APWH midterm review Flashcards
Mesopotamia
“The land between two rivers”
Hammurabi
centralized bureaucracy
capital made at Babylon
Law Code: law of retribution and importance of social status (Reinforced patriarchy. women veiling)
downfall of empire: Hittite assault
New Babylonian Empire
Nebuchadnezzar : wealth shown from hanging gardens
Sumer
south
major increase in population
Northern Mesopotamia
Assyrians
powerful army: professional officers based off of merit, chariots, archers, iron weapons
Economy and Trade
Bronze, Iron, Wheels, Shipbuilding, cuneiform writing
Significance of Phoenicians
Early alphabet
Significance Indo Europeans
horses with chariots and iron metallurgy
Egypt
Egypt/Nubia
“Gift of the Nile”
Egypt is the lower third of the Nile
Egypt: Large and prosperous state by 3100BCE
Pharaoh: absolute ruler who owns all the land
social stratification: peasants and slaves (agriculture), pharaoh. professional, military, and administrators.
India
Harappan Society by the Indus river (N.India): “Gift of the Indus”
Little formation on it’s early development: Under silt deposits, Water table rose considerably, Language not deciphered yet
Harappa and Mohenjo - Daro = major cities
Aryans
Indo Europeans settle heavy on a pastoral economy
“the noble people” and “the wheaten people”
The vedic age
Lot’s of fighting between indigenous Indians (aka Dasas) and Aryans
By 500 BCE, they lost tribal organization and established regional kingdoms
China (Xia Dynasty)
Yellow river = good soil to cultivate (“China’s suffering” = extensive flooding)
Still in beginning of archaeological findings
China (Shang Dynasty)
Bronze metallurgy
rose in the Yellow River Valley
Horses and Chariots (originated from Indo-European migrants when they came to China)
Lavish tombs = Ancestor Veneration
Walled towns
Became experts in the production of pottery and Silk
limited contact with the outside world
China (Zhou Dynasty)
“Mandate of Heaven” = gave leaders the right to rule (“Son of Heaven”)
Feudalism
Nobles were given power over smaller regions of the empire
the POWS and the increasing power of the regional rulers and nomadic invasions = weakening of dynasty
Chinese Society
Merchants = important Mostly landless peasants slaves were POW Ancestor veneration and patriarchy = extremely important Women's value decreased after Shang Impersonal heavenly power = tian Oracle bones = fortune tellers Writing: pictograph --> Ideograph
Classical Chna (Zhou)
big dynasty = decentralization
introduced the use of iron in weapons and other technologies
Feudalism
Classical China (Qin)
Western China
Legalistic approach
First emperor = Shihuangdi = finished the Great Wall, burned of books and scholars (minus agricultural books), centralized and standardized state, death (Terra Cotta Soldiers)
Classical China (Han)
Liu Bang = persistent and methodical - restored order
Han Wudi = the martial emperor = emphasized centralization and expansion
Confucian educational system for bureaucrats
Great imperial expansion
Population Growth = 20 million to 60 million
Reign of Wang Mang = land redistribution by the “Socialist emperor”
Classical China (Later Han)
Yellow Turban Uprising: revolt due to problems of land distribution
fractions at court paralyzed the central government
Han collapse = China divided into regional kingdoms
India (Mauryan Empire)
Chandragupta Maurya
Magadha kingdom filled power vacuum left by withdrawal of Alexander of Macedon
Chandragupta Maurya began conquest
founded Maurya Dynasty = Arthashastra outlined administrative methods
India (Mauryan Empire)
Ashoka Maurya
Peak of empire
conquered the kingdom of kalinga
ruled through tightly organized bureaucracy
policies were written on rocks of pillars
empire declined after his death due to financial problems
India (Gupta Empire)
Founded by Chandra Gupta
Smaller and more decentralized than Maurya
Invasion of White Huns weakened the empire
After the 5th century CE, Gupta empire continued in name
North India (after imperial eras)
split into small regional states that fought constantly: Turkish speaking Nomads cross the Khyber pass and become absorbed into Indian Society, including caste system
Harsha: King Harsha briefly unified India under Imperial rule, generous, scholarly, and buddhist
Local rulers had too strong of a hold on their kingdoms; Harsha could not manage
Empire dissolved upon his assassination
Southern India (after imperial eras)
Chola Kingdom: Allowed autonomy for small local states which provided taxes that werre paid on time and created a good enforcement of laws
