Reading: World History 101

Christian Leader’s Institute:
World History 101
The Beginnings of “Civilization” to 1500 A.D.

Rev. Richard Hamstra, B.A., M.Div, M.A.

Introductory Matters

Why Study History?

Assumptions

What does one study when one studies history?

Sources

When does history begin?

Characteristics of early civilizations

Why Study History as a part of your CLI education?

To increase your awareness of CONTEXT 

To increase your awareness of PERSPECTIVE (our own assumptions; limits of objectivity)

To increase your knowledge of the HUMAN CONDITION  (It was the best of times. It was the worst of times)

To marvel at the variety of human SOLUTIONS (human adaptability, human inventions—creatures who make tools to make tools, multiple ways to organize life)

Assumptions

“No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man.”    

Heraclitus, 6^th Cent. B.C.  Greek Philosopher

21^st. Cent. American, white, 60 plus, male, Christian, pastor.   

What does one study when one studies human history?

The stories, values, organizations, cultures, artifacts, of human groups and individuals of the past.    History is often the story of how people order and make sense out of their experience---it is often about control or alignment with perceived greater forces in their experience.

What are the sources for studying human history?

Generally three types of sources:

1.  Primary

2.  Secondary

 3. Environmental

1.  Primary Sources

Primary Sources are those things directly left behind by past people, e.g. 

archeological artifacts (carefully documented in the context in which the object was discovered!)

writings (carefully understood in the context in which they were written, edited, or produced!) 

2. Secondary Sources

What someone has written or spoken about the past, e.g.

textbooks

articles

lectures

online comments

biographies

stories

3.  Environmental/Genetic Source Evidence

Environmental:  This type of evidence is not purposely produced by people of the past but relates to the physical, creational, natural, world  in which people lived, e.g.

Environment  Matters!

Environmental conditions such as mountains, rivers, shorelines, forests, deserts, etc… require different solutions/adaptations for a culture to flourish.   People always live in the context of a particular environment.

The various ice ages affected the environment tremendously and led to significant migrations of people.  

Genetics

One way historians trace the various migrations is by studying genetics. 

Cf.  The National Geographic production: The Human Family Tree:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3D3KX0l7M8      

So when does history begin?

1.   “In the beginning……”

2.   Traditionally, and for the purposes of this course, “history” begins with groups that began to use some form of writing or record keeping, hence the recorded data for us is generally more complete.

3.  Often, cultures and eras without a writing system, are understood as “pre-historic”.  

The written word

1. Most often writing arose as a form of record keeping, without which a group with diverse sub-groups, could not function, e.g.

A. Owners, workers, and slaves

B. Warriors and farmers

C. Royalty and Priests

2. Writing began as a means to designate what belonged to whom---bookkeeping,  generally, only the scribes knew how to write anything complex.

3. The owner’s seal (stamp) is one of earliest reasons to create systems of markings that could be identified by others (i.e. read).   Most of the earliest written artifacts are seals or lists of inventory of property and trade goods.  

4. Implies an already existing diversified society with ownership a high value.  

A socially diversified, agriculturally based settlement—is an “ancient city”….i.e.  a CIVILIZATION

Previously ancients were variously organized for living according to clans, e.g.  

1 Hunter/gatherers

2. nomads/pastoralists

3. Slash and burn harvesters

Sustainable Agriculture

An essential condition for a settlement of larger size was the sustainable (reliable) cultivation of crops—often cereals.   

Domestication of animals predates cultivation, however, consistent animal populations (or seafood) contributed greatly to a civilization’s prosperity.

Often irrigation was a key element to the sustainability of cultivation and hence the establishment of a civilization.

The Agricultural Revolution

Began around 10,000 B.C.  (Neolithic Age)

Middle East—ca. 8000 B.C.  (wheat/barley)

Greece —ca. 6000 B.C. (wheat/barley)

Egypt—ca. 5000 B.C. (wheat/barley)

S. China/N. India –ca. 5000 B.C. (rice)

Central Europe—ca. 4000 B.C.(wheat/barley)

Mesoamerica and Peru—ca. 3000 B.C. (potatoes/maize)

Bronze Age (ca. 3200 B.C.)

Perhaps discovered in Caucasus Mountains (between the Caspian and Black seas), the mixture of refined tin and copper produced bronze.  Some civilizations arose during the confluence of sustainable agriculture and the early bronze age, e.g. Sumer, Egypt, and Greece.

 Common Characteristics of many early civilizations

Sustainable agriculture

Diversification of social/economic roles

Use of new technologies (irrigation, bronze)

Creation of record keeping (writing)

6 Centers of Early Civilization

Between 5000 and 3500 B.C.

Mesopotamia 

India

China

Egypt

Peru

Mesoamerica

Indo/Europeans

READING ASSIGNMENT about
 Indo/Europeans

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proto-Indo-Europeans

Especially the introduction through section on Culture

Indo/European influence

A language group not ethnic/racial, includes Sanskrit

Likely originated in the Caucasus Mountain region between the Black and the Caspian Seas—ca. 6000 B.C. Proto-Indo/European

Around 3500 B.C. refugees, migrants, conquers???  Fanned out in every direction,—east to India(Sanskrit) and China, south to Persia(Old Persian), west to Europe (Greek, Albanian, Germanic, Celtic, Anatolia) and north (parts of southern Russia and Baltic).

I/E influence cont.

Likely domesticated the horse and invented the wheel.    

Religion:  sky-god, rather than mother earth goddess as the chief deity

Patriarchal rather than matriarchal in family dynamics

Oral heroic stories and poetry

Christian Leader’s Institute:
World History 101
The Beginnings of “Civilization” to 1500 A.D.

Rev. Richard Hamstra, B.A., M.Div, M.A.

Session Two

Mesopotamia

Sumer

Reflections on “religion”

Early Babylonia

Assyrian Empire

Map of Mesopotamia

Mesopotamia

Sumer:  The Land Between the Rivers

READING ASSIGNMENT; The History of Ancient Sumeria http://history-world.org/sumeria.htm

Early  Sumer

Sumerian city states arise around 3500B.C.-2335 B.C.   Agriculturally based, but with increasing centralized power in hands of temple priests and leaders called “lugals”—the leading civic leader—often a warrior. 

    Over time some city states became dominate over others, with a “king” ruling more than one city. 

The Early Sumerian Civilization
3000 B.C.-2300 B.C.

Early Mesopotamia (the land between the rivers) sometimes called the Cradle of Civilization:

Between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers beginning around 4000 B.C., “city-states” are arise: by 3000 B.C. using canals to irrigate fields:  Capital is Uruk (3700 B.C.), others include Eridu, Ur, Lagash, Nippur, and Kish.   

Temples/Religion

In many cultures, the center of life was the city temple.

The Sumerians, chief gods were Anu, the sky god;  Enlil the storm god, and Ishtar, the morning and evening star goddess.  Each city had its own patron god or goddess as well.

Temples are the local “house” of the god, and used for worship and storage---grain or other wealth.

Reflections on Religion

Every culture includes at least one religion---often the driving force for that culture

Most Ancient Religions develop as a Means to an End

The gods and goddess are ways to identify those forces around us that are beyond human control---we name them as a means of understanding and hopefully influencing them to be on our side—to give us what we want.

That “want” is usually associated with notions of fertility, prosperity, blessing, security, predictability, order over chaos, victory over enemies----for 21^st Century Westerners--Success

Religions are often the means to sway these forces to be good to us.

Sacrifices: are means of feeding the gods—also the priests.

Some rituals are meant to entice or entertain the gods—e.g. sexual rituals or burning incense

Temples:  provide the gods a local “home”– often a place to interact with the god, sometimes a place of the god’s protection over his/her people.

Priests: experts in knowing which actions will work to sway the god-technicians of religion.   Often speaking on the god’s behalf---mediatorial role.

Worship: often means showing humility before the gods, for most gods will not abide human pride—hubris.

Worshippers’ attitudes to the god are not significant as long as the proper rites and rituals are performed.

People may honor the gods, admire the gods, trust the gods, or resent them, distrust them, dread them---not relevant….as long as the god is kept happy and on our side.  (Who has god’s ear?)

Religion is generally a culture’s rituals, practices, teachings and symbols used to influence or manipulate the deities to give us what we want– How do we get this god on our side---or at least to give us what we want?

Religion and Civic Organization

Most of the time, a civic leader claimed to have a special relationship with a god (or many), such that the god is blessing him to be a successful administrator, warrior, ruler---often through violence.

Often, such leaders claim to be the incarnation of the god, or a descendant of the gods, or have a special relationship with the god…hence ruled “by divine right”.

Inevitable power struggles between priests and rulers arise…who really can get the god on their side?   Failures—e.g. crops, lost battles—call into question the power of either priests or rulers or both to keep the god on their side.  Did they practice the religion correctly?  

Religion as a means to an End

Self or humanly interest driven….what must I/we do to get the god or gods to favor me/us?

In such religions the focus is on human action dedicated to control the gods, or at least move them to favor us.

Is Christianity such a Religion?

Certainly there are numerous, especially  Old Testament texts, that include religious practices that are intended to win God’s favor.   The Bible presents us with the interactions of God in various historical contexts---must be understood and respected!  

Yet the core of the Christian faith rests on the belief that the God whom the Bible reveals, begins and persists in establishing a gracious relationship with the world.   

The Christian religion is “best” understood as our response to God’s gracious, loving actions.

In the Biblical Faith:

The commanded human response to God’s grace is love for God and neighbor.  This is the essence of the Christian faith---we love because God in Jesus Christ first loved us.  

Focus on the rites, practices, actions, teachings, organization, communities, that follow, proclaim and promote  both God’s gift of grace and our response of love for God and for our neighbor.

“Religious” practices are historically contextual; the Love essence of the faith endures and adapts.

Assignment:

In light of such reflections, please read in the Bible:

Micah 6

Jeremiah 7

Acts 17:22-34

I Corinthians 3:16-17; 6:19-20

Notable Sumerian Achievements

1. Writing

2. Ziggurats

3. Mathmatics and civic organization

Cuneiform

Around 4000 B.C.  Pictorial representations of objects impressed into soft clay with sharpened reeds, then baked—500,000 “bricks” found…evolved into symbols of sounds for syllables.   Not a language, but a way to represent language.  Used by various languages for nearly 5000 years.   

Indicates diverse society, trade abounds, controlled by priests/scribes. 

Temple Mounds

Raised platforms

Ziggurats---pyramid shaped towers built to house the local god.  (human made mountains).   Babylon’s most famous—Tower of Babel

Math and Organization

Accounting system based on 60…we still use 360 degrees for a circle, 60 seconds for each minute, 60 minutes for each hour.

