CHAPTER FIVE DECLINE OF CLASSICAL CIVILIZATIONS Ms Sheets

CHAPTER FIVE: DECLINE OF CLASSICAL CIVILIZATIONS Ms. Sheets AP World History

CLASSICAL TRADE • Due to large-scale empires, volume and distance of trade increased 1) Indian Ocean Trade • East Africa to Southern China • Items traded: Chinese pottery, Indian spices, and Indian/African ivory • Depended on monsoons and currents; lateen (triangular) sail developed to maneuver; small boats 2) Silk Road Trade • Han China to Mediterranean • Exchange of Western/Eastern goods, religions, technology (horse stirrup), disease • Caravanserai (inns) develop 3) Trans-Saharan Trade (pre-Islamic) • Across the Sahara: camels (1 st c. CE) and camel saddle • Items traded: salt, palm oil, olives, wheat, wild animals, slaves

COMMON THEMES IN CLASSICAL CIVILIZATIONS Ø Territorial expansion Ø Efforts to integrate new territories (Rome, India, Han) • Create territorial and social cohesion Ø Unification • China (centralization; Confucianism) • India (religious values) • Greece (cultural achievements) • Rome (citizenship) Ø Decline

CLASSICAL INDIA Ø Expansion • Mauryans expand to almost all of Indian subcontinent • Guptas used localized governments in new territories Ø Integration • Used Hinduism to expand (Buddhism unappealing) • Used the caste system to create social distinctions Ø Decline • Invasions by White Huns • Decentralization grows weak; independent kingdoms created • After 600, Islam enters India

CLASSICAL CHINA Ø Expansion • West and south, rice-growing regions Ø Integration • One language (written and spoken) • Strong centralized government (Qin and Han) Ø Decline • 100 CE – 220 CE • Heavy taxes; poor harvests; weak emperors • Nomadic invasions by Huns (Xiongnu) and other nomadic tribes • 184 CE: Yellow Turban Rebellion • Three Kingdoms Era (disorder and political decentralization), then Sui dynasty by 589 CE

CLASSICAL GREECE Ø Expansion • Expansion is cultural, rather than territorial Ø Integration • Use of common language • Persian War helped to integrate citystates, unite against common enemy Ø Decline • Ultimately default to city-state identity, geographic unity is challenging • Peloponnesian War weakens Athens • Macedonian invasion weakens all city-states • Greek culture (Hellenism) continues

CLASSICAL ROME Ø Expansion • Massive expansion under Roman Republic Ø Integration • Cultural tolerance, common law, and citizenship (males) for conquered peoples • Allow regional diversity Ø Decline • Golden Age ends 180 CE • Decline is complex (economy, plague, leadership, latifundia, invasions) • Split of East and West (4 th century)

RELIGION DURING THE CLASSICAL DECLINE • Buddhism – Rejected by Gupta India – Rapid expansion into Southeast and East Asia • Christianity – Rapid emergence and expansion into Mediterranean and Europe – 313 CE: Constantine issues Edict of Milan to permit Christianity in Rome • Islam – 610 CE: Created by Muhammad – Religion spreads rapidly through conversions – Empire spreads through conquering • Hinduism – Supported by Gupta India – Supported by caste system

RELIGION DURING THE CLASSICAL DECLINE, CONT. • All major religions see an increase in participants – Why? Chaos of classical decline causes people to gravitate towards a religion that focuses upon afterlife, leaving chaos of current world behind, and salvation • Religions spread through missionaries (monks, nuns), merchants • Belief systems affected gender roles – Change in women’s roles: Christian and Buddhist nuns were able to exercise power and influence within their communities • Other religions continued outside of core civilizations – Shamanism and animism – Ancestor veneration

OTHER CLASSICAL CIVILIZATIONS • Japan – Developed in great isolation • Language is unrelated to Chinese – As populations grew, communities were separated by mountainous terrain – Eventually developed into various aristocratic clans – Agricultural; excellent iron-work – Shintoism developed: “way of the gods, ” animistic religion (spirits are imbedded within nature)

POLYNESIAN COMMUNITIES • Polynesia – People originate from Southeast Asia – Remarkable migrations (gradual) – Between 1500 BCE - 1000 BCE: Migration to islands (Fiji, Samoa) – Continue to move to Hawaii by 300400 CE using giant canoes – Isolated development, and no written records – Highly stratified class system under powerful kings – Agricultural communities, limited technology – Cultivated transplanted foods and domesticated animals as they moved

MESOAMERICAN CIVILIZATIONS • Olmecs (1500 BCE – 100 BCE) – First major civilization in Mexico; “mother civilization” – 800 BCE: Settled in Central Mexican river valley – Agriculture (corn, potatoes) – Domesticated animals – Religious statues (Olmec heads) – Disappeared by 100 BCE • Maya (2000 BCE – 900 CE) – – On Mexican peninsula by 400 CE Most advanced culture in region Pyramid shaped temples Only writing system of Meso. America – Religion was very complex