1. Explain the impact on internatonal security of the following elements throughout
history:
a) Environmental change:
1. Determines where wealth and prosperity will be realised.
“Power depended on territory to boost agricultural productonn agricultural
producton to boost the number of soldiersn and soldiers gain more territory and to
reinvest the spoils into more propaganda and war.” Power remains with those
who have the climate on their side
Nile Basin – well irrigated and fertle land = good agriculture and surpluses +
growing populaton = trade = power.
North China Plain – vast and fertle land irrigated by the Yellow River = the
origins of the frst societes – the un uin Qinn Jinn Yann Zhou.
2. Leads to mass migraton
- India: the people migrated from the Hindu Kush to the Ganges which led to the Vedic
Civilizaton during the Dark Ages
- Eurasia: Iron Age
The Cimmerians moved from the Black ea to the Caucasus due dry climate
The Arameans from Anatolia into Mesopotamia
ea Peoples towards Levant and Egypt
Dorians towards Greece
- North China Plain: the nomadsn the Xianbein the Xiongnu and the Hunsn pushed to
Chinan because climate became too harsh in Central Asia and Mongolia and led to the
steppes becoming drier in the 3rd century CE.
- Europe: Huns migrated towards Europe and the Roman Empire because the climate
in Central Asia became too dry in the 4th century CE.
- Europe: Germanic triben the Vandalsn migrated towards the Baltc ea (region was
good for trade)n but were confronted with other tribes
,- North China Plain-Europe: the Mongols migrated towards the south and towards
China and Europe due cold summers. The Mongols frst started moving due to lack of
fertle land. This escalated into them covering vast land from the Mediterranean to
the China sea. Became a Holy war led by Genghis Khan. Alson the reason the Mongols
didn’t reach estern Europe because climate changedn and land became difcult for
horses to ride on.
3. Leads to downfall of empires
The migraton of entre nomadic peoples caused a great imbalance in the region
and power ultmately collapsed. When people move, this destabilises great powers
and the whole order that is based around secure territory.
- Middle East: fall of Assyria Empire due plagues spreadn severe droughts in the 7 th
century BCE:
- Mesopotamia: the great ancient powers in the Levant and Mesopotamia were ruined
by migraton from the north moving south
- Central-America: the fall of Olmecs may have been due earthquakesn changing
courses of rivers and foodingn but also volcanic eruptons might have forced them to
move in the 4th century BCE
- North China Plain: an earthquake hit the Zhou Dynasty during the Iron Age
- North China Plain: Eastern Han fell due natural disastersn such as foods and droughtn
but also the spread of the plague in the 3rd century CE
- North China Plain: Yuan Empire (Mongols)n because of increasing rainfalln faminen etc.
in the 14th century CE
- North China Plain: Ming Dynasty struggled with droughtsn faminen foods and the
Grand Canal dried out which resulted in hunger in the 17th century CE
- Rome: after the Huns clashed with the Gothsn they moved south across the Danube
and pushed against the Roman boarders. This pushed the Vandals out towards the
Pyrenees where they clashed with the Visigoths and Franksn and the Romans. All
happening at the Empire’s weakest point – couldn’t handle the extra pressure.
Revealed the weaknesses of the Roman army – poorly trained barbarian legions.
, Goths sacked Rome – empire moved to Constantnople.
4. Leads to conficts
- Dark Ages: and the collapse of the Bronze Age caused strife between the diferent
states
- Central-Asia: between migrants in the valleys of Mongolia and Central Asian the
Xiongnu were forced to move due the climate becoming too harsh. Due drier
steppesn there were clashes between the Xiongnu and the Xianbei in the 3 rd century
CE.
- Europe: conficts between Goths and Roman Empire due environmental change
which led to migraton of the Goths towards Rome Goths sued for land and rights.
