Unit 1: Global Tapestry (1200-1450)
➢ East Asia
○ Song China comes after the Tang Dynasty
■ Neo-Confucianism unites the empire, which is a blend of Buddhist,
Daoist, and Confucianist beliefs.
■ Neo-Confucianism serves as a base for social standards, hierarchy,
gender roles, politics, etc.
■ The Civil Service exam creates a bureaucracy based on merit. This
was known as a meritocracy.
● Anyone from any class could take this exam
■ Champa Rice was imported from Vietnam, and was important
because it was drought resistant and allowed for production
everywhere in China.
● Champa Rice resulted in a population growth.
■ Filial Piety is the respect that you show your elders.
■ The Grand Canal was constructed during the Sui Dynasty, however, it
proved to be very important for the Song Dynasty.
● The Grand Canal united North and South China, increasing
interregional trade, and improving communication.
➢ Dar-al-Islam
○ The Abbasid Caliphate fell in 1258, due to internal fragmentation and a
decentralized government.
■ After external pressure from the Seljuk Turks and the Mongols,
they fell.
○ The House of Wisdom was a major center of learning located in Baghdad.
■ Ancient works from the Roman and Greek scholars were preserved
and translated into Arabic.
■ Philosophy was spread from here, spreading new ideas.
○ Algebra was brought from the East, and further developed.
○ Innovations in medicine led to better hospitals and increased life expectancy.
○ The fall of the Abbasids, and shift of power to the Umayyad Dynasty
marked a change of a shift of power from Persians to Turks.
,➢ South and Southeast Asia
○ The Delhi Sultanate was a Muslim group that ruled over much of India from
1206 to 1526, when they were overrun by the Mughals
○ Hinduism and Buddhism often merged together, sharing many cultural beliefs
and religious practices.
○ Sufism was a mystical practice of Islam. It attracts many converts
throughout Dar-al-Islam
➢ Americas
○ Incan Empire
■ Centralized their power through their road system, and Mita labor
system.
○ Aztec Empire
■ Centralized their power through human sacrifice.
■ Had lake farms called Chinampas.
■ Capital was Tenochtitlan, and it was the center of trade in their
Central American region.
➢ Africa
○ Mali was a major center of Trans-Saharan trade.
■ Mali’s peak was when Mansa Musa’s pilgrimage in 1324-1325 brought
them fame and more economic prosperity.
○ Great Zimbabwe was a major center of Indian Ocean trade
➢ Europe
○ Feudalism set social standards.
■ It was a vassal system, so for example, the knight paid allegiance to
the lord and whoever his lord followed. In return for his service and
loyalty, he was given land.
○ Serfs worked on manors, always “in debt” to the manor.
○ Decentralized system of government.
, Unit 2: Networks of Exchange
➢ The Silk Roads
○ Samarkand and Kashgar were powerful trading cities that developed in
Central Asia primarily because of their involvement in the Silk Road trade
network.
○ Luxury goods such as porcelain and silk spread from China to European
countries.
○ Banking houses and flying cash (a form of credit), allowed merchants to
carry more goods instead of having to worry about carrying materials to
trade.
○ Caravanserai were rest stops that were along trade routes. These were
important not only because they allowed merchants to trade merchandise,
but it also fostered an environment for the exchange of religions, ideas, and
technologies.
➢ The Indian Ocean Trade Route
○ Same technology, same spread of ideas and cultures, etc. It was the Silk
Road, just sea-based.
○ Diaspora became common. It was where people moved away from their
homeland, living somewhere else where they would be able to make a profit.
○ Zheng He made voyages along the Indian Ocean Trade Route, in the first half
of the 15th century.
■ Spread the influence of China, and allowed them to gain access to
new trade routes.
■ Established new tribute nations that would be loyal to China.
○ Knowledge of monsoon winds allowed for safer and more efficient trade
along the Indian Ocean.
○ The compass allowed for better navigation.
○ Major trade cities that developed were Gujrat and Malacca.
➢ Trans-Saharan Trade Route
○ Connected Dar-al-Islam to Sub-Saharan Africa.
○ Spread of salt and gold
○ Mansa Musa’s display of Mali’s wealth.
○ Advances in camel saddles allowed for faster and easier transportation for
trade.
