapted the Chinese system of
 Major Chinese dynasties

∙ Song (ethnically Han Chinese ∙ Continuity – most of these

leadership dynasties would have maintained

∙ Yuan (Mongol leadership) key ideas like the technology and

neo-Confucian thought
∙ Ming (back to Han Chinese)
∙ Change – the ruling class wasn’t
∙ Qing (Manchu Chinese – later a
always Han Chinese
point of contention)

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1.2
Dar-al Islam
1200-1450
Context Building

After the death of Muhammed, Islam

spread rapidly through military actions,
merchants, and missionaries (THREE M’S)
from Spain to India and from Egypt to
Turkey.

After the fall of the pre-12oo Abbasid

Caliphate, there was not one unified
Islamic government, but regional Islamic
empires collectively known as Dar-al
Islam (everything Islam touches) made
advances in math, literature, and

9 medicine. This was a cultural region, with

 Topic 1.2 - Dar-al Islam: Various Islamic Empires

The following groups established their own Muslim empires after attacking and fragmenting the
once unified Abbasid Caliphate.
Mamluk Empire (1250 – 1500s) al-Andalus in Spain
∙ Turkish slaves working in Egypt ∙ Muslim empire in Spain that represents
who attacked and seized control of tolerance and collaboration between
numerous religions in Muslim occupied
the Egyptian government created a
territories.
Muslim empire across North Africa ∙ al-Andalus today shows lots of Muslim
known as the Malmluk Sultanate influence in both its architecture and art.
Seljuk Turks (precursors to the Turks):
∙ Muslim Turks who captured parts of
the Middle East including Baghdad.

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 1.2 - Dar-al Islam: Innovations and Centers of Learning

Nasiral-Din al-Tusi A’ishah al-Ba’uniyyah Medical Advances

Celebrated Islamic Scholar who The most prolific female Doctors and pharmacists begin
studying for certification tests,
made advances in math that Muslim writer before the
greatly increasing standards of
laid the groundwork for 20th century! medical care
trigonometry.
Cultural Continuities:
Islamic scholars were known for
taking learning from numerous

cultures and building upon it.

1. Translated Greek classics

into Arabic
2. Studied math from India
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 1.2 - Basic Beliefs of Islam

★ Monotheistic Sufism - Expanded Islam

★ Follows the teaching of to common people through
the prophet mystic beliefs in
Muhammed spiritualism over tradition
★ Holy Text - Quran and ritual.
★ Abrahamic Religion ● Similar to the Bhakti
○ Islam, Judaism, movement in
Christianity Hinduism.
★ Spread through
Merchants

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 “
1.3

South and Southeast Asia

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Context Building

In the pre-1200 world, the “Golden Age of

India” ended when the Gupta empire fell,
resulting in 1,000 years of
decentralization.

South and Southeast Asia are

characterized by interactions between
Islam and Hinduism, the growth of trade,
and the continuation of decentralized
systems of government.

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 Overview

1. South and Southeast Asia were largely decentralized with regional empires
growing over time. [South Asia: Delhi Sultanate (Islamic) Vijayanagara
(Hindu); SE Asia: Srivijaya Empire (Hindu) Majapahit (Buddhist) Khmer
Empire (Hindu - Buddhist)]
2. This region was heavily influenced by the trade relationship it had with
surrounding regions.
a. Islam greatly influenced the region, with many merchants
converting to Islam to have a stronger trade relationships with
Muslim nations.
i. Islam challenged traditional Hindu beliefs like the caste
system. 15
 Basic Beliefs of Hinduism

1. Polytheistic ★ Hindu beliefs

2. Sacred Texts: The Vedas employee the idea
that there is
3. Believes in a cycle of life
Universal Principle
a. Birth, life, death, potential reincarnation of cause and effect.
4. Dharma are good deeds committed in life that help you have Action and reaction.
positive Karma
5. A soul with enough Karma will reach Moksha, or transcendents.
a. That will end the cycle of reincarnation
6. A person’s karma in a past life will dictate what caste they are in.
a. The caste system is immobile. You stay there for life.
b. Some Hindu’s in lower castes were enticed by the social
mobility in Islam.
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Topic 1.4 - State Building in the Americas

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 Topic 1.4 - Context

Aztecs (Mexica):
∙ Arose in the 13th Century near lake
Pre-1200: Texcoco which allowed for farming,
∙ The first empire that grew in fishing, and transportation.
the Americas was the Toltec. ∙ By 1434, Aztecs dominate the
They were highly militaristic valley by conquering other city-
with a heavy focus on sacrifice. states and creating a tribute
∙ The Toltec empire probably fell empire.
due to repeated attacks by ∙ They made surrounding
northern nomads regions pay them prisoners,
∙ The spread of corn, or maize, goods, and money keeping the
helped Mesoamerican empires Aztecs rich and the others
grow. poor.
∙ Similar to Champa Rice . ∙ Capital city of Tenochtitlan was
filled with farming, vasy palaces,
and exciting markets!
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★ Rulers were considered gods on
 Topic 1.4 - Inca Empire