Systems of business.

Understanding of the movement of the moon, with a calendar based on its movements.

Sumer—Akkadian Empire

Invasion of Semitic speaking people from north of Mesopotamia. 

 Akad as major city. Akkadian Empire

Sargon I, 2335-2279 B.C., one of the first major “rulers” of Mesopotamia.  Ruled the entire land between the rivers as well as great influence both east and west.

READING ASSIGNMENT on Sargon the First


http://www.ancient.eu/Sargon_of_Akkad/

Sargon of Akkad: by Joshua J. Mark

EARLY Babylon

Ca 1800 B.C.

Early Babylon became an  international empire 

Early Babylon had political and economic power over most of the Middle East---from Iran to Egypt’s outpost in Palestine.

Main god…Marduk

READING ASSIGNMENT

Article by Joshua J. Mark entitled Babylon.

Http://www.ancient.eu/babylon/      

Please read the first two paragraphs:  “Definition” and “The Old City and Hammurabi”

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/12/Hammurabi's_Babylonia_1.svg/2000px-Hammurabi's_Babylonia_1.svg.png

Hammurabi

Hammurabi of Babylon defeated Rim-Sin of Larsa (r. about 1823-1763 BC) and became the sole ruler of Sumer and Akkad. 

Hammurabi’s Code  ca 1754 B.C.

Over 280 laws regulating mostly personal and business concerns…mostly dealing with appropriate fines or punishments.

Engraved on basalt rock in Akkadian cuniform, shaped like a index finger.

Asserts the ruler’s wisdom and authority as given to him by the gods. 

Many steles distributed throughout empire.

Literary works published around this time

Creation Story:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/En%C3%BBma_Eli%C5%A1

Gilgalmish epic…. http://www.ancient.eu/gilgamesh/   Article by Joshua J. Marks

Flood Story:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilgamesh_flood_myth

Session Three

Assyrian Empire

Collapse of 1200 B.C.

Treaty of Kadesh

Early India

 Assyrian Empire

READING ASSIGNMENT

Article on Assyria Empire by Jan van der Crabben  found at http://www.ancient.eu/article/106/

AND  Article by Joshua J. Mark entitled Babylon:  http://www.ancient.eu/babylon/

Please read the paragraphs:  “The Assyrians, Chaldeans and Nebuchadnezzer II” .   You have previously read the sections on “The Old City and Hammurabi”

AND  In the Bible: II Kings 15:27-31; Chapters 17-20 and Isaiah 8:1-8 and Chapters 36-37

Assyrian Empire

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c1/Map_of_Assyria.png

The Assyrian Empire

Cities of Ashur, Nimrod, and Nineveh

Chief god--Ashur

Lasted about 600 years; 1274-627 B.C.

Ruthless in war, deportation of conquered populations.

Conflict with Egypt…major international conflict of Middle East superpowers—lasted centuries. 

Late in empire, established administrative units that were taken over by the Neo-Babylonians, Persians, and eventually the Greeks

Assyria and Israel/Judah

In the Bible: II Kings 15:27-31; Chapters 17-20 and Isaiah 8:1-8 and Chapters 36-37

II Chronicles 32:1-23

 II Kings 15:17-21 Israel (Northern Kingdom)becomes a tribute paying vassel to Tiglath-Pileser—733 B.C….about 11 years later, Tiglath-Pileser, (actual Tig. the III)  deports large portion of North Kingdom’s people---part of Empire wide tactic.

Judah, Southern Kingdom, becomes a tribute paying vassel state with King Ahaz of Judah, in return for Assyrian help against Syria/Israel  (II Kings 16, Isaiah 7-8);  Ahaz visits Tiglath-Pileser and is so impressed with the altar in Damascus, has it copied and becomes main altar in Jerusalem Temple.  

II Kings 17:  Final conquest  and deportation of Israel comes around 717 B.C., when Hoshea (King of Israel) tries to become a vassel of Egypt….in response Shalmaneser (Assyria) captures Samaria (Israel’s capital) and has another final deportation of Israelites and resettlement of other captured people in land of Israel.

II Kings 18:  About 706 B.C., Sennacherib of Assyria attacks Judah---Hezekiah , king--- takes most of Judah—not Jerusalem, Hezekiah pays heavy tribute to Assyria…not enough, so Sennacherib  lays siege  to Jerusalem (starve Jerusalem into submission).

Sennacherib, Assyrian King vs. Hezekiah, Judah’s King---contest of the gods. 

Background  for  Jonah

Assyria falls

Middle of 600 ‘s B.C.---civil wars, and depletion of resources, fall of Assyrian Empire to leaders from Babylon…esp. Nabo-polassar. 

Rise of Babylon ---new Empire is born.

1200 B.C. COLLAPSE 

Reading assignment; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Late_Bronze_Age_collapse

 And Article on the Sea Peoples at

http://www.ancient.eu/Sea_Peoples/

Around 1200 B.C.—in eastern Mediterranean region (Greece, Turkey, Syria, Palestine, Egypt), destruction of many well established cities and cultures: 

1. environmental

2. technological

3. refugees/vast migrations

Sea Peoples—refugees/mercenaries—searching for a homeland—invaders take control of Med. Coastal areas from Greece to Egypt.  Overwhelm Hittite Empire of Anatolia.

Only Egypt—late New Kingdom period, and Assyria survive mostly intact after ca. 1000 B.C.

1200-1000 B.C.  Roughly time of the Biblical  Exodus by Moses, the Conquest under Joshua and the United Kingdom under David.

Egypt and the Hittite Empire

1400-1200 B.C.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e9/Hitt_Egypt_Perseus.png

Treaty of Kadesh 1259 B.C.

First Peace Treaty---Treaty of Kadesh:

 The Divine Witnesses to the Treaty

As for these words of the regulation which the Great Prince of Hatti made with Ramses Meri-Amon, the great ruler of Egypt, in writing upon this tablet of silver-as for these words, a thousand gods of the male gods and of the female gods of them of the land of Hatti, together with a thousand gods of the male gods and of the female gods of them of the land of Egypt, are with me as witnesses hearing these words: the Re, the lord of the sky; the Re of the town of Arinna; Seth, the lord of the sky; Seth of Hatti; Seth of the town of Arinna; Seth of the town of Zippalanda; Seth of the town of Pe(tt)iyarik; Seth of the town of Hissas(ha)pa; Seth of the town of Sarissa; Seth of the town of Aleppo; Seth of the town of Lihzina; Seth of the town . . .; . . .; Seth of the town of Sahpin; Antaret16 of the land of Hatti; the god of Zithari(as); the god of Karzis; the god of Hapantaliyas; the goddess of the town of Karahna; the goddess of . . .  . . .  . . .; the Queen of the Sky; the gods, the lords of oaths; this goddess, the Lady of the Ground; the Lady of the Oath, Ishara; the Lady (of the) mountains and the rivers of the land of Hatti; the gods of the land of Kizuwadna; Amon; the Re; Seth; the male gods; the female gods; the mountains; and the rivers of the land of Egypt; the sky; the earth; the great sea; the winds; and the clouds.

Curses and Blessings for this Treaty

As for these words which are on this tablet of silver of the land of Hatti and of the land of Egypt--as for him who shall not keep them, a thousand gods of the land of Hatti, together with a thousand gods of the land of Egypt, shall destroy his house, his land, and his servants. But, as for him who shall keep these words which are this tablet of silver, whether they are Hatti or whether they are Egyptians, and they are not neglectful of them, a thousand gods of the land of Hatti, together with a thousand gods of the land of Egypt, shall cause that he be well, shall cause that he live, together with his houses and his (land) and his servants.

Treaties and Covenants

Various forms used in the treaties, depending on the relationship between the parties:

Treaty of Kadesh, equals—

Consistently invocation of gods/God, and stipulations or terms, promises and threats, blessings and curses if violated, all enforced by the gods/God.

OT covenants follow this pattern

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/96/KadeshTreaty.JPG/450px-KadeshTreaty.JPG

Session Four 

Early India

Early China

India 

Indus Valley

Recommended viewing:  Ancient India From the Indus Valley Civilisation to Mughal Imperialism:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywzVUEzmK6M

First 8 minutes 

Early India 2500-1500 B.C.

READING ASSIGNMENT;  article by Joshua J. Mark entitled Ancient India;  sections on Definition, Pre-History of India, and Mohenjo-Daro and Harrapan Civilization; found at  http://www.ancient.eu/india/

AND an article entitled Dravidians  found at 

http://earlyworldhistory.blogspot.com/2012/03/dravidians.html

 

The Harrapan and Dravidic cultures:

Among early settlers of the Indus valley

Used irrigation extensively and built significant cities.

Early form of mother earth goddess, Shakti worship.

Today’s descendants live in southern India

Used a written language, but it remains not translated

Aryan invasion of India
beginning of Vedic Civilization 1500-500 B.C.

  READING ASSIGNMENT;  article by Joshua J. Mark entitled Ancient India;  section on the Vedic Period

Found at  http://www.ancient.eu/india/

Recommended viewing: The History of Hindu India, Part One:  From Ancient Times.  hhtps//www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBZRTzXARWM

Length:  23 minutes

Vedic Culture

Farmers and pastoralists,  Indo-European/Aryan descendant

Created the Vedas, sacred texts that outline the division of society into “castes”---the Varnas, according to occupation, later a matter of one’s birth group.

Chief god..Brahma---the maker and maintain of eternal order.  To live in accord with this eternal order is goal of religion—to accept one’s fate.  Origin of Hinduism

Hinduism

The religion of Hinduism passes along the Verdic beliefs; stresses the virtue of a simple lifestyle practices and the sacred nature of all life.  A form of animism, the divine is found in all life and must be treated with great respect. 

Hindus have many gods---but all are considered as basically different manifestations of Brahma---the primary god.  Keeping the gods well supplied, and therefore content, is a primary goal of worship.

Kali

https://i.vimeocdn.com/video/518286599_1280x720.jpg

Reincarnation

Seems not to have been a teaching of the early Vedic tradition, but enters with 9^th Cent (ca. 1000-900) B.C. reforms of the Brahmanaic writings, later detailed in Upanishad writings.  Accounts for how karma works—do good get good, do bad get bad…  

Buddaism

Middle of 6^th Cent B.C.  Reform of Hinduism.  

Siddhartha Gautama (563-483 BCE)

Legends of his life generally say he was born in

Nepal, and raised as a privileged prince in a royal court.  Around age 30, decided to give up his privileges and began to wander in search of enlightenment. He discovered through intense mediation he could attain Enlightenment.  He began to teach his new faith to others.

