6 OTHER WORLD CULTURES I Byzantine Empire II

6) OTHER WORLD CULTURES I) Byzantine Empire II) Russia and Eastern Europe III) African Cultures-Pre-European Encounter IV) China V) Japan

I. Byzantine Empire A. ORIGINS OF THE EMPIRE - AFTER THE BREAK-UP OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE, THE EASTERN HALF BECAME KNOWN AS THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE -THE CAPITAL OF THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE WAS CONSTANTINOPLE (EMPEROR CONSTANTINE) - CONSTANTINOPLE WAS STRATEGICALLY LOCATED ON A PENINSULA ON THE STRAIT OF BOSPORUS THAT CONNECTED THE BLACK SEA TO THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA - FROM THIS LOCATION, CONSTANTINOPLE CONTROLLED KEY TRADES ROUTES THAT LINKED EUROPE, THE MIDDLE EAST AND ASIA

Map of the Byzantine Empire

Constantinople

I. BYZANTINE EMPIRE (Pg. 2) B. EMPEROR JUSTINIAN -THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE REACHED THE HEIGHT OF ITS POWER (GOLDEN AGE) DURING REIGN OF EMPEROR JUSTINIAN ( 527 TO 565 CE) - THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE CONTROLLED LANDS FROM SPAIN THROUGH SOUTHERN EUROPE AND ASIA MINOR DOWN TO EGYPT AND ACROSS NORTHERN AFRICA - MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENT - THE JUSTINIAN CODE- INCLUDED THE LAWS OF ANCIENT ROME, CIVIL LAWS AND LEGAL WRITINGS - BECAME THE BASIS OF LAW FOR THE ROMAN CHURCH AND MANY WESTERN EUROPEAN KINGDOMS ( WRITTEN LAW CODE OF THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE)

Emperor Justinian

Justinian’s Code

I. BYZANTINE EMPIRE (Pg. 3) C. THE ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHURCH -DIVISIONS GREW BETWEEN THE CHURCH IN ROME AND THE BYZANTINE CHURCH -JUSTINIAN DID NOT RECOGNIZE THE POPE AS THE LEADER OF THE CHURCH -JUSTINIAN BELIEVED THAT AS AN ABSOLUTE RULER, HE WAS ALSO IN CHARGE OF THE CHURCH -OTHER DIFFERENCES FURTHERED THE SPLIT BETWEEN THE TWO - BYZANTINE PRIESTS CAN MARRY - GREEK INSTEAD OF LATIN WAS THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGE OF THE BYZANTINE CHURCH -IN 1054 CE, THERE WAS A PERMANENT SPLIT OR SCHISM BETWEEN THE BYZANTINE AND ROMAN CHURCHES (GREAT SCHISM) -THE BYZANTINE CHURCH BECAME KNOWN AS THE EASTERN ORTHODOX CHURCH -HAGIA SOPHIA- CONSTRUCTED IN 532 CE, FOCAL POINT OF THE EASTERN ORTHODOX CHURCH ( IN 1453 TURNED IN A MUSLIM MOSQUE WHEN THE TURKS TOOK CONTROL OF THE REGION)

Orthodox Christian Church

Hagia Sophia

I. BYZANTINE EMPIRE (Pg. 4) D. PRESERVATION OF GRECO-ROMAN CULTURE - Symbol of Rome and Greek culture long after the empires died out - Preserved Roman and Greek style of art and architecture - Scholars preserved Greek and Roman philosophy, law ancient texts

Preservation of Greco-Roman Culture

I. BYZANTINE EMPIRE (Pg. 5) E. Byzantine Art and Architecture - Byzantine art mainly focused on Christian themes - Artists focused on creating icons, or holy images of Jesus and other religious figures -Artists also created mosaics, or pictures and designs formed by inlaid pieces of stone or other materials - Byzantine art adorned the interiors of Orthodox Churches

Byzantine Mosaic Byzantine Icons

I. BYZANTINE EMPIRE (Pg. 6) F. Decline of the Byzantine Empire - Eventually, civil wars erupted over who would become emperor - In the late 1000 s, the Seljuk Turks took over Byzantine lands in the Middle East and Southern Asia Minor - In the 1400 s, another group, the Ottoman Turks invaded Northern Asia Minor and pushed toward Constantinople - In 1453 CE, the Ottoman Turks defeated Constantinople and renamed the city, Istanbul. - The fall of Constantinople signaled the end of the Byzantine Empire - However, Byzantine culture continued to influence Western and Eastern Europe

II. Russia and Eastern Europe ORIGINS -ESTABLISHED IN THE 800 S CE AROUND THE CITY OF KIEV - KIEV BECAME A TRADING POWER IN EASTERN EUROPE -KIEV WAS LOCATED ON THE DNIEPER RIVER WHICH FLOWED INTO THE BLACK SEA THAT LED TO THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA -KIEV TRADED EXTENSIVELY WITH THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE A.

