Aim: How were the Roman Empire and the Han Dynasty in China similar?
I. Qin Dynasty
 Replaced the Zhou Dynasty 221 BCE
 Qin Shi Huang reunited China
 centralized gov’t with a bureaucracy
 Became Legalists
 expanded territory to the south (northern Vietnam)
 Achievement was public works
 Early stages of the Great Wall of China (1,400 Miles)
II. Han Dynasty
 206 BCE- 220 CE
 Liu Bang founded the Han
 Strong central government with bureaucracy
 expanded territory south and west (central Asia, Korea, Indochina)
 Allowed civil service exams: pick officials by merit
 Pax Sinica = Chinese period of peace
 Shi: scholar class, promoted education
 Han Wudi created an even larger empire
 Technology increased, iron, paper, ships, acupuncture, canals, water power and compass
 Confucianism became the basis for Han gov’t
 civil service examinations: gov’t employees became more qualified
 Confucianism preserved patriarchal social structures/gender roles
III. Silk Road
 Linked Asia, Europe and India
 Middlemen were the Greeks and the Jews
 Religion spreads: Buddhism into China, Christianity to Europe
 Disease spread along Silk Road
IV. Decline
 Land unequally divided between rich and poor
 Han surrounded by barbarians
 Han dynasty paid them tribute
 Weak rulers follow Wudi
 Weak economy
 Trade declined
 Peasant revolts
 Invasions led to a collapse in 220 CE
Led to 400 years of turmoil and division of the empire
AIM: What factors led to the rise and spread of Islam?
I. Arabian Peninsula
a) Harsh desert
b) Bedouins: nomads that herded camels and goats
c) Clans were the basis of society
d) Led by Sheikh: the patriarch of a tribe or family
e) Strife and rivalry between clans
II. Muhammad
a) Born 570 CE in Mecca a leading commercial center
b) Founder of Islam
c) 610 has his first revelation, met an angel Gabriel
d) considered a prophet of God
III. Mecca to Medina
a) In Mecca he was seen as a threat
b) Muhammad’s flight from Mecca and to Medina in 622 called the Hijra
c) Organizes the umma: Islamic communities that accept him as a messenger
d) 629 mawali: non-Arab converts to Islam
e) 630 makes trip back to Mecca
f) 632 dies without a successor...But all of Arabia is under Muslim control
IV. Beliefs of Islam
a) Monotheistic
b) Allah the one true god
c) Koran or Quran the Islamic holy book
d) Shariah: The code of law based on the Koran.
e) Five Pillars of Islam: Faith in Allah, Prayer 5 times a day facing Mecca, Fasting:
daylight hours of Ramadan, Give Alms: charity and the Hajj: one pilgrimage to Mecca
during lifetime
V. After Muhammad’s Death
i. 632: Abu Bakr becomes first caliph or successor of Muhammad
ii. 634 Arabia under the caliph’s control
iii. Caliph was a spiritual leader of Islam
iv.
Issue of succession caused division
AIM: Elaborate on the previous question (What factors contributed to the rise and spread of
Islam?) with the following information
VI. Umayyads
i. 656-661 Ali had become the fourth caliph
ii. He was assassinated
iii. 661 Mu'awiyah becomes new caliph
iv.
Umayyads rule all of Arabia
v.
Move capital from Mecca to Damascus
vi.
This caused a permanent shift is Islam
a. Shi’a: only follow Ali and his descendants
b. Sunni: Follow all caliphates
viii. Umayyads: tax the mawali
ix.
They could not serve in army or in government
x.
Dome of the Rock is built
xi.
