AP World History

• Song Dynasty


  960-1279, rulers of China during this period
• Two main methods of maintaining and justifying Song Dynasty rule


  • Emphasizing Confucianism
  • Expanding the Imperial Bureaucracy
• Confucianism


  A philosophy that defined Chinese culture from its earliest days, revived during the Song Dynasty as Neo-Confucianism
• Neo-Confucianism


  • Emphasizes the importance of hierarchy in society
  • Filial Piety: the virtue of children obeying and honouring their parents and ancestors
• Women in Song China


  Relegated to a subordinate position, stripped of legal rights, endured social restrictions like limited access to education and foot binding
• Imperial Bureaucracy


  A government entity arranged in a hierarchical fashion that carries out the will of the emperor, eligible men took civil service exams based on Confucian classics, jobs earned on merit not birth or wealth
• Chinese traditions


  Influenced the kingdoms of Korea, Japan, and Vietnam, who adopted similar civil service examinations and bureaucratic systems
• Buddhism in Song China


  Originated in India, spread to China, Mahayana Buddhism encouraged broader participation and helping others along the path to Enlightenment
• Four Noble Truths of Buddhism


  • Life is suffering
  • Suffering arises from craving
  • Suffering ceases when craving ceases
  • The Eightfold Path is the means to cease craving
• Economy of Song China


  Inherited prosperity and population growth, commercialization with manufacturers and artisans producing more than they consumed, significant goods traded were porcelain and silk, innovations in agriculture and transportation facilitated growth
• Dar al-Islam


  The "house of Islam", where Islamic faith was the organizing principle of civilizations
• Religions in Dar al-Islam


  • Judaism
  • Christianity
  • Islam
• Monotheistic religions


  Believe in one God, unlike Hinduism which believes in many gods
• Abbasid Caliphate


  Ethnically Arab, centered in Baghdad, began to break up and lose power by 1200
• Seljuk Empire


  Established in 11th century by Turkic pastoralists, did not entirely displace the Abbasid Empire
• Ways the expansion of Muslim rule occurred


  • Military expansion
  • Trade
  • Sufi missionary activities
• South and Southeast Asia

  Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam vied for dominance, shaping the region
• Hinduism in South Asia


  Remained the most widespread religion, but Islam became the second most important
• Bhakti movement


  Innovation on traditional polytheistic Hinduism, emphasizing devotion to one of the Hindu gods
• Southeast Asia


  Buddhism and Islam were the main religions, with Buddhism being dominant
• Majapahit Empire


  Powerful Buddhist kingdom in Java, known for interactions with China and India
• Khmer Empire


  Land-based empire in 14th century, founded as Hindu Kingdom but later converted to Buddhism
• Angkor Wat


  Magnificent temple built during the Khmer Empire, showing influence of both Hinduism and Buddhism
• Mesoamerica and Andean civilization


  Major centers of civilization in the Americas by 1200
• Aztec Empire


  Major power in Mesoamerica, founded in 1345, known for aggressive expansion and capital city Tenochtitlan
• Aztec administration


  Elaborate system of tribute states, conquered peoples required to provide labor, goods, and services
• Inca Empire


  Born in early 1400s, stretched across Andean Mountain Range, incorporated land and languages of older Indian societies
• Inca labour system


  Mita, required all people under their rule to provide labor on state projects
• Mississippi culture


  First large-scale civilization in North America, grew around Mississippi River Valley, known for monumental mounds
• Swahili civilization


  Series of independent city-states along East African coast, influenced by Muslim traders who introduced Swahili language
• Swahili language


  Hybrid between indigenous African Bantu languages and Arab
• West African civilizations


  Powerful and highly centralized, including Ghana, Mali, and Songhai Empires, driven by trade and adoption of Islam
• Kingdom of Ethiopia


  Powerful African state that grew through trade, maintained indigenous shamanistic religion
• Christianity in Europe


  Dominated by Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic versions
• European states


  Organized according to feudalism, no large empires like in other regions
• During 1200-1450, the geographical range of the Silk Roads, Indian Ocean Network, and Trans-Saharan Trade Network expanded
• Expansion of these networks was due to innovations and commercial practices
• Increased connectivity caused the rise of powerful states and cities, as well as the collapse of others
• Silk Roads


  Stretched across Eurasia, traded luxury goods like Chinese silk and porcelain
• Innovations in transportation on the Silk Roads


  • Caravan sarai: inns and guesthouses along the route
  • Money economies: using paper money to facilitate exchange