We can now shift our attention from foundations! That was only 5% of the test! You could not know any of that and still get a 5. So, let's put on our 'big-boy-pants" and start covering some real history. This is where it all begins. Yeah, in Foundations you have things like... Humans, Fire, Tools, Hierarchy, Religion, Writing. But, this is where history actually takes form. This is where you will get your stereotypical views of certain areas. This is where Western Europe takes root. This is where India becomes India. This is where China becomes China. Later on, areas like Africa, the Middle East, the Americas, et al will come into their own. This era really deals with the Classical Civilizations (Mediterranean, India, China) and the trade between them and what goes along with that.
As states and empires increased in size and contacts between regions multiplied, religious and cultural systems were transformed. Religions and belief systems provided a bond among the people and an ethical code to live by. These shared beliefs also influenced and reinforced political, economic, and occupational stratification. Religious and political authority often merged as rulers (some of whom were considered divine) used religion, along with military and legal structures, to justify their rule and ensure its continuation. Religions and belief systems could also generate conflict, partly because beliefs and practices varied greatly within and among societies. I. Codifications and further developments of existing religious traditions provided a bond among the people and an ethical code to live by.
Hinduism and Judaism are the two existing religious traditions that provided a bond among the people and the ethical code
II. New belief systems and cultural traditions emerged and spread, often asserting universal truths.
Buddhism: You know how Jesus was Jewish but had a slightly different view of that religion and started his own called Christianity? Well, in India they had a similar guy. His name was Siddhartha Gautama. He was a Hindu prince who sought out to end suffering. He came up with his own 8-fold Path to Enlightenment and left Hinduism behind when he became... The Buddha ("Enlightened One").
The core beliefs about desire, suffering, and the search for enlightenment preached by the historic Buddha and recorded by his followers into sutras and other scriptures were, in part, a reaction to the Vedic beliefs and rituals dominant in South Asia. Buddhism changed over time as it spread throughout Asia — first through the support of the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka, and then through the efforts of missionaries and merchants, and the establishment of educational institutions to promote its core teachings.
Confuianism : If I was playing Civilization or Age of Empires-style game, and I had to enter at the beginning of the game what type of belief system my people should follow... I would choose Confucianism. It's great (if you are a man). Everyone knows their place in society. There are respectful relationships from father-to-son all the way up to the Emperor. Everyone works hard and does as their elders tell them. I'm assuming you're a teenager. If so, this must sound terrible. You're probably Daoist. We'll cover them next... Confucianism’s core beliefs and writings originated in the writings and lessons of Confucius and were elaborated by key disciples who sought to promote social harmony by outlining proper rituals and social relationships for all people in China, including the rulers.
Daoism: Whatever, man. Daoism is what it is. It isn't what it isn't. Read the Tao Te Ching (the basis of Daoism that Lao Tzu wrote before he left China). It's only 20 something pages. It's tough. It tells you more about what it isn't than what it is. It is tough to get a straight answer out of this thing. Basically, the Daoists follow their Dao (the way). I like to break it down like this.
Confucianists are like well trained bomb sniffing dogs. They know how to get things done... They've done their homework... They are obedient. Then, we have the Daoists. They are like a room full of cats. They do what they want, when they want. They follow their Dao. Go with the flow. Regardless, they've played a HUGE role in Chinese history.
In the major Daoist writings, the core belief of balance between humans and nature assumed that the Chinese political system would be altered indirectly. Daoism also influenced the development of Chinese culture (Medical theories & practices, Poetry, Metallurgy, Architecture).
Christianity : This is the biggest religion on earth. There are over 2 billion Christians out there. The whole thing started in the Middle East as a local Jewish carpenter claimed to be the son of god. He was later crucified by the Romans. According to the Christians, he came back from the dead and then went to heaven. This story has had a massive influence on the rest of history. If you live in the United States, you can't miss this story as Christianity is the predominant religion here. This is also (besides Buddhism with Ashoka and Siddhartha) the only religion that requires you to know two people in this era: Jesus and Constantine.
Christianity, based on core beliefs about the teachings and divinity of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded by his disciples, drew on Judaism, and initially rejected Roman and Hellenistic influences. Despite initial Roman imperial hostility, Christianity spread through the efforts of missionaries and merchants through many parts of Afro-Eurasia, and eventually gained Roman imperial support by the time of Emperor Constantine.
III. Belief systems generally reinforced existing social structures while also offering new roles and status to some men and women. A. Confucianism emphasized Filial Piety. B. Some Buddhists and Christians practiced a Monastic Life.
IV. Other religious and cultural traditions continued and in some places incorporated into major religious traditions.
A. Shamanism, animism, and ancestor veneration continued in their traditional forms in some instances, and in others were incorporated into other religious traditions.
