5-7 (next test will be over just these 3 chapters) Time Period 2! 600 BCE – 600 CE: Classic Civilizations, the Indian Ocean Trade Routes and the Silk Roads Chapters in the text: 5-7 (next test will be over just these 3 chapters)

Political Expansion Empires begin expanding at unprecedented speed! This time period is characterized by the establishment of massive empires that set the foundation for cultures around the world, and the well-established trade routes that connect them.

Political and Religious Conflict As these Classical Empires, The Persian, Roman, Han, Maurya and Gupta Empires continue to grow, the line between religion and politics becomes nearly non- existent, as religion continues to be a key method of justifying and maintaining control (along with armies and legal systems). This, combined with the differences in religious beliefs, resulted in the start of conflicts/wars centered around religious differences.

Economic Interactions: Long-Distance Trade Connecting these empires, other various states, and city-states, were a combination of vast trade routes, the Silk Road (C. 100 BCE) and the Indian Ocean Trade Routes (C. 100 CE). With these new trade routes, the exchange goods, technology, ideas, religions, people, food, and diseases were happening across much larger distances, and at a much more rapid pace.

Political Decline Politically, the ceaseless quest for more land, resources and control led to increased conflict and increased costs of managing these new massive empires, like the Roman and Han Empires that stretched thousands of miles The sheer size and power of these empires and the centralized bureaucracies (governments) that control them ultimately resulted in their decline. The unequal distribution of the wealth in the hands of the aristocrats resulted in widespread starvation, riots, unemployment, and general societal decay. Borders were too large and too expensive to protect, and invasion from surrounding regions also contributed to the decline of once powerful classical empires.  

Cultural Development and Interactions: New Religions! Amidst the growth and decay cycles of these empires, rapid cultural developments are taking place. The rise of 3 new major world religions occur in this time period, and begin to diffuse throughout Afro-Eurasia: Hinduism (India) Buddhism (India) Christianity (Middle East)

Chapter 5: Rise of Roman, Qin, and Han Empires Time Period: 500 BCE – 500 CE Region: Europe, East Asia Rome: Great Engineers! Roads, Aqueducts, Arches, Concrete! Used armies, roads, and wealth to grow to a massive empire - Widespread use of slavery – prisoners of war Responsible for the initial extensive expansion of Christianity, yet still widely persecuted Jews (increase in Jewish Diasporic communities)

Qin/Han Qin: No Confucianism, embraced Legalism, responsible for reunifying China and virtually eliminating slavery. Han Silk! Confucianism, Mandate of Heaven, Daoism, Legalism create cultural and political continuity throughout the entire reign of the Han Just as the Romans, used roads, strong Bureaucracy, and technology to grow the size of the Empire to massive expanses Both Rome and Han: Dominated by Patriarchy, Extreme Centralization, massive size in both caused chain reaction that resulted in the demise of the empires, but both lasted for nearly 500 years