II. Russia and Eastern Europe (Pg. 2) B. CULTURAL DIFFUSION -DUE TO CONSTANT CONTACT WITH THE BYZANTINES THROUGH TRADE, THE RUSSIANS ADOPTED MANY ASPECTS OF THE BYZANTINE CULTURE -ADOPTED THE BYZANTINE WRITTEN LANGUAGE (CYRILLIC ALPHABET) -BYZANTINE MISSIONARIES BROUGHT THE EASTERN ORTHODOX RELIGION TO RUSSIA -THE RUSSIAN LEADERS RULED AS ABSOLUTE RULERS, CONTROLLED BOTH THE GOVERNMENT AND CHURCH ( SIMILAR TO THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE)

DOUBLE HEADED EAGLE -SYMBOL TAKEN FROM THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE -REPRESENTS CONTROL OF THE GOVERNMENT

CYRILLIC ALPHABET

Russian Culture

II. Russia and Eastern Europe (Pg. 2) C. PROBLEMS FOR THE RUSSIANS - FROM 1050 CE -1200 CE, RUSSIA WENT THROUGH A SERIES OF CIVIL WARS DUE TO INFIGHTING OVER THE THRONE BY VARIOUS RULING PRINCES. -DUE TO THE INFIGHTING, FIERCE MONGOL ARMIES BEGAN TO INVADE RUSSIA -IN 1240 CE, MONGOL ARMIES CAPTURED AND DESTROYED THE CITY OF KIEV -THE MONGOLS RULED RUSSIA FOR 250 YEARS -DURING THIS TIME, RUSSIA WAS COMPLETELY CUT OFF FROM WESTERN EUROPE

II. Russia and Eastern Europe (Pg. 3) D. RISE OF MOSCOW -CITY IN NORTHERN RUSSIA - BECAME POWERFUL AS MONGOL RULE STARTED TO DECLINE IN RUSSIA -REPLACED KIEV AS THE TRADING POWER OF RUSSIA -RUSSIA BECAME UNITED AND ENDED MONGOL RULE UNDER THE CONTROL OF IVAN III -IVAN III- FATHER OF MODERN RUSSIA (1462 -1505 CE) (IVAN THE GREAT) -ADOPTED THE TITLE CZAR, RUSSIAN TITLE FOR LEADER (CAESAR-ROMANS) -LATER, IVAN IV TOOK CONTROL FROM 1533 -1584 CE -RUTHLESS LEADER THAT KILLED HUNDREDS OF NOBLES BECAUSE THEY DISOBEYED HIM -KNOWN AS IVAN THE TERRIBLE

IVAN III IVAN IV THE GREAT THE TERRIBLE

II. Russia and Eastern Europe (Pg. 4) E. RENEWED CONTACT WITH THE WEST -IN THE 1500 S, RUSSIAN RULERS RENEWED THEIR CONTACT WITH THE WEST -RUSSIA ADOPTED MANY WESTERN EUROPEAN CUSTOMS CENTURIES LATER - THIS POLICY OF WESTERNIZATION, OR ADOPTION OF WESTERN CUSTOMS AND IDEAS BY RUSSIA CONTINUED UNDER THE RULE OF PETER THE GREAT. (1682 -1725)

PETER THE GREAT

III. AFRICA A. Geography -THE CONTINENT OF AFRICA IS THE 2 ND LARGEST CONTINENT IN THE WORLD. - MUCH OF CENTRAL AFRICA IS A HIGH PLATEAU THAT DROPS INTO NARROW COASTAL PLAINS - RIVERS FROM THE INTERIOR OF AFRICA DROP STEEPLY INTO THE COASTAL PLAINS CUTTING OFF THE INTERIOR FROM THE COAST - THE NILE, NIGER, CONGO AND ZAMBEZI RIVERS PROVIDED EXCELLENT TRANSPORTATION IN THE INTERIOR - THE SILT FROM THESE RIVERS CREATED FERTILE FARMLAND REGIONS - DUE TO ITS VAST SIZE, AFRICA INCLUDES VARIED CLIMATES AND TERRAIN.