Hindu temples became main economic social centers; allowed peasants to farm on land, lent money, and stored grain in case of famine
Kingdom of Vijayanagar: located in the northern part of S.India: two brothers from Delhi renounced Islam and created their own Hindu state
Persia
Rise and expansion:
Medes and Persians from central Asia came to Persia before 1000 BCE
Cyrus the Achaemenid was the first ruler and had an empire from India to borders of Egypt
His son, Cambyses conquered Egypt
Darius was the biggest expansionist (Population = 35 million)
Persian Imperial Government
23 Satrapies - Persian governor appointed by central government
power checked by military officials and “imperial spies”
Local governors appointed from local population
Persian economy and society
Standardization of coins and laws
Royal road and post offices = communication
Persian Decline and fall
Persian wars
Alexander of Macedon invaded Persia and burned down the capital, Persopolis
Importance of Achaemenids
Cyrus the Achaemenid launched Persian imperial venture
Cyrus’s son (cambyses) = brought in Egypt
Darius = greatest persian ruler (administrator > conqueror)
The Satrapies = governors by Persian government to oversee certain regions
Built roads to integrate
Decline: difficulties between ruler and subject, Persian Wars (Ionian Greeks and Persians)
Importance of Seleucids
Achaemenid way of administration and taxation
foreigners who faced resentment from native persians
satraps revolted against Seleucid rule
Roman conquerors ended the empire
Importance of Parthians
Iran to Mesopotamia
retained customs of nomadic people from steppes of Central asia
no centralized government = federation of leaders
agriculture heavy
hated the seleucids
achaemenid forms of government (not as centralized though
internal rebellion brought it down
Importance of Sasanids
Imperial rule continued again
taken over by Islam in the end
Persian legacy couldn’t be diminished because of strong administration techinques
Greece
The Polis: Greek city state = lack of centralized state / empire
Urban character and took on control of surrounding region
Mostly were collective rule of local notables ruling as oligarchs
Tyrant = how they got to power, not their policies
Athens VS. Sparta
Sparta = Helots (Servants of spartan state)
very strict and ascetic lifestyle
Distinction not by social status but by military talent
Athens: democratic principal government, only free adult males had a place in the government. very prosperous because of maritime trade, by all money went to aristocratic land owners, solon became mediator between poor and rich, pericles was pro common classes and supported building programs, most sophisticated, women had very few rights
Alexander of Macedon
Son of Philip of Macedon
brought all of Greece under his control
Brilliant strategist and inspired leader
inherited a powerful and developed army
Control of persia in 330 BCE
got to Punjab India but his army wouldnt go further
He died an early death: everything could be different if he hadn’t died so young, left no heir to the throne so it was split between his generals
Hellenistic empires
Alexander’s empire divided into three large states
Antigonid took Greece and macedon: Local poleis struck deals with antigonids and said they would recognize their rule for tax relief
Lots of trade passed through = prosperous
Ptolemy took Egypt: wealthiest, did not interfere with Egyptian life, had royal monopolies in profitable industries
Seleucus took largest part (former Achaemenid empire): Greek influence reached its largest extent, lots of cities
Hellenistic economy
Trade:Olives, grapes, sheep, oil, wine, and wool
led to Mediterranean basin: organized for trade economy: shipowners, money, lenders, and merchants formed partnerships
Hellenistic society
Patriarchal
women wore veils
women could be priestesses
Sparta allowed for women to participate in athletic events and even fight to protect poleis
men = family heads
slavery = debt slaves, slave markets at port cities, considered private property
Hellenistic culture
Drama: tragic: subtle reflections on complicated themes OR comic: ridiculing foibles of public figures
Hellenistic Philosophy
Socrates: “the unexamined life is not worth living,” personal integrity > praises, condemned to death for corrupting Athens’ youth
Plato: forms or ideals, world we lived in is not a real world, just a reflection, wrote down in REPUBLIC
Aristotle: reason, taught Alexander
Roman Origins
Remus and Romulus: raised by a she wolf
Romulus found rome
Scholars say that Indo Europeans settled on the peninsula.