Allow for religious toleration with Jews and Christians
VII. Decline
i
Luxurious living for the caliphates
ii
Revolts began
iii Civil wars between Shi’a and Sunni
iv Abbasids take over in 750
SUNNI MUSLIMS
VIII. Differences between Sunnis and Shia’s
SHIA MUSLIMS
90 % of all Muslims
10 % of Muslims
Sunni comes from “Sunnah” means the Shi’a comes from shi’at’ ali Which means
custom or “way of the prophet
partisans of Ali
Will recognize all caliphates
Will not recognize all caliphates, only
followers of Ali
Less emphasis on imams
Imam means spiritual “leader”
For the shia, only imams can interpret the
Qur’an
Both interpret the Qur'an differently
Shi’a idealize suffering and martyrdom
Ashura is a Shi’a tradition and it marks the anniversary of the martyrdom of Husayn
Further Division
• split between Sunni, Shia has remained bitter
• Third group developed within Islam—the Sufis
• Sufis seek mystical, personal connection with God, using range of practices including
breath control and meditation in rituals
IX. Abbasids
1. Take over in 750 CE led by Abu Abbas and the Shi’a
2. Good administrators, efficient bureaucracy
3. 762 CE move the capital to Baghdad
4. Large and growing population
5. Cities were urban centers
6. Merchants traded with Africa, Russia and India
7. Supported the integration of the mawali
8. Actively supported conquered areas to convert to Islam
9. Abbasids invited all to join in, turned Islam into universal religion, attracted people
of many cultures
X. Women in the Abbasid Dynasty
a) Beginning of Islam women had rights
b) They could inherit property, own business, divorce men, get an education
c) By the late 7th century male dominance was enforced by the Qur’an
d) Abbasids create the use of the veil and the harem
e) Wives of caliphs were concubines kept in secluded quarters
f) Women were always chaperoned
XI. Achievements of the Abbasid
i
Golden Age of Islam began in 750 and lasted until ca. 1400
ii
Mawali became integrated into the empire, no special taxes, worked in gov’t
iii Creation of universities of Cordoba and Baghdad
iv Literature: 1001 Arabian Nights
v Traded with numerous countries
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Used Steel swords and a credit based economy
Advances in arts, sciences, medicine and math
Al-Razi treated diseases: small pox and measles
Influenced by Western culture
XII. Decline
1) Mid 9th century
2) Empire became too big to control
3) Many civil wars
4) Peasants rebellions
5) Empire became divided into separate states
6) Mongols invaded from Asia
7) The empire fell in 1258
XIII. al-Andalus
• 711 CE: Berbers (peoples from North Africa) conquer Iberian Peninsula
• Al-Andalus refers to the areas on the Iberian Peninsula (Spain & Portugal) governed
by the Muslims (known as Moors)
• Failed expansion into Europe 732 CE
• capital at Cordoba
• preserved Greco-Roman traditions + blended them with new advances from the
Muslim world
XIV. Mamluk Dynasty
- 13th century: Mamluks (slaves turned soldiers) establish control over Egypt after fall
of Abbasids
- Mamluks: converts to Islam, strict observance of Islam
- Maintained trade routes through Egypt
Aim: What is the significance of the Byzantine Empire to the civilization of Europe?
I. Byzantine Empire
a) Consisted of Eastern Europe, the Balkans and the Middle East
b) Lasted for 1000 years
c) Continued Roman practices
d) Impacted Russia, Ukraine and Belarus
II. Origins
a) 4th century Constantine moved capital to Constantinople
b) Used Hellenistic culture
c) Prosperous economy, trade and location
III. Justinian
a) 527 becomes emperor
b) Was head of church and state
c) Reconquered some parts of the west
d) Replaced Latin with Greek
e) Reformed taxes
f) Built the church Hagia Sofia
g) Created Justinian’s Law Code, similar to Roman laws
h) Wife was Theodora and gave women rights
i) Some women were educated and became physicians
IV. Weakness
a) 565 Justinian dies
b) Plague hits and constant outside invasions
c) 1071: Seljuk Turks overran the empire
d) 1300’s empire was extremely weak and destroyed by Mongols
e) 1453 the Ottoman Turks finally end the Byzantine Empire
Aim: How did the Byzantines impact Russia?
