600 1450 Regional and Transregional Interaction Review with

600 – 1450: Regional and Transregional Interaction Review with 5 Themes

Environment • Travel Technology – Caravan Organization – Compass – Astrolabe – Bigger ships • Long distance trade requires knowledge of environment and technology. – Viking ships on rivers and sea – Arab camel caravans in Sahara – Central Asia horses

Environment, Cont • Migration – Bantu people spread from central to southern Africa with iron and agriculture – Polynesians to Pacific islands with domestic plants and animals • Disease spread on trade routes – “Black Death” from Asia to Europe • Food spreads – Ex: Bananas from SE Asia to Africa

Culture • Diffusion of languages – Bantu people spread Swahili – Turkic & Arabic around SW Asia • New Religion: Islam – Influences: Judaism, Christianity, Zoroastrian – Expands by trade and war in Asia, Africa, Europe

Culture, Cont • Writings by international travelers spread knowledge – Europe: Marco Polo to China and back – Africa: Ibn Battuta to Mecca • Conflict diffused technology – Crusades: Islam to Europe – Mongols: conquer from East Asia to East Europe

Culture, Cont • Cross-cultural diffusion of literature, art, traditions – Hindu and Buddhism, India to SE Asia – Greek and Indian math to Muslims – Chinese paper and gunpowder to Muslims

Organizations • States support growing trade – China: Grand Canal, paper money • Trading organizations – Hanseatic League in Europe • Expanding Empires – China – Byzantine (was the East Roman Empire) – Islamic Caliphates – Mongols (Genghis Khan!)

Organizations, Cont • Old Empires collapsed, replaced by new – Roman -> West collapsed, East=Byzantine – Kept from old: religion, patriarchy – Try new: adjust religion, new tax methods • New States – Islamic – Mongols – Aztecs, Maya – Feudalism in Japan and Europe

Economics • The 4 big trade routes flourish (SR, ION, SC, Med Sea), spawn trade cities. – Africa: Timbuktu – Asia: Melaka – Europe: Venice – Mexico: Tenochtitlan • New forms of money and credit – Banks – checks

Econ, cont • Increased agricultural production because of technology – Aztec chinampas – Terrace farming in Asia and South America – Horse collar • China, Persia and India increase production of luxury cloth and porcelain for export

Social • Increased demand for luxury goods – Silk and cotton cloth – Porcelain – Spices • Urban decline, causes: – Invasions – Disease – Agricultural problems – The “Little Ice Age”

Social, Cont • Urban revival, caused by: – End of invasions – Safe and reliable transport – Year 800 -1300 warming climate – Agricultural increase – Available labor

Social, cont • Labor organization – Free peasants – Nomadic Pastoralist – Craft guilds – Unfree labor: serfs and slaves, labor tax – Military draft • Improvements for women in Mongolia, West Africa, Japan SE Asia