Unit test 2 Flashcards
1
Q
describe sub saharan african contacts with the islamic world
A
- muslim merchants traveled very far for ghana gold to bring back to the empire
- ghana provided gold, ivory, and slaves
- this trade made ghana wealthy and introduced islam, lead to many muslim-african scholars/quadis.
- trade with muslim merchants gave ghana respect and wealth
- when wealthy african elites converted, it helped integrate islam into african culture
- Swahili culture attracted muslim merchants with african goods and leopard skin/tortoise shells
- mansa musa (took islam very seriously after traveling to mecca/influenced others)
- Ibn Batutta
2
Q
describe islamic political structures, notably the caliphate
A
- muhammad died in 632, muslims need new ruler
- caliphs began with Abu Bakr, close friend of muhammad
- caliph means deputy
- umma means community of the faithful/muhammads followers
- shia/sunni Islam ppl believed that next caliphs should be relatives
- one cousin served briefly, then assassinated along with other relatives
- led to islamic split btwn shia and shiite
- theocracy, leader was the political and religious leader
- sharia law: proper behaviour by muhammad, elaborated by jurists/legal scholars. From excerpts of the Quran and historical accounts of Muhammads life. Had guidance on marriage, family, slavery, inheritance, business relations, and crime. it developed the teachings of islam into a way of life.
3
Q
Describe the impact of Islam on gender systems
A
- women are to wear veils at all times when outside the house, always escorted by a servant or other family male.
- only servants and family members or other women could be allowed to see a woman w/o a veil.
- all people equal before allah
- women are not property but honourable ppl
- female infecticide outlawed
- muhammad was kind to his wives, which improved muslim women’s lives too
- men allowed to have four wives, women, one husband
- womens social/sexual lives under male control
- having a chaperone when going out was actually a great from of protection from inappropriate men
- Ibn battuto saw the naked women, the gender systems are more of a matter of culture than religion
- women could be educated
- males get 2x inheritance than females.
- womens testimony is worth half of males
4
Q
describe the similarities btwn japanese and european feudalism
A
- nobles to warriors to farmers/slaves
- little social mobility
- both in middle ages, however they made no contact with each other
- based on their own cultures yet similar
- knights/samurai largely linked w/ loyalty/chivalry
- highest class in feudalism besides emperor/king were the lords/ladies
- samurai operated under code of conduct similar to chivalry called bushido
- peasants gained protection when taking the job b/c of the kinghts/samurai
- shogun/king to daimyo/nobles to samurai/knights to peasants
5
Q
Describe the impacts of the indian ocean trade system economic
A
- vast zone of communication and trade
- lands began specialized production in thriving local industries (cotton textile, sugar refining, leather tanning, carpet weaving, stone carving, iron/ steel production for lethal knives/ swords
- other places had specialized production; china=silk, porcelain, laquerware; seasia=spices, inscence, horses; swasia= dates; e africa=gold, ivory, slaves
- merchats gained more power, respect, and money, along with a better social status
6
Q
describe the impacts of the io trade system knowlege
A
- io helped politics: kingdom of axum was kept safe from arab conquers and kep their own independence b/c of their participation in the io
- ocean/sea dangers encouraged ppl to investigate monsoons and other sea bound threats like piracy
- IO brought bantus to east africa, creating swhili lang and culture
- encouraged new modes of transportation (lateen sails) and improvements on maritime instruments such as the astrolabe
- islam and buddhism spread to places like east africa and SEAsia
- eastern african kingdoms gained political power/respect (ghana/mali)
7
Q
Describe the missionary outreach of major religions Islam
A
- sufi missionaries starting in one thousand traveled to conquered lands searching for new followers
- the sufi would be flexible with rules/doctrines of Islam to gain more followers b/c they would mix their culture into the religion
- Ibn battuta accounted his visit to the mali empire and described how the women were naked and how the crowds for praying were very large, and how ppl always wore white on friday
8
Q
Describe the missionary outreach of major religions Christianity/other
A
- Christian missionaries were able to convert european conquered lands: baltic regions, sicily, and spain
- some christian missionaries sought to convert mongols and chinese to Roman Catholic
- many RC communities in china, so there was a demand for RC services
- attracted priests and missionaries to these communities, attracting even more converts.