V. Byzantine Christianity
a) Emperor controlled both the Church and State
b) Patriarch: highest church official
c) They reject the pope
d) Priests can marry
e) Speak Greek language
VI. Controversy
a) Use of Icons: religious images
b) Byzantine people worshipped icons and images
c) But in the 700s the Byzantine emperor outlawed the worshipping of icons
d) People broke into churches and destroyed icons
e) The Pope excommunicated the emperor and patriarch
f) This caused a split between east and west in 1054
g) Called the Great Schism: Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church
VII. Geography of Russia
a) Located in Eurasia
b) Different climates, south warmer and farmable, north cold and snowy
c) Southern steppe helped spread trade and migration
d) Kiev was the capital of Russia 882-1169
VIII. Russia
i
Rejected Islam because of the rule against alcohol
ii
Rejected Judaism because God lacked political power
iii Vladimir the Great (Vladimir I) adopts Eastern Orthodox
iv Forced baptism on his subjects
v Borrowed saints, icons and architecture from the Romans
vi
Traded with the Byzantine Empire
vii
Gave them slaves
viii
Byzantine missionaries Cyril and Methodius create the Cyrillic alphabet
IX. Kiev Decline
a) In the 12th century princes rivaled over power
b) 13th century invaded by Mongols
c) Orthodox church survives due to Mongol tolerance
Aim: How did Africa develop its own culture, trade and civilizations?
I. The Geography of Africa
a. North Africa
• Mountain Ranges (Atlas Mountains)
• Sahara desert (world’s largest)
b. West Africa
• Grasslands
• Most populated
c. East Africa
 Mountainous
 Plateaus
 Grasslands
 Hills
d. South Africa
 Namib & Kalahari Deserts
e. Central Africa
 Equator
 Rain forests
f. Desertification
 Desertification – The spreading of a desert region
 The region of Sahel is most affected by the spreading desert.
g. Rivers
• Nile River – world’s longest (4,000 + miles)
• Congo River – Central Africa – through rain forests, 2,720 miles long
•
Niger River – Africa’s third longest- 2,600 miles long. Begins in West Africa (Guinea)
II. Early African Culture
a. Family Ties
• Farming and herding societies consisted of extended families
• Kinships created strong bonds and a sense of community
b. Structure of African Society
• Kinship – Relationship to individual relatives
• Family – Related members of a group
• Clan – Group made up of related families
• Tribe – Group made up of related clans
c. African Religions
• Oral traditions and myths
• Ancestors could help or harm them
• Every object on earth was filled with a living spirit (Animism)
III. Early African Civilizations
a. Bantu Migration
• Ca. 2000 BCE: the Bantu begin to migrate southward into Sub-Saharan Africa lasted
until 1500 CE
• spread agriculture, knowledge of ironworking
• Millions of Africans speak related languages, known as Bantu languages.
b. Kingdoms of Axum and Kush
• Approximately 300 A.D. – 900 A.D.
• Important center of trade
• traded with Egypt, Rome, Persia, and India
c. The Gold – Salt Trade
• Traveling caravans crossed the vast Sahara desert to the Middle East
• Travelers looked to profit from the desert crossing with large trades
• The savanna lands of West Africa lacked salt, which is essential to survival
• In West Africa, salt was more valuable than gold
d. The Sudanic States
 All three kingdoms are in West Africa
 Ghana: 300-1150
 Mali: 1230-1450
 Songhai: 1350-1600
 Traded gold and salt
 Spread trade throughout North Africa
1. Empire of Ghana
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300A.D. to 1100A.D.
Ghana developed in West Africa and grew rich because of trade.
Ghana collected taxes from traders who passed through the kingdom.
Ghana had few natural resources except gold.
They were also very good at making things from iron.
First powerful West African Kingdom
The emperors power rested in his gold trade
$ = power to buy goods and weapons
Each trading caravan that entered or left Ghana had to pay a tax
2. The Empire of Mali
• 1200 A.D. – 1450 A.D.
• Strongest and most powerful during the rule of Mansa Musa.
• Mansa Musa – Greatest leader of Mali
2a. Influence of Islam
• Muslim traders carried religion across West Africa
• Mansa Musa adopted a new faith
• As a faithful Muslim he made a pilgrimage or hajj to Mecca
• He built many mosques in Mali
3. Kingdom of Songhay (Songhai)
• 1450A.D. – 1600A.D.
• The Golden Age of Africa
3a. Sunni Ali
• By 1464 – Sunni Ali, gained power in Gao
• Sunni Ali conquered Timbuktu, and the other major cities of the Mali.
