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HistoryPeriod3

600CEto1450CE

3.1 The Silk Road and Beyond
KeyConcept:Thegrowthempires,alongwithincreasedculturaldiversity,requiredmore
sophisticatedmethodsofgovernance.Theyservedasmajorhubsoftransregionalnetworksoftrade,
andtheydiffusedculture,religion,technologies,anddisease.
- SilkRoad:anancientnetworkoftraderoutesthatforcenturieswerecentraltocultural
interactionthroughregionsoftheAsiancontinentconnectingtheEastandWestfromChina
totheMediterraneanSea.

- Governance:theactionofgoverning

- Bureaucracy:asystemofgovernmentinwhichmostoftheimportantdecisionsaremadeby
stateofficialsratherthanbyelectedrepresentatives.

- NetworksofTrade(AncientRoutes):involvesthetransferoftheownershipofgoodsor
services,fromonepersonorentitytoanother,inexchangeformoney,goodsorservices.

- Infrastructure(Ancientmethods):thebasicphysicalandorganizationalstructuresand
facilities(e.g.,buildings,roads,andpowersupplies)neededfortheoperationofasociety.

Classical Trade - exchange of good in the era


Itwasinthebestinterestofclassicalgovernmentstomaketrademoreaccessible.Higherprofits
broughtinmoretaxrevenuetothegovernment.AlthoughRomanroadswerebuiltatfirsttomove
armies,theygreatlyfacilitatedtradeacrosstheempire.
EX:WhentheQinemperorcentralizedchinaaftertheperiodofwarringstates,heconstructedan
infrastructureofroadsandbridgestoincreasetradeandgathertavesfromformerlyisolatesareas.

AsSilkRoadandIndianOceantradebroughtwealthtoGuptaIndia,emperorscommissionedthe
productionofcoinstoeasetransactionsandmakeiteasiertocomparethevalueofgoods.

Allclassicalgovernmentenactedpoliciestofacilitatecommercialactivities.

3.2 Social Hierarchies and Stratification formed in foundational empires


Socialhierarchiesandstratificationthatformedinfoundational civilizations
becamemorecomplexinlargeempires.
- InclassicalIndia,thecastesystemevolvedinorderto accommodate
thegrowingcomplexityofGuptasociety
- TheHansocietywithitsscholar-bureaucratsatthetop,peasants, laborersand
artisansnext,andastitsandunskilledworkersatthebottom.
- CentralizedGovernment:iswhenasmallgrouporexecutiveatthehighestlevelof
governmentholdsallpoliticalauthority

- Bureaucracy:asystemofgovernmentinwhichmostoftheimportantdecisionsaremadeby
stateofficialsratherthanbyelectedrepresentatives.

- SocialHierarchy:ishowindividualsandgroupsarearrangedinarelativelylinearladder.
Socialhierarchyisevidentinmanyspeciesofanimals,butitisthemostcomplexinhumans.
Socioeconomicstatusisoneoftheessentialfactorsthatcreatesthishierarchy.

- CorveeSystem:unpaidlabor(astowardconstructingroads)duefromafeudalvassaltohis
lord.

- CasteSystem:isaclassstructurethatisdeterminedbybirth.Loosely,itmeansthatinsome
societies,ifyourparentsarepoor,you'regoingtobepoor,too.Samegoesforbeingrich,if
you'reaglass-half-fullperson

- Patriarchy:asystemofsocietyorgovernmentinwhichthefatheroreldestmaleisheadof
thefamilyanddescentistracedthroughthemaleline.

Bureaucracy:
1. QinDynastycreatedabureaucracy

2. Bureaucratsareemployeesofthestatewhosepositioninsocietydoesnotrestonan
independentsourceofwealth.Theyreliedonthestategovernment.

3. Nobles(oraristocrats)areindependent

4. Generallyspeaking,thebureaucratshighstatusandwealthisbasedonhisobediencetohis
superior.

5. Landowningaristocrats,ontheotherhand,havelargeestatesandpersonalfortunes.They
alsoinfluencedthegovernmentintheirpersonalfavor.