Physical Map

Climate Zones of Africa 1. 1) Rain Forest Region 2. - areas in Green/Blue 2) Savanna Region 3) - areas in green 3) Desert Region 4) - areas in tan 5) 4) Mediterranean Region 6) - areas in green/blue

III. AFRICA (Pg. 2) 1) RAINFOREST REGION - LOCATED ALONG THE EQUATOR, WHERE THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL OCCURS - MAKES UP ABOUT 8% OF THE AFRICAN CONTINENT - AMPLE MOISTURE AND WARM TEMPERATURES SUPPORT RICH PLANT GROWTH - HOWEVER, CANNOT SUPPORT FARMLAND BECAUSE HEAVY RAINS WASH OUT SOIL NUTRIENTS - DAMP CLIMATE SUPPORTS DISEASE-CARRYING INSECTS - CANNOT RAISE CATTLE IN REGION DUE TO INFECTION FROM INSECTS

III. AFRICA (Pg. 3) 2) SAVANNA REGION - GRASSY PLAINS REGION THAT STRETCHES ACROSS AFRICA NORTH AND SOUTH OF THE RAIN FOREST REGION - REGION COVERS ABOUT HALF THE CONTINENT - THIS AREA GENERALLY HAS GOOD SOIL AND ENOUGH RAIN TO SUPPORT FARMING - HOWEVER, UNRELIABLE RAINFALL AMOUNTS CAN PRODUCE FLOODING OR DROUGHTS

III. AFRICA (Pg. 4) 3) DESERT REGION - DRY, BARREN LAND THAT COVERS ABOUT 40 PERCENT OF AFRICA ( VERY LITTLE RAINFALL AND HOT TEMPERATURES) - THE SAHARA IN NORTH AFRICA IS THE WORLD’S LARGEST DESERT WITH EXTREMELY HOT TEMPERATURES DURING THE DAY AND LITTLE VEGETATION. -THE KALAHARI AND NAMIB DESERTS ARE LOCATED IN SOUTHERN AFRICA

III. AFRICA (Pg. 5) 4) MEDITERRANEAN REGION - SMALLEST CLIMATE REGION IN AFRICA - LOCATED ON THE NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN TIPS OF AFRICA - MILD TEMPERATURES AND STABLE RAINFALL AMOUNTS PRODUCE PERFECT CLIMATE FOR GROWING CROPS

III. AFRICA (Pg. 6) B. TRADITIONAL SOCIETIES AND CULTURE - IN MOST TRADITIONAL AFRICAN COMMUNITIES, POWER WAS SHARED AMONG MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY RATHER THAN A SINGLE LEADER. -WITHIN A VILLAGE, VILLAGE ELDERS OR OTHER RESPECTED PEOPLE GATHERED FOR OPEN DISCUSSIONS BEFORE A GENERAL AGREEMENT WAS REACHED. - LIKE MANY OTHER ANCIENT PEOPLES, EARLY AFRICANS IDENTIFIED THE FORCES OF NATURE WITH DIVINE SPIRITS (ANIMISM) COMBINED WITH ANCESTOR WORSHIP -IN TRADITIONAL AFRICA, MOST FAMILIES WERE GROUPED IN EXTENDED FAMILIES AND FORMED CLANS. -COMMUNITY VALUES WERE GREATLY ENHANCED THROUGH IDENTIFICATION WITH A PARTICULAR CLAN.

Traditional African Villages

African Art

III. Africa (Pg. 7) C. BANTU MIGRATIONS -AFTER THE NEOLITHIC REVOLUTION, SMALL GROUPS OF BANTU-SPEAKING PEOPLE MOVED FROM THE GRASSY PLAINS OF CENTRAL AFRICA TO SOUTHEAST AFRICA -DURING THEIR MIGRATION, THEY SPREAD THEIR LANGUAGE AND CULTURE -THE BANTU TRIBES WERE NOMADIC HERDERS AND FARMERS THAT PRACTICED SLASH AND BURN FARMING DEFINITION- FARMING TECHNIQUE WHERE PATCHES OF LAND ARE BURNED AND THEIR ASHES ARE MIXED WITH SOIL TO CREATE A FERTILE GARDEN AREA -ONCE THE LAND LOST ITS FERTILITY, THE BANTU TRIBES WOULD MOVE TO ANOTHER AREA