3b. The Fall of Songhay
• Songhai fell in 1591 to invaders from Morocco
• They were attracted to wealth
• The Morocco soldiers won because they had guns and cannons
4. The Forest Kingdom of Benin
• Arose in a thickly forested area near the equator
• Developed in the delta region of the Niger River
• Best known for their Bronze art
5. East African Trading Cities
• Indian Ocean trade grew on the East coast of Africa
• Arab and Persian merchants arrived between the 9th and 12th centuries
• Known as the Swahili trading kingdoms
• Spoke Swahili which mixed Bantu and Arabic
• Trade flourished between 1200 and 1500
• The chief exports were ivory, sandalwood, ebony, and gold
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Trade spread through the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea, and the Persian Gulf
Connected the East Indies, China, India, the Arab lands, Persia, and East Africa
Brought prosperity to East Africa
Most notable trading cities were Mogadishu, Sofala, Kilwa, Mombasa, and Zanzibar
The cities were a cultural mix of Bantu, Islamic, and Indian influences
The advent of Portuguese trade made the Swahili commercial centers obsolete
Aim: Explain the causes and course of (events of) Western Europe’s Dark Ages?
I. The Dark Ages (500-1500)
1. Early Middle Ages
a. 500-1000
b. Period of backwardness (lacking in technology and advances)
c. Political decentralization
d. areas were undeveloped
e. Economic struggles
2. High Middle Ages
a. 1000-1300
b. European revival
c. Nations and economy became a lot stronger
d. Knowledge and education improved
3. Late Middle Ages
a. 1300-1500
b. Period of social unrest and warfare
c. Black Plague
d. Renaissance
II. Germanic Kingdoms
i
400-700 no cities and no written laws
ii
Local chiefs ruled small kingdoms throughout western Europe
iii Clovis became leader of the Franks that ruled Gaul in the 490’s
iv Converted to Christianity
v Built churches and monasteries for monks and nuns
vi
Benedictine Order: 520 followers live a life of poverty, charity and obedience
vii
Church dominated over secular (worldly) issues
III. Carolingian Dynasty
a) Rules Gaul from 733-987
b) Muslims wanted to control Western Europe and destroy Christianity
c) Charles Martel met and defeated the Muslims at the Battle of Tours in 732
d) The battle is significant because it stopped the spread of Islam in Europe
e) Pepin the Short accepted the title of king in 751 from the Pope
f) Gave land to the Pope that became the Papal States
IV Charlemagne
i
Charlemagne’s rule was the peak of Frankish power
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viii
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Ruled for 46 years
Expanded the Frankish Empire
Pope Leo III crowned him Holy Roman Emperor
Missi Dominici: Imperial officers, took records and spread education
Set up schools
814 Charlemagne dies
Louis the Pious (814-840) rule is full of civil wars and chaos
Treaty of Verdun (843): Kingdom divided into 3 among Louis’s sons
The empire as now weak and chaotic
New system of gov’t  to feudalism
Aim: What was life like on the manor?
V. Manorialism
a. Basic unit of feudal landholding
b. trade diminished, estates became self-sufficient
c. Manorialism = Economic system
d. Serfs bound to the manor + had no say in gov’t
e. Laws/punishments favored upper classes over lower
VI. Feudalism
a. Feudalism: system based in Europe during the Middle Ages
b. Land or a fief is given to a lord and they in turn give it to a vassal in return for
homage, and legal and military service of tenants
VII. Feudal Roles
a. Vassal
i. Vassal had to pledge homage or loyalty to the people above them
ii. Ex. Lord is vassal to the king, knights are vassals to the lords, peasants are
vassals to the knights
iii. In return for their loyalty, they received protection
b. King
i. Granted land to lords
ii. Lords were vassals to only the king
c. Lord
i. owned estates
ii. made laws and provided justice
d. Knight
i. Educated at a young age in chess, manners, and dancing
ii. 18-21 becomes knighted
iii. Chivalry: preached bravery, honor, respect for women
e. Peasant
i. Lived in villages in huts with no windows
ii. Lived with livestock
iii. Average lifespan 30 years
iv. They were illiterate
f. Serf
i. Not a slave but bound to the land
ii. They could not own land
iii. did not have to fight
Aim: What was the Role of the Catholic Church during the Middle Ages?
