AP World History Empires/Civilizations and Religions

Islam

A monotheistic religion based on the belief that there is one God, Allah, and that Muhammad was Allah's prophet. Islam is based in the ancient city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Muhammad. "submission to the will of God".

Indus Valley (economic)

Economic: ?

Han (Economic)

Economic: Agriculture was the main activity, trade on the Silk Road, monopolized by the government, copper coins, Taxes begin lower than during the Qin dynasty but rise as the dynasty progresses.

China (economic)

Economic: Agriculture which was the main activity, trade on the Silk Road, and luxury goods.

Mesopotamia (economic)

Economic: Extensive long-distance trade and Agriculture.

Egypt (economic)

Economic: Extensive long-distance trade, and Agriculture.

Mauryan (economic)

Economic: Many industries such as spinning, weaving, mining, shipbuilding, and armaments which was financed by taxes on trade, on herds of animals, and land.

Mayans (economic)

Economic: The economic foundations for the cultural achievements were embedded in an "almost totally engineered landscape." A flourishing agriculture was what supported a very rapidly growing and dense population and was sufficiently productive to free a large labor force work on the many public structures.

Gupta (Economic)

Economic: Trade flourished, after the fall of the Roman Empire merchants turned to S.E Asia for trade, especially Indonesia and the Malay Peninsula. The government monopolized the mining of salt and metals.

Aztec (Economic)

Economic: Vast marketplaces reflected the commercialization of economy. Marketplaces hummed with activity during weekly market days.

Bantu (Economic)

Economic:Agriculture which allowed them to enter regional trading networks in exchange for products.

Incas (Economic)

Economic:Large state farms known as "Sun farms", and manufacturing. Inca demanded labor service known as "mita" of conquered people which was required periodically of every household.

Christianity

Founded by Jesus in Palestine/Israel Beliefs- Monotheism, supreme importance of love based relationship with God, went against established authorites. Significant elements- offered women new opportunities although it reflected patriarchal values. Spread as a world religion.

Buddhism

Founded by Siddartha Gautama in Northern India. Beliefs- Buddha, "Break the cycle of rebirth to end suffering", "Reach Nirvana" (enlightenment), anyone can reach enlightenment regardless of their caste, 8 fold path. Significant elements- Rejected caste system and gods of Hinduism. Women were seen as temptation.

Hinduism

Founded by- Anonymous in India Beliefs- Polytheism, 3 major Gods: Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, Reincarnation, Dharma (moral guide to live), and Karma. Significant elements- Tolerable of other religions, flexible-adopted other people's deities, Hindusism=blending of ideas, caste system in relation to religion.

Vikings

From Scandinavia, raided much of Europe, never colonized only conquered.

Han (political)

Political: Centralized administration, improved bureaucracy, focused less on military buildup, attacked warlords/regional princes, emphasized confucianism, and one emperor Wu Ti brought peace to much of Asia, expanded territory, and introduced the Civil Service Exam.

Mayans (political)

Political: Highly fragmented political system of city-states, local lords, and regional kingdoms with no central authority, with frequent warfare, and with the extensive capture and sacrifice of prisoners. Larger political units were ruled by powerful kings, who were divine rulers or "state shamans" able to mediate between humankind and the supernatural. None of these city-states succeeded in creating a unified Maya Empire.

China (political)

Political: Legalism lead to strict laws in the Qin dynasty, dynastic cycle, mandate of heaven, and centralized government.

Indus Valley (political)

Political: Little is known about the social and political orginixation but great cities were suspected to be contolled by not one single ruler, but by a small group of elites comprised of merchants, landowners and ritual specialists.

Mesopotamia (political)

Political: Organized in a dozen or more separate and independent city-states. Each city-state was ruled by a king, who claimed to represent the city's patron deity and who controlled the affairs of the walled city and surrounding rural area.

Gupta (political)

Political: Rulers were not as powerful as Mauryans rulers. Hereditary governors controlled provinces and could exploit their people. Labor tax as well as tax on agriculture sustained the government.