III. AFRICA (Pg. 8) D. AFRICAN KINGDOMS -IN WEST AFRICA, POWERFUL KINGDOMS BEGAN TO EVOLVE DUE THE IMPORTANT TRADE NETWORKS OF GOLD AND SALT. -PEOPLE NEEDED SALT IN THEIR DIETS TO PREVENT DEHYDRATION IN THE HOT CLIMATE. -THERE WAS PLENTY OF SALT IN THE SAHARA DESERT, BUT THERE WERE VERY LITTLE IN THE SAVANNAH REGION. - THE PEOPLE OF SAVANNAH REGION BEGAN TO TRADE THE PLENTIFUL GOLD OF THEIR REGION TO OBTAIN SALT FROM THE SAHARA REGION.

III. AFRICA (Pg. 8) -STRONG AFRICAN RULERS CREATED POWERFUL KINGDOMS BY GAINING CONTROL OVER THE PROFITABLE TRADE ROUTES. -THREE TRADING KINGDOMS OF WEST AFRICA WERE GHANA, MALI AND SONGHAI. -THE TRADING KINGDOMS OF KUSH AND AXUM THRIVED IN EAST AFRICA AS A RESULT OF THE WEALTHY TRADE WITH THE MIDDLE EAST, INDIA AND THE MEDITERRANEAN WORLD.

AFRICA (Pg. 10) E. WEST AFRICAN KINGDOMS n GHANA -AROUND 800 CE, THE RULERS OF MANY FARMING VILLAGES IN WEST AFRICA UNITED TO CREATE THE KINGDOM OF GHANA. -INCOME FROM THE GOLD/SALT TRADE ALLOWED THE KINGDOM TO MAINTAIN A LARGE ARMY TO PROTECT THEIR TRADE ROUTES. - MUSLIM MERCHANTS FROM THE MIDDLE EAST BROUGHT ISLAM TO THE REGION. - CARAVANS- GROUPS OF MERCHANTS THAT TRAVELED ACROSS THE SAHARA FROM THE MIDDLE EAST TO WEST AFRICA -GHANA ALSO ADOPTED MANY MUSLIM MILITARY TECHNIQUES AND TECHNOLOGY AND THEIR STYLE OF WRITING AND ARCHITECTURE.

Africa (Pg. 10) 2. MALI -AFTER THE KINGDOM OF GHANA DECLINED, THE KINGDOM OF MALI GAINED CONTROL OF THE PROFITABLE TRADE ROUTES. -UNDER THEIR RULER, MANSA MUSA, MALI EXTENDED ITS BORDERS AND DOMINATED WEST AFRICA. -MANSA MUSA’S LARGE ARMY KEPT ORDER IN THE KINGDOM AND PROTECTED THEIR TRADE ROUTES. -MANSA MUSA IS BEST KNOWN FOR CONVERTING TO ISLAM AND BASED HIS SYSTEM OF JUSTICE ON THE QURAN. -THE ALSO MADE THE CITY OF TIMBUKTU THE CENTER OF MUSLIM LEARNING IN WEST AFRICA. - IBN BATTUTA - NORTH AFRICAN TRAVELER AND HISTORIAN, TRAVELED ACROSS WEST AFRICA AND THE MIDDLE EAST FOR 27 YEARS, HELP BRING THE ARABIC CULTURE TO WEST AND NORTH AFRICA

Timbuktu

VOYAGES OF IBN BATTUTA

AFRICA (Pg. 11) 3. SONGHAI -AFTER THE DECLINE OF GHANA AND MALI, THE KINGDOM OF SONGHAI TOOK CONTROL OF THE PROFITABLE TRADE ROUTES IN WEST AFRICA. -THE EMPEROR SUNNI ALI BUILT SONGHAI INTO THE LARGEST KINGDOM THAT EVER EXISTED IN WEST AFRICA. -THE KINGDOM ALSO EXTENDED ITS TRADE ROUTES TO EUROPE AND ASIA.

