Chapter 2: Varieties of Civilizations

Bushido

"the way of the warrior" or the set of values that the samurai followed

Inca Empire

A major Andean civilization located along the Andes mountains in South America

Maya Civilization

A major Mesoamerican civilization located in modern day Guatemala and Yucatan region of Mexico

Aztec Empire

A major Mesoamerican civilization located in parts of modern day Mexico and Central America

Byzantine Empire

A powerful Christian empire that ruled over the former area of the Eastern Roman Empire

Eastern Orthodox Christianity

A sect of Christianity that defined the emperor as the ruler who was "appointed" by God (orthodox or traditional)

Roman Catholic Church

A sect of Christianity that ruled over most of Western Europe from 1200 to 1450. The church is divided into a hierarchical system and is led by the popes

Kievan Rus

A state that is located in modern Ukraine and western Russia who was affiliated with the Byzantine Empire and the Eastern Orthodox Church

Chu nom

A variation of Chinese writing developed in Vietnam

What similarities and differences can you identify between the civilizations examined in this chapter?

All the civilizations examined in this chapter are similar because they all incorporated religion into their governments and ruled as large empires. Along with this, the civilizations all developed social classes and were fighting for power over one another. They also tried to convert other religions to their religion through conquest or force. Although they shared these characteristics, Middle Eastern and Asian civilizations were able to hold their power longer than the feuding states of Europe. Mesoamerican and Andean civilizations greatly differed from the civilizations in Afro-Eurasia as they had different technologies than those of Eurasia.

To what extent were Ibn Battuta's travels influenced by trade routes and the expansion of the Islamic world

As Islam expanded, so did the Trade Routes that connected many places in the Islamic World, so Ibn Battuta's travels would have been based on areas he was able to go (which could be through trade routes). Along with this the vast Islamic world would have given him a reason to travel and meet people of the same faith as him. The trade routes connected him with people throughout the Islamic World.

Based on the evidence in this image, what can you infer about the lives of elite women in Japan in this period?

Based on the evidence in the image, I can infer that the lives of elite women were probably very peaceful and luxurious. They may have been able to pursue the arts especially if they were high enough in social class.

In what different ways were civilizations spreading beyond their traditional heartlands between 1200 and 1450?

Between 1200 and 1450 civilizations were spreading beyond their traditional heartlands through military conquest and religions. Islamic civilizations spread through military conquest all the way to Western Europe and in some parts of Asia. Roman Catholic civilizations spread through religious wars called Crusades. Asian civilizations all had some sort of influence from China and the tribute system. There were many different empires that emerged and influenced the people they ruled over like the Byzantine Empire or the Ottoman Empire.

Considering Chapters 1 and 2 together, what major political and social processes changed between 500 and 1450?

Between 500 and 1450, the major political processes that changed were the structure of the government from a ruler to a system of officials who rule throughout the state and respond to an absolute monarch. Religion also became more integrated into the government and the social classes. Social processes changed as people began to discover more types of jobs which then changed the way that social classes were structured.

Constantinople

Capital of the Byzantine Empire

Eastern Orthodox Church vs Roman Catholic

Eastern Orthodox Christianity differed from Roman Catholicism by incorporating the government into the church. For example, the emperor was both the ruler of the empire and acted as a sort of pope to the church. This was different from Roman Catholicism where the church and government were independent of each other, but still worked together.

Why was Europe unable to achieve the same level of political unity that China experienced in this Era?

Europe was unable to achieve the same level of political unity that China was because they had various competing rulers. There were rulers such as kings, popes, wealthy landowners and merchants. All of them were weak or strong in some way which made everyone struggle to hold power over a specific place long enough to have political unity.

To what extent did European civilization change after 1000

European civilizations grew in terms of population, technological advancements, agricultural production, social systems, and economics. The populations increased by the millions (although they did decrease during the Black Plague) and new technology provided for faster and better agricultural methods (which led to a better economic state). Serfdom was less popular and more social classes began to emerge.

Foot Binding

Foot binding was considered a beauty standard for women that emphasized being delicate, small, and frail. This was a way of keeping women confined to being seen as lesser and weaker than men in the growing patriarchal society. (although women's property rights expanded and they were encouraged to be educated)

What different kinds of societies inhabited the Americas in the fifteenth century

Hunter-gatherer societies, farming societies, chiefdoms, and Mesoamerican civilizations inhabited the Americas in the fifteenth century. Hunter-gatherer societies were mostly in North America (some of Mexico, most of the U.S., and all of Canada). The farming societies were mostly located in South America (most likely because of the biodiversity near the Amazon). Chiefdoms were located near the mouth of the Amazon river or along the river and in Eastern North America where they were able to develop a settled lifestyle. The Mesoamerican civilizations in parts of Mexico, Central America, and where modern day Chile would be.