5. Leads to weakening of empire
- Europe: ( estern) Roman Empire struggled with bad weather which caused famine
- North China Plain: the ei was hit by climate change and droughts
- North China Plain: in the Tang Empiren natural disasters made the granaries run
empty
6. Leads to famine, droughts and fnally uprisings
- North China Plain: in the Ming Dynastyn drought led to uprisings and famine
- Mesopotamia: the dry climate led to famine in the region
- Europe: ( estern) Roman Empire struggled with bad weather which caused famine
- North China Plain: the ei was hit by climate change and droughts
- North China Plain: Eastern Han fell due natural disastersn such as foods and droughtn
but also the spread of the plague
- North China Plain: Yuan Empire (Mongols)n because of increasing rainfalln faminen etc.
in the 14th century CE
- North China Plain: Ming Dynasty struggled with droughtsn faminen foods and the
Grand Canal dried out which resulted in hunger in the 17th century CE
7. Sometmes migraton slowed down due of beter climate
, - Central-Asia: climate in the Pontc- teppe became beter and caused the migraton
pressure to decrease during the 7th century CE
b) Mass migraton:
1) Leads to war with major powers
- North China Plain: Xiongnu against the Han Empire in the 2nd century BCE
- Europe: Goths and Huns against the Roman Empire in the 3rd century CE
- Europe-North China Plain: Mongols threat in the empires located in estern Europe
and the ong Empire
- India: Ghurids barbarians invaded India (back then it was split into four kingdoms:
Pandyan Kalingan hungan atavahana)
- Europe: Marcomannic wars (249): Roman Empire warred with the barbarians who
migrated on the borders of its empire
2) Leads to the fall of empires
- North China Plain: Chinese (Han) pressure on the Xiongnu helped trigger a cataclysm
which sparked a confict with the Yuezhi. The Yuezhi packed again into Central-Asia
and took over Bactria. hen Bactria was takenn mountain passes laid open to the
Indio-Gangetc Plain and eventually led to the fall of the Mauryan Empire
- North China Plain: fall of the (eastern) Han due growing unrest on the border and
growing unrest inside because of the barbarians
- North China Plain: fall Jin Dynasty by the Xiongnun Hunsn etc. (people in the plains and
valleys of Mongolia and Central Asia) in the 3rd-5th century
- North China Plain: fall of ong Empire due the Mongols after it conquered the Jin
Dynasty in the 13th century CE
- India: fall of the four kingdoms in India (Pandayan Kalingan hungan atavahana) due
invasion of the Ghurids
- North China Plain: Fall of Ming Dynasty due invasion of the Manchu (nomadic people
located in North China who wanted trade rights) who then established the Qing
Dynasty in the 17th century CE
history:
a) Environmental change:
1. Determines where wealth and prosperity will be realised.
“Power depended on territory to boost agricultural productonn agricultural
producton to boost the number of soldiersn and soldiers gain more territory and to
reinvest the spoils into more propaganda and war.” Power remains with those
who have the climate on their side
Nile Basin – well irrigated and fertle land = good agriculture and surpluses +
growing populaton = trade = power.
North China Plain – vast and fertle land irrigated by the Yellow River = the
origins of the frst societes – the un uin Qinn Jinn Yann Zhou.
2. Leads to mass migraton
- India: the people migrated from the Hindu Kush to the Ganges which led to the Vedic
Civilizaton during the Dark Ages
- Eurasia: Iron Age
The Cimmerians moved from the Black ea to the Caucasus due dry climate
The Arameans from Anatolia into Mesopotamia
ea Peoples towards Levant and Egypt
Dorians towards Greece
- North China Plain: the nomadsn the Xianbein the Xiongnu and the Hunsn pushed to
Chinan because climate became too harsh in Central Asia and Mongolia and led to the
steppes becoming drier in the 3rd century CE.
- Europe: Huns migrated towards Europe and the Roman Empire because the climate
in Central Asia became too dry in the 4th century CE.
- Europe: Germanic triben the Vandalsn migrated towards the Baltc ea (region was
good for trade)n but were confronted with other tribes
,- North China Plain-Europe: the Mongols migrated towards the south and towards
China and Europe due cold summers. The Mongols frst started moving due to lack of
fertle land. This escalated into them covering vast land from the Mediterranean to
the China sea. Became a Holy war led by Genghis Khan. Alson the reason the Mongols
didn’t reach estern Europe because climate changedn and land became difcult for
horses to ride on.
3. Leads to downfall of empires
The migraton of entre nomadic peoples caused a great imbalance in the region
and power ultmately collapsed. When people move, this destabilises great powers
and the whole order that is based around secure territory.