SUNNI ALI

AFRICA (Pg 12. ) EASTERN AFRICAN KINGDOMS 1. KUSH - LOCATED IN THE UPPER NILE REGION, KUSH DEVELOPED EXTENSIVE TRADE WITH THE EGYPTIANS AND THE MEDITERRANEAN - IN 75 O BCE, KUSH CONQUERED EGYPT AND MAINTAINED A HUGE EMPIRE IN EASTERN AFRICA FOR 900 YEARS 2. AXUM (AKSUM) -AXUM DEVELOPED INTO A POWERFUL KINGDOM ON THE RED SEA THAT HELPED THE KINGDOM TRADE WITH THE MIDDLE EAST, INDIA AND THE MEDITERRANEAN WORLD. - IN 200 CE, AXUM TOOK CONTROL OF THE KUSH EMPIRE -AXUM CONVERTED TO CHRISTIANITY IN 324 CE AND STILL TODAY THE COUNTRIES OF EAST AFRICA CAN TRACE THEIR CHRISTIAN ROOTS TO AXUM - SWAHILI- LANGUAGE THAT BLENDED ARABIC WITH TRADITIONAL AFRICAN LANGUAGE

East Africa

AFRICA (Pg 13) SOUTHERN AFRICAN KINGDOM 1. GREAT ZIMBABWE - KINGDOM OF SOUTHEASTERN AFRICA - TRADE OF GOLD AND IVORY WITH THE MIDDLE EAST, ASIA MADE THIS EMPIRE EXTREMELY WEALTHY

4. CHINA A. TANG DYNASTY -AFTER THE FALL OF THE HAN DYNASTY, CHINA WAS DIVIDED FOR NEARLY 400 YEARS. -THEN, IN 600 CE, THE TANG DYNASTY UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF TANG TAIZONG UNITED CHINA AND TOOK OVER PARTS OF SOUTHEAST ASIA INCLUDING THE AREAS OF VIETNAM PENINSULA, KOREA AND TIBET -TANG RULERS STRENGTHENED THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT OF CHINA AND EXPANDED THE NETWORK OF ROADS AND CANALS TO CONNECT ALL OF CHINA. -TO MEET THE RISING COSTS OF GOVERNMENT, TANG RULERS IMPOSED EXTREMELY HIGH TAXES IN THE MID 700 S. THIS LED TO THE DECLINE OF THE TANG DYNASTY -MUSLIM ARMIES BEGAN TO OVERTAKE MANY CENTRAL CHINESE LANDS -ALSO, INTERNAL REBELLIONS CHIPPED AWAY AT THE POWER OF THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT

Tang Dynasty

TANG TAIZONG

4. CHINA (Pg. 2) B. Song Dynasty - AFTER THE FALL OF THE TANG DYNASTY, RIVAL WARLORDS DIVIDED CHINA INTO SEPARATE KINGDOMS - IN 960 CE, TAIZU REUNITED CHINA AND PROCLAIMED HIMSELF THE FIRST SONG EMPEROR - DURING THE SONG DYNASTY, CHINA REMAINED STABLE POWERFUL AND PROSPEROUS -IN THE EARLY 1100 S, MANCHURIAN TRIBES CONQUERED NORTHERN CHINA AND FORCED THE SONG SOUTH OF THE HUANG HE RIVER. - AFTER 1127 CE, THE SONG ONLY CONTROLLED SOUTHERN CHINA

Song Dynasty

EMPEROR TAIZU

4. CHINA (Pg 3) C. Lasting Contributions 1. Civil Service Examinations -DURING THE TANG DYNASTY, A CIVIL SERVICE SYSTEM WAS CREATED IN WHICH PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO WORK IN THE GOVERNMENT HAD TO PASS DIFFICULT EXAMINATIONS THAT EMPHASIZED CONFUCIAN PRINCIPLES. -THE GOVERNMENT SET UP SCHOOLS THAT PREPARED STUDENTS TO TAKE THESE EXAMS. THIS SYSTEM GAVE CHINA A HIGHLY EDUCATED RULING CLASS.

