Post-Classical Era

600 C.E. - 1450 C.E.

Muhammad and His Message• Muhammad ibn Abdullah was

born in Mecca to a wealthy merchant family in 570 C.E.

• He married a wealthy widow Khadija in 595 and worked as a merchant starting at age 30

• At age 40 he received a message from Allah, the one true god, who would bring judgment to the world Muhammad (570-632 C.E.)

The Quran

• The Quran was a compilation of Muhammad’s revelations written down by his followers

• It would serve as the ultimate authority on the laws of Islam

• Other works, such as the hadith, included other quotes and deeds of Muhammad

Shia vs. Sunni

• The Shia sect of Islam supported Ali and his descendants as the one true caliph

• The Sunni sect were known as the traditionalists and accepted the authority of the earliest caliphs

• The two sects separated– The Shia created holy days for

leaders and believed them to be infallibleShia patriarch Ali

The Sui Dynasty (589-618)

• Chinese leader Yang Jian reunified China in 589 after 350 years of chaos following the Han dynasty collapse

• The new Sui dynasty had a distinct style– built palaces and granaries– military expeditions into central

Asia and Korea– High taxes and forced labor

Tang Dynasty (618-907)

• The Tang dynasty started after the fall of the city of Chang’an

• Emperor Tang Taizong began his reign in 627 and ruled with an iron grip on power

• Although ruthless, his reign produced a time of prosperity and stability in government

Tang Achievements• The Tang built a vast

transportation and communications network

• The equal-field system divided land up according to the people’s needs

• Government positions were filled according to highest scores on a civil service exam

• China viewed itself as the center of civilization and forced its neighbors to pay tributeEntertainment of the Tang royal

court

The Song Dynasty (960-1279)

• Founded by Song Taizu in 960• The large government

bureaucracy and high salaries depleted the treasury

• The nomadic Khitan and Jurchen groups began creating problems in north and central China

• The Song government moved to the south and ruled China until 1279

Nara Japan (710-794)

• Inspired by the Tang, one Japanese clan took authority over all Japan in 710

• They built a capital city at Nara modeled after the Chinese capital at Chang’an

• The Japanese adopted Confucianism and Buddhism but retained their Shinto traditions

One of Nara’s royal palaces

Heian Japan (794-1185)

• Moved the capital to Kyoto in 794

• Japanese emperors were symbols of authority, not the true rulers of the nation

• Power was held in the hands of the Fujiwara family

• Chinese learning dominated Japanese education and politics

Art of the Heian period

The Samurai

• The samurai class was a class of warriors and provincial lords

• They followed the Bushido code of loyalty, military talent, and discipline

• They often engaged in ritual suicide to preserve their honor

Traditional Samurai armor

Social Organization in Sub-Africa

• Most societies were kin-based clans or tribes ruled by family based groups

• Groups of villages united to form districts

• Village chiefs were in charge of intervillage dealings

Modern chiefs in Ghana

European Improvement in Agriculture

• Crop rotation and the growth of beans enriched the soil

• The increase in animal domestication also improved soil

• Numerous books and lectures were written on proper household economies and agricultural techniques

A typical feudal manor

The Crusades

• Pope Urban II called on Christian knights to take the holy land in 1095

• A disorganized army led by Peter the Hermit fell failed

• The first crusade led by French and Norman nobles seized Jerusalem in 1099

• Jerusalem was recaptured by the Muslims in 1187

Christian attack on Ma’arra, Syria

Later Crusades

• By the mid 1200s five major crusades had been launched

• The 4th Crusade (1202-1204) conquered Constantinople

• Overall, the crusades failed to take over Palestine from the Muslims

Crusaders enter Constantinople

Aztec Upper Class

• The warrior elite held the upper class of the social hierarchy and held most of the wealth and privileges

• Women had no public role but were honored for being mothers and sometimes warriors

• Priests were also high ranking: read omens, presided over rituals, and some became rulersAztec warrior of the 15th century

Aztec Lower Class

• Most Aztecs were farmers or slaves who worked to pay tribute or serve public works projects

• Many slaves worked as household servants

• Artisans and craftsmen were valued for their production of luxury items, but trade was risky

An Aztec slave market

The Incas

• Originated near Lake Titicaca in the Andean highlands

• Under the reign of Pachacuti they launched attacks against neighboring tribes in 1438

• The Incas built a huge empire spanning spanning nearly 4,000 kilometers from north to south

Inca ruins at Muchu Picchu

Inca Government and Military• Capital city of Cuzco was home

to nearly 300,000 people by the 1400s

• An extensive road system linked the entire empire

• Runners were used to maintain communication and spread the Quecha language

• The Inca ruled as a military and administrative elite

• Use quipo for record keeping

Inca ceremony at Cuzco, Peru