1. Centered around Lake Titicaca in Peru

2. Highly Centralized with a main ruler over four provinces.
a. Local leaders rule, but defer to the Inca - Inca are conquerors
3. Created a Tribute Empire
4. Carpa Nan connected the large empire - one of the largest roads in the world
at the time, with checkpoints throughout.
5. Mit’a system of forced labor helped Incan rulers consolidate control and
complete these massive projects
6. Advanced irrigation made the Inca skilled farmers.
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Similarities Differences
Maps
Built on earlier empires that Aztecs have sophisticated
preceded them traders and markets VS Inca
(Aztecs = Toltecs; Inca = have no specialized merchant
Chimor) class
Excellentour imperial and
office Aztecs have a writing system
military organizers VS Inca do not
Highly organized
agricultural sector under
state control
Ethnic groups allowed to
survive (Inca incorporate
them into empire; Aztecs
rule them harshly)
Animistic religions
No draft animals for labor 20
 Topic 1.4 - The Americas

1. Maya were decentralized with many Maya city-states spread

throughout the region. They were often at war with each other.
2. Known for art, architecture, calendar, and astronomical system.

Other Tribes in the Americas:

∙ Spread throughout the Americas, tribes were varied depending on their

environment.
∙ Most empires were weakened by European contact

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Topic 1.5
State Building in Africa

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Pre 1200:
● Before Islam came to Africa, the societies were extremely diverse, Animistic and
polytheistic, with varying economies.
○ Most people spoke the Bantu language.
● The Bantu people, spread not only their language, but their knowledge of metalwork
and agriculture throughout Africa.

Stateless Society:
● Many African societies were stateless meaning they did not have an organized and
centralized government.
● Stateless society were largely weak with no tax systems or large building projects.

Islam:
● Islam comes to Africa from missionaries/merchants and many convert because Islam
was egalitarian with a focus on the authority of the king.
● Conversion to Islam gave early African societies equal footing to Arabic societies and
better trade opportunities within the Trans-Saharan trade netork.

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Trans-Saharan Trade
● Trade was improved by the use of camels and the camel saddle and caravans.
● Trade allowed empires to grow along the network through importing their goods and
trading with other kingdoms.

● West African Empires - Ghana, Mali, and Songhai

○ Became Islamic to grow political power.
○ Traded with other Muslim nations
○ Set up Tributary systems on a small scale.

● Central Africa:
○ Islam did not spread to this region. It was difficult to travel here, and states formed
more slowly without the Islamic influence.

● Great Zimbabwe
○ Large and non-Islamic
○ Dominated African gold and trade on coastal ports in the Indian Ocean network.
○ Built a great wall for protection
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 ○ Ethiopia (Aksum)
■ Link between the Arab and Mediterranean world.
■ Exposed to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
■ LOTS of trade because proximity to Eurasia

● Global Connections:
○ Spread of Islam opened Africa up to global trade, but most of Africa developed
independently.

● Continuities after Asian/European arrivals

○ The integration of traditional African systems of government like elder councils
○ Participation in trade networks (particularly by coastal empires)

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Topic 1.6
Developments in Western
Europe

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 Topic 1.6 - Developments in W. Europe

Pre-1200:

∙ After the fall of the Roman

Religion:
Empire, W. Europe was left mostly
decentralized. ∙ Christianity was the main religion

∙ The middle ages were a time of throughout W. Europe, and while

“backwardness” in Europe were many places traded with Asia,

governments were weak and Africa, and Arab nations, there was

learning was slow compared to the a deep fear of other religions.

rest of te world.
∙ Around 1100 Europe slowly begins
to come out of the Middle ages.
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 Topic 1.6 - Western Europe

1. In a time of decentralization, religion held many places in Europe

together.
a. The Catholic Church was highly organized and it became
the most powerful institution in Europe. It was highly corrupt
in many places.
2. Christian crusades tried to end Muslim rule in the Holy Land. It was
successful in some places, but most importantly it opened the West up
to trade.
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 Topic 1.6 - West Europe

Manorialism:
● Existed during a time of decentralization
● Land owners would have peasants (serfs)
work and live on their land.
● In exchange, the Lord of the manor would
provide protection for the serf.
● Manors were isolated with low levels of
production and low technology.
○ Very vulnerable to Viking raids due to
their isolation.
● Not the best system, but it did create a
system of local rule with regional aristocrats.

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 Topic 1.6 - West Europe

Feudalism:
● A military and political system that provided
more protection for elites from Viking Raids.
● Rules provide protection and aid to lesser
lords (vassals/nobles)
● Nobles employ Knights for protection. And
Peasants worked the land in exchange for
protection and somewhere to live.
○ They were essentially slaves to the king.
● A feudal monarch slowly grew and manors
were absorbed into larger kingdoms.
● Over time, feudalism created a very unhappy
population of peasants.

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 Topic 1.6 - West Europe

Results: The Plague!

● Over time, Feudalism slowly transforms into a ● Around 1300, the Black Death starts
Monarchy, with many movements in place to to spread around Europe.
limit both the Catholic Church and the Feudal ● ½ of the European population dies,
system. and the labor force of Europe is
● The High Middle Ages was a time where slashed, making Feudal lords want a
Feudalism decreased and industrialization tighter hold on their peasants.
increased ● Some places begin passing laws to
○ This lead to an increase in education force peasants into labor
and urbanization. ● Peasants start to revolt against their
○ Agriculture improves and technology working conditions, and checks were
begins to catch up with the rest of the put in place against the Feudal lords.
world. . ● Many people form Guilds to control
working conditions.

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