Common Mistakes 1.Not doing the extra credit!!! 2.Not Understanding/specifying that regions may incorporate DIFFERENT cultures. Failure to specify which culture you are referring to. Ex. Western Europe ( ) - Byzantium is NOT the same as the Germanic Kingdoms of Northern Europe! East Asia includes China, Japan, Korea!! 3. Discussing the beliefs of a particular religion rather than specific effects of that religion on the political, economic or social aspects of the region. 4.Spiritual equality in Islam does NOT mean that there were no social differences in Islamic society. 5.Must base your ANALYSIS on accurate information

Thinking about Thinking

What levels does this address? Politically, East Asia (specifically China) and South Asia (India) during the post-classical era were different. China was under the unified leadership of an emperor while India’s governments tended to be more decentralized with local rulers.

What levels does this address? Politically, East Asia (specifically China) and South Asia (India) during the post-classical era, were different. Due to a common written language and the establishment of the Grand Canal which linked China North and South, China was able to unify under one emperor while India, lacking such advantages to unification, tended to remain decentralized for a majority of this time period.

Which levels are being addressed? Socially, China and India tended to be very patriarchal, which means men were dominant over women. In China, upper class women were often subjected to footbinding while Indian women were expected to be veiled.

Which levels are being addressed? Socially, China and India tended to be very patriarchal, which means men were dominant over women. In China, upper class women were often subjected to footbinding while Indian women were expected to be veiled. In both cases, the men maintained strict control over the movement and exposure of their of their women.

During the post-classical period the grand empires of the classical era had fallen, and for a time there was disorder. For instance, the Roman Empire was laid to waste by both internal problems and by the invasions of the barbarian Germanic tribes. However, just prior to the fall of Rome Emperor Constantine moved the Roman capital further east and the light of Rome shone on. Eventually, after the fall of Rome in 476 this region came to be referred to as Byzantium. The capital of the Eastern portion of the Roman Empire, Constantinople, was strategically located on the Bosporus allowing trade with Slavs, Arabs and many others. Similarly, in the Middle East, the city of Baghdad was established by the Islamic kingdom of the Abbasids and its location between the Tigris and the Euphrates allowed for frequent trade and communication. In both cases, along with commerce, their religions were spread to neighboring peoples. Many Slavic groups in Russia and the Balkans adopted Orthodox Christianity and several people of the dar al Islam (North Africa, the Middle East and India) converted to Islam.

In both the Middle East and Western Europe, religion and government were often closely linked during the post- classical era. For example, in Byzantium the practice of Caesaropapism allowed the emperor to intervene in theological disputes and the Popes and Germanic kings intermittently struck alliances (Carolingian kings) or were engaged in a power struggle (such as the lay investiture struggle). Islam, which quickly became the predominant religion of the Middle East during this time period, lacked a strong religious head such as a patriarch or a pope but strongly influenced the governments in their regions by the establishment of sharia or religious law which became the basis of their secular legal codes.

While many parts of Western Europe underwent a period of great chaos and fragmentation as a result of the decline of Roman influence and barbarian invasions, parts of East Asia, such as China under the Tang and Song Dynasties were experiencing a golden age and expansion. Although China, too, experienced decline in the later Han Dynasty during the early portion of the post-classical era, the Sui Dynasty was able to establish unity setting the stage for the prosperity, inventions and influence manifested under the Tang and Song Dynasties. By contrast, although the Byzantine portion of the Roman Empire was also prosperous and a regional trading power, the northern portions of Western Europe turned inward, simply trying to maintain order through the feudal system.