UNIT 4-B SPECIFICITY
Lesson 1
— What were the causes and effects of the development of major world religions such as Islam and Sikhism?
— How did Muslim, Christian, and Jewish societies in Asia and North Africa interact?
— How did Muslim and Hindu societies in South Asia interact?
— What are the historical origins, central ideas, and spread of major religious and philosophical traditions of Hinduism,
Islam, and Sikhism?
Lesson 2
— What were the causes and effects of the Mongol invasions and their impact on Europe, China, India and Southwest
Asia (600-1450)?
— What were the major political, economic, and cultural developments in Tang and Song China and what was their
impact on Eastern Asia?
— How did the slave trade develop?
— How did the Silk Road and the African gold-salt trade facilitate the spread of ideas and trade?
— How did geography influence the development of civilizations such as in the Middle East?
— Can you locate places and regions of historical significance directly related to this era and turning point in world
history, such as, the Sahara Desert, Ghana, Mali, Arabia, Mecca, Baghdad, Cairo, Spain, the Iberian Peninsula, Mongolia,
Moscow, Istanbul, Anatolia (Asia Minor), Korea, Japan, Angkor Wat, Beijing, China, the Silk Road, Pax Mongolia, West
Africa and the Indian Ocean?
— What was the influence of human and physical geographic factors on major events in world history? (Include trade
in the Indian Ocean)
— How did new ideas in mathematics, science, and technology begin and then spread throughout the world? (Include
ideas from the Tang to Ming dynasties.)
Lesson 3
— What were the causes and effects of the development of Islamic caliphates and their impact on Europe (studied in
previous unit), Asia and Africa?
— What was the political, economic, and social impact of Islam on Europe (studied in previous unit), Asia, and Africa?
— How did Islam influence law and government in the Muslim world?
Lesson 4
— What were the changes resulting from the Mongol invasions of Russia, China, and the Islamic world?
— What shared factors contributed to the fall of the Roman Empire and the Han Dynasty?
Identify, Describe -- THE DEVELOPMENT OF MAJOR WORLD RELIGIONS
Including, but not limited to:
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Islam – Historical origins, central ideas, and the spread of the religion
o Muhammad – Born in or about 570 and is considered the founder of Islam
 Muslims – Those who worship Allah and recognize Muhammad as the last Prophet
 Mecca – The Holy City of the Islamic faith
 Allah – Monotheistic deity; also recognized as the God of Abraham (Yahweh)
 Hajj – Pilgrimage to Mecca that each Muslim is required (health permitting) to take
within their lifetime
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Koran (Qu’ran) – Book or writings of the prophet Muhammad
Jihad (Holy Struggle) – The expansion of the Islamic state and control
Trade and spread of religion – Silk roads, European exploration
Identify, Describe -- CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF IMPORTANT TURNING POINTS IN WORLD
HISTORY FROM 600 TO 1450
Including, but not limited to:
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Development of Islamic caliphates
o Abbasid caliphate: Baghdad
o Fatimid caliphate: Cairo
o Umayyad caliphate: Damascus
o Shi’a movement begins as a reaction to Umayyad rule
o Expansion of Islam into North Africa and Spain
o Golden age in mathematics and science, including chemistry, empirical scientific method, and
medical care
Mongol invasions
o 13th century: spread across Eurasia to create one of the world’s largest empires
o Brutal conquest of Abbasid Empire and Russian principalities
o “Pax Mongolia” that supported trade along the Silk Road
o Kublai Khan (Yuan dynasty) kept Chinese political and economic systems in place
Compare -- FACTORS THAT LED TO COLLAPSE OF ROME AND HAN CHINA
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Corrupt governments in both empires
Infighting among political elites
Empires too large in area to manage
Invasions from hostile nomadic tribes
Social inequality among the classes with tax burdens on lower classes
Inequitable distribution of lands
Decline in morals and values
Public health and urban decay
Unemployment and inflation
Explain -- POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, AND SOCIAL IMPACT OF ISLAM ON EUROPE, ASIA, AND
AFRICA
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Asia
o
o
o
o
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Ottoman Empire established in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey) and lasts until the end of World
War I
Mongol invasions of Baghdad: Islam grew from a religious community focused on the core
Arab lands to one in which new developments arose within Persian, Turkic, Indian, and other
non-Arab cultures.
Safavids create a Shi’a empire in Persia (1500s-1700s)
Mughals establish a Muslim empire in India under Babur, Akbar, and Shah Jahan
Africa
o
o
o
Arab traders settle in port cities in East Africa
Bantu language blends with Arabic to create Swahili
Introduction of the slave trade in Africa
o
o
Growth of commerce in East Africa leads to spread of Islam to other parts of the continent
Gold-Salt Trade between North African Muslims and empires of West Africa lead to spread of
Islam to West Africa
Describe -- INTERACTIONS BETWEEN MUSLIM, CHRISTIAN, AND JEWISH SOCIETIES IN
EUROPE, ASIA, AND NORTH AFRICA
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People conquered by Muslims chose to accept Islam because they were attracted by the appeal of this
religion’s message as well as not having to pay a poll tax.