4. China (Pg. 4) 2. Movable Type - PRINTER COULD ARRANGE BLOCKS OF INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERS IN A FRAME TO MAKE UP A PAGE FOR PRINTING -PREVIOUSLY, PRINTERS CARVED THE WORDS OF A WHOLE PAGE INTO ONE LARGE BLOCK -MADE PRINTING MORE EFFICIENT (TIME AND COST) - LATER, MOVABLE TYPE WAS INTRODUCED TO EUROPE DURING THE RENAISSANCE (PRINTING PRESS)

5. CHINA (Pg. 5) 3. OTHER INVENTIONS A. GUNPOWDER (MILITARY) B. MAGNETIC COMPASS (NAVIGATION) C. PORCELAIN D. ADVANCEMENTS IN MATH (NEGATIVE NUMBERS) 4. ROLE OF WOMEN -STATUS DECLINED DURING THE TANG AND SONG DYNASTIES ESPECIALLY IN UPPER CLASSES -IN LOWER CLASSES, WOMEN WORKED IN THE FIELDS TO HELP PRODUCE THE FAMILY’S FOOD AND INCOME -FOOT BINDING- CUSTOM OF WRAPPING THE FEET OF YOUNG UPPER CLASS GIRLS VERY TIGHTLY SO IT BREAKS THE ARCH OF THE FOOT AND THE TOES CURLS UNDER THE FOOT. -RESULTS IN THE GIRLS BEING CRIPPLED FOR LIFE. TO OTHERS IT REPRESENTED THE WEALTH AND PRESTIGE OF THE HUSBAND, BECAUSE THEY COULD ONLY RELY ON SERVANTS TO PERFORM HOUSEHOLD TASKS

5. CHINA (Pg 6. ) 5. INFLUENCE ON KOREA AND JAPAN - CHINESE CULTURE SPREAD THROUGHOUT EAST ASIA THROUGH TRADE, TRAVEL AND MIGRATION -KOREANS LEARNED ABOUT CENTRALIZED GOVERNMENT, CONFUCIANISM, BUDDHISM AND THEIR SYSTEM OF WRITING THROUGH CHINA -SOON, CHINESE CUSTOMS PASSED TO JAPAN THROUGH KOREA -THE JAPANESE SENT OFFICIALS TO THE CHINA TO LEARN MORE ABOUT CHINESE CULTURE. HOWEVER, THIS ENDED IN THE 9 TH CENTURY WHEN JAPAN BEGAN TO ISOLATE THEMSELVES FROM THE OUTSIDE WORLD

5. CHINA (Pg. 7) 6. RISE OF THE MONGOLS -THE MONGOLS OF CENTRAL ASIA WERE NOMADIC HERDERS WHO ROAMED CENTRAL ASIA. -THE MONGOLS WERE SKILLFUL FIERCE FIGHTERS AND RAIDERS. GENGHIS KHAN - UNDER THEIR LEADER, GENGHIS KHAN, THE MONGOLS BEGAN TO TAKE OVER PARTS OF ASIA. - WITH HIS ORGANIZED AND DISCIPLINED ARMIES, GENGHIS KHAN BEGAN TAKING OVER ASIA. -DURING THE REIGN OF GENGHIS KHAN TOOK OVER MOST OF ASIA ( FROM THE KOREAN PENINSULA TO THE CASPIAN SEA). -ALSO, DURING THIS TIME, THE MONGOLS INVADED EASTERN EUROPE AND RUSSIA.

Genghis Khan

5. CHINA (Pg. 8) KUBLAI KHAN -IN 1260, KUBLAI KHAN, GRANDSON OF GENGHIS KHAN TOOK CONTROL -HE FOCUSED ON EXTENDING THE POWER AND TERRITORIES OF THE MONGOLS -HE FULFILLED HIS GRANDFATHER’S GOAL OF GAINING CONTROL OVER CHINA IN 1279 CE. -HE UNITED CHINA FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MORE THAN 300 YEARS -CONSIDERED ONE OF CHINA’S GREATEST EMPEROR -OPENED CHINA UP TO GREATER FOREIGN CONTACTS AND TRADE - UNSUCCESSFULLY TRIED TO TAKE OVER JAPAN

Kublai Khan

Mongol Dynasty

CHINA (Pg. 9) 7. IMPORTANCE OF THE MONGOLS -PAX MONGOLIA - TIME PERIOD DURING THE REIGN OF KUBLAI KHAN OF RELATIVE PEACE AND STABILITY (GOLDEN AGE OF THE MONGOLS) -SILK ROADS - MAJOR TRADE ROUTES THAT LINKED CHINA WITH THE WESTERN EMPIRES - TRANSPORTED CHINESE PRODUCTS TO INDIA, THE MIDDLE EAST AND THE MEDITERRANEAN WORLD