6. Aristocratsalsotendtomakedecisionsbasedonwhatisbestfortheirlocation,thus
becomingadecentralizedforce.

7. Bureaucratsarecentralizing.

8. Byassigningbureaucratstoregions,theQinbypassedthepowerfularistocracyandgoverned
throughthosewhosepositiondependedonloyalobediencetothestate.

9. Inthismanner,thebureaucracybecameatoolofcentralizationforChinaandplacesthe
entireempireundertheleadershipoftheQinEmpire
Corvee System
AnothercommonformoflaborsponsoredbyempireswastheCorveeSystem.

Inthissystem,governmentsrequiredsubjects,usuallypeasants,toprovidelaborasapaymentof
tax.Aspecifiednumberoflabordayshadtobeofferedtothestateasanobligatorytaxation.

ManyLargeImperialProjectswerecompletedusingthecorveesystem.

Examples:TheQinbuilttheirdefensivewallusingthecorveelabor;theHanbuiltacanaltobetter
movegraintothecapitalcityusingit,theHebrewKingdomofIsraeluseditwithconquered
Canaanites,andthenontheirownpopulation

Woman
Despitechangesthatoccurredinclass,casteandlaborduringtheclassicalages,allempires
continuedpatriarchy.
Insomesocietiesitwasveryharsh;inothersocietieswomencouldadvanceandengageinbusiness.

Indeed,beliefsystemscertainlygaveshapetohowitwaspracticedinadatodaylifeinevery
society.

Butwithoutexception,political,socialandeconomiclifeinimperialcivilizationsremained
dominatedbymalesthroughoutthisperiod.

3.3 Classical Empires Fell

1. Political Corruption:theuseofpowersbygovernmentofficialsforillegitimateprivategain.
Anillegalactbyanofficeholderconstitutespoliticalcorruptiononlyiftheactisdirectly
relatedtotheirofficialduties,isdoneundercoloroflaworinvolvestradingininfluence.
2. Factions:small,organized,dissentinggroupwithalargeone,speciallyinpolitics
3. Bribery:thegivingorofferingofabribe.
4. Favoritism:thepracticeofgivingunfairpreferentialtreatmenttoonepersonorgroupatthe
expenseofanother.
5. Provinces : aprincipaladministrativedivisionofcertaincountriesorempires.
6. Decentralized :thedispersionordistributionoffunctionsandpowers;specifically,the
delegationofpowerfromacentralauthoritytoregionalandlocalauthorities.2the
redistributionofpopulationandindustryfromurbancenterstooutlyingareas.
7. The Huns:TheHunswereanomadicpeoplewholeftthesteppesofCentralAsia,traveledto
EuropeandthreatenedwhatwasleftofRome'sempire.
8. Droughts:aprolongedperiodofabnormallylowrainfall;ashortageofwaterresultingfrom
this.
9. Central Asia:Aplace
10. Frontiers :alineorborderseparatingtwocountries.
11. Raiding:anattack;conductaraidon.
12. Germanic People:TheGermanicpeoples(alsocalledTeutonic,Suebian,orGothicinolder
literature)areanethno-linguisticIndo-EuropeangroupofNorthernEuropeanorigin.Theyare
identifiedbytheiruseofGermaniclanguages,whichdiversifiedoutofProto-Germanicduring
thePre-RomanIronAge.
13. TheAwesomenessofMs.Nicoll:Cool
14. Over-Extension:Toexpandordispersebeyondasafeorreasonablelimit:
15. Imperial:Of,relatingto,orsuggestiveofanempireorasovereign,especiallyanemperoror
empress:imperial rule; the imperial palace.Rulingoverextensiveterritoriesorovercoloniesor
dependencies:
16. Epidemics:Spreadingrapidlyandextensivelybyinfectionandaffectingmanyindividualsin
anareaorapopulationatthesametime,asofadiseaseorillness.n.Anoutbreakor
unusuallyhighoccurrenceofadiseaseorillnessinapopulationorarea.
17. Demographics:thestatisticalcharacteristicsofhumanpopulations(asageorincome)used
especiallytoidentifymarkets.2:amarketorsegmentofthepopulationidentifiedby
demographics.
18. Habitats:aplacesomeone'slives
19. Migration:whencreaturestravel
20. Deforestation:clearanceorclearingistheremovalofaforestorstandoftreeswherethe
landisthereafterconvertedtoanon-forestuse

