Post-Classical Period 600-1450
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Post-Classical Period600-1450
Rise Of
Major Belief Systems
Fall of Classic
Civilizations
Classical Period ends with decline of urban areas.
Why?• Devastating plagues• Invasions• Decline of Ag. Production• Political & economic
decentralization
Urban Revival during Post- Classical Age. Why?
• End of invasions• Availability of safe/reliable
transport• Rise of commerce and warmer
temps. between 800-1300• Increased ag. production =
rising pop.• Great availability of labor
• Buddhism• Christianity• Islam
Spread of Religions
Why successfully spread?• Emphasized
spiritual life• Stressed
importance of divine powers
• Emphasized internal devotion
• Offers hope through afterlife
•Helped those in need (poor, hungry, oppressed)
The Spread of Islam
Origins of Islam• Why was the
Arabian Peninsula both a likely and unlikely place to start a religion???
•Geography – desert
•People – –Bedouins–Tribal–No unity
•Strategic location
Unlikely
Likely
Located bwn 3 continents & major waterways
Changes during Late Classical Period
•Towns and Cities emerge *
**
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•Prominent role of Arab Merchants
•Growth of Arabic language
•Materialistic culture emergesLiteracy and Education increases
•Fall of Rome
Islam as a “Unifier”• Distinctly Arabic• Ended feuding tribes• Source of Authority• Equality and a moral code• Trade and profit making
Islamic ExpansionWhy conquest? *Unity gave confidence*Valuable lands/trade/money
First Commanded by MuhammadFollowed by the first Caliphs
*Drought in Arabia*Seek Converts
Why was it successful?•Quick, Agile Army•Weak Surrounding Empires•Taxing policies insured
loyalty and revenue
Umayyad Dynasty661-750
• Capital moved to Damascus
• Favoritism toward Arabs• Second wave of
conquest/expansion: W. India to Spain
• Caliph = religious leader; family = advisors
• Capital = Baghdad•Tolerance towards non-Arabs•Consolidated Empire•Caliph = Absolute ruler; Vizier headed complex bureaucracy• Global Network of Trade;
Baghdad = major trade city• Baghdad = center of Islamic
Golden Age
Abbasids Dynasty750-945
Problems within the Empire
1. Issues of Succession*After the death of Muhammad*Rightful heir?
Division EmergesSunnisForwardMajorityAnyone can
assume role of caliph
Shi’is (Shiite)FundamentalistsMinorityClaim to be direct
descendants to Muhammad-Only they can be caliph
2. Empire grew too big•Rebellious governors•Ruling a diverse people•End of Arabian dominance
RESULTS: • By 1000 Abbasids were crumbling• Other cultural influences takeover
Arabs• Persians, Turks, Mongols• Arabian Political Dominance
Islamic Cultural Dynamism
Complete the following Analogy
What the birth and growth of Islam (Idea) did for the Arabs (people)…
_____________________ (Idea) did for the__________________(people) because they both
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