1. Postclassical Civilization 600 CE – 1450 CE
WHAP Review: Unit 3
Postclassical Civilization
600 CE – 1450 CE

2. What did NOT happen during this era
Eastern and Western Hemispheres were NOT joined.
New innovations were NOT numerous but existing technologies were diffused.
NO dominant political form.
Little change in social structure – still slavery, lack of women’s rights, wealth based on land.

3. The Big Picture Belief systems as unifying forces.
“Civilization” spreads to many parts of the globe.
Increased interdependence of numerous societies (trade and communication networks are solidified)

4. Rise of Islam Muhammad (570-632CE)
Successors (“Rightly Guided Caliphs”)
Abu Bakr – organized Muhammad’s revelations into the Qur’an
Expansion of the Islamic empire across the Middle East
Ali – cousin and son-in-law of Muhammad
Assassinated – factional war
Shi’ites support Ali and his descendants (minority – most support the Umayyads)

6. Islamic Empires (Caliphates)
Umayyad Caliphate
Abbasid Caliphate
Political
Founded by Muawiya (successor to Ali)
Military advance – stopped in Europe at Battle of Tours (Franks - Charles Martel)
Exclusion of Arabs > rebellion
Formed from the rebels that overthrew Umayyads
Bureaucracy run by vizier with emirs in each province
Seljuk Turks became influential and took over control – quarreled with other Turkish groups – conquered by Mongols
Economic
Religious
Sunni; “People of the Book” treated well (except taxes)
Opened Islam to all – universalizing religion
Social
Segregated Arabs and non-Arabs
Cosmopolitan mix of cultures
Intellectual
“Golden Age of Islamic Civilization”; shari’a; madrasas (preserving Greek, Roman, and Indian knowledge)
Artistic
1001 Nights
Near (Geography)
Capital: Damascus (Syria)
Capital: Baghdad (Iraq0

8. Medieval Europe Political Early Middle Ages
High Middle Ages (towns grow, trade established, etc.)
Franks unite Europe – Charlemagne – Holy Roman Empire
Rise of Kingdoms – Hundred Years’ War
Economic
Manorialism, barter system, Hanseatic League (cities trading), guilds
Religious
Supremacy of the Christian Church, Crusades
Social
Feudalism
Intellectual
Magna Carta (England),
Artistic
Vernacular languages (Dante, Chaucer)
Near (Geography)
Feudal towns > weak kingdoms > strong kingdoms
(Church powerful > Church weakening)

9. Byzantine Empire Political
Precedent: Constantine (divine favor for emperor)
Justinian
Expanded empire
Glorified Constantinople
Codified laws
Had an awesome wife (Theodora)
Economic
Constantinople = center of trade (also open to attack)
Religious
caesaropapism, Eastern Orthodox Church
Social
Women’s situation deteriorates (except for empresses)
Intellectual
Greek replaces Latin, preservation of Greek and Roman works
Artistic
Hagia Sophia
Near (Geography)
Turkey, allied with Russian Kiev (spread Eastern Christianity)

10. Americas Maya Aztec (a.k.a. Mexica) Inca Political
Kings were also priests
Rose through military might
Conquered by Cortes
Ruler (“Inca”) was a god
Economic
slash-and-burn (shifting) agriculture
chinampas (floating gardens), tribute system
mit’a system
Religious
Pyramid temples
Human sacrifice
Social
Ball courts, clear social classes
Intellectual
Calendar, few written records
khipu (recordkeeping)
Artistic
Stelae
Near (Geography)
Yucatan Peninsula, capital: Teotihuacan
Mexico/Central America, capital: Tenochtitlan
South America (Peru); capital: Cuzco

11. China Tang Song Political Reinforcement of bureaucracy
1 of 3 warring states (weaker than Tang)
Weakened military (to avoid overthrow, but also made their dynasty weak)
Economic
equal field system (restricted land inheritance)
champa rice > population growth
Religious
Buddhism influenced culture
Social
Leadership descended from Turks; kowtow to emperor; Wu Zhao (only female emperor)
Scholar-gentry; neo-Confucianism (reaction against Buddhism); foot binding
Intellectual
Scholar-gentry/poets, gunpowder
Paper making, printing, paper money
Artistic
Near (Geography)
Repaired Great Wall; tribute from Silla (Korea)

12. East Asia Korea Japan Political Silla Dynasty (668-800s)
Chinese (Tang) overlord)
No civil service exam
Rules by clans
Heian Era – Emperor with Fujiwara family ruling behind the scenes
Struggle between warrior clans
Minamoto install shogun who rules “in the name of the emperor” (bakufu)
Economic
Tributary state – opened door for merchants to China
Feudalism
Religious
Buddhism over Confucianism
Shintoism
Social
Small aristocratic elite
Samurai
Intellectual
Movable type (before China?)
Artistic
The Tale of Genji (court life)
Near (Geography)