mostly sheepherders
etruscans from Anatolia dominated the peninsula
when they left, Rome was in a powerful position
Rome development of Republic
Founded in 8th century as a small city state ruled by a king
Rome is on the TIber River
In the late 6th centure BCE, aristocrats took over and got rid of king and created a Republic
Republic = government where delegates represent their constituents interests
Forum = civil and political center in a city
constitution broke up power into two consuls (military and civil)
patricians = wealthy aristocrats
Plebians = poor people
Plebians got upset that there was nobody representing them.
10 tribunes made: Officials that the Plebians could elect who could veto things they thought were unfair
During a time of crisis, a “dictator” would be elected
About how he got to power, not that he was a bad leader
Rome expansion
Gained control by military and were nice to the people they conquered.
exempted from taxes
governed their own internal affairs
had to provide rome with soldiers
Got italy under their control and eventually Carthage
Punic Wars = fight to siege Carthage
Finally won and burned down city, made people slaves
Problem 1 caused by expansion
Land distribution: land would go to the rich and make Latifundia (large plantations) and poor farmers would have to sell their land. –> Gracchi Brothers tried to redistribute land more equally which threatened the rich. Brothers were assassinated.
Showed that the Constitution was not working.
Problem 2 caused by expansion
Reforms
10 tribunes made
Problem 3 caused by expansion
End of Republic
Maurius (pro land redistribution) and Sulla (Pro rich) got into a civil war
Sulla seized Rome and became a brutal dictator and he made a list of all his enemies and required they be killed
Poverty (especially to Rome) began to disintegrate empires
Julius Caesar
Marius’ nephew who escaped Sulla’s list due to his young age
active in politics
sponsored gladiator battles which made him popular
seized Gaul from Rome (making him even more popular)
Centralized military and govt
redistributed land
huge public works projects to give work to poor
eventually was assassined which brought 13 ys of civil distraught
Octavian and his reforms
Octavian (Julius’s nephew) beat Cleopatra and Mark Antony at the Battle of Actium
Senate gave him the title of “Augustus”
ruled as a monarchy disguised as a republic: had military completely loyal to him, didn’t alienate the wealthy, only put people loyal to him in government positions.
set the foundations for Rome to be an empire
Rome expanded to include SE Europe, N Africa, Egypt, and Parts of Asia (Anatolia)
Pax Romana
Time of peace
Helped promote trade
Roman Roads
Twelve Tables : civil law system
“Good emperors”
Constantine: edict of tolerance
Roman Decline (internal issues):
internal issues
Barrack emperors: generals who seized power, held it briefly, and then lost it
sheer size of empire: too big.
Diocletian tried to solve this by dividing the empire into two: east (wealthy lands) a coemperor ruled each district
The four coemperors started a power struggle (tetrarchs)
Constantine claimed sole emperor and had new capital of constantinople built
Edict of Milan: made christianity the religion
Roman Decline (external issues):
Germanic visigoths migrated and Rome kept them as buffer people
Huns under Attila attacked Europe mid fifth century
the German people were pressured by Huns and fled into Rome
Roman Fall
No single reason for the fall
Germanic general Odovacer deposed the Roman emperor
Imperial authority survived in the eastern half of the empire
Han and Roman empire similarities
BOTH: built roads, vigorous trade, imperial rule, patriarchal, expansion, decline by internal political problems.