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5505/9702711544_c843a49e1b.jpg

Main Buddhist teaching: The Middle Way---middle between self denial and
self-indulgence

Four Noble Truths are way to escape endless cycles of reincarnation: The truths are dukkha, the arising of dukkha, the cessation of dukkha, and the path leading to the cessation of dukkha.

OTHER KEY TERMS

Dharma:  the cosmic order---a cycle of births, deaths, and re-incarnations 

Karma:  the tally of deeds by which one either achieves a better re-incarnation or loses it.   E.g. kindness to others is good Karma

Jainism

A 7^th Cent. B.C. (from the Ganges River region) reform of the Vedic teachings, but directed more toward non-violence and respect for all living beings---ascetic practices and radical self-denial are the ideal.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/46/Jain_Prateek_Chihna.jpg

The swastika in Jainism symbolizes the four realms of existence: heavenly beings, human beings, hellish beings, and sub-human beings

The hand includes symbols of  Jainism teachings, with the basic concept of pursing “non-injury” to all living things.

CHINA

Assigned Reading: Article by Joshua J. Mark : Ancient China.   Sections—Definition, Pre-History, The First Dynasties, The Zhou Dynasty, The Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States, Qin Dynasty, The Chu-Han Contention:   http://www.ancient.eu/china/

Recommended viewing: Lost Civilizations History of Ancient China Documentary: https//www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzW3lXbcXwo

Length  first 30 minutes

Early China

One of oldest “civilizations”, increased concentration along the Yellow River basin.  Settled maybe by 5000 B.C.

Dynastic—family-rulers begin with the Xia (CHIA) Dynasty 2700-1600 B.C.  Early leader: Yu the Great.  Control of the flooding Yellow River a key to successful leadership. The family is thought to have become opulent in the dynasty’s closing years and was resented by the people

Shanti was god of nature and political order, war, and tradition…people’s ancestors were identified as having mediatorial, godlike powers and a religion of keeping one’s dead ancestors content and honored after death developed---sacrifices, grand tombs-prayers.  In return the ancestors helped their loyal family members achieve blessings.

Shang (Shahng) Dynasty  1600-1046 B.C.

Likely begun as a revolt movement against the Xia family, lead by a warrior, Tang

Tang reduced taxation, and the culture grew

cut extravagances.   

A system of writing began as well as entry into the bronze age ( years after other places).

Pantheistic religion with supreme god, Shanti

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/04/CMOC_Treasures_of_Ancient_China_exhibit_-_bronze_battle_axe.jpg

https://media1.britannica.com/eb-media/61/10361-004-15AECA1A.jpg

The political ruler was also a priestly mediator between the dead and the living:  the beginnings of Mandate from Heaven concept.

Decisions of importance were made by divination, particularly oracle bones.  By reading the cracks in the bones and shells, the leader would decide what to do.

http://arts.cultural-china.com/chinaWH/upload/1(814).jpg

Zhou (JOE) Dynasty 1046-771 B.C.

The Zhou family replaced the Shang after a revolt.

The Zhou family justified the revolt by claiming the Shang family was no longer ruling for the good of the people.  The Zhou claimed that the good of the people was a Mandate from Heaven, that is the basis on which a government must be founded

Zhou, remembered of as one China’s greatest dynasties, setting the cultural standards for 1000’s years.

Mandate of Heaven solidified during Zhou rule.

Autumn and Spring Period

Following 771 B.C., the Zhou Dynasty moved its capital and began a greatly de-centralized government.  It was  a period of cultural flourishing, including the rise of Confucius’s teachings, among others, but ended in a period of warring among regional 7 warlords

A drastic change in military tactics by a warlord, Shang, (Sun-Tzu) one of the Qin  generals, gave that family the advantage and the Qin faction overcame the others in  221 B.C.

Chinese religions

Assigned Reading; article entitled Religion in Ancient China by Emily Mark:  http://www.ancient.eu/article/891/

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4f/Konfuzius-1770.jpg

Confucius 551-479 B.C.

Lived during the latter part of the Zhou Dynasty.  Taught ancestor worship, but stressed the duty to live morally and rationally.  Was not especially interested in the “gods”.   During the Qin Dynasty, obedience to law was the only state religion (Legalism), and other religions were banned.  Following the short lived Qin Dynasty, the Han Dynasty restored Confuciusism as well as the other religions. 

End of Session 4

Session 5   Egypt

Egypt

READING ASSIGNMENT: Article by Josuha J. Mark;  Ancient Egypt ; http://www.ancient.eu/egypt/

Recommended viewing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuUMe-43A3E mintues 1-141

Ancient Egypt: 3150-331 B.C.

Egypt is nearly completely defined by the Nile River and it annual, and predictable, periods of flood and lower water.  

From the ancient times there was a Lower and Upper kingdom in Egypt, with the Upper Nile closer to the African mainland (southern)and the  Lower Nile (northern) emptying into the Mediterranean sea.

3 Kingdoms or periods

Ancient Egyptian history is divided into three periods called the Old Kingdom, the Middle Kingdom and the New Kingdom.

Old Kingdom-2613-2128 B.C.

Middle Kingdom-2040-1782 B.C.

New Kingdom 1570-1069 B.C.

Writing

Egyptian writing uses symbols of recognizable figures to represent ideas.  This is called hieroglyphics.  This form of writing began in use prior to the Old Kingdom, before 3200 B.C.   

Way of representing may have influenced, or been influenced by Sumerian Cuneiform 

Rosette Stone

Discovered in Egypt by French troops in 1799, a degree written in 194 B.C. in three languages: Greek, Demotic and Ancient Hieroglyphic.  Finally translated in 1822, began tool for understanding the hieroglyphic language of ancient Egypt. 

Held in British Museum since 1802

Unification of Upper and Lower Egypt

Early Dynastic Egypt begins with King Menes  from Lower taking control of both kingdoms uniting Upper and Lower into one Kingdom around 3150 B.C.

Lasted until 2613 B.C.

Capital at Memphis

Old Kingdom 2613-2128 B.C.

Pyramids and Sphinx at Giza were built during first few hundred years of Old Kingdom

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a5/Cairo,_Gizeh,_Sphinx_and_Pyramid_of_Khufu,_Egypt,_Oct_2004.jpg

Middle Kingdom 2040-1782 B.C.

First Kingdom ends with division again between Lower and Upper Egypt, but united by King Mentuhotep II in 2055 B.C. Capital moved to the city of Thebes in Upper Egypt.

Middle Kingdom time of cultural flourishing—”Classical Egypt”.

Biblical person, Joseph? 1900-1700 B.C.?

Hyksos: 1782-1570 B.C.

Ca 1800 B.C., invaders? Refugees? From Syria?

Little is known, related perhaps to migrations near end of Bronze age…gained control of Delta, city of Avaris.  

Nubian Kingdom in South, Hyksos in North, overcame Thebes.  

Technical advances: horses, wheeled chariot, improved bow, crop rotation, improved bronze

Connection to the Biblical stories of Joseph?

Around 1570,  Ahmose I—Thebean, regains control and unites Upper and Lower Egypt—New Kingdom.

New Kingdom  1570-1069 B.C.

Pharaoh—title of the King

Many building projects…Valley of the Kings, Luxor

International expansion—conflicts with Mesopotamia powers under Tuthmosis I-late 1500’s B.C.

Queen Hapshepsut—early 1400’s B.C.---ruled for 20 years

https://pixabay.com/static/uploads/photo/2014/09/11/09/53/valley-of-the-kings-441544_960_720.jpg

Moses

Birth is generally dated around 1530 B.C.  

Tuthmosis I

Exodus around 1450 B.C.

Tuthmosis III

New Kingdom cont.

Akhenaten and Nefertiti, 1353-1336 B.C.    monothesism –god Aten.  Both political reasons—lessen power of the priests—also theological…devoted to Aten.  Moved capital to Armana

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f7/Pharaoh_Akhenaten.jpg

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0a/Nefertiti_berlin.jpg

https://pixabay.com/static/uploads/photo/2014/10/30/21/41/tutankhamun-509752_960_720.jpg

Ramses II 1279-1213 B.C.

Warrior—constant conflict with powers in East and North (Hittite Empire in Anatolia)

First “Peace Treaty”….Cut a Treaty, or Cut a Covenant….includes divine retribution if broken…..
Curses and Blessings for this Treaty

But, as for him who shall keep these words which are this tablet of silver, whether they are Hatti or whether they are Egyptians, and they are not neglectful of them, a thousand gods of the land of Hatti, together with a thousand gods of the land of Egypt, shall cause that he be well, shall cause that he live, together with his houses and his (land) and his servants.”

Similar pattern in OT covenants/treaties/contracts—Meredith Kline’s work

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/96/KadeshTreaty.JPG/450px-KadeshTreaty.JPG

Coming of the Sea-People to Egypt 1276-1178 B.C.

READING ASSIGNMENT  Joshua J. Mark’s article on The Sea People; http://www.ancient.eu/Sea_Peoples/

Late Bronze age Upheaval

Origins unknown—refugees from early Greek cultures…Mycenaean?---unemployed mercenary troops from Greek city states?---Central Europeans? refugees from  fallen Troy?    

Not unified group, but effective army and navy force---sometimes travelling with families---

Various allies—Lybia

Technically advanced, used iron weapons, navy power

Relationship with Phoenicians?

Phoenicians:  Tyre, Sidon, Byblos, (Lebanon, Syria)….major merchants…

Hiram—Jezebel---chief god--Baal 

Carthage in North Africa

Alphabet (vowels)—Phoenician to Greeks

Merneptah Stele

Assigned Reading:

http://realhistoryww.com/world_history/ancient/Misc/Merneptah_Stele/Merneptah_Stele.htm

Merneptah Stele records Merneptah’s victory over the sea peoples and the Lybians mostly in terms of a victory of the Egyptian gods over the invaders gods…ca. 1200 B.C.

Also makes reference to group in Canaan named, Israel as well as a couple of Philistine cities.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c4/Merneptah_Israel_Stele_Cairo.JPG/159px-Merneptah_Israel_Stele_Cairo.JPG

Post New Kingdom---

Around 1000 B.C.---some period of return to unified kingdom---but in 7^th cent B.C—until 20^th Cent A.D..…series of invasions and occupations—Assyrians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Arab/Muslim--- English, French, English..etc.   

