Unit 1 (1200-1450)

• Buddhism

  • Location: Started in India, expanded to China, Southeast Asia, and Japan (spread via trade routes-Silk Roads)
  • Siddhartha Gautama-rejected wealth to search for meaning of human suffering
  • 4 Noble Truths, followed no supreme beings
  • 2 large movements: Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism (openness to other cultures allows for popularity-appealed to members of lower rank)
  • Buddhism reabsorbed into Hinduism
  • China, Japan, and South east Asia still thrive with buddhism
• Africa

  • African kingdoms traded with Mediterranean economy.
  • Islamic trades and west Africans traded originally for salt
  • Hausa Kingdoms- Nigeria now, Central Africa, western part of the 15th century
  • Had economic stability and religious influence like Mali and Songhay
  • Kano-populous city for trades who ventured Central and Western Africa
• Southeast Asia


  Laid foundation for state established throughout South and Southeast Asia

  • State-building Empires: Sukhothai kingdom, Vijayanagara Empire, Sinnala Dynasties, and Majapahit Empire
  • Khmer Empire (9th century)-today Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand-->Indian Ocean trade networks- Hindu beliefs spread for being known for impressive construction of temple, Angornat, representing the Hindu universe
  • Prosperous economy run by women and included religious tolerance
  • End of Khmer Empire in 1431 was due to war with Thai's
• Judaism


  Originality: The Hebrew tribe of the Middle East, then spread to the Middle East, Africa, and Byzantine Empire

  • The first monotheistic religion that spawns Islam and Christianity
  • Hebrew Bible- includes Torah and other sacred texts that created the basis of Old Testament in Christianity
  • Formed a central part of Jewish religious practices and customs
  • Religious guidelines and cultural system
• Hinduism


  India-subcontinent

  • Goal: conduct yourself in your assigned roles from your past life and future life
  • Follows dharma (rules) until you achieve moksha (the highest state of internal peace and release of the soul)
  • No sacred text: Uses Vedas, Upanishads, sources of prayer verses, description of origins
  • Also a social system- caste system (members are born into defined social classes due to actions from old life)
  • In recent years, Hindus rebel against system but Hinduism remains powerful
  • Hinduism spawns Buddhism
• Confucianism


  Used in China as ethical, social, and political system rather than a theological system.

  • Confucius: educator and political advisor who had tremendous influence on China
  • many followers shared his thoughts through the Analects, influencing Chinese thinking politically and culturally
  • doesn't deal with salvation or afterlife
  • focuses on the five fundamental relationships and filial piety
  • Flexibility to practice other religions allowed Confucianism to flourish--> created an orderly society
  • Only evolved within the context of Chinese culture
• Christianity


  Originally by Jews which then spread to Europe, north-eastern Africa, and the Middle East

  • Based on Old and New Testaments of the Bible
  • Appealed widely to lower class and women due to emphasis on compassion, grace through faith, and promise of eternal life
  • In the 3rd century, Christianity became the most influential religion in the Mediterranean basin
  • Became the official religion of the Roman Empire
• India


  Birthplace of Hinduism and Buddhism, then Islam spread to India

  • Delhi Sultanate Kingdom:
  • Sultans sought to convert Hindus to Islam but failed--> Non-muslims had to pay tax like the Unayyads in Arabia
  • Hindus temples were destroyed and violence in communities occured
  • Progress:Colleges were built, Irrigation systems, Mosques, many Northern Indians converted but Southern India kept their traditions
  • Rajput Kingdoms: different Hindus principales
  • had to put up with resistance to Muslim Northern forces invading in 1191
  • Raput Kingdoms put down by Muslim Mughal forces in 1527
• Japan

  • Limited exchanges due to gegraphy (archipelago)
  • Developed around the same time of Western Europe, but independentally
  • 1192 CE, Yoritomo Minamoto was the shogun with power (emperor was a figure head, had no power)
• Japan


  Archipelago with limited exchanges due to geography
• Japan developed around the same time as Western Europe, but independently
• Yoritomo Minamoto was the shogun with power (emperor was a figurehead, had no power)