Using this image as evidence, describe where the Chinese placed themselves in the relationships developed through the tribute system with other states. What was the role of tribute in Chinese relations with outside powers?

In the image, people seem to be entering into China. From this, we can assume that China probably placed themselves as the main state in the Tribute system especially because Korea and Vietnam were expected to travel to China. China may have seen themselves as superior in the Tribute System and their role was to receive from the other states, but also influence them in some way

How was Islam similar and different in Spain and India

Islam was similar in Spain and India by becoming very prosperous after being conquered. Despite this, they were different in the ways they accepted the religion. 75% of the Spanish population converted to Islam while only 25% of the Indian population accepted the religion. The religions in Spain (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) lived peacefully together while in Northern India, there was tension between Islam and Hinduism. Although, over time the tension between Muslims and non-Muslims in Spain increased similar to India (eventually Islam was outlawed in Spain and Christianity dominated everything).

What cultural changes occurred in Korea in response to Chinese influence?

Korea originally had less restrictions on women's rights and filial piety, but China pressured them to adopt Confucian family values which restricted women

Evaluate the similarities and differences in the influence China had on Korea, Vietnam, and Japan. In what ways was that influence resisted?

Korea, Vietnam, and Japan seemed to borrow many ideas from China, yet they all remained a distinct area by resisting certain aspects of Chinese influence. Korea borrowed ideas of the government in China along with ideas of Confucianism (specifically restricting children and women), but Korea didn't really adopt the Chinese examination system of officials. Instead, aristocratic families had more power in office unlike the merit-based system in China. In Vietnam, they adopted the government system and the major religions in China such as Daoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism. Despite this, women had a larger role in Vietnamese society unlike Chinese society. Japan was further from China, so they had no obligation to adopt aspects of Chinese society. They chose voluntarily what to borrow, so one could say that they didn't have to resist influence from China.

How did links to Byzantium lead to the development of the new civilization in Kievan Rus?

Links to the Byzantine Empire allowed Kievan Rus to communicate with the rest of the world. They adopted the Eastern Orthodox faith which unified the people and made them independent from other civilizations. Kievan Rus was able to develop political and social structures from borrowed ideas of other civilizations which they got from their links to Byzantium.

Revolutionary impact of Islam

Muslim Spain allowed for Europeans to have access to Islamic knowledge which was beneficial to the change in European civilizations. Knowing that Islam spread to many other places, we can assume that Islam left a very influential impact on the world other than Spain (bad or good). Despite this, some could argue that the impact wasn't very revolutionary because Spain eventually reverted back to Christianity (although revolution is a major change, so this isn't a very strong point).

Describe the changes and continuities in pastoral societies after the rise of Islam

Pastoral societies such as the Turks invaded the Abbasid Empire and they eventually started using Muslim terms for leaders (sultan) and their warriors started converting to Islam. Later, the Ottoman Empire would rule using Islam as their faith.

Chinese Tribute System

Rulers of other countries presented tribute, and preformed required rituals of submission, and received in return abundant gifts, title and trading opportunities.

What distinguished the Aztec and Inca empires from each other

The Aztec and Inca empires differed from each other in politics and economic systems. The Aztec empire was made up of conquered societies while the Inca empire was made up of the Andean societies (this made the Inca people more willing than the Aztecs). In the Aztec empire, the conquered people were demanded to provide for the empire while the Incas used a system of labor for conquered people (also conquered people in Mesoamerica were sacrificed).

Why did the Byzantine Empire collapse

The Byzantine Empire collapsed because the Fourth Crusade overthrew Constantinople causing the Western forces to rule over Byzantium

Western Christendom

The Christian states that mainly dominated Western Europe

How does the Inca employment of bureaucrats compare to that of other societies such as China

The Incas, similar to other societies (such as China), employed bureaucrats to rule over their civilizations. The bureaucracy in the Inca empire was made up of an emperor who ruled over everything and was believed to be descended from a divine force along with governors who led the provinces in the empire. This was similar to Chinese emperors, although usually a dynasty ruled over China for a period of time. Both societies also had a system of checks on government officials to make sure they were competent enough for the job.

What features of the Muslim faith would account for the appeal of the religion across such diverse populations

The Muslim faith was very inclusive and revolved around equality for everyone which would account for the appeal of the religion across such diverse populations because it wasn't meant for only one area of people, but for all.

In what ways did the Song dynasty establish an enduring state structure?

The Song dynasty established an enduring state structure by creating a surveillance system that checked the officials in charge (sort of like the different branches and checks and balances). Along with this, they established a system that required education to become an official which would allow people of different social classes to get an opportunity to prove themselves as fit. It also didn't allow for higher class families to have a major hold on the office

China's economic revolution

The Song dynasty saw a growth in population, argricultural production, and in result from these a growth in industrial production (metallurgy). Also, the people had to pay taxes in paper money

Seljuk Turkic Empire

The Turkish pastoral people that invaded the Arab Empire and gained control over most of the Islamic world (along with the Persians)

Hangul

The alphabet created by Korea which allowed them to write their language down

Why are the centuries of the Song dynasty in China sometimes referred to as a "golden age"?