Ancient Egyptian Religion

Reading Assignment: Article by Mark Millmore on Egyptians gods and goddesses found at http://discoveringegypt.com/ancient-egyptian-gods-and-goddesses/

Gods and goddesses relate to stages of Nile and desert life

Providing for a well provisioned afterlife, a chief duty to others

Many Egyptian gods and goddesses, influence later Greek/Roman cultures—esp. Isis.

Rulers and family— considered direct descendents of gods, goddesses—ruled by divine right….

End of Session Five

Session 6

Early Peru

Early Mesoamerica

Summary of Part One

Early Peru

Peru

Reading Assignments on early Peru

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Peru

The paragraphs on Pre-Columbian cultures up to the section on the Inca Empire;

Article on the Chavin Civilization by Mark Cartwright at http://www.ancient.eu/Chavin_Civilization/

Pre-Inca Cultures

Prior to 3500 B.C., groups began to settle in the river valleys about 200 miles north of current day Lima, Peru. Using terrace farming and irrigation, the formed a settled culture.

The first known city is Carel, est. around 2500 B.C. by the Norte Chico people. Without the wheel—they constructed pyramid shaped monuments and temple.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/55/Caral-Supe_in_Peru.jpg

Chavin  900-200 B.C.

The Chavin culture followed the Norte Chico rising to power around 900 B.C.

It is notable for extensive temple complexes and high artistic expression.

Had trade and cultural influence over wide areas of South America

No military remains have been found

Peru

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4d/Chav%C3%ADn_de_Huantar_Brazo_Izquierdo_06122009.jpg

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/43/Estela.jpg

Chavin Religion

As with most agriculture bases societies, gods of fertility are honored.  The asexual god, Tiwanaku, received the sacrifices of the people through the intercession of the shamans.  

Tiwanaku

He/She is pictured as one who holds two staffs (sea shells), representing the union of male and female and the insuring fertility for the crops.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_quTA5X_qxYw/SsyUVlCKnWI/AAAAAAAAAYs/Sh9oB6drk5w/s400/monolito_tiwanaku.jpg

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/21/Chav%C3%ADn_-_Feline-and-Cactus_Stirrup_Vessel_-_Walters_482832.jpg

Mesoamerica

Reading Assignment

History of Mesoamerica Civilization  article  found at https://www.britannica.com/topic/Mesoamerican-civilization

Mesoamerican Civilization http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=ab58

Early Mesoamerica

Olmec Civilization 1200-400 B.C.

Settled agriculture especially reclaiming land from swamp by building islands

Main cities: San Lorenzo and later La Venta 

Influence culture in Central America for next 1500 years

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5c/Formative_Era_sites.svg/2000px-Formative_Era_sites.svg.png

Olmec Building/Art

Pyramid structures for temples 

Giant heads(9 ft. tall) for rulers or maybe ball players?

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/20/Mexico_xochicalco_pyramids.JPG

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/af/Olmec_Head,_Mexico,_c._1960.jpg

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d0/Olmec_mask_801.jpg

Olmec writing and calendar

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ef/Cascajal-text.svg/2000px-Cascajal-text.svg.png

Mesoamerican Calendars

Seasonal—260

Festivals

Solar---

Olmec Religion

Mostly inferred from later cultures

Forces of nature are considered governed by gods, who need to be pleased with rituals and sacrifices—likely including humans.

Shamans mediated between the human and the divine levels

Gods appear in human or animal forms

The dragon (feathered serpent), and jaguar  seem particularly important.  These images are combinations of many animal forms.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ae/Featheredserpentmuseoantropologia.JPG

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/d2/df/e3/d2dfe36316e2cd8393794d5e0ff5519a.jpg

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/08/Jaguar_trouv%C3%A9_%C3%A0_Oaxaca.jpg

End of Part One

Mesopotamia:  Sumer, Early Babylon, Assyria

India: Verdic

China:  Early Dynasties

Egypt: Old, Middle, New Kingdoms

Peru: Chavin

Mesoamerica: Olmec

 Common Characteristics of many early civilizations

Sustainable agriculture:  water

Diversification of social/economic roles: political leaders, religion

Use of new technologies:  irrigation, bronze, gold, silver

Creation of record keeping: writing, calendars

Section One: 3500-500 B.C.

Section 2:   500B.C.-500 A.D.

World History 101
Section 2
500 B.C.-1000 A.D.

Persia

India

China

Peru

Mesoamerica

Mediterranean Basin

Persia

Cyrus the Great 

Darius

Persian/Greek Wars

Cyrus the Great: READING ASSIGNMENT: Achaemenid Empire

http://www.ancient.eu/Achaemenid_Empire/ 

 Atlas of Empires by Peter Davidson (New Holland Publishers Ltd, 2016).

Cyrus the Great

570(?) B.C.-529B.C.

United by conquest, disjointed parts of Neo-Babylonia Empire: esp. Persia (Iran), Media, and Babylon… by 559, ruler of Mesopotamia

Lydia:  Captured capital and King Croesus—beginnings of long conflict with Greek city States

Controlled by conquest, from Indus Valley to East shores of Mediterranean Sea.

Cyrus the Great

Cyrus the Great allows local cultures and religious to be practiced

Cyrus, claims he rules Babylonia by the will of Marduk.

Within his empire he encourages the repatriation of captured peoples to their homeland and helps them rebuild their cultures and religions.

Cyrus Cylinder

Cyrus and the Jews

Ezra 1: 1-4

 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing:

² “This is what Cyrus king of Persia says:

“‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. ³ Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the Lord, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem, and may their God be with them. ⁴ And in any locality where survivors may now be living, the people are to provide them with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with freewill offerings for the temple of God in Jerusalem.’”

Cyrus and the Jews cont.

Isaiah 45:1-3

“This is what the Lord says to his anointed,
    to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of
to subdue nations before him
    and to strip kings of their armor,
to open doors before him
    so that gates will not be shut:
² I will go before you
    and will level the mountains;
I will break down gates of bronze
    and cut through bars of iron.
³ I will give you hidden treasures,
    riches stored in secret places,
so that you may know that I am the Lord,
    the God of Israel, who summons you by name.

Persia Expands

READING ASSIGNMENT: Darius I, by Steven Fife

http://www.ancient.eu/Darius_I/

Darius I  549-486 B.C.

Expands Persian Empire greatest extent

Heyday of cultural, institutional, economic, military, and artistic culture: builds Persepolis.

Begins direct military conflict with Greeks over Ionia…

Contrasting views of kings—Persia and Greece

“To grovel like a dog”

Darius I’s Persia

Zoroastrianism

Eastern Iranian religion founded by Zoroaster around 1000 B.C.  Darius I makes official religion of Persian Empire.

“Monotheism” with Ahura Mazda as god.

Struggle between good and evil, with “angels and demons” on each side.  Humans are called to be on the side of the good.  Ethical religion, with freedom of choice emphasized.

Ultimate victory of the good, with a glorious age to follow….with eternal rewards of “heaven and hell”.

Some conflict between official religion, Zoroastrianism, and traditional Median religious authorities known as the “Magi”---the priestly group centered in Babylon.

Magi, astrologers and priests---sometimes called Chaldeans.  “Wise men”

Greek/Persian Wars Reading Assignment

Article:  Persian Wars by Mark Cartwright

http://www.ancient.eu/Persian_Wars/

 Greek Persian Wars

499-490 B.C.---Darius ends tax revolt in Ionia, overwhelms Macedonia and Thrace.  Pushes to conquer all of Greece: Athens and Sparta---but at Battle of Marathon, 490 B.C., defeated by smaller Greek armies.

  

Xerxes  480 B.C.

Thermopylae---  300 Spartans, hold off Persians, but ultimately defeated…gains time for other Greeks to gather.   Athens sacked by Persians

Salamis, fall of 480 B.C.

Navel battle at which smaller Greek warships outmaneuvered Persian fleet.  Xerxes returns to Persia, leaves his standing army in Greece.

Plataea

Equally matched Greek and Persian armies, but Greeks won due to superior armament.  Persians give up invasion of Greece and retreated to Asia Minor.

449 B.C. Treaty signed between Greece and Persia

Achaemenid Empire

Lasted another 200 years, still a great empire, but with diminishing power in region until finally overcome by Alexander the Great in 334 B.C.

Ancient India

About 500 B.C.-1000 A.D.

Shift in cultural dominance from the Indus to the Ganges (west to east).

Indus region—Persian control 550-330 B.C., followed by Alexander the Great in 337, later splinters into numerous local kingdoms.  Alexander marched as far as the Ganges River. But troops threatened to mutiny and returned to Babylon via overland routes through coastline and desert.

Magadha culture

Ganges River, home of Buddha.  Becomes a dominant group and northeast India---

The Maurya Empire

Maurya dominate group in from Magadha region following Alexander's near invasion, around 322 B.C., lasted until 185 B.C.  

Much of India unified under Maurya rule…Leader—Chandragupta Maurya

Key Maurya leader—Ashoka the Great, 272-232 B.C.

Ashoka

READING ASSIGNMENT:  Article entitled Ashoka by Cristian Violatti  found at http://www.ancient.eu/Ashoka/

Ashoka, consolidates Maurya Empire in India.  Conquers with great brutality, and ruled just as harshly.

Around 260 B.C., after especially violent war, Ashoka rejects violence and embraces a non-violent policy toward humans and animals.  Published in the Edict of Ashoka.

http://www.ancient.eu/uploads/images/display-259.jpg?v=1431031697

Ashoka and Buddhism

Ashoka establishes Buddhism as religion of empire and sends missionaries to South East Asia, China, Persia, Egypt, Africa…..

Spread of Buddhism as world religion.

Remains tolerant of other religions

India: 200 B.C.-320 A.D.

Various states gained control:  some centralization in a few groups.

Hinduism flourished, often preferred by local rulers.

India expanded political and trade over much of Southeast Asia, with vast shipping routes.  Continued trade with West.

Gupta Empire 

Reading Assignment: Article entitled Gupta Empire by Dola R.C. found at http://www.ancient.eu/Gupta_Empire/

Gupta Empire

Hinduism flourished in particular, other religions too…Buddhism and Jainism

Ganges River area---320-650 A.D.

Golden Age of Indian culture: art, trade, architecture flourished.  

United most of northern India.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/47/Guptaempire.gif

Huns in India

After 650 A.D. central Asian warrior groups (Huns) gained control of northwest India and through warfare disrupted the other kingdoms in India.  Destabilized central authority.

Muslim Conquest

712 A.D.  Muslim, Umayyad Empire, gains control of Indus Valley, and has constant struggles with rest of India.  

Islam official religion of conquered territories; less tolerant of other faiths…yet…sometimes a synthesis of faiths…

Muslim Control

Over next hundreds of years, Muslims gained considerable control in India, especially in north mountains regions and on the western coast.   Around 1200 A.D., India comes under control of Muslims from Turkey, establish the Delhi Sultanate, lasted under about 1400 A.D.