Exchanges along the Silk Roads
extensive network of trade routes that linked Eurasia and N. Africa , China to Roman empire
Spread of religions: Buddhism spread out of India by merchants who landed up in oasis towns (depended on foreign money so they could build monasteries)
Most prominent religion of Silk Roads
Spread to steppes and to china
Epidemic diseases: small pox and measels
Roman population decreased 25%
Post - Classical Byzantium
eastern half of Roman empire
Unique features: lover of arts and culture
made churches and building projects
used mosaics
Caesaropapsm: emperor ruled as secular lord and played role in religion (divine favor, complete authority in political, military, judicial, financial, and religious matters)
Byzantine court
Emperors dressed magnificently
High officials presented themselves as slaves to emperors
Law: Justinian Law (A codification of Roman Law that kept ancient Roman legal principals alive)
Revival of the theme system
Byzantine economy
rural economy: strongest when supported by free class peasants
theme system
land available to those who performed military services
long term: wealthy land owners built large estates
Byzantine industry
home to artisans and craftsmen
linen and woolen textiles, glass ware, gems, jewelry, gold and silver, SILK
became principal supplier of fashionable fabric to the mediterranean
TRADE
direct commercial links with central Asia, Russia, Scandinavia, N.Europe, lands of Black sea and Med, Islam
gold coin as standard currency (bezant)
control of trade: duties
banks: often performed partnerships with merchants
Byzantine Urban Life
no rival cities
aristocrats had palaces
attractions: baths, games and entertainment, theater, chariot racing, religion
Byzantine Church
Orthodox Christianity Extremely close relationship with imperial government treated as department of the state iconoclasm: "breaking of the icons" emperor leo III found paintings many observed asceticism
monasteries formed around asceticism: Mt.Athos: 1 of the most famous monasteries
tensions between East and West disagreed on iconoclasm: ritual, doctrinal, theological teaching differences
Influence in E. Europe
Byzantine and Slavic People
entered into political, cultural, and commercial relations
Byzantine sent missionaries to Balkan lands, developed Cyrillic alphabet for illiterate Slavs
new language increased conversion to orthodox church
Byzantine and Russia
Prince of Kiev converted to Orthodox Christianity
Cyrillic writings spread through Russia
Byzantine art spread through Kiev and Russia
formed Russian Orthodox Church to distinguish themselves
took inspiration from Byzantine law code
claimed to inherit mantle of Byzantine
Islam Expansion
reasons: simplicity of Islamic belief, exhaustion of Byzantine and Sasanid empires, Merchants helped spread Islam to S.E Asia
Conquests began after Muhammad’s death
Byzantine, Syria, Palestine and most of Mesopotamia from Sasanids
640s Byzantine Egypt and North Africa
651 Sasanid empire toppled, Persia incorporated into empire
711 - 718 Conquered Hindu Kingdom of Sind (NW India), NW Africa, Strait of Gibraltar, most of Iberian Peninsula
Islamic Problems with Expansion
Problems with administration
selection of caliphs
Shia VS Sunni
Dar al - Islam
Dar al-Islam
“House of Islam” - lands under Islam rule
Umayyad Dynasty
rulers as conquerors
reflected interests of arab military aristocrats
policy toward conquered people: allowed to practice own religion but with taxes (Jizya), converts and non-converts both did not have access to wealth or authority, early eighth century: caliphs began living too luxuriously –> people unsatisfied
Umayyad Dynasty falls
Abbasid Dynasty
More cosmopolitan than umayyad centralized government and bureaucracy included non-Muslims in the government very tolerant focused on consolidation worked on infrastructure
economic impact on Dar al-Islam
Banks develop
investments
loans
SAKK (similar to “flying cash”)
Agricultural impact on Dar al-Islam
spread of food and industrial crops from different parts of Dar al-Islam
sugarcane, rice, sorghum, and wheat
fruits and vegetables
industrial crops: cotton, indigo, henna
Increased food supply
encouraged agricultural experimentation: resulted in agricultural manuals
Urban growth within the Dar al-Islam
increased agricultural production –> movement to cities
new industry : paper manufacturing
trade
commercial cities allowed Muslim merchants to trade along revived silk roads
Silk roads good for military movement and merchants and missionaries
Naval technology: chinese compass, lateen sail, astroblade
Social impact on Dar al-Islam
women: patriarchal society
quran enhanced security
veiling of women
cultural unity brought by cicil and criminal law in sharia
ulama and quadis and missionaries helped bridge cultural differences
formal education promoted Islamic values
madrasas
sufiis, missionaries
allowed for flexibility in Islamic religion
Ka’ba at Mecca : symbol of cultural unity
Abassid caliphs enabled visitations to Mecca (Hajj)
Built inns along roads
pilgrims visited Mecca, learned and helped spread Islam