SILK ROADS

CHINA (Pg 10) - MARCO POLO - ITALIAN TRADER THAT TRAVELED TO CHINA ALONG THE SILK ROADS -BEFRIENDED BY KUBLAI KHAN AND ATTENDED MANY CHINESE PROCEEDINGS - LEARNED SEVERAL ASIAN LANGUAGES DURING HIS TRAVELS ON GOVERNMENTAL MISSIONS FOR KUBLAI KHAN -SERVED KUBLAI KHAN FOR 17 YEARS - BROUGHT MANY ASPECTS OF THE CHINESE CULTURE TO EUROPE THROUGH HIS WRITTEN ACCOUNTS OF HIS JOURNEYS ACROSS ASIA

Marco Polo

CHINA (Pg. 11) 8. DECLINE OF THE MONGOLS - AFTER KUBLAI KHAN’S DEATH IN 1294, THE MONGOL DYNASTY BEGAN TO FADE - REBELLIONS AGAINST MONGOL RULE BROUGHT OUT THROUGH CHINA -FAMINES, FLOODING, DISEASE AND GROWING ECONOMIC PROBLEMS AND GOVERNMENTAL CORRUPTION ALSO OCCURRED DURING THE DECLINE OF MONGOL RULE IN CHINA - IN 1368, THE CHINESE OVERTHREW MONGOL CONTROL - THE MONGOL EMPIRE WAS CHIPPED AWAY THROUGH OTHER REVOLTS THROUGHOUT ASIA - AT THE END, THE MONGOLS ONLY HAD CONTROL OF RUSSIA TILL 1480

JAPAN

JAPAN A. GEOGRAPHY -JAPAN IS CONSIDERED AN ARCHIPELAGO, OR CHAIN OF ISLANDS, OFF THE NORTHEAST COAST OF ASIA CONSISTING OF OVER 4, 000 ISLANDS. - THE FOUR MAIN ISLANDS OF JAPAN ARE (1)HOKKAIDO (2) HONSHU (3) SHIKOKU (4) KYUSHU -JAPAN IS A VERY MOUNTAINOUS COUNTRY, WITH ONLY 20% OF THE LAND SUITABLE FOR FARMING. -IN ORDER TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF ARABLE LAND, JAPANESE FARMERS DEVELOPED TERRACE FARMING, OR A FARMING TECHNIQUE OF CUTTING A SERIES OF FLAT SURFACES ON THE HILLSIDE TO INCREASE FARMLAND. -WITH A LIMITED AMOUNT OF USABLE FARMLAND, THE JAPANESE BEGAN TO FISH IN THE WATERS SURROUNDING THE ISLANDS.

JAPAN (Pg. 2) -BEING AN ISLAND NATION, THE SEA ACTED AS A BARRIER TO OTHER CIVILIZATIONS AND ALLOWED THE JAPANESE TO DEVELOP A UNIQUE CULTURE. - NATURAL RESOURCES SUCH AS COAL, IRON AND OIL ARE IN SHORT SUPPLY - THE AREA OF JAPAN IS REFERRED AS THE RING OF FIRE, AN ABUNDANCE OF EARTHQUAKES AND VOLCANOES - DURING THE LATE SUMMER AND EARLY FALL, TYPHOONS, OR STRONG TROPICAL STORMS AND TSUNAMIS, OR TIDAL WAVES ARE ALSO THREATS TO THE AREA

JAPAN (Pg. 3) B. JAPANESE SOCIETY -DUE TO THE MOUNTAINOUS LANDSCAPE, THE EARLY JAPANESE WERE ORGANIZED INTO CLANS, OR FAMILY GROUPS. -EACH CLAN WAS LED BY A CHIEF WHO SERVED AS BOTH THE MILITARY AND RELIGIOUS LEADER. -AROUND 400 AD, THE YAMOTO CLAN EMERGED AS THE STRONGEST CLAN AND ESTABLISHED THE FIRST AND ONLY DYNASTY IN JAPANESE HISTORY. -BETWEEN THE FIFTH AND NINTH CENTURIES. THE JAPANESE BEGAN TO SAIL TO THE KOREAN PENINSULA THAT WAS CONTROLLED BY THE CHINESE IN ORDER TO TRADE FOR NEEDED GOODS. -THROUGH CULTURAL DIFFUSION, THE JAPANESE BORROWED MANY IDEAS SUCH AS CHINESE WRITING, PHILOSOPHY, BUDDHISM, GOVERNMENT AND ARTS/SCIENCES AND ADAPTED THEM TO FIT THEIR NEEDS.