Often associated with international trade.

For the most part did not integrate into Indian cultures.   

China  500 B.C. 1000 A.D.

READING ASSIGNMENT:   Article entitled Ancient China by Joshua Mark found at https://www.ancient.eu/china/

Qin Dynasty 221-206 B.C.

Review:  Imperial China under emperor Shi Huangti, great wall begun, from border with Korea in east to desert in west—about 3000 miles;   imperial roads and the Grand Canal linking two rivers to make trade possible.

Legalism as religion of land

http://www.chinahighlights.com/image/map/ancient/qin-dynasty-map1.gif

Han Dynasty 202 B.C.-220 A.D.

Following Qin, rebellion among generals, with Liu-Bang, from province of Hanzhong as victor—hence Han Dynasty.

Under Liu-Bang great stabilization and cultural progress—writing (invention/use of paper), medicine, trade.

Confucianism religion of land, but tolerant of other faiths.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/38/Han_Dynasty_100_BCE_%28Chinese%29.png

Han Wu the Great

138 B.C. Sends, Zhan Qian an ambassador West to open trade talks with Rome.

Opens in 130 B.C. “Silk Road”---overland caravan routes and trade centers that link Asia and Europe for next 1000 years.

China: 220-589 A.D.

Han Dynasty—as most others, internal rebellions, often over rights of farmers…consistent theme in Chinese history.

Fractured into various states, until united in 589 under Sui Dynasty

Sui Dynasty 589-618

United China ambitious military and public works—including Grand Canal linking The Yellow and Yangzi rivers.  Over extension of resources, military and building.    Rebellion among generals…another consistent pattern for China and other empires.

Followed by Tang Dynasty 

Tang Dynasty 618-907 A.D.

Expanded borders westward;  especially trade with Byzantium and Muslim central Asia along the Silk Road.  China becomes most prosperous empire in world. 

All about SILK!

Replaced by the Sung Dynasty in 907, following splintering until 960 with the rise of the Sung Dynasty.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1c/Tang_Dynasty_circa_700_CE.png

Divided China
960-1200

Liao Empire focused on north and east Asia;  Beijing as capital.  Marco Polo—visits

Song Empire focused north and east Asia; gunpowder; navigation;

Around 1125…Jin Empire influence over Asia.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4f/China_-_Southern_Song_Dynasty_-_cs.svg/2000px-China_-_Southern_Song_Dynasty_-_cs.svg.png

Southern_Song_Dynasty_-_cs.svg/2000px-China.svg.png_-_Southern_Song_Dynasty_-_cshttps://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4f/China_-_

Mongol Empire

1206  Genghis Khan

Peru 200B.C.-1000 A.D.

Prior to 200 B.C., Chavin Culture in Andes

Mochica culture in north and Nazca in more desert south   200 B.C.-600A.D.

READING ASSIGNEMENT:  Article entitled Moche Civilization by Mark Cartwright found at https://www.ancient.eu/Moche_Civilization/

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/53/Carte_Moche.png

Mochica

Northern Peru, mountains, Mochu River Valley

Realism and action in art, especially pottery

Monumental buildings, Temple of the Sun and Temple of the Moon at Mochu 

http://www.perutoptours.com/jpg/10ic/lcpcrl02.jpg

                  

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7c/Portrait_Vessel,_Peru_north_coast,_Moche_culture,_100-500_AD,_ceramic,_Pre-Columbian_collection,_Worcester_Art_Museum_-_IMG_7660.JPG

Mochu Culture

 Extensive use of irrigation, large populations in cities and towns.

Warfare with neighbors

Metal and pottery artists

Religion:  Sun god, Al Paec and Si, moon goddess—governed life;  human sacrifice major part of religion

Declined perhaps mostly to climate changes

Nazca

READING ASSIGNMENT: Article on Nazca Civilization by Mark Cartwright found at https://www.ancient.eu/Nazca_Civilization/

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8d/Vorkolumbische_Kulturen.png

Nazca Culture

Drier climate, coastal, ---extensive trade with other parts of S.A.

Chief god, Oculate Being---flying often with necklace of human heads…sacrificial victims?

Nazca Lines:  geoglyphs etched into ground, visible from air…purpose?

              

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/42/L%C3%ADneas_de_Nazca,_Nazca,_Per%C3%BA,_2015-07-29,_DD_54.JPG/1001px-L%C3%ADneas_de_Nazca,_Nazca,_Per%C3%BA,_2015-07-29,_DD_54.JPG

 around 650-1470 A.D.

Among other cultures in Peru, some to note are the Tiwaniku/Wari  in the highlands and the Sian/Chimu, both more coastally oriented and both descended from the Mochu.  The Chimu eventually preside over all of Peru.  Until coming of the Inca people around 1400.

Mesoamerica 500 B.C. -1000 A.D.

READING ASSIGNMENT:  Article entitled Zapotec Civilization by Mark Cartwright found at https://www.ancient.eu/Zapotec_Civilization/

Zapotec Civilization 500 B.C.-900 A.D.

“Cloud People”

Monte Alban in the Oaxaca Valley

Pyramid builders and priestly culture

Trade with other regions, including Olmec people and later the Mayans

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/Zapotecos.png

Zapotec religion full range of gods, based mostly on nature.  Prayers and sacrifices for fertility and victory at war.

Earliest alphabet in the Americas;  mathematical systems for the calendar and for the stars.

Temple at Monte Alban, other sites, interaction other meso. Cultures, especially Teotihuacan  

Old Man God              

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/164/416509236_15b1809b8a_z.jpg?zz=1

https://photos.travelblog.org/Photos/36076/172664/f/1271342-Monte-Alban-temple-1.jpg

Teotihuacan

READING ASSIGNMENT:  Article entitled Teotihuacan by Mark Cartwright found at https://www.ancient.eu/Teotihuacan/

Largest pre-European city in Americas:  peak at 200,000 residents;

Warfare and trade, as well as religious center.

Temples and palaces, wealth 

1000 years of cultural influence.    Mayans and Aztecs (religious center).

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b9/Classic_sites_1.png/300px-Classic_sites_1.png

https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSiAsZ7e3fHDvrAwPBWH7wG-OJYyLfSl1-kfFSL26kj82fATgQPfw

Mayan Culture

READING ASSIGNMENT: Article entitled Maya Civilization by Joshua Mark, found at https://www.ancient.eu/Maya_Civilization/

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c5/Mayamap.png

Maya Culture 

Flourished from 250-950 A.D.; cities abandoned around 950, occupied by Toltec, lasted until European conquest, but still continues in adapted forms

Culture based on religion:

Sacred writings

Sacred temples

Sacred games: Poc-o-Toc

Sacred calendars

Journey of Person

Cyclical following nature, but also progressive in that, after death person journeys through 9 stages of the “underworld”—Xibalba,  and then through 13 stages until one attains “paradise”-Tamoanchan-located on a mountain top where the gods live.  

Ways to bypass this journey---die in childbirth, suicide, in warfare, in the games, as a sacrificial victim.

Caves and dark places or conversely light and mountaintops have sacred meaning.

Temple pyramids are temples symbolic of mountain of the gods.

One of the Chichen Itza Temples

https://img.rt.com/files/2015.08/original/55cd8de2c361880741 https://img.rt.com/files/2015.08/original/55cd8de2c3618807418b4617.jpg 8b4617.jpg

Greco/Roman Culture
500 B.C.-1000 A.D.

Two civilizations, various empires, yet in many ways a unified culture

E.g.  Koine Greek (grammar), Greek religion/mythology/art;   Roman military rule/law/architecture;  combination in political administration

Ancient Greece 

READING ASSIGNMENT  Article entitle Ancient Greece by Joshua Mark found at https://www.ancient.eu/greece/

Little arable land: sea power

Ionia in Asia Minor

POLIS:   City States: Athens, Sparta, Corinth, Ephesus, Rhodes 

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5d/Map_of_Archaic_Greece_(English).jpg

Sparta

Divided society, Helots—slaves and free born military

Free born boys raised communally age 7, to be warriors for Sparta

Constant threat of slave rebellion

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5d/Map_of_Archaic_Greece_(English).jpg

Magna Graecia

Greek colonies (600-185 B.C.) especially in Italy and islands, Sicily.

Greek culture, religion, and politics west into Med. 

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f7/Greek_Colonization_Archaic_Period.png

http://tjbuggey.ancients.info/images/maggrecia1.jpg

Leadership in Greek Polis-City States

Leadership: king, or ruler, or general, or tyrant, selected from among the prominent class, sometimes for a specific length of time—or to met specific threat.

Theoretically, every males over 20 with property could vote.  Foundations of democracy?

First Among Equals

Classical Greece 500 B.C.-350 B.C.

Persian Wars 490-480 B.C.—with Athens leader of city states; Sparta next

Leagues of Cities

Peloponnesian Wars. The first conflict (c. 460-445 BCE) ended in a stalemate: the second (431-404 BCE) between Sparta and Athens—Sparta destroys Athens, but soon falls too.

Philip of Macedon: 380 B.C.; Son, Alexander

Alexander the Great 336-323 B.C.

Conquers east (Persian and as far as the Indus valley) and south (crowned pharaoh in Egypt--Alexandria)

Educated by Aristotle—one world- “cosmopolitan” : spreads Hellenistic culture wherever he goes; cities settled by veterans.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6a/Alexander-Empire_323bc.jpg

Claims to be descended from Zeus---in Egypt proclaimed to be Zeus-Ammon’s son.

Hybrid of Eastern and Western leadership

One culture, many nations…unified Greek empire and culture---Hellenistic

Hellenistic Culture

Reading Assignment:  Article entitled Hellenistic Period by Antonie Simonin found at https://www.ancient.eu/Hellenistic_Period

Hellenistic World 323-30 B.C.

Koine Greek/gym/bath/theater/stoa/gods

Empire splits into four/three smaller kingdoms:

Antigonid in Greece

Ptolemaic in Egypt

Seleucids in Middle East and India

Rome

READING ASSIGNMENT  Articles entitled Ancient Rome by Joshua Mark, found at http://www.ancient.eu/Rome/ and The Roman Empire found at http://www.ancient.eu/Roman_Empire/

Early Rome

750-509 B.C.;  on Tiber River; trading post;

Etruscan culture to north, borrowed considerably…Greeks in south and east, borrowed considerably…

Monarchy…

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b5/Italy_400bC_en.svg/859px-Italy_400bC_en.svg.png

Roman Republic

509-27 B.C.