The centuries of the Song dynasty in China are referred to as a "golden age" because the Song dynasty provided China with a successful political state, economic growth, and cultural innovation (art and literature). Song dynasty China flourished in these centuries.

What distinguishes the civilizations of the Americas from those of Afro-Eurasia?

The civilizations in the Americas weren't as feuding as the ones of Afro-Eurasia. There was no feud over religion or the land. They were prosperous, but seemingly secluded from other areas of the world whereas Afro-Eurasia were all connected in some way. The American civilizations had no access to other civilizations, so some technologies may not have developed there. Along with this, their populations weren't as large as those of Afro-Eurasia. They were polytheistic which differed from the mostly monotheistic religions present in Afro-Eurasia.

Caesaropapism

The combining of the government and religion, the emperor was head of the state and church

Song Dynasty

The dynasty that ruled China from 960-1279 (the "golden age" of China). They made improvements in the political structure and arts in this time

What is the main disagreement in point of view among historians regarding the word "civilization"?

The main disagreement in point of view among historians regarding the word "civilization" is that the term is very constrictive. Many historians believe that the term groups many different types of society into one category that supposedly share some common characteristics (like superiority over less developed groups). Overall, some historians use "civilization" as a word without any bias or they refer to these groups as complex societies.

What were the major political and cultural effects of the Crusades

The major political effect of the Crusades was European expansion as crusading gave them a reason to explore and conquer other countries (to convert them to Christianity) and eventually the Americas. Major cultural effects were the exchange of technologies, agricultural techniques (using slaves), and other knowledge (led to desire of Asian goods).

motivation for Justinian's conquest

The map suggests that the motivation for Justinian's conquest was based on the areas that the former empire had rule over (Roman Empire). He probably did this in an attempt to restore the areas that the Romans had conquered.

What is the problem associated with using the word civilization to describe the agricultural city-states and early empires discussed in this chapter

The problem associated with using the word "civilization" to describe the agricultural city-states and early empires discussed in this chapter is that the term refers to a superior society and that everyone in the area felt connected by a common identity.

In what ways did the rediscovery of Greek philosophy and science affect European Christianity

The rediscovery of Greek philosophy and science affected European Christianity by allowing them to integrate Aristotle's philosophies into the way that they introduced the Christian beliefs. The beliefs of the divine became more separate from science which led later to the Scientific Revolution.

Crusades

The religious wars that were directed by the Catholic church to convert nations of other religion

European Renaissance:

The time in European History when the arts took hold of the culture in Europe by combining art with Greco-Roman culture (daVinci and Michaelangelo)

What does this tile reveal about Turkish culture after settlement in Anatolia

This tile reveals that the Turks took such a great liking to the Islamic faith, that they not only converted to the religion, but also used art as a way to express their faith. The tile has inscriptions from the Quran which they used to decorate buildings which shows how important this religion became in their culture.

In what different ways did Japanese and Korean women experience the pressures of traditional Confucian teachings?

While Korean women were given more restrictions from the pressures of traditional Confucian teachings, Japanese women didn't experience many pressures from Confucian teachings. Japanese women were able to inherit property, divorce, and rule over their own relationships. This could be because Japan was separated from China which allowed them to have more of a choice on how to govern its people.

In what ways did women's lives change during the Song dynasty?

Women were considered to be less than men and they had to follow the men. This created less jobs for women as men took over. For example, women were more in the textile industry (weaving silk), but eventually men took over the jobs and ran the factories. Another way that women were controlled to be seen as less was in the practice of foot binding which made the beauty standard small and frail so as to not overshadow the men. Despite this, women were able to have control over divorce, inheriting property, and their dowry. Along with this, women were encouraged to be educated.

Ottoman Empire

an empire created by a Turkic warrior group in Anatolia which unified the Middle East and North Africa into a political state

Abbasid Caliphate

the Arab dynasty that ruled over the Islamic world

Ottoman Janissaries

the Ottoman Janissaries were adequately funded because of how this picture portrays them as a rich looking military force. They were able to have uniforms, salaries, and the latest military technology which correlates to the prosperous Ottoman Empire.

Hangzhou

the capital of the Song Dynasty

what factors account for the relative political and social fragmentation of Europe?

the multiple states accounted for the relative political and social fragmentation. The various states that Europe was divided into caused a struggle of power between the multiple leaders of the states. There was a social fragmentation between the people because of the different religions that were in Europe along with pressure from the Islamic World.

al-Andalus:

the name that Muslims called Spain