- Middle East: fall of Assyria Empire due plagues spreadn severe droughts in the 7 th
century BCE:
- Mesopotamia: the great ancient powers in the Levant and Mesopotamia were ruined
by migraton from the north moving south
- Central-America: the fall of Olmecs may have been due earthquakesn changing
courses of rivers and foodingn but also volcanic eruptons might have forced them to
move in the 4th century BCE
- North China Plain: an earthquake hit the Zhou Dynasty during the Iron Age
- North China Plain: Eastern Han fell due natural disastersn such as foods and droughtn
but also the spread of the plague in the 3rd century CE
- North China Plain: Yuan Empire (Mongols)n because of increasing rainfalln faminen etc.
in the 14th century CE
- North China Plain: Ming Dynasty struggled with droughtsn faminen foods and the
Grand Canal dried out which resulted in hunger in the 17th century CE
- Rome: after the Huns clashed with the Gothsn they moved south across the Danube
and pushed against the Roman boarders. This pushed the Vandals out towards the
Pyrenees where they clashed with the Visigoths and Franksn and the Romans. All
happening at the Empire’s weakest point – couldn’t handle the extra pressure.
Revealed the weaknesses of the Roman army – poorly trained barbarian legions.
, Goths sacked Rome – empire moved to Constantnople.
4. Leads to conficts
- Dark Ages: and the collapse of the Bronze Age caused strife between the diferent
states
- Central-Asia: between migrants in the valleys of Mongolia and Central Asian the
Xiongnu were forced to move due the climate becoming too harsh. Due drier
steppesn there were clashes between the Xiongnu and the Xianbei in the 3 rd century
CE.
- Europe: conficts between Goths and Roman Empire due environmental change
which led to migraton of the Goths towards Rome Goths sued for land and rights.
5. Leads to weakening of empire
- Europe: ( estern) Roman Empire struggled with bad weather which caused famine
- North China Plain: the ei was hit by climate change and droughts
- North China Plain: in the Tang Empiren natural disasters made the granaries run
empty
6. Leads to famine, droughts and fnally uprisings
- North China Plain: in the Ming Dynastyn drought led to uprisings and famine
- Mesopotamia: the dry climate led to famine in the region
- Europe: ( estern) Roman Empire struggled with bad weather which caused famine
- North China Plain: the ei was hit by climate change and droughts
- North China Plain: Eastern Han fell due natural disastersn such as foods and droughtn
but also the spread of the plague
- North China Plain: Yuan Empire (Mongols)n because of increasing rainfalln faminen etc.
in the 14th century CE
- North China Plain: Ming Dynasty struggled with droughtsn faminen foods and the
Grand Canal dried out which resulted in hunger in the 17th century CE
7. Sometmes migraton slowed down due of beter climate
, - Central-Asia: climate in the Pontc- teppe became beter and caused the migraton
pressure to decrease during the 7th century CE
b) Mass migraton:
1) Leads to war with major powers
- North China Plain: Xiongnu against the Han Empire in the 2nd century BCE
- Europe: Goths and Huns against the Roman Empire in the 3rd century CE
- Europe-North China Plain: Mongols threat in the empires located in estern Europe
and the ong Empire
- India: Ghurids barbarians invaded India (back then it was split into four kingdoms:
Pandyan Kalingan hungan atavahana)
- Europe: Marcomannic wars (249): Roman Empire warred with the barbarians who
migrated on the borders of its empire
2) Leads to the fall of empires
- North China Plain: Chinese (Han) pressure on the Xiongnu helped trigger a cataclysm
which sparked a confict with the Yuezhi. The Yuezhi packed again into Central-Asia
and took over Bactria. hen Bactria was takenn mountain passes laid open to the
Indio-Gangetc Plain and eventually led to the fall of the Mauryan Empire
- North China Plain: fall of the (eastern) Han due growing unrest on the border and
growing unrest inside because of the barbarians
- North China Plain: fall Jin Dynasty by the Xiongnun Hunsn etc. (people in the plains and
valleys of Mongolia and Central Asia) in the 3rd-5th century
- North China Plain: fall of ong Empire due the Mongols after it conquered the Jin
Dynasty in the 13th century CE
- India: fall of the four kingdoms in India (Pandayan Kalingan hungan atavahana) due
invasion of the Ghurids
- North China Plain: Fall of Ming Dynasty due invasion of the Manchu (nomadic people
located in North China who wanted trade rights) who then established the Qing
Dynasty in the 17th century CE