Qur’an forbade forced conversions so Muslims allowed conquered people to retain their own religions.
Christians and Jews served as officials, scholars, and bureaucrats in Muslim states.
Muslims set up an extensive trade network between Europe, Asia and North Africa.
Cultural blending leads to achievements in art and science in Muslim-controlled cities in Asia, Europe,
and North Africa
Asia
o Crusades lead to conflicts between Christians and Muslims
o Muslims conquer Constantinople in 1453 and establish the Ottoman Empire
North Africa
o Fatimid dynasty set up in North Africa
o Muslims control the Maghrib (North Africa) along the Mediterranean coast by 670
o Berbers, who had originally been Christian and Jewish, convert to Islam in the 600s.
Describe -- INTERACTIONS BETWEEN MUSLIM AND HINDU SOCIETIES IN SOUTH ASIA
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Muslim tribes from Central Asia invade northwestern India in the 600s
Turkish warlords invade India in 1000 and establish the Delhi Sultanate, where Hindus were treated as
conquered people
Mughal ruler Akbar establishes a golden age in India
o Religious freedom for Hindus and non-Muslims
o Taxation on Hindu pilgrims and on non-Muslims abolished
o Mingling of Arabic, Persian, and Hindu cultures that lead to new developments in art and
literature and the Urdu language in army camps
Shah Jahan – construction of the Taj Mahal as a tomb for his wife
Aurangazeb – expansion of Mughal empire throughout most of the Indian subcontinent
o Harsh policies against Hindus including bringing back the tax on pilgrimages, banning of Hindu
temple construction, destruction of Hindu monuments, and dismissal of Hindus from government
positions
o Militant Hindus known as Marathas establish a breakaway state in southern India
o Sikhs break away and establish a separate state in Punjab
Summarize -- MAJOR POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, AND CULTURAL DEVELOPMENTS IN TANG
AND SONG CHINA AND IMPACT ON EASTERN ASIA
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Tang China (618 A.D.-907 A.D.)
o Political developments
 Emperor Taizong extends China’s boundaries north to Manchuria, south to Vietnam, and
east to the Aral Sea
 Empress Wu Zhao extends Chinese influence to the Korean Peninsula
 Restoration of bureaucracy to manage the empire
 Scholar-officials take competitive civil service exams to work in government offices
o Economic developments
 Foreign trade on the Silk Roads grows
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Arrival of tea from Southeast Asia
New inventions: porcelain, mechanical clocks, block printing, gunpowder all increase
trade and spread to Japan and Korea
o Cultural developments
 Spread of Buddhism through trade networks to Japan, Korea, and Vietnam
 Greater social mobility and movement to cities
 Decline in the status of women including the beginning of binding the feet of upper class
girls
Song China (960-1279)
o Political developments
 Rule limited to Southern China after Tang losses in Central Asia and Manchuria
o Economic developments
 Introduction of a fast-growing rice from Vietnam that lead to faster growing population
 Movable type spreads to Japan and Korea
 Paper money contributes to a large-scale economy
 Advances in sailing technology such as the magnetic compass lead to the growth of ocean
trade
o Cultural developments
 New height in Chinese art – natural landscapes and objects drawn with black ink
 China’s population at 100 million with ten cities having at least 1 million people
Explain -- DEVELOPMENT OF SLAVE TRADE
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First major development occurs in 7th century when Islamic traders trade goods for Africans and
transport them to Southwest Asia
Muslim African rulers enslave non-Muslims on the Islamic belief that they could be bought and sold as
slaves
4.5 million Africans transported as slaves to Southwest Asia between 650 and 1000 AD
Slaves in African and Muslim societies had legal rights and opportunity for social mobility
Analyze -- HOW SILK ROAD AND AFRICAN GOLD-SALT TRADE FACILITATED SPREAD OF
IDEAS AND TRADE
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Silk Road – long-distance trade route from China to Rome; products from the east such as spices and
silk transported west, Roman ideas taken to their eastern provinces; Indian traders act as middlemen and
grow wealthy; promotion of cultural diffusion between regions that come into contact with each other
African Gold-Salt Trade – Arab and Berber traders took salt from the Sahara to West Africa in exchange
for gold; African traders also crossed the Sahara to trade gold for salt in North Africa; cloth and
weapons from Mediterranean ports taken to West Africa; powerful rulers in Ghana and Mali regulated
the gold trade in West Africa
Cultural diffusion
Summarize -- CHANGES RESULTING FROM MONGOL INVASIONS OF RUSSIA, CHINA, AND
ISLAMIC WORLD
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Russia
Fall of Kiev (1240)
o Russian religion and culture permitted to continue as long as high tributes were paid
o Isolation from the Western Europe prevents spread of new ideas and inventions
o Moscow emerges as a major city
o
Ivan III assumes the title of czar and achieves a bloodless standoff at the Ugra River that leads to
separation from the Mongols
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China
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Northern China conquered by Ogadi (Genghis Khan’s son) in 1234
Kublai Khan, completes the capture of southern China in 1279 and establishes the Yuan dynasty
(1279-1368)
o China united for the first time in 300 years
o Mongol control over Asia opens China to foreign contacts and trade (Marco Polo)
Islamic World
o Hulagu (grandson of Genghis Khan) captures Baghdad and has over 10,000 people killed
o End of Seljuk Turkish rule after the capture of the Sultanate of Rum in Anatolia (Asia
Minor/Modern day Turkey)
o Poor administration of captured regions leads to dissolution of Mongol empire and rise of the
Ottoman Turks
o
o
Analyze, Compare -- GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTIONS AND PATTERNS SHOWN ON MAPS,
GRAPHS, CHARTS, AND MODELS
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How did geography influence the development of civilizations?