13. Mongols Political Genghis Khan Khanate of…
the Great Khan (Mongolia and China – Yuan Dynasty)
Jagadai (central Asia) the Golden Horde (Russia)
Il-Khan (Middle East)
Fall: split along ethnic lines, assimilation, feuding khans
Economic
Controlled Silk Road trade, nomadic (eventually settled in conquered territory); Pax Mongolica
Religious
Social
Skilled horsemen with short bows
Intellectual
No written language of their own; adopted conquered languages
Artistic
Near (Geography)
Mongolia > conquered most of Eurasia; Trade routes > Black Death

15. Mongol Impact Middle East
Timur (Turkish Mongol from Jagadai) conquers the Il-Khan and opens door for more Turkish migrations, including Osman (founder of Ottoman Turks) – Turks will eventually conquer Middle East and set up the Ottoman Empire.
Russia
Declining Kiev and decentralized rule are easily defeated by the Mongols; Russian princes are vassals to the Khan of the Golden Horde; peasants seek protection from nobility and become serfs (like after the fall of Rome); Pax Mongolica increases trade to Russia; Mongols decline and Russian princes step up and set up the rule of tsars.
China
Conquer the Song Dynasty and set up the Yuan (under Kublai Khan); Mongols are the top officials; dismantled Confucian exam system; favored merchant class and scientists (especially doctors); Chinese and Mongols rigidly segregated to keep Mongol power; cosmopolitan court welcomed foreigners (Marco Polo); scholar-gentry led a revolution > Ming Dynasty

16. Africa Northwest Africa: Ghana > Mali (Mansa Musa) > Songhay
Gold-salt trade
Eastern Coast: Swahili States
Indian Ocean trade
South Central: Great Zimbabwe
Gold mining
East Inland: Ethiopia
Christian trading center – loses trade connections when it retreats from Islam
Rest: stateless societies

17. India – Delhi Sultanate
Political
Gupta Empire had disintegrated > fragmented regional kingdoms
Afghan warlords invade and bring Islam, setting up the Delhi Sultanate
Rulers = sultans (Persian/Afghan/Turkic descent)
Large armies, bureaucracies, and extravagant courts
Economic
Merchants spread Islam around Asia
Religious
Tolerance; Sufism grows (mix of Islam and Hinduism); Hinduism still largest religion
Social
Separation between Muslims and Hindus
Intellectual
Artistic
Near (Geography)

18. Long Distance Trade and Travel
Famous travelers
Marco Polo: Visited Kublai Khan’s court in the Yuan (Mongol) Dynasty)
Ibn Battuta: Traveled the Muslim world in north Africa
Motivations for long-distance travel
Trading
Political diplomacy (ex: European knights protecting Byzantine Empire)
Missionaries for Islam and Christianity
Consequences of long-distance travel
Technological and agricultural diffusion (China: compass, gunpowder, rice; Muslims: sugar, etc.)
Spread of disease
Demographic changes (rise of cities along trade routes, decline of nomadic groups)

19. CCOT: Medieval Europe Change Continuity
Political – rising power of kings
Social – slow decline of feudalism
Economic – growth of trade (Hanseatic League, etc.), slow decline of manorialism
Continuity
Religion – continued importance of the Church
Intellectual – little intellectual change, little growth in literacy (very end – vernacular languages – but we don’t see a rise in literacy until the next time period)
Artistic – most art centered around the Church (won’t change until the Renaissance next time period)

20. Compare and Contrast: Medieval Europe & Byzantine Empire
Similarities
Religious: importance of Christianity
Historic: both considered inheritors of the Roman Empire
Differences
Political
Separation of Church and State in Europe; decentralized power (multiple kingdoms)
Caesaropapism in Byzantine
Economic:
Decline of trade in early Middle Ages, manorialism
Consistent trade in Byzantine

21. Compare & Contrast: Influence of Mongols in East Asia and Middle East
Similarities
Military conquest by the Mongols
Mongols assimilate into new culture
Reignited Silk Road trade that made both societies very wealthy
Differences
China: Mongols retain clear control (Yuan Dynasty) and subjugate the non-Mongols; overthrown (Qing Dynasty)
Middle East: Mongols incorporate themselves into the existing governments and eventually assimilate into Islamic culture

22. Compare & Contrast: Medieval Europe and Asia
Similarities
Feudalism in both Europe and Japan
Religion is the glue that unites each population
Europe/Byzantine = Christianity
Caliphates and Middle East = Islam
China = Confucianism
Japan = Shintoism
Differences
Economic – trade in Asia, little in Europe
Political – highly advanced political forms in Asia, weak kingdoms in Europe
Intellectual – preservation of ancient knowledge in Asia, intellectual regression in Europe