Expanded from Rome through warfare:  rest of Italian peninsula, Spain

Carthage—Punic Wars– 246-146 B.C….Rome eventual victor, assumed sea control of western Med.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/62/Expansion_of_Rome,_2nd_century_BC.gif

Roman Government in Republic

Various Assemblies—representative government —Senate (only from Patrician families-served for life) and Committee of 100 and the Council of the Plebs (only from the freemen classes, aka the Plebeians);  various offices enact laws.

Each “elected” officials, the  Council of Plebs  chose the Tribunes.  Committee of 100-chose 2 Consuls, -one year term.   Senate “advised” the Consuls. 

Consuls(2) select the generals, in times of emergency, appoint a “dictator” 

Roman Society during Republic

Family background—Patrician or Plebian

Citizenship key:  extended to all Italy—later to Spain and Gaul—Julius Caesar

Free or slave:  wealthy or poor: city or farm

Army and navy

Roman Legions

Citizen, self funded army :  Legion Republic, 5000—each Consul commanded a Legion—others called up when needed...under direction of Senate.  Later in Republic—funded by “generals”—legions more loyal to general than to Rome…Julius Caesar,  Marc Anthony, Octavian…

Life long legionaries, auxiliaries (way to become a citizen), knights (wealthy class), camp followers, including families—10,000?   Founded cities and towns.

Most occupied or conquered areas allowed to govern themselves, provided taxes paid/troops provided:  often Rome appointed local leaders—e.g. Herod the Great in Judaea

Social Life

Class society, with wealthy families in control

Some free citizens—small businesses

Slave based ---varied social status

End of Republic 

1. Wealthy, “private armies”, Pompey, Crassus, Julius Caesar.    Civil Wars—wars among wealthy.

2. Lepidus, Marc Anthony, Octavian:  Octavian finally defeats 

Roman Empire  31 B.C.-476 A.D.

Julius Caesar---Dictator, control of Rome, dictator 49 B.C.

Octavian, heir, named Emperor 31 B.C.;  Caesar Augustus.  

Senate control provinces—appointed governors; Imperial provinces—owned directly by Augustus;  e.g. Egypt breadbasket of Rome

Imperial Expansion

Legions under order of Emperor and Senate.

Solidified grip on Med., expanded north to North Sea and Britain; East into Germany and central Europe.

Legions, not war, guarding borders, construction crews---roads, water systems, buildings---slave labor too. 

Mercenaries: become citizens

Roman Culture

Technicians and adapters—builders-concrete, design-arch; lawyers- rhetoric;  artisans: Greek/Egyptian themes; writers-Greek forms (exception of satire); religion-pantheon mostly adapted from neighbors-mostly tolerant as long a loyal to Rome and Emperor—religion provided order, control; threats stamped out--

Slave based; urban poor entertained with games and the “dole”

Divided Roman Empire

Emperors –many assassinated

3^rd Century Imperial Crisis 235-284 A.D.  Warring generals….Diocletian in 285 A.D. divides into Western and Eastern Empires.   

Constantine the Great 312 A.D.  Reunites briefly, founds Constantinople, capital of East: Byzantium.   Makes Christianity preferred religion of Empire-317

Early Christianity

1. First generations: Jewish sect---Paul, gentile world.

2. Popular among lower classes, and a few wealthier women

3. Under suspicion as a “mystery cult”---not patriotic: Pliny Book 10, letters 96-97

4. More common in East than West

Nicaea, 325 A.D.

Constantine needed to unify Empire; unified religion:  doctrinal decisions:  Council of Nicaea:   Athanasius (?) vs. Arius Christological doctrines—nature of Christ and relationship with Father;  Trinitarian doctrines, next cent.

Political purpose.  Latin and Orthodox branches, same official doctrine---variations abounded: Coptic

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9c/Asia_Minor_ca_740_AD.svg/2000px-Asia_Minor_ca_740_AD.svg.png

Eastern Roman Empire--Byzantium

Article by Livius entitled Byzantine Empire at ://www.ancient.eu/Byzantine_Empire/

Byzantine 330-1453 A.D.

Roman Empire in East

Christian empire—center of Christianity

Egypt, Asia Minor, Balkans, Russia

Highly cultured—passed on Hellenistic culture—Greek

Conflicts with West and with Islam

Wealthy: trade over Silk Road

   

Conversion of the Slavs

8th-9^th Cent.; Slavic peoples controlled from Baltic to Balkans---Russia, Poland, Hungary—

In 863, Byzantium sends missionaries (Cyril and Methodius) to convert Slavs… Eastern Slavs, become “Orthodox” (Greek), while western Slavs become “Latin”.  In 988, Prince Vladimir of Kiev is baptized and marries Byzantine Princess Anna.  Christianity in Russia. 

Fall of Rome 

376 A.D.—Rome constant battle with invasion of Eastern tribes:  Goths, Visigoths, Huns..

Rome and western empire, overwhelmed by 476 A.D. by Germanic tribes…end of Western Roman Empire

 Saint Augustine

354-430;  Hippo in North Africa 

Became Christian at age 31; early life pursuit of worldly pleasures; philosopher: Neo-Platonism

Confessions: soul searching;  personalized faith 

 

St. Augustine

Sovereignty of God:  election

Human Sin

Trinitarian Doctrine

Political—City of God  

“Church Father” Western Christian Doctrine 800 years; Reformation

Early Medieval Europe 

“Ruled” as western part of Empire from Byzantium, but little support from East

Constant invasions by “Barbarians”;

Local Kingdoms; no centralized authority

Decline of culture-Dark Ages;  little literacy 

Disease abundant—esp. the Plague and smallpox

 

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f1/Europe_map_1092.PNG

Church/Rome

Under jurisdiction of Patriarch of Constantinople: gradually Rome asserts independent authority over Church in Europe:

Pope Gregory I (Pope from 590-604):   monastic life; emphasized sacramental worship; missionaries to Europe, esp. England; secular and military power, esp. in warring and later making peace with the Lombard tribes

Medieval Papacy—church/state powers combine

Holy Roman Empire

Christmas Day 800 A.D.  Charlemagne crowned august emperor by Pope Leo III;  Papacy needed military support, Charlemagne, King of Franks, best candidate.  Wedded Church and State in Europe spiritual/temporal affairs. Not consistent partnership: rivals…control Europe until French Revolution/Napoleon in early 19^th Cent.

Break with Byzantium nearly complete

Early Feudalism

Beginning around 800: Local levels, means of tying barons, earls, etc. to “king”:  King grants lands to locals, locals supply military for kings.   Knights—trained warrior class, loaned out.  Serfs provided production from barons’ lands.

Class divisions in Europe: nobles and commoners 

Britain

By 450, Rome’s power over Britain had collapsed;  Northern Germanic tribes, Saxons and Angles, migrate (conquer) to eastern England displace Briton rulers; produced the Anglo/Saxon culture and kingdoms.  Not a part of Holy Roman Empire, but adopted Christianity.

Around 800, Norseman (Vikings) raiders, force “kings” to work together.  By 950, Wessex dominate kingdom.  Lasted until 1066.

Norseman, also settle Normandy in France.

Islam

Reading assignment

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HistoryofIslam

Word about wiki articles---

Foundations

Prophet Muhammad: Arabian Peninsula businessman;  revelations around 610, recorded early passages (surahs) of Quran:  monotheism, ethical treatment of others, judgment to come followed by ideal kingdom (like Judaism and Christianity--Zoroastrianism). 

Mohammad last of great prophets in line with Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. 

By 632, time of death, after struggles, united Arabia---religious, political, tribal, and military power.  Mecca as capital…

Religiously tolerant---converts expected serve in military, non-Muslims, extra taxes.

Century of Conquest

After Muhammad, 4 generals and families ruled (Rashidun), within 30 years expanded Islamic dominion west to Med—including Syria, Egypt, and east almost to Hindu Cush Mts.---i.e. all eastern parts of Byzantine Empire… 

During period—Quran is gathered and begins to be codified---disputed

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/df/Mohammad_adil-Rashidun-empire-at-its-peak-close.PNG/800px-Mohammad_adil-Rashidun-empire-at-its-peak-close.PNG

Ali ibn Abi  Talib, 

Muhammad’s cousin and son-in-law; last of four; married to Fatima (Muhammad's daughter); assassinated and supplanted by Muawiya (Umayyad Dynasty).

Split into Shia and Sunni groups; Shiites Ali only true successor of Muhammad through Fatima…eastern Iraq, and Iran (Persian).

Umayyad--Sunni

Umayyad Dynasty

661-750… capital in Damascus 

Expanded even more northern India:  When rebellion led to overthrow, dynastic family members move through North Africa and into Spain;  Moved north into France---finally stopped by Charles Martel at Tours in 732 (Charlemagne's grandfather.)

Controlled Iberian Penn. Until 1031.

Abbasid Dynasty: 750-810

Overthrew Umayyad moved capital to Bagdad:  flowering of Islamic culture, wealth, literature (Arabian Nights), trade.  Non-Arabs convert to Islam

By 1000:  various regional Islamic regional powers—Persia, Egypt, Spain, Syria—under different family dynasty; all under Abbasidian influence.   

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/61/Abbasids_Dynasty_750_-_1258_(AD).PNG

Islam: around 1000

World Religion

Tolerant of other religions—masters of trade—esp. between China and Byzantium, India and Africa

Expanded conquest, conversion, 

Preserved cultures, especially Hellenistic…while Europe in “dark ages”:  mathematics, medicine, philosophy--e.g. introduced Aristotle to West

 Section Three:

1. International Trade

2. Clash of Religions

3. Hostile Take-Overs (Conquests)

4.Political/Social Organization

5. Cultural/Social Developments

“Silk” Routes  200-1500 A.D.

Reading Assignment

Article on the Silk Road by Joshua Mark

www.ancient.eu/Silk_Road/

International Trade 1000-1500 A.D.

“Silk Road”---overland and sea routes that connect China, Asia, India, Africa, Europe by means of trade and cultural exchange.

Began in 2^nd Century B.C., and continued until 16^th Century A.D..  