Egypt (political)

Political: Several chiefdoms unified into one territory that stretched some 1,000 miles along the Nile. Egypt maintained unity and independence though with occasional interruptions. The focus of the Egyptian state resided in the pharaoh believed to be a god in human form, he alone ensured the daily rising of the sun and the annual flooding of the Nile.

Bantu (Political)

Political: Some organized themselves without any formal political specialists, and instead made decisions, resolved conflicts, and maintained order by using kinship structures. Other places sometimes had chiefs with modest political authority.

Aztec (Political)

Political: The Aztec Empire was a loosely structured and unstable conquest state that witnessed frequent rebellions by its subject people.

Incas (Political)

Political: The Incas had a more bureaucratic empire though with many accommodations for local circumstances. At the top reigned the emperor, an absolute ruler regarded as divine, a descendant of the creator god Viracocha and the son of the sun god Inti. In theory the state owned all land and resources, and the central regions of the some eighty provinces in the empire had an Inca governor.

Mauryan (political)

Political: Well organized bureaucracy. Ashoka was the most famous king. Village=the fundamental unit of government. Tax collecting and courts.

Egypt (social)

Social: A cheerful and hopeful outlook on the world. The rebirth of the sun every day and the river every year seemed to assure Egyptians that life would prevail over death. Interacted frequently with Mesopotamians, and also might have been influenced by them and other neighboring areas..

Aztec (Social)

Social: A population of approximately 5-6 million people. Frequent rebellions occurred by it's subject peoples. Social classes were evident. Conquered peoples and cities were required to regularly deliver to their Aztec rulers impressive quantities of textiles and clothing, military supplies, jewelry, and other luxuries, various foodstuffs, etc. "Gender parallelism"-women and men operate in two separate but equivalent spheres, each gender enjoying autonomy in its own sphere.

Incas (Social)

Social: A small community of Quechua-speaking people. Efforts at cultural integration required the leaders of conquered peoples to learn Quechua. Their sons were removed to the capital of Cuzco for instruction in Inca culture and language. "Gender parallelism"-women and men operate in two separate but equivalent spheres, each gender enjoying autonomy in its own sphere. Social roles were clearly defined but the domestic concerns of women were not regarded as inferior to the activities of men. None of this meant gender equality though, because Men occupied the top positions in both political and religious life and male infidelity was treated more lightly than was a woman's unfaithfulness. Also a hierarchical society.

Bantu (Social)

Social: Depended on population density,trading opportunities, and interaction among culturally different peoples. Many of the Bantu languages of southern Africa retain to this day the distinctive "clicks" that they borrowed from the now-vanished gathering and hunting peoples who long preceded them in the region.

Indus Valley (social)

Social: Farmers, life revolved around flood seasons, social classes, and urban planning.

Mayans (social)

Social: Mayans were viewed by early scholars as a peaceful society led by gentle stargazing priest-kings devoted to temple building and intellectual pursuits.Social classes existed here in this civilization. A lot of cultural achievements existed within this society with intellect being highly valued. ( Developed a mathematical system that included the concept of zero and place notation and was capable of complex calculations. They had the most elaborate writing system in the Americas. They also observed the night skies to plot the cycles of planets and to calculate accurately the length of the solar year.

Mauryan (social)

Social: Slavery, civil and military orginization with a lot of spies who provided the ruler with local information.

China (social)

Social: Social classes, Confucianism, Daoism, and Legalism were like ways of life although they were considered religions. Patriarchal society, and 3 main groups.

Han (social)

Social: Some lower classes allowed into bureaucracy, strict emphasis on family relationships, patriarchal and hierarchial society. (3 main groups-landowners and educated bureaucrats, peasants and artisans, and "Mean People" which were merchants actors and musicians.

Mesopotamia (social)

Social: The Mesopotamian outlook on life, which developed within a precarious, unpredictable, and often violent environment, viewed humankind as caught in an inherently disorderly world, subject to the whims of capricious and quarreling gods and facing death without much hope of a pleasant life beyond. (pessimistic view of the gods and the possibility for eternal life. Interacted frequently with Egyptians. Was influenced by neighboring areas.

Gupta (social)

Social: Urbanization and middle classes which led to women's drop in status. Practice of child brides begins. Women escaped the new restrictions by joining Jainist or Buddhist communities.