Classicalempirescollapse
Europerisesinpower

Between200and600C.Ealloftheclassicalcivilizationshadfallen(theHan(220),WesternRome
(476),Gupta(550)).Thereareseveralsimilaritiestothefallofthesecivilizations.

4ReasonsForTheFallOfCivilization
1. Political corruption and deterioration:Thepoliticalofallclassicalagesbecamecorruptand
givenovertofactionsanddivisions.Briberyandfavoritismwererife.Provincescameunder
thecontroloflocalleaderandempiresdecentralized.

2. The migration of the Huns:DroughtforcedtheHuns(nomadicgroup)toleavecentralAsiato


SouthANDWest.Theymetwithothersettledclassicalcivilizationandstartedputting
pressureontheHanandGupta,attackingtheirfrontiersandraidingtheirlands.Theyalso
pushedGermanicpeopletoputpressureontheRomanEmpire.China,India,andRome

3. Over extension of borders: Allempiresfoundthattheirboardershadgrownsolargethattheir


militaryhadtroubleguardingthem.Theirimperialambitionout-strippedtheirresources.The
ChinesecouldnteffectivelymantheGreatWallwithsoldierstokeepouttheHuns.Rome
grewsolargetheycouldntraisethearmiestoprotectitsfrontiers

4. The spread of epidemics and disease:Thetraderoutesthatconnectedcivilizationsandallowed


themtoprosperalsospreaddiseases.HanChina,Gupta,andRomelostthousandstodisease,
thusdepletingtheirtaxbasejustastheyneededfundtoprotecttheirborders/thepeople.

TwoChangesinSocietiesAftertheFall:
1. Demographic and Environmental Changes:
Thenewtradepatternsgreatlyalteredhabitatsforplantsandanimalsandresultedinchangesin
humandietandactivitiesaswell.
MajormigrationsacrosstheAtlanticOcean(Pacific)alsoaltereddemographicpatternsprofoundly.
Changesinthelandfromdeforestationandhumanhabitat.

2. Cultural and Intellectual Developments:


ThiseraalsowasshapedbytheEuropeanRenaissance,Protestant,Reformation,andEnlightenment.
Neo-ConfucianismgrewininfluenceinChina,
andthenewartformsdevelopedintheMughal
EmpireinIndia.

1. Renaissance- Thehumanisticrevivalof
classicalart,architecture,literature,and
learningthatoriginatedinItalyinthe
14thcenturyandlaterspreadthroughout
Europe

2. Reformation-a16th-centurymovementforthe
reformofabusesintheRomanCatholicChurch
endingintheestablishmentoftheReformed and
ProtestantChurches.

3. Enlightenment-aEuropeanintellectual
movementofthelate17thand18thcenturies
emphasizingreasonandindividualismrather
thantradition.Itwasheavilyinfluencedby
17th-centuryphilosopherssuchasDescartes,
Locke,andNewton,anditsprominent
exponentsincludeKant,Goethe,Voltaire,Rousseau,andAdamSmith.

4. Neo-Confucianism-amovementinreligiousphilosophyderived
fromConfucianisminChinaaroundAD1000inresponseto
theideasofTaoismandBuddhism

3.4 European Kingdoms emerged, rose, and gained world power

1stthrough8thCenturies
TherelativepowerandprosperityofEuropeincreaseddramatically
WhileEuropedidnotentirelyeclipsepowerfulempiresinSouthwestAsia,Africa,andEast
Asia,itdidpositionitselfstrategicallytotipthescales

-EarlyMiddleages(vs.DarkAges) wastheperiodofEuropeanhistorylastingfromtheroughlythe
6thcenturytothe10thcentury.
Darkagesoverlookedtheprogressempiresmadeandonlyfocusesonthebadthingsthathappened

-Labor&SlaverySystems(inthisera)
??????