Means of wealth for Rome/Europe, China, India, Middle East, Central Asia, East Africa 

Trade as a means for peace

Silk Road Trade Cities

Cultural Exchanges

1. Luxury goods

2. Technologies: gunpowder, paper, silk production, different notions of government

3. Religions:  Islam, Buddhism, Christianity

4. Languages

5. Diseases:  Black Plague

Sea Routes

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9e/Silk_route_copy.jpg

Spice Routes

“The history of these maritime routes can be traced back thousands of years, to links between the Arabian Peninsula, Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley Civilization. The early Middle Ages saw an expansion of this network, as sailors from the Arabian Peninsula forged new trading routes across the Arabian Sea and into the Indian Ocean. Indeed, maritime trading links were established between Arabia and China from as early as the 8^th century AD. Technological advances in the science of navigation, in astronomy, and also in the techniques of ship building combined to make long-distance sea travel increasingly practical.  Lively coastal cities grew up around the most frequently visited ports along these routes, such as Zanzibar, Alexandria, Muscat, and Goa, and these cities became wealthy centres for the exchange of goods, ideas, languages and beliefs, with large markets and continually changing populations of merchants and sailors.”

https://en.unesco.org/silkroad/about-silk-road

Viking Trade Routes

Linked northern Europe with Middle East

Furs and slaves primary “goods”

Bullion economy, esp. silver

Viking trade routes

Disruptions of Trade Routes between 1000 and 1500 A.D.

Environmental Changes—drying of Steppes

Viking Decline/ Rise of Kiev (after 1100)

Turkish/Crusader Invasions and conquests: Byzantium, India, Egypt, East Africa (ca. 1050-1500)

Mongolian Invasions: (1200-1400)

Inca Roads
READING ASSINGMENT   Article by  Mark Cartwright: The Inca Road System
https://www.ancient.eu/article/757/the-inca-road-system/

Inca Roads

Two main routes: Royal Road and Costal Road ran north and south…linked west coast of South America

Used for military, messengers (runners), and official traders….lamas and alpaca caravans

Symbolized Inca dominance over region

Also linked over the Andes to Argentina 

Some evidence of linkage with Amazon basin

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/53/Inca_roads-en.svg/2000px-Inca_roads-en.svg.png

Aztec Trade Routes

Major Conquests 1000-1500 A.D.

Norman 

Turkish 

Aztec 

Inca

Mongol

Norman Invasion of England; 1066

READING ASSIGNMENT

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_conquest_of_England

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/03/Williams_dominions_1087.jpg

William the Conqueror

Descendant of Rollo—Viking; Norsemen

Norman clan…subject to French King

Potential heir to English throne

Invades England Sept. 1066; Battle of Hastings,

Transition from Anglo/Saxon to Norman Culture

Land to Norman owners in exchange for military duty and oaths of loyalty (Feudalism)

Doomsday Book-record of land ownership taxes owed…1086

Norman language (French/Norse); Latin officially

Retained basic English law structures (Common Law)

Church less in Nobles’ control; King and Pope

Longer term consequences:

Crusades—loyal to Pope and French King

Friction between French and English—next 800 years—major conflicts in Western Europe

Tied British to Europe…same history…with variations

Strong Papal influence in Britain for next 400 years

Turkish Invasion

READING ASSIGNMENT:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byzantine%E2%80%93Seljuq_wars

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/03/11_13th_century_Asia_Minor_Turkish_Invasions.png

Turkish Invasion

North Central Asian warriors enter Middle East around 900 A.D.   Become Muslim; Early leader Seljuk (Seljuq)--

Overthrow Persia, establish kingdom by 1063 included all of Mesopotamia and Palestine

Expand north into Asia Minor:  Constant conflict with Byzantium; 1071 Battle of Manzikert; 

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/44/Malazkirt_Manzikert_battle_campaign_map_1071.png

Early Turkish Importance

Reign lasted until early 1200’s; overcome by Mongols

Although basically religiously tolerant, threat that led Byzantium to ask for Western’s Europe’s help—Crusades ensued

Turned Asia Minor into “Turkey”, with language, Islam, culture 

Ottoman Empire

READING ASSIGNMENT:  First two sections:  Rise of the Ottoman Empire (1299-1452) and Classical Age (1453-1550)  found at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Ottoman_Empire

Turkish rule in Asia Minor interrupted by Mongols for 100 years, but after 1300 back in hands of Turks

At first mostly about fighting against Byzantium and raiding into Europe

By 1400, control of most of Asia Minor and Balkans, victories against Venetians/Crusaders at Battles of Kosovo( 1389) and Nicopolis (1396).  Following time of decline, return to conquest and expansion into Europe as far as Hungary in 1430s-1450s; 

Constantinople to Istanbul

1453, Ottoman finally took control of Constantinople; renamed Istanbul, effective end of Byzantine Empire.   

Next 100 years great expansion, especially with navel power in Mediterranean.

Religious tolerance; welcomed especially Jewish refugees from Spain; taxes and soldiers. 

16^th Cent allied with France, etc. against Holy Roman Empire

Implications for 1300-1500

Control of trade routes, both silk road and spice routes (land and sea), between India, S.E. Asia, China and Europe; need for European exploration—DeGama, Columbus, Magellan

Spread of Islam into Balkans and eastern Europe

Imperial rival of Holy Roman Empire and Italian City States

Instilled fear into Europe--Reformation

Aztec Empire

Beginning around 1200, northern migratory tribes enter grand basin around today’s Mexico City. Last group, the Mexica, entered around 1250

Next few generations gained control of major city-states in basin: Mexico-Tenochtitlan, Texcoco, and Tlacopan.  Tenochtitlan dominates.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/04/Aztecexpansion.png/450px-Aztecexpansion.png

Aztec Expansion

By 1450 secured most of Mexcio Basin and control economy and religion.

Warfare constant, with captured people regularly sacrificed to gods of war.

Trade with other cultures central to life—from Southwest North America to Costa Rica—linked Meso America pre-Spanish Conquest in 1519;  Mexica as name for land

Inca Empire

Reading assignment:  Mark Cartwright article in Inca Civilization found at https://www.ancient.eu/Inca_Civilization/

Inca Empire

Around 1438, tribal group speaking the Quechua language expand control over others.  Next 120 years, largest empire in Americas; spanning over 3800 miles north to south—lasted until 1530s—Spanish and smallpox overcame

Inca—ruling class—capital in Cusco; 

Around 1450 royal estate/religious center in Machu Picchu.

Inca Empire

Inca Empire 

Consolidation of west coast of South America; Spanish came, one empire to conquer.

Consolidation of wealth in hands of nobility  

Mongol Conquest

Reading Assignment: Mongol Invasion and Conquests at

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongol_Empire

Genghis Khan born c. 1162 – August 18, 1227

Difficult childhood; An important theme of Mongol Empire is that merit rather than birth the road to advancement:

“As he smashed the feudal system of aristocratic privilege and birth, he built a new and unique system based on individual merit, loyalty, and achievement”  Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World; Jack Weatherford, p. xix

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/35/YuanEmperorAlbumGenghisPortrait.jpg/375px-YuanEmperorAlbumGenghisPortrait.jpg

Ca. 1200 Clan warrior, Temujin, united Mongol clans, in 1206 awarded title, Genghis Khan---universal leader.

Mongol culture—nomadic, horse, laminated bow, harsh climate, family/clan based; sky god chief deity.

Raids on neighboring clans for revenge and “booty”…booty shared by troops, not just clan leaders

Jurchen Jin Empire: 1215-1234

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/eb/Mongol_warrior_of_Genghis_Khan.jpghttps://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/eb/Mongol_warrior_of_Genghis_Khan.jpg

Genghis: South and West to Persia

Western Liao:  1218

Khwarezmain Empire: 1221

Western Xia: 1227

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f3/Genghis_Khan_empire-en.svg/2000px-Genghis_Khan_empire-en.svg.png

Persia

Battle of Bagdad—1258

Mongol warfare: mobile horse, local infantry; 

winter warfare; adapt seize technologies along way—esp. from Chinese; surrender or be destroyed

Often left local government in place, tribute and loyalty; 

Empire split into four parts

Following death of Genghis Khan, either his sons or grandsons became rulers, however constant dispute over supreme command.

While conquests continued, empire divided into four separate kingdoms:

Golden Horde—north Asia and eastern Europe—1370’s

Cagatai Khanate—central Asia  1600’s

Ilkanate—Middle East--1335

Great Yuan– China and S.E. Asia—1370’s—to Ming Dynasty

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/82/MongolEmpireDivisions1300.png

Mongol Legacy Empires

Areas of northern India, Moghuls, descendant of Mongols settle in region.    Last until 1600’s.

Tamerlane– from 1370 -1405, based out of central Asia—Islamic re-conquest of much of the  Mongolian held regions, except for China.

Ming Dynasty– 1370-1644:  time of cultural advancement and political stability.

Ottoman Empire-

Tamerlane Control Area

Russia and Mongols

Russian—As the evidence stands, the effects of the Mongol invasion were many, spread across the political, social, and religious facets of Russia. While some of those effects, such as the growth of the Orthodox Church generally had a relatively positive effect on the lands of the Rus, other results, such as the loss of the veche system and centralization of power assisted in halting the spread of traditional democracy and self-government for the various principalities. From the influences on the language and the form of government, the very impacts of the Mongol invasion are still evident today. Perhaps given the chance to experience the Renaissance, as did other western European cultures, the political, religious, and social thought of Russia would greatly differ from that of the reality of today. The Russians, through the control of the Mongols who had adopted many ideas of government and economics from the Chinese, became perhaps a more Asiatic nation in terms of government, while the deep Christian roots of the Russians established and helped maintain a link with Europe. It was the Mongol invasion which, perhaps more than any other historical event, helped to determine the course of development that Russian culture, political geography, history, and national identity would take.

Dustin Hosseini   http://www.sras.org/the_effects_of_the_mongol_empire_on_russia

Mongol’s Lasting Significance

Largest contiguous land empire in history

Insured safe travel on silk routes---Marco Polo and Kublai Khan---Wealth of China and Europe

Religiously tolerant (within boundaries)

Exchange of technologies—east and west

Exchange of diseases---small pox and bubonic plaque

Advancement based on merit

Lasting significance

Help competing powers in Europe unite against a common enemy—helping to establish “national” identities.  

Empire ruled by common law—Yassa—est. by Genghis Khan---rules for nomadic life, later expanded to cover many areas of life. 

Empire courier system for dispatches

 

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9b/Great_Mongol_Empire_map.svg/3100px-Great_Mongol_Empire_map.svg.png

Clash of religions

Buddhism/Confucianism

Christian internal conflicts

Christianity/Islam/Judaism

Buddhism in Asia

Reform of Hinduism—500 B.C.

Teaching of Gautama, Buddha, enlightenment to reach Nirvana.

Silk Road and Spice Routes, spread through-out Asia

Between 1000 and 1500, two primary forms, Mahayana and Theravada

Theravada Buddhism

Southern Asia: Thailand, Sri Lanka, Burma, Myanmar, Laos

More traditional form of Buddhism, with emphasis on the person to seek enlightenment.

