Lecture 2

Did people before 1500 have world contact…if so, to what extent?

Where was this contact most frequent?

Was there a world economy?

The Late Middle ages had an increased amount of contacts in the world because of the spread of world religions. This lecture will:

1. Look at the emergence of world travelers as byproducts of these new patterns of contact

2. Look at the emergence of new major routes3. Look at the consequences of these new

contacts

Before the Maritime Revolution the known world was being searched

Many began writing about their adventures and the world began to be discussed within circles of travelers, traders, missionaries etc

There are two texts that reached more people than any others (How do texts make a difference?)Ibn BattutaMarco Polo

One of the greatest world travelers in the 14th century

Born in Morocco to a middle-class merchant family

Began his travels as pilgrimage to Mecca

His accounts of his travels reflect new geographic contacts

His belief in Islam motivated his travels

"When the afternoon prayers had been said, drums ... were beaten and the [Sufi] brethren began to dance. After this they prayed the sunset prayer and brought in the repast, consisting of rice-bread, fish, milk, and dates. When all had eaten and prayed the first night prayer, they began to recite the [prayer-songs]... They had prepared loads of firewood which they kindled into flame, and went into the midst of it dancing; some of them rolled in the fire, and others ate it in their mouths, until finally they extinguished it entirely... Some of them will take a large snake and bite its head with their teeth until they bite it clean through."

"China was beautiful, but it did not please me. On the contrary, I was greatly troubled thinking about the way paganism dominated this country. Whenever I went out of my lodging, I saw many blameworthy things. That disturbed me so much that I stayed indoors most of the time and only went out when necessary. During my stay in China, whenever I saw any Muslims I always felt as though I were meeting my own family and close kinsmen.

1. Demonstrated the geographical expression of human curiosity—Did people want to see the world before 1500?

2. How do people judge others they came in contact with?—Battuta did it through the lens of Islam

3. His visit to China left him disoriented—He praised Chinese society, but did not understand it because it had no relation to his own Islamic roots and culture.

Does religion separate us more than it brings us together?

Do world relations increase as we become indifferent to religion?

Venetian who travelled to China under Mongol rule

Uncles and fabrication

1. European travelers were less uncomfortable outside of Christian regions

2. People were curious, both Christian and Muslim, about the world—one persons curiosity spurred others around the world to seek new trade and contacts (Marco Polo’s book was on Columbus’ book shelf)

3. By the 14th century travel was easier. Accounts of contacts were more consistent than earlier accounts (Herodotus) and knowledge of the world was expanding.

1. New Core Route1. Indian Ocean route connecting western Asia or

the Middles East with South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific coast of China

2. Formed by Arab merchants and soon dominated by Muslims

3. Silk, Porcelain and Spices4. Caused major manufacturing expansions—see

China2. Other Routes

1. Sub-Saharan African routes (2)2. Scandinavian routes3. Western Europe to Scandinavia (late coming)

Internal EconomiesChinaWorld markets

Caused consumer dependenceCrusades caused upper class Europeans to

want a higher class of livingSugar!Consumerism spurred shipping activities—

ports and ships

Arabic words passed into European languagesProducts adding words like “orange” and “sugar”

Arabic numbering systemIndian numbering system taken over by ArabsEuropeans called in Arabic numbering system

Mathematical systemsAlgebra (Arabic word)Bridges, damns, irrigation, water works

MedicineAvicenna-synthesized Aristotle and Greek

medicine

1. New trading activities encouraged the development of new technologies

1. Ship design (junk)2. Navigation, compass (China to SE Asia to

Europe)3. Astrolabe, locate ones self

2. Increased trade accelerated the transmission of technological inventions

1. Paper invented in classical China, Arabs learned about it in W. China in military campaign, (9th C) from the Arabs to the Europeans

Societies recognized the benefits of interregional connectionPossibility of imitationPossibility of diffusion

This a watershed of World History-the move away from strictly local benefits

Is this the beginning of Globalization??

1. Contemporary globalization involves far more interaction

2. Nevertheless, interregional contacts encouraged more interregional activities (travel accounts, products, technologies etc)

3. Many historians reject the evolutionary concept of globalization

4. Nonetheless, the late middle age explosion of trade and travel must be recognized as a major change in world history