  1192 CE
• Shogun


  • Powerful ruler below the emperor
• Land division in Japan


  1. Divided into vessels

  2. Peasants and samurai worked the land
• Japanese identity system


  • Strong through aristocracy and Shintoism despite major Chinese influence
• Similarities between European and Japanese feudalism

  Similarities: Political and social structure, honor code

  • Bushido code of honor, similar to the code of Chivalry in Europe
  • Feudalism: Hierarchy bound, land was exchanged for loyalty, similar to European feudalism
  • -Daimyo-Powerful samurai, like knights in Europe

  Differences:

  • Europe: feudal contract-obligations enforced by law
  • Japan: Feudal arrangement based on group identity and loyalty, women lost any freedom
• Song (960-1279) and Ming (1368-1644; a period after Mongol invaders)


  Both were Golden Ages
• Song


  • Confucianism justified subordination of women
  • Foot binding was a widespread practice, common among elite families despite its harsh effects
  • Emphasized Filial Piety
  • Systematic approach to heaven and roles of individuals
• Fall of Han led to new religious influences such as Nestorianism, Manichaeism, Islam, and Zoroastrianism
• Buddhism: Mahayana


  • Appealed to many of lower class due to emphasis on peace
  • Converted educated classes (Chan/Zen)
• Confucianism


  Saw Buddhism as drain on both treasury and labor pool as Buddhism dismissed pursuit of material accumulation
• Daoists


  Saw Buddhism as rival religion that won many people over
• Neo-Confucianism


  Borrowed Buddhist ideas of souls and individuals
• Nation States in Russia

  • Eastern Europe and Russia were different to West
  • Eastern Orthodox Christians focused on defending against its colonizers
  • 1242, Russia succumbed to the Tatars (Mongols of the east) under Genghis Kan--> cultural rifts split Eastern and Western Europe
  • 14th Century, Mongols decline and in late 1400s, Ivan III expanded Muscovy and declared himself czar
  • Mid-1500,s Ivan the Terrible-nationalism in Russia, ruled ruthlessly and used secret police over his own nobles
• Nation States-Germany and Italy


  Germany- reigning family dies without successor, entering a period of interregnum.

  Germany and Italy: decentralized groups of strong independent townships and kingdoms (like city-states)

  Northern Germany Hanseatic League- led to international trade and commerce

  • Merchants and traders were more powerful in their society
• Nation States-Spain

  Spain: Under a single monarchy by Queen Isabella and Ferdinand; alliance with RCC led to no religious tolerance--> Muslims and Jews were kicked

  Newly Spain embarked on imperial quest, spread of Spanish language, customs, and Christianity to the New World
• Nation States-England and France


  England- strong monarchy ever since William the Conqueror

  -Was forced to sign the Magna Carta which laid the foundations of a Parliament; two branches were created

  -House of Lords (nobles and clergy)-dealt with legalities and advised the kind

  -House of Common (knights and wealthy burghers)- trade and taxes

  France bound to England: 12th century, England claimed parts of France, Joan of Arc sought to liberate France --> Hundred Years War led to England's withdrawal from France
• Abbasid Dynasty-Golden Age (750-1258)


  Golden Age- Early-mid 9th century(art and science)

  *Baghdad (modern Iraq)- one of the greatest cultural centers around the world

  *House of Wisdom- grand library as the center of innovation

  Nasir Al-Din Al-Tusi- innovation in math and medicine

  Much classical knowledge of Greece and Rome were preserved

  Intro to credit by merchants led to system of itemized bills and receipts

  Ethnic rivalries: Sunni and Shia; Turks acquired capital of Sammara Like Romans weakened by internal problems, Abassids (Persians, Europeans, And Byzantines. Mongols overan the Abbasids
• Developments in Americas


  Aztecs: in central Mexico, mid-1200s, Tenochtitlan-capital city

  • Expansionist policy and professional army allowed them to dominate nearby states, they heavily taxed them can held captives
  • Conquered areas that governed themselves had to pay tribute
  • Roads built that linked areas of the empire allowed trade to flourish

  Inca Empire: 2,000 miles of South America's coastline

  • Professional army, unified language, complex system of tunnels
  • Agricultural-based: women and peasants worked
  • Polytheistic; like Aztecs, believed in human sacrifice