Mahayana Buddhism

Northern Buddhist predominantly in Tibet, China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, parts of Southeast Asia.

Along with emphasis on person seeking enlightenment, but much more embrace of both historical and non-historical bodhisattva

Bodhisattva are persons/beings who have completed the path to Nirvana, yet remain behind to help others.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7c/Buddhism_Map.png

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7c/Buddhism_Map.png

So major difference is goal of practice

Southern, goal is for person to attain Nirvana

Northern goal is not only for oneself, but to help others reach as well.

Internal conflict between groups for millennia   

Buddhism and Confucianism

Struggle between two religions for leadership in Chinese culture and politics

Confucianism often aristocracy, while Buddhism practiced more by the non-royals.

However Confucianism dominant leadership religion----used through the 1930’s as educational instruction and civil service 

Christian Internal conflicts 1000-1500

Great Schism: 1054 AD   Roman Catholic (Pope of Rome) and Eastern Orthodox (Patriarch of Constantinople);  Rome claimed highest authority, theological disputes, liturgical practices.  Conflict between Eastern and Western Christianity. 

                                                                 

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/92/Great_Schism_1054_with_former_borders-.png

Papal “Captivity”

Reading Assignment:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avignon_Papacy

14^th Cent struggle between Popes, Kings of France, Italian city states, England, others over the secular power of the Pope.

From 1309, Pope Clement V,  French, moves Pope’s enclave to Avignon (France)…stays in France until 1376, then back to Rome.

From 1378-1403 “Antipopes” in Avignon, followed by other antipopes until 1437. Western Schism

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avignon_Papacy

Christianity and Islam

Reconquista of Spain

Crusades to Palestine

Spanish Reconquista

“The Reconquista^[a] (Spanish and Portuguese for the "reconquest") is the period in the history of the Iberian Peninsula of about 780 years between the Umayyad conquest of Hispania in 711 and the fall of the Nasrid kingdom of Granada to the expanding Christian kingdoms in 1492. The Reconquista was completed just before the Spanish discovery of the Americas—the "New World"—which ushered in the era of the Spanish and Portuguese colonial empires. “

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reconquista

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bf/Progress_of_the_Reconquista_%28718%E2%80%931492%29_-_es.svg/2000px-Progress_of_the_Reconquista_%28718%E2%80%931492%29_-_es.svg.png

Reconquista---results 

Spain as exclusively Catholic nation (Inquisition)  with Muslims and Jews expelled.

Unifies various kingdoms into Spain and Portugal

Gave example of a Holy War- Crusade

Holy Land Crusades seen as something of an extension.

Reading ASSIGNMENT

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crusades

Crusades to Palestine

Formally begin in 1095 after Byzantium loses Battle of Manzekert in 1071, Emperor Alexios I requests help of Pope Urban II for military help to protect against the Seljuk Turkish  advances into Asia Minor.  

Pope Urban II responds with sermons/Church Council calling for European armies to go to war against Turks.

Other Factors for the Crusades

Potential way for Urban II, papacy to assert dominance over Eastern Church—Great Schism

Inter-kingdom warfare in Europe constant conflict, knight class of mercenary warriors ravaging poor.  Need to have a unifying and non-European enemy:

Turks control Silk Roads; Genoa and Venice wanted trade with East and bypass Constantinople.

Spiritual Anxiety over Millennium (Year 1000); plagues; wars…..impending death or end of the world. Seeking of salvation –Heaven– on everyone’s mind.   Church grant indulgences—later began to sell them  to help pay for Crusades—to all crusaders.

Crusades cont.

Frankish Wars;—French (Normans in England)

German some Italian and Spanish

Four in all, 1095-1291…lasting results in Holy Land minimal.

Set Europe against all non-Christian religions, primarily Muslim and Jewish

4^th Crusade, one of economics, Italian Cities against Byzantium, Constantinople sacked…cemented division between Eastern and Western Christian Churches.

Culturally, Europe gains knowledge about ancient Hindu, Persian, Greek  and Roman worlds as well as mathematics (e.g. algebra), warfare, science, philosophy—scholarship of world preserved in Islamic and Byzantine  schools and academies.  Paves way for Thomas Aquinas (scholasticism) and later Renaissance in Europe.  

Religiously, increases people’s trust in holy sites, relics,  and in Church’s power of granting salvation, esp. indulgences. 

   

Christianity and Islam?

Conflict of Crusades seems major part of Christianity's story, less so for Islam.

Geographically limited; Turkish conquest—Turks often at war with other Muslims in Egypt or Syria—not unified Muslim ethos.  Mongol invasion soon to follow more overwhelming, after that the Ottoman Empire

For Christians, justification of violence as a means to advance faith; “God wills it!”  Religious intolerance European conquests…

Political and Social Life 1000-1500

China

India

Mesoamerica/Peru

Europe

Middle East

China

Song Dynasty (northern 960-1127, Southern 1127-1279)

Shenzong (reigned 1067–85) …. Shenzong responded vigorously (and rather unexpectedly, from the standpoint of many bureaucrats) to the problems troubling the established order, some of which were approaching crisis proportions. Keeping above partisan politics, he made the scholar-poet Wang Anshi his chief councillor and gave him full backing to make sweeping reforms. Known as the New Laws, or New Policies, these reform measures attempted drastic institutional changes. In sum, they sought administrative effectiveness, fiscal surplus, and military strength. Wang’s famous “Ten Thousand Word Memorial” outlined the philosophy of the reforms. Contrary to conventional Confucian views, it upheld assertive governmental roles, but its ideal remained basically Confucian: economic prosperity would provide the social environment essential to moral well-being.

The government squarely faced the reality of a rapidly spreading money economy by increasing the supply of currency. The state became involved in trading, buying specific products of one area for resale elsewhere (thereby facilitating the exchange of goods), stabilizing prices whenever and wherever necessary, and making a profit itself. This did not displace private trading activities. On the contrary, the government extended loans to small urban and regional traders through state pawnshops—a practice somewhat like modern government banking but unheard-of at the time. Far more important, if not controversial, the government made loans at the interest rate, low for the period, of 20 percent to the whole peasantry during the sowing season, thus assuring their farming productivity and undercutting their dependency upon usurious loans from the well-to-do. The government also maintained granaries in various cities to ensure adequate supplies on hand in case of emergency need. The burden on wealthy and poor alike was made more equitable by a graduated tax scale based on a reassessment of the size and the productivity of the landholdings. Similarly, compulsory labour was converted to a system of graduated tax payments, which were used to finance a hired-labour service program that at least theoretically controlled underemployment in farming areas. Requisition of various supplies from guilds was also replaced by cash assessments, with which the government was to buy what it needed at a fair price.

Wang’s reforms achieved increased military power as well. To remedy the Song’s military weakness and to reduce the immense cost of a standing professional army, the villages were given the duty of organizing militias, under the old name of baojia, to maintain local order in peacetime and to serve as army reserves in wartime. To reinforce the cavalry, the government procured horses and assigned them to peasant households in northern and northwestern areas. Various weapons were also developed. As a result of these efforts, the empire eventually scored some minor victories along the northwestern border.

The gigantic reform program required an energetic bureaucracy, which Wang attempted to create—with mixed results—by means of a variety of policies: promoting a nationwide state school system; establishing or expanding specialized training in such utilitarian professions as the military, law, and medicine, which were neglected by Confucian education; placing a strong emphasis on supportive interpretations of Classics, some of which Wang himself supplied rather dogmatically; demoting and dismissing dissenting officials (thus creating conflicts in the bureaucracy); and providing strong incentives for better performances by clerical staffs, including merit promotion into bureaucratic ranks.

Yuan Dynasty

Descendants of Genghis Khan –Kublai Khan

Military conquest: to some extent 

Tried to govern as Chinese:

“1260s the central bureaucracy and the local administration of the Chinese empire were remodeled on Chinese lines, with certain alterations introduced by the Jin state. ”

 https://www.britannica.com/place/China/Changes-under-Kublai-Khan-and-his-successors

But in other ways were clearly foreign system:

“The unwillingness of the Mongols to assimilate with the Chinese is shown by their attempts to cement the inequalities of their rule. After the Song empire had been conquered, the population of China was divided into four classes. The first class was the Mongols themselves, a tiny but privileged minority. Next came the semuren (“persons with special status”), confederates of the Mongols such as Turks or Middle Eastern Muslims. The third group was called the hanren (a term that generally means Chinese but that was used to designate the inhabitants of only northern China); this class included the Chinese and other ethnic groups living in the former Jin state, as well as Xi Xia, Juchen, Khitan, Koreans, Bohai, and Tangut, who could be employed in some functions and who also formed military units under Mongol leadership.

The last group was the nanren, or manzi, pejorative terms in Chinese, meaning “southern barbarian,” which designated the former subjects of Song China (about three-fourths of the Chinese empire). The lowest stratum in Yuan China was occupied by the slaves, whose numbers were quite considerable. Slave status was hereditary, and only under certain conditions could a slave be freed.

More than four-fifths of the taxpayers came from the nanren group, which was generally barred from holding higher office (only rarely would one of them rise to some prominence). The Mongols and the semuren were tax-exempt and enjoyed the protection of the law to a higher degree than did the hanren and nanren.” https://www.britannica.com/place/China/Changes-under-Kublai-Khan-and-his-successors

Yuan decline

Fractured into independent like states, Yuan not truly Chinese..

Era of Marco Polo, published account of years of travel and trade in China---”best seller” in Europe. 

Ming Dynasty 1368-1644

The Ming dynasty, which encompassed the reigns of 16 emperors, proved to be one of the stablest and longest ruling periods of Chinese history. Rulers of Korea, Mongolia, East Turkistan, Myanmar, Siam, and Nam Viet regularly acknowledged Ming overlordship, and at times tribute was received from as far away as Japan, Java and Sumatra, Sri Lanka and South India, the East African coast, the Persian Gulf region, and Samarkand. Modern Chinese honour the Ming emperors especially for having restored China’s international power and prestige, which had been in decline since the 8th century. The Ming emperors probably exercised more far-reaching influence in East Asia than any other native rulers of China, and their attitude toward the representatives of Portugal, Spain, Russia, Britain, and Holland who appeared in China before the end of their dynasty was a condescending one. https://www.britannica.com/place/China/Changes-under-Kublai-Khan-and-his-successors

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e4/Ming_divisions.png

Western Europe 1000-1500 Political and Social life

Rise of “nation” states; 

Power of Church; 

Beginnings of “middle class”-aka bourgeois

Rise of Nation States