Post on 19-Jan-2016
Period 3:Regional and Transregional Interactions
c. 600 CE – c. 1450 CE Ch 7; p 81 Source: AP World History Crash Course by J.P. Harmon
Expansion of Networks of
Exchangec. 600 CE – c. 1450 CE
AKA: Post Classical Era Most Important development – Islam Re-growth of Western Europe Tang-Song China Increase in trade across the known world
Introduction
Cities along land and sea trade routes increased in number and importance in this era Important Afro-European trading cities along land routes
include Djenne, Timbuktu, Gao in West Africa Byzantium, Novgorod in Europe Baghdad southwest Asia Samarkand, Bukhara in Central Asia Chang’an in East Asia
Important seaports include Venice, Byzantium in Europe Tyre, Hormuz in Southwest Asia Zanzibar, Kilwa in East Africa Calicut, Goa in South Asia Melaka in Southeast Asia Hangzhou, Guangzhau in East Asia
Technological Changes and Trading Practices
Through these cities and trade routes many luxury and everyday items were exchanged in even greater quantities
Islam was carried into SE Asia, E Asia, SE Asia
◦ Silk remained highly prized throughout◦ New technologies, goods and ideas were added
⚫Including: gunpowder, paper, compass, astrolabe
Technological Changes and Trading Practices
New government policies allowed trade growth
When Han fell in China, trade on Silk Road & Indian Ocean declined due to political unrest and instability
Rise of Tang/Song gov’t stabilized & trade increases
Chinese merchants expand their numbers and range
Technological Changes and Trading Practices
Greatest gov’t decision: laissez-faire China’s emperors chose to let IO merchants
manage on their own IO trade was basically self-governing
◦ Merchants made rules ◦ Worked deals for port access◦ Dealt with smugglers◦ Set prices
Ming emperors launched the biggest fleet but didn’t take over
Technological Changes and Trading Practices
Coins minted used as early as Persian Empire
Chinese produced 1st paper money prior to 9th C
Much of “flying money” made of silk
14th C, Mongols brought paper money to C & SW Asia
Technological Changes and Trading Practices
Grand Canal◦ Begun by Sui, continued by Tang/Song, completed
by Yuan Links China’s major rivers in a north-south
direction Allows goods to be moved more easily Still key today
Technological Changes and Trading Practices
Other Empires connect into Trade Byzantine Empire controlled trade through
Constantinople◦ Also political and social leader
Muslim & Mongol Empires protected trade in various ways◦ Dar-al-Islam◦ Pax Mongolica
Technological Changes and Trading Practices
How the Movement of People was Both Caused
and Affected by Environment, Language
& Religion
Raided: England, France, Russia, Italy, Byzantine Empire
AKA: Northmen, Norsemen, Normans Influenced development of languages in
England & France Assimilated overtime into European Culture
by converting to Christianity Sailed to and colonized France (Normandy),
Russia, Iceland, Greenland & N. America
Vikings
Domesticated camels and introduced them to N Africa’s Sahara trade network
Perfected horsemanship
Muslim Arabs & Mongols
Syncretism – “Blending” especially religions Islam, Christianity, Buddhism – world class
religions◦ Expanded to every inhabited continent◦ Had to adapt its beliefs and practices to local
conditions
World Religions and Syncretism
Originated in India, didn’t pose questions about God, gods, or eternal life
As moved into East & SE Asia adapted to the spiritual needs of the local traditions
Became a salvationist faith promising eternal life
Known as Mayahana Buddhism
Buddhism
Incorporated some Roman polytheistic beliefs◦ Prayers to patron saints
In Americas, adapted local customs ◦ Dias de los Muertos
Christianity
Also modified customs to fit local beliefs◦ Sufi branch of Islam reflects a mystical blend in
India◦ Tolerance – “People of the Book”
⚫Originally Jews and Christians – respected and allowed to maintain their faith and not forced to convert
⚫Later Hindus and Buddhists included in this
Islam
Language MigrationsAltered environment and societies with technology
Beginning c. 1500 BCE thru c. 1000 CE in Central Africa
Speakers of Bantu-based languages migrated east and south
Carried with them knowledge of agriculture, animal herding and metal-working
Changed their new environments
Bantu Migration
Standard in Southern and Eastern Africa Anthropologists traced language migration
back from southern/eastern Africa to their roots in Central Africa
Swahili ◦ Blend of Arabic and Bantu ◦ Trading language
Bantu-based Languages
Based on the Latin of the Roman Empire Spread throughout Europe after fall of Rome
◦ French◦ Spanish◦ Italian◦ Portuguese◦ Romanian
Romance Languages
Oceania MigrationsPacific Ocean
Includes: Australia, New Zealand, Solomon Islands, Hawaii, etal.
Migrations began in prehistoric times from Southeast Asia
Carried with them languages, religious beliefs, foods and animals
Effected environmental changes◦ Spread coconuts, bananas
Oceania
Cross-Cultural Interactions Intensify
Merchants settled far from homelands
Jewish & Christians lived in major trade cities in China, S Asia, C Asia, N Africa, W Europe, Byz. Empire & Persian Gulf
Muslim communities established in trading cities on rim of IO, SE Asia, N Africa, W Africa, Muslim Spain, Byz. Empire, China
Settlement of Merchants
Sogdian (Persian) merchants used the Silk Roads – greatest contribution translation of religious texts
Chinese in SE Asia, and cities thru-out Indian Ocean region
All cultures drawn by the chance to make money
Governments who cooperated with merchants gained from their contacts
Settlement of Merchants
Records of ContactsProvide insight to Post-Classical Cultures
NOT the annoying game!!!! Began his travels with merchant father and
uncle in late 13th C From Venice (Italy) to SW Asia via Silk Roads
and then into E Asia Later continued on his own into SE Asia and
Indian Ocean
Marco Polo
A Description of the World gave insights into East and Central Asia
Aide to Kublai Khan Columbus used Polo’s book as inspiration
for his expedition
Marco Polo
Muslim traveler from N Africa Early 1300s began a 30 year journey
through Dar-al Islam across Afro-Eurasia “everywhere Islam is” Journaled about people, sights and customs Traveled about 75,000 miles
◦ W Africa, Muslim Spain, N Africa, Byz Empire◦ Islamic Caliphates in SW Asia, E Africa, S Asia, SE
Asia & East Asia
Ibn Battuta
King of wealthy Mali, in W Africa Traveled to Mecca on hajj in 13th C Passed thru Timbuktu, Gao & Cairo Handed out so much gold in Cairo, crashed
the economy
Mansa Musa
Era of ExchangeTechnology, ideas and diseases
From China ◦ Paper making, Printing, Compass, Gunpowder,
Cannons
From India◦ How to grow cotton and sugar
From Vietnam◦ New stains of rice
Technology
From India mathematical concepts◦ “arabic” numerals, zero, decimal point
Muslims & Byzantines preserved Greek and Roman heritage◦ Saved libraries of Greek Literature and science ◦ Europeans “rediscovered” their past and sparked
Renaissance Arts moved along Silk Roads
◦ Musical instruments – cymbals, guitar, tambourine
◦ Hindu & Buddhist sculptures
Ideas
Bubonic Plague – AKA Black Death◦ Yersinia pestis ◦ Transmitted by fleas from infected rats◦ Quickly went from blood-born to pneumonic
Worst epidemic in 1341-1350 Probably caused by expansion of trade by
Mongols Spread from C Asia thru Crimea to Italy then
through all Europe Estimated 1/3-1/2 population killed
Disease