o Middle East remote from Europe (long distance)
o Terrain and climate of the Middle East
o Trade and spread of religion: silk roads
o Compare geographic distributions that impacted trade on the Silk Road
Locate -- PLACES, REGIONS OF HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE RELATED TO MAJOR ERAS AND
TURNING POINTS
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African Civilizations: Sahara Desert, Ghana, Mali
Rise of Islam: Arabia, Mecca, Baghdad, Cairo, Spain, Iberian Peninsula
Mongol Empire: Mongolia, Moscow
Seljuk and Ottoman Turks: Istanbul, Anatolia, Asia Minor,
Medieval East Asia: Korea, Japan, Angkor Wat, Beijing, China
Analyze -- EFFECTS OF PHYSICAL AND HUMAN GEOGRAPHIC FACTORS ON MAJOR EVENTS
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Trade in the Indian Ocean:
o Arab traders spread Islam to East Africa
o Arab slave trade along East African coast; later influences the European slave trade
o Piracy (both historic and contemporary)
o European voyages of exploration bring spices from the East Indies and contribute to the
Commercial Revolution in Europe
Describe -- ORIGINS/IDEAS/SPREAD OF RELIGIOUS AND PHILOSOPHICAL TRADITIONS

Islam – historical origins, central ideas, and the spread of the religion
o Muhammad – born in 570(?) and is considered the founder of Islam; he is considered the last
prophet of God
o Muslims – those who worship Allah and recognize Muhammad as the last Prophet
o Mecca – The Holy City of the Islamic faith
o Allah – monotheistic deity; also recognized as the God of Abraham (Yahweh)
o
o
o
o
o
o
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Hijrah – pilgrimage to Mecca that each Muslim is required (health permitting) to take within
their lifetime
Five Pillars of Faith
 Profession of faith
 Prayer (5 times a day)
 Paying of alms (charity to the poor)
 Fasting (Ramadan)
 Hajj or Pilgrimage to Mecca (the Holy City)
Koran (Qur’an) – book or writings of the prophet Muhammad
Jihad (Holy Struggle) – the expansion of the Islamic state and control
Arabian focus – Middle Eastern/North Africa Location, Spain, Southeast Asia
Trade and spread of religion – Silk roads, European exploration
Sikhism:
o Founded in 15th century Punjab
o Based on teachings of Guru Nanak Dev
o Sikh teaching emphasizes the principle of equality of all humans and rejects discrimination on
the basis of caste, creed, and gender.
o Monotheistic
o Spiritual union with God results in salvation
o Diwali – Celebration commemorating the release of Guru Hargobind’s release from the
Gwalior Fort in 1619
o Khalsa – all Sikhs who have been baptized
o The Five K’s that all Sikhs must wear as articles of faith
Explain -- THE INFLUENCE OF ISLAM ON LAW AND GOVERNMENT IN THE MUSLIM WORLD
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Islamic law – Shari’a; regulates family life, moral conduct, and business matters
o Religious matters are not separate from criminal or civil matters
o Islamic judges (qadis) apply the law and imams interpret the law
o Regulation of human behavior – pray 5 times daily, fasting, articles of faith, mandatory charity,
hajj pilgrimage to Mecca
o Dietary and clothing restrictions
o Requirement of paying a tax (zakat) to help the poor
o Interpretation of Shari’a varies between Sunni and Shi’a sects of Islam
Identify -- ORIGIN AND DIFFUSION OF MAJOR IDEAS IN MATHEMATICS, SCIENCE, AND
TECHNOLOGY THAT TOOK PLACE BETWEEN 700 AND 1200
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Islamic caliphates
o Baghdad – House of Wisdom preserves and translates scientific and medical documents into
Arabic
o Astrolabe
o Algebra
o Optics
Tang and Ming China
o Tang China
 Porcelain
 Movable type
 Gunpowder
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o
Mechanical clock
Paper money
Magnetic compass
Ming China
 Spurred by contact with Europe, i.e., telescope
 Trigonometry
 Hydraulic powered devices for irrigation and agriculture
 Snorkeling gear for pearl divers