- Buddhist missionaries went along trade routes, mostly to china, where it became very popular
9
Q
Describe the causes and effects of the tang and song economic revolution
A
- agricultural production increased, started economic revolution in Tang/Song
- fast-ripening rice allowed cultivators to harvest 2x per year, food xpanded
- new heavy iron plows, harnessed oxen in the north and water buffalo in the south
- xtensive irrigation included pumps, dikes, dams, waterwheels, canals, and resevoirs made it possible to extend cultivation to different terrain like mtns.
- agricultural production means pop growth; increased from 45 mill in six hundred to 195 mill in 1200
- population increase lead to urbanization (restaurants, noodle shops, tea houses, music halls, theaters)
- china was most urban in the world in song dynasty time
- increase in wealth means tightening of patriarchal social structures
- abundance of food allowed ppl to leave farming for technological industrial developments
- made porcelain that was lighter, thinner, and more adaptable than earlier pottery
- iron/steel production went to weapons/agricultural tools
- gunpowder went to fireworks/warfare
- block printing/movable type
- paper money started when ppl wanted alternatives to cash
- letters of credit: merchants can deposit goods/cash and draw them from another location (check)
10
Q
describe the of the plague pandemics of the 14th cent population
A
-took most of asia, europe, and north africa
-fleas on rats
-military campaign spread plague from yunnan to china’s interrior
-took 2/3 of widely scattered regions in china
-mongols, merchants, travelers spread along trade routes
-took 60-70% of its human victims
-most died within a few days
-discoloured inflammation (black/purple) called buboes, gives both names black death and bubonic plague
-could wipe out entire populations of small villages/towns
-attempts of baby booms after village outbreaks, but plague came back
-china’s poplation reduced by ten mill, euro pop by 25%
-
11
Q
describe the consequences of the plague pandemics of the 14th cent economic
A
- reached black sea ports, port merchants flead, spreading the disease even further
- trade was scarce bc many were afraid of spreading the disease, and often there was not much to trade, due to lack of products from labourers or artsians or merchants taken by the disease
- peasants demanded higher pay and left their homes to find better pay, because there were less ppl to do the work, more work for them. political figures responded by freezing the wages and forbid ppl to leave homes, which lead to rebellion
- travel by silk road was not safe.
12
Q
describe islamic contributions to the sciences bfr 1450
A
- muslims advanced on algebra, geometry and trig thru the hindi numerals from india
- Indian astronomical calculations allowed muslims to develop their own astronomy
- muslims took greek medical and mathematical teachings and combined with indian influences to create their own powerful understandings.
- Al-Razi was first to write a medical description of smallpox/measles, first to use alcohol as an antiseptic, first to find treatment for kidney stones
- Hunyan wrote a book about the anatomy of the eye and also figured out that the eye receives light from the object it is looking at.
13
Q
describe islamic contributions to the arts before 1450
A
- due to influences from persia/india/greece
- persian influence influenced many literary/poetic works such as Arabian Nights/ 1001 nights
- muslims synthesized philosophical teachings with islam. aristotle was more accepted by skeptics than plato
- many muslim art works refrained from depicting grotesque or harmful features
- had architecture often based on greek/romans with pillars and archs
14
Q
Describe the political dynamics of the Aztec and Inca Empires
A
- there was not much aztec governance/ no standing military and only gathering ppl for fighting when needed
- priests were often leaders/rulers of the aztec empire
- Incan military/political leader Pachacuti, devised political system. He implemented taxes to support rulers, and administered store- houses to store agricultural products. Also began to work on roads.
- quipus helped Incan administrators record statistical information and some historical info
- Incan ruler were descendants from the “sun” they were God Kings
- warriors were not royalty in either, but were high up on social status with priests. Aztecs got ideas from conquered ppl
15
Q
Describe the economic dynamics of the Aztec and Inca Empires
A
- Aztecs traded with nearby ppl, they got food crops, rabbit fur, textiles, jewelry, and knives. Tropical lowlands gave them vanilla bean and cacao
- Incan roads were among the best constructed before modern times. They helped governance over the extensive Incan empire
- Inca lacked merchants/artsians. merchants were not permitted in the empire. Many more in Maxica/Aztec