➢ Environmental Consequences (Effects)
○ Spread of the Bubonic Plague, Champa Rice, citrus fruits, and sugar
➢ East Asia
○ Song China comes after the Tang Dynasty
■ Neo-Confucianism unites the empire, which is a blend of Buddhist,
Daoist, and Confucianist beliefs.
■ Neo-Confucianism serves as a base for social standards, hierarchy,
gender roles, politics, etc.
■ The Civil Service exam creates a bureaucracy based on merit. This
was known as a meritocracy.
● Anyone from any class could take this exam
■ Champa Rice was imported from Vietnam, and was important
because it was drought resistant and allowed for production
everywhere in China.
● Champa Rice resulted in a population growth.
■ Filial Piety is the respect that you show your elders.
■ The Grand Canal was constructed during the Sui Dynasty, however, it
proved to be very important for the Song Dynasty.
● The Grand Canal united North and South China, increasing
interregional trade, and improving communication.
➢ Dar-al-Islam
○ The Abbasid Caliphate fell in 1258, due to internal fragmentation and a
decentralized government.
■ After external pressure from the Seljuk Turks and the Mongols,
they fell.
○ The House of Wisdom was a major center of learning located in Baghdad.
■ Ancient works from the Roman and Greek scholars were preserved
and translated into Arabic.
■ Philosophy was spread from here, spreading new ideas.
○ Algebra was brought from the East, and further developed.
○ Innovations in medicine led to better hospitals and increased life expectancy.
○ The fall of the Abbasids, and shift of power to the Umayyad Dynasty
marked a change of a shift of power from Persians to Turks.
,➢ South and Southeast Asia
○ The Delhi Sultanate was a Muslim group that ruled over much of India from
1206 to 1526, when they were overrun by the Mughals
○ Hinduism and Buddhism often merged together, sharing many cultural beliefs
and religious practices.
○ Sufism was a mystical practice of Islam. It attracts many converts
throughout Dar-al-Islam
➢ Americas
○ Incan Empire
■ Centralized their power through their road system, and Mita labor
system.
○ Aztec Empire
■ Centralized their power through human sacrifice.
■ Had lake farms called Chinampas.
■ Capital was Tenochtitlan, and it was the center of trade in their
Central American region.
➢ Africa
○ Mali was a major center of Trans-Saharan trade.
■ Mali’s peak was when Mansa Musa’s pilgrimage in 1324-1325 brought
them fame and more economic prosperity.
○ Great Zimbabwe was a major center of Indian Ocean trade
➢ Europe
○ Feudalism set social standards.
■ It was a vassal system, so for example, the knight paid allegiance to
the lord and whoever his lord followed. In return for his service and
loyalty, he was given land.
○ Serfs worked on manors, always “in debt” to the manor.
○ Decentralized system of government.
, Unit 2: Networks of Exchange
➢ The Silk Roads
○ Samarkand and Kashgar were powerful trading cities that developed in
Central Asia primarily because of their involvement in the Silk Road trade
network.
○ Luxury goods such as porcelain and silk spread from China to European
countries.
○ Banking houses and flying cash (a form of credit), allowed merchants to
carry more goods instead of having to worry about carrying materials to
trade.
○ Caravanserai were rest stops that were along trade routes. These were
important not only because they allowed merchants to trade merchandise,
but it also fostered an environment for the exchange of religions, ideas, and
technologies.
➢ The Indian Ocean Trade Route
○ Same technology, same spread of ideas and cultures, etc. It was the Silk
Road, just sea-based.
○ Diaspora became common. It was where people moved away from their
homeland, living somewhere else where they would be able to make a profit.
○ Zheng He made voyages along the Indian Ocean Trade Route, in the first half
of the 15th century.
■ Spread the influence of China, and allowed them to gain access to
new trade routes.
■ Established new tribute nations that would be loyal to China.
○ Knowledge of monsoon winds allowed for safer and more efficient trade
along the Indian Ocean.
○ The compass allowed for better navigation.
○ Major trade cities that developed were Gujrat and Malacca.
➢ Trans-Saharan Trade Route
○ Connected Dar-al-Islam to Sub-Saharan Africa.
○ Spread of salt and gold
○ Mansa Musa’s display of Mali’s wealth.
○ Advances in camel saddles allowed for faster and easier transportation for
trade.
➢ Environmental Consequences (Effects)
○ Spread of the Bubonic Plague, Champa Rice, citrus fruits, and sugar