I.
Catholic Church
a. the most powerful institution during the Middle Ages
b. Provided hope, salvation, education, and services
c. Pope was the central figure and had political influence
II.
Role of Church
a. POLITICAL
i. The pope crowned rulers
ii. Canon Law: Rules of the Church
iii. Performed sacraments and other religious rituals
iv. Had the power of excommunication
v. Ex. Pope Gregory VII excommunicated King Henry IV
vi. Holy Inquisition: investigated any act of heresy against the Catholic
Church
b. ECONOMIC
i. Church paid no taxes
ii. Tithe: worshippers paid one tenth salary
iii. Great monasteries and Cathedrals were built in Gothic style and
iv. Lent money without interest, they forbid usury
v. Usury is a loan with high interest
1. **Reason for success was because many others who lent
money had a USURY, which was an illegally high interest rate
which made the Church a better option
vi. The Jews charged interest on loans
c. SOCIAL
i. The Parish Church was the center of every town
ii. Religious figures were educated and literate and provide guidance
iii. Preserved Greek and Roman culture
iv. Jews were prejudiced and targets, they were forced to live in ghettos
Aim: What was the purpose of and results of the Crusades?
I. Causes for the Crusades
a. 1071 the Holy Land is conquered by the Seljuk Turks
b. Byzantine Emperor calls of the Pope for help
c. 1095 Pope Urban II calls for the crusades or holy wars
d. Pope Urban II hoped to use this to reunite the eastern and western empires
e. The main goal of the Crusades was to regain the Holy Land
II. Why did people join?
a. The Pope guaranteed them all salvation
b. The promise of glory, land and riches
c. Took away the taxes of the poor
III. The Crusades
a. First Crusade: 1096
 They had no knowledge of climate, geography or supply lines
 small army reached Jerusalem
 This was the only successful crusade
 1099 captured Jerusalem and crusader states Edessa, Tripoli and Antioch
b. Problems after and during the Crusades
1. The Crusaders ran out of fresh water
2. Disease, Heat stroke and dysentery effected soldiers
3. drank urine, animal blood or sewage water
c. Second Crusade
a. Muslim leader Saladin captured Jerusalem
d. Third Crusade
1. Richard the Lionhearted, Frederick Barbarossa and King Phillip Augustus
attempted to regain Holy Land
2. Phillip went home,
3. Frederick drowned
4. Only Richard the Lionhearted stayed to fight Saladin
5. Truce was signed in 1192 which allowed Christians to visit the Holy Land
e. Fourth Crusade
1. 1202-1204
2. Traders crusade because merchants join
3. Sack Constantinople, taking the relics of the saints and all the wealth
from the city
4. Constantinople never recovers
f. Children’s Crusade
1. ***(JUST A STORY not in notes) He told his followers waters would part and
they would walk across as they were protected by God.
2. Thousands die from starvation and drowning
3. Some are captured and sold into slavery
4. No child from this crusade reached the Holy Land
g. Later Crusades
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The Fifth through Eighth crusades were failures
Holy Land was never reconquered
IV. Why did the Crusades Fail?
a. No supreme commander
b. Poor tactics and poor military
c. Lack of geographic knowledge
d. They refused Byzantine help
e. Lack of supplies
f. Muslims were much stronger than anticipated
What was the legacy of the Crusades?
V. Results of the Crusades
a. Cultural Diffusion
b. economic growth and rise in education
c. people now focused on reason rather than faith
d. New knowledge about geography and terrain
e. Scholasticism: the use of reason to deepen the understanding of what is
believed on faith to give a rational content to faith.
f. New goods such as spices, sugar, paper and other luxury items like furs, silk,
perfumes, and gunpowder
g. Increased the power of European monarchs
h. Political power increased within the Catholic Church
i. New ideas were exchanged which gave birth to great cities that flourished in
trade, arts, literature, mathematics, sciences and medicine
j. Italian city-states like Venice and Genoa became trading cities
k. New social classes: middle class, merchant bankers
l. This marked the end of the European Middle Ages