An Age of Accelerating Connections The end of the Classical Era. Between 200-850 CE many of the classical states and civilizations of the world experienced severe disruption, decline or collapse: Han China Roman Empire Gupta India Meroe Axum Maya Teotihuacan

**Third wave civilizations** Post-Classical Medieval Middle Ages **Third wave civilizations**

Patterns of TWC Each of the TWC were culturally unique, but like their predecessors, they featured states, cities, specialized economic roles, sharp class and gender distinctions. All of them borrowed heavily from their predecessors. One of the largest TWC = Islam Began in Arabia 7th century CE – projecting Arab peoples into a prominent role of builders of an enormous empire – all while offering a new religion. Egypt, Mesopotamia, Persia, India, interior West Africa, coast of East Africa, Spain, SE Europe, and more… Came closer than any other civ to unite all mankind under its ideals.

Another pattern of TWC Older/classical civilizations that persisted or were reconstructed Byzantine Empire (E ½ of the old RE) continued the patterns of Mediterranean Christian civilization and persisted until 1453. (was overrun by Turks) China – Sui, Tang, and Song dynasties restored China’s imperial unity and Confucian traditions. Indian civ retained its ancient patterns of caste and Hinduism amid vast cultural diversity. Ghana, Mali, Songhay sustained long distance trade (Niger River civ).

Byzantine Empire (east)

Pattern continues in MesoAmeria and Andes Following the collapse of the Maya and Teotihuacan about 900 CE it opened the way for other peoples to give new shape to this ancient civilization. Aztecs Incas

With no empire, new, decentralized societies emerged The RE collapsed – kings and church leaders sought to maintain links with the older Greco-Roman-Christian traditions of the classical Med civs. With no empire, new, decentralized societies emerged Germanic peoples – N and W Europe For 5 centuries this region was weak when compared to the vibrant and powerful civ of the Islamic world and China However after 1000 CE, W Europe will emerge rapidly and build expansive states…

Change in human societies was the product of contact with strangers, or at least with their ideas, armies, goods, or diseases. The pace of such interaction accelerated considerably during post-classical/TWC period. Trade Empires grew larger Result: large scale empires and long distance trade spread ideas, technologies, food and germs

Commerce and Culture 500-1500 CE Long distance trade became more important than ever in the Post Classical age. A network of exchange and communication extending all across Afro-Eurasian and separately in parts of the Americas as well. Trade altered consumption, encouraged people to specialize in particular products. In short – Trade diminished the economic self sufficiency of local societies.

Silk roads http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=crash+course+ world+history&view=detail&mid=ED39313F6C5839F32 A88ED39313F6C5839F32A88&first=21&adlt=strict Euroasia gave rise to one of the world’s most extensive and sustained networks of exchange among its diverse people. Silk Road – a reference to the most famous product.

For 2000 years, goods, ideas, technologies, and diseased made their way across Eurasia on the several routes of the Silk Roads. Large camel caravans traversed harsh, dangerous steppes and deserts – most goods were luxury products destined for the elite and wealthy. SILK came to symbolize the Eurasian exchange system – generally moved from East to West. (China) Currency Symbol of high status Associated with world religions

Map of Silk Road

The volume of trade on the Silk Roads were small yet it had important economic and social consequences. Trickled down to affect the lives of ordinary farmers. Ramisht – Kaaba stone covering

Transfer of Culture-Buddhism Buddhism spread widely throughout Central and East Asia. Buddhism had appealed to merchants throughout India who admired and appreciated its universal message to that of the Brahmin-dominated Hinduism. To the west Persian Zoroastrianism largely blocked the spread of Buddhism but in the oasis cities of Central Asia, Buddhism took hold. Thousands of Buddhist text found in Dunhuang where many Silk Roads joined. Spread more slowly through pastoral societies in Central Asia.

Transfer of Disease http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZy6XilXDZQ When contact among human communities occurred, people were exposed to foreign disease for which they had little immunity. Athens – 430 BCE – afflicted new and unidentified infectious disease that entered Greece via seaborne trade from Egypt that killed 25% of its army. Small pox and measles devastated both the RE and Han China contributing to their collapse – strengthened the appeal of Christianity and Buddhism. Between 534-750 CE there were intermittent outbreaks of bubonic plague that ravaged the coastal areas of the Med Sea as black rats arrived by boat from India. Constantinople = lost 10,000 people per day during a 45 day period in 534 CE.

Most well known spread was associated with the Mongol Empire which briefly unified much of the Eurasian landmass during the 13-14th centuries CE. Interaction spread the Black Death – bubonic plague, anthrax or a package of epidemic diseases from China to Europe. Between 1346-1350, 1/3 or more of the pop of Europe perished from the plague. Immunity occurred over time in Eurasia – not in the Americas.

Sea Roads (maritime silk roads) The Indian Ocean represented the world’s largest sea- based system of exchange. Desire for goods-porcelain from China, spices from Southeast Asia, cotton and pepper from India, ivory and gold from Africa drove commerce. Transportation costs were lower on sea. In the era of TWC (500-1500) this trade led to two things: (maritime culture) Economic and political revival of China – Tang and Song dynasties, unified state, Chinese products Rise of Islam

Sea Roads – East Africa and Swahili The western side of the IO gave rise to an East African civilization known as Swahili-8 century CE (Somalia to Mozambique). An African merchant class emerged due to demand for gold, ivory, quartz, leopard skins, and slaves. Thoroughly urban – politically independent, governed by its own king. No unification. Stratified by sharp class distinctions between mercantile elite and commoners. Traded with Arabs, Indians, and Persians merchants. Cosmopolitan society Quickly became Islamic – introduced by Arab traders Sharply divided Swahili cities from their western African neighbors. Sea Roads Crash Course

Sand Roads N. Africa = cloth, glassware, weapons, books Sahara = copper, salt (dates) South Sahara = agricultural peoples grew crops, textiles, mined gold Sub-Saharan = 2 ecological zones Savanna grasslands – grain (millet) Forest – yams and nuts

Thriving civilizations Long distance trade fostered new political structures Central Sudan = b/t forest and Sahara developed new states/empires 500-1600 CE = Ghana, Mali, Songhay, Kanem and Hausa Monarchies with elaborate court life Wealth attained through sub-Saharan trade Slavery took root in W. Africa Most came from states farther south Slave trade began across Sahara 1100-1400 CE, 5,500 slaves per year made trek Not until 1440s did Africans become the major source of slaves for Europeans

Western Hemisphere Developed separately from the Eastern Hemisphere No sustained contact between two great landmasses No equivalent to the trade of the Silk, Sea or Sand Roads of the East took place in the West. No cultural traditions spread like Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam had in the East However, there was a loose interactive web – maize