-MaritimeTrade(inthisera)
??????

-Gunpowerempires(inthisera)
??????

EarlyModernEra-Peoplestartedcrossingoceans
1. Theglobalwasencompassed-Humanseverywhere,peoplestartedspreadingout
2. Hemisphereconstantlyconnectedthroughtrade-Contactingwithtrade
3. Broughttechnologyinnovations,strengthenedpoliticalorganization,andeconomicprosperity.

Improvementgunmaking,gunpowder,cannon,arrows,Shipmaking,searoutes,

BeforeIcouldn'ttravelbutnowIcan,thehemisphereisconnected.

Dontwanttoconquerothers,Iwannashakehandswithyoubecauseyoureuseful

Ineedthatmoney,protectourcargo,shakinghandwithothers

TheSea-shipswereusedtotravel-trading
Sea-basedtraderoseinproportiontoland-basedtrade
Broughtbytechnologyadvancementsandwillingnessofpoliticalleadertoinvestinit.
Oldland-basedempireslostrelativepowertothenewsea-basedpowers.

Insteadofconquering,IllhavepoliticalagreementswillingtoinvesttogetmetoBritain.Indiaand
China,youwantoursilkCH,SpicesIN,theyrelandbasedtrade

EuropeanKingdoms
EuropeanKingdomsemergedthatgainedworldpower.
TherelativepowerandprosperityofEuropeincreaseddramatically
EuropedidnotentirelyeclipsepowerfulempiresinSothwestAsia,Africa,andEastAsia.

PeoplewantedtotradewithEuropeanKingdomsinsteadofconqueringthem.

Nomads
Therelativepowerofnomadicgroupsdeclined.
1. B/CoftheSea,theyweretradingonlandbutitsnotasimportantastravelingthroughSea
2. BritishempiresandSpanishplayedmerchantstodoitforthem
Nomadscontinuedtoplayanimportantroleintradeandculturaldiffusion.
Theycontinuetothreatenthebordersofthelargelandbasedempires.
Theirpowerdwindledastravelandtradebywaterbecamemoreimportant.

Merchanttomakethetracks,

Workit!LaborSystems
LaborSystemsweretransformed.
Theacquisition(toget)ofcoloniesintheAmericasledtomajorchangesinlaborsystems.
SlavelaborbecameveryimportantallovertheAmericas,
Otherlaborsystems,suchasencomiendainSouthAmerica,wereadaptedfrompreviousnative
traditions

GunpowderEmpires
Gunpowderempiresemergedinthemiddleeastandasia.
Empiresinoldercivilizationareasgainednewstrength.
Stillfacedsameproblems:defenseofborders,communicationwithintheempireandmaintaina
largearmy
Bytheendoftheera,manywerelesspowerfulthanthenewseabasedkingdomsofEurope.
Trade&Interactions:ChangesinTrade,Technology,andGlobalInteractions
1. TheAtlanticOceanTradeeventuallyledtothecrossingofthePacificOcean
2. Newmaritimetechnologiesmadetheseinteractionspossible,andglobaltradepatterns
changeddramatically.
Astrolabe
TriangularSail

Power!
MajorEmpires:
MajorMaritimePowers:
- Portugal,Spain,France,England,etc

MajorGunpowderEmpires:
- Ottoman,MingandQingChina,Russia,Songhay(Songhai),someAfricanEmpires,etc

MaritimeEmpirescrossedtheAtlantictoconquertheAmericas;Spanish,English,French

Slavery
Slavesystemsandslavetrade:
Thiswasthebigeraforslavesystemsandslavetrade,withthenewEuropeancoloniesinthe
Americasrelyingonslaveryveryheavily.
TheslavetradewasanimportantlinkintheAtlanticOceanand(later)PacificOceantrade.