JAPAN (Pg. 4) C. JAPANESE FEUDALISM -BY THE MID 11 TH CENTURY, THE POWER OF THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT BEGAN TO DECLINE -LARGE LANDOWNERS BEGAN TO CREATE PRIVATE ARMIES TO PROTECT THEIR LANDS EVENTUALLY CREATING SMALL KINGDOMS -FOR SAFETY, FARMERS AND SMALL LANDOWNERS TRADED PARTS OF THEIR LANDS IN EXCHANGE OF PROTECTION. -THIS PRACTICE BECAME KNOWN AS FEUDALISM. DEFINITION- SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT IN WHICH THE LOWER CLASSES SEEKS PROTECTION FROM THE KING IN TURN FOR MILITARY SERVICE, LOYALTY AND A PERCENTAGE OF GOOD PRODUCED ON THE LAND -FEUDALISM PROVIDED SOCIAL STABILITY IN TROUBLED TIME

EMPEROR SHOGUN DAIMYO SAMURAI ARTISANS AND PEASANTS MERCHANTS

Japan (Pg. 5) D. FEUDAL HIERARCHY (1) EMPEROR- FIGUREHEAD, HAD NO REAL POWER (2) SHOGUN- MILITARY DICTATOR (3) DAIMYO- FEUDAL LORDS (4) SAMURAI- WARRIOR CLASS (5) PEASANTS AND ARTISANS- PRODUCED GOODS (6) MERCHANTS-LOWEST MEMBER OF SOCIETY DID NOT PRODUCE ANY GOODS, ONLY INVOLVED WITH TRADE

JAPAN (Pg. 5) E. FEUDAL SOCIETY -WARS BETWEEN RIVAL LANDOWNERS WERE COMMONPLACE DURING THE EARLY 11 TH CENTURY -THESE LORDS SURROUNDED THEMSELVES WITH A BODYGUARD OF LOYAL WARRIORS KNOWN AS SAMURAI. -SAMURAI LIVED ACCORDING TO A DEMANDING CODE OF BEHAVIOR CALLED BUSHIDO (WAY OF THE WARRIOR) -A SAMURAI WAS EXPECTED TO SHOW COURAGE, FAIRNESS AND GENEROSITY TOWARDS THOSE WEAKER THAN HIMSELF. -EVENTUALLY, THE TOP FEUDAL LORD TOOK THE TITLE OF SHOGUN, OR SUPREME GENERAL OF THE EMPEROR’S ARMY -THE SHOGUN EVENTUALLY RULED AS A MILITARY DICTATORSHIP AND REPLACED THE EMPEROR AS THE REAL LEADER -THE PATTERN OF GOVERNMENT IN WHICH SHOGUNS RULED THROUGH POWERLESS EMPERORS LASTED TILL 1868. - A POWERFUL CLASS OF NOBLES KNOWN AS DAIMYO ALSO EMERGED AS JAPANESE FEUDALISM BEGAN TO EVOLVE - THE DAIMYO RULED THE SMALL FEUDAL KINGDOMS AND USED THE SAMURAI TO PROTECT THEIR LANDS FROM RIVAL DAIMYOS

JAPAN (Pg 6. ) F. TOKUGAWA SHOGUNATE - UNITED JAPAN UNDER ONE SINGLE SHOGUN - LASTED FROM 1600 -1867 -INCREASED CONTACT WITH EUROPE THROUGH TRADE -CHRISTIAN MISSIONARIES BEGAN TO SPREAD THEIR RELIGION THROUGHOUT JAPAN G. CLOSED COUNTRY POLICY -FEARING NEW EUROPEAN IDEAS WOULD LEAD TO UPRISING AGAINST HIS CONTROL, THE SHOGUN ENDED ALL CONTACT WITH EUROPE AND THE REST OF THE WORLD -IN 1639, THE SHOGUN HAD SEALED JAPAN’S BORDERS AND INSTITUTED A CLOSED COUNTRY POLICY -MOST COMMERCIAL CONTACTS ENDED - ONLY ONE PORT IN JAPAN REMAINED OPEN FOREIGN MERCHANTS, BUT ONLY CHINA AND THE NETHERLANDS WERE ALLOWED ENTRY