Empireskeptgrowing,notpaidworking,how?byowningslaves.Weimprovedseatechnologyto
tradeslavesaswell.

3.5 Continuity and Innovation of State Forms and their Interactions


Stateformationinthiserademonstratedremarkablecontinuity,innovation,anddiversityinvarious
regions.
- Caliphate:AcaliphateisanareacontaininganIslamicstewardknownasacaliphaperson
consideredareligioussuccessortotheIslamicprophet,Muhammad(Muhammadibn
Abdullh),andaleaderoftheentireMuslimcommunity.
- Afro Eurasia:antiquityastheEcumeneandmostcommonlyknownsincetheAgeof
DiscoveryastheOldWorld,isthelargestlandmassonEarth,primarilyintheNorthernand
EasternHemispheres.
- Pastoral people:Apastorallifestyle(seepastoralism)isthatofshepherdsherdinglivestock
aroundopenareasoflandaccordingtoseasonsandthechangingavailabilityofwaterand
pasture.Itlendsitsnametoagenreofliterature,artandmusicthatdepictssuchlifeinan
idealizedmanner,typicallyforurbanaudiences.
- Patriarchy:asystemofsocietyorgovernmentinwhichthefatheroreldestmaleisheadof
thefamilyanddescentistracedthroughthemaleline.
- State (not American states):tightlyknitgroupofpeoplesharingacommonlanguage,
ethnicity,religion,andotherculturalattributes.State:politicallyorganizedterritory
administeredbyasovereigngovernment,withapermanentpopulation,andrecognizedbythe
internationalcommunity(State=internaldivision;state=country).

Movingawayfromempiresandnationsarebeingbuild
Rulinganationwithreligionallowed
Followreligionrulesoryoullbepunished/kickedout
IslamwasallaroundAfrica,Asia,Europe
InnovationorProbation?Innovation

1. Islam:Theexpansionofislamintroducedanewconcept-thecaliphate-toAfro-Eurasian
statecraft

2. Africa:InAfro-Eurasia,somestatesattempted,withdifferingdegreeofsuccess,topreserve
imperialstructures,whilesmaller,lesscentralizedstatescontinuedtodevelop

3. Eurasia:PastoralpeoplesinEurasiabuiltpowerfulempiresthatintegratedpeopleand
institutionsfromboththepastoralandagrarianworlds.
Conqueryou,bringyouin,forceyoutomarryandgiveachild,
Nowyouhaveachildinthattribesoitwillbedifficulttoleave

4. America:IntheAmericas,powerfulstatesdevelopedinbothMesoamericaandAndeanregion
Mocheareallgone,Incaarestillhereandetc.

Empirescollapsedandwererebuilt;insomeregionsnewstatesformsemerged.
Mostrebuiltgovernmentsthatcombinedtraditionalsourcesofpowerwithinnovations.
Thisallowedthemtobuiltstatesthatbettersuitedtotheirspecificlocalneeds.

Heterogeneoussociety(multi-culturalaffect,differentpeople,bcofthesilkroadoneachofthese
nations)andHomogeneous(sameculturalpeople)

BcoftheSilkroadHomogenoushadtochangetheirwaytoHeterogeneous

TraditionalvsInnovationalSourcesofPower

Traditional:
Patriarchy
Religion:tendstobeunitingnation/empire
Land-owningelites

Innovations:
Newmethodsoftaxations
Tributarysystems(expressyourloyalty,)
Adaptationofreligiousinstitutions

Newgovernment
Newformsofgovernanceemerged-includingthosedevelopedinvariousIslamicstates,Thisoccured
insomeplacesliketheMongolstates,city-states,anddecentralizedgovernments(feudalism)in
EuropeandJapan

Examples,Islamicstates:
Abbasids(MiddleEast)
MuslimIberia(thinktheAlchemist)
DelhiSultanates(India)

Examples,City-states:
Italianpeninsula
EastAfrica
SoutheastAsia(seemap)
TheAmericas(thinkhowsmallMayawas)

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