As the early states and empires grew in number, size, and population, they frequently competed for resources and came into conflict with one another. In quest of land, wealth, and security, some empires expanded dramatically. In doing so, they built powerful military machines and administrative institutions that were capable of organizing human activities over long distances, and they created new groups of military and political elites to manage their affairs. As these empires expanded their boundaries, they also faced the need to develop policies and procedures to govern their relationships with ethnically and culturally diverse populations: sometimes to integrate them within an imperial society and sometimes to exclude them. In some cases, these empires became victims of their own successes. By expanding their boundaries too far, they created political, cultural, and administrative difficulties that they could not manage. They also experienced environmental, social, and economic problems when they overexploited their lands and subjects and permitted excessive wealth to be concentrated in the hands of privileged classes.
I. The number and size of key states and empires grew dramatically by imposing political unity on areas where previously there had been competing states.
Required examples of key states and empires (Student should know the location and names):
Persian Empire: At the dawn of the Classical Era, the Persian Empire was the most dominant empire on earth. To this day, (as a % of earth's population) the Persian Empire was the largest in history. The Persian Empires emerged in Southwest Asia (Middle East). The AP expects you to know ALL THREE:
ACHAEMENID (550-330 BCE)
PARTHIAN (247 BCE-224 CE)
SASSANID (224-651 CE)
Just because the AP asks you to know all three Persian Empires... don't worry. When it comes to the Classical Empires, the Persian is not one of the "Major" empires (those would be Rome, Guptan India, and Han China). That being said, here is the key information on the Persian Empires.
Classical China: Classical China laid the foundations for arguably the single most important civilization in the history of the planet. Any stereotypical ideas you have about the way China is from borders, language, writing, technology, empires, rulers, etc. come from this era. From the point where the region was first unified under the legalist Qin Shi Huangdi to the fall of the Han empire, what we know as China today took shape.
Western schools often overlook the importance of Han China (instead of focusing on Greece and Rome). Don't fall into this trap. According to the AP, Europe cannot be more than 20% of the exam. In my opinion, China should garner your attention more than any other culture over the span of history. So... pay attention.
Classical Meditteranean: The Western World as we know it developed directly from the Classical Mediterranean. The foundations of Western Society have deep roots in Greece and Rome. Historiographically, historians/history teachers tend to focus too much on this area in this time period. In their defense, you could spend your entire life studying these cultures and never stop finding importance. But; remember, EUROPE CANNOT BE MORE THAN 20% OF THE TEST. So, if you think you're spending too much time on this topic: you are. Drop whatever you are doing... and go look at Han China & Guptan India.
Classical Americas: Classical Americas, like Classical China and Mediterranean, lay the foundation for the more famous societies to follow. The Aztec and Incan cultures that clashed with Spanish Conquistadors in the next era (1450-1750) were each successor to either the Mayans & Teotihuacan (Aztecs) and the Moche (Incan).
II. Empires and states developed new techniques of imperial administration based, in part, on the success of earlier political forms.
A. In order to organize their subjects, the rulers created administrative institutions including centralized governments, as well as elaborate legal systems and bureaucracies.
B. Imperial government promoted trade and projected military power over larger areas using a variety of techniques including: - Diplomacy - Developing Supply Lines - Building Fortifications, Defensive Walls, & Roads - Drawing new groups of military officers and soldiers from the locale
III. Unique social and economic dimensions developed in imperial societies in Afro-Eurasia and the Americas.
B. The social structures of empires displayed hierarchies that included cultivators, laborers, slaves, artisans, merchants, elites, or caste groups.
C. Imperial societies relied on a range of methods (Corvee, Slavery, Rents and tributes) to maintain the production of food and provide rewards for the loyalty of the elites.
D. Patriarchy continued to shape gender and family relations in all imperial societies of this period.
IV. The Roman, Han, Persian, Mauryan, and Gupta empires created political, cultural, and administrative difficulties that they could not manage, which eventually led to their decline, collapse, and transformation into successor empires or states.
A. Through excessive mobilization of resources, erosion of established political institutions, and economic changes, imperial governments generated social tensions and created economic difficulties by concentrating too much wealth in the hands of elites.
B. Security issues along their frontiers, including the threat of invastions, challened imperial authority. END OF AN ERA: THE DOWNFALL OF THE MAJOR CLASSICAL EMPIRES (BENN DIAGRAM)
With the organization of large-scale empires, the volume of long-distance trade increased dramatically. Much of this trade resulted from the demand for raw materials and luxury goods. Land and water routes linked many regions of the Eastern Hemisphere. The exchange of people, technology, religious and cultural beliefs, food crops, domesticated animals, and disease pathogens developed alongside the trade in goods across far-flung networks of communication and exchange. In the Americas and Oceania localized networks developed. I. Land and water routes became the basis for trans-regional trade, communication, and exchange networks in the Eastern Hemisphere.
A. Many factors, including the climate and location of the routes, the typical trade goods, and the ethnicity of people involved, shaped the distinctive features of a variety of trade routes.
II. New technologies facilitated long-distance communication and exchange.
A. New technologies (Yokes, Saddles, Stirrups) permitted the use of domesticated pack animals (Horses, Oxen, Llamas, Camels)to transport goods across longer routes.
B. Innovations in maritime technologies (Lateen Sails, Dhow Ships), as well as advanced knowledge of the monsoon winds, stimulated exchanges along maritime routes from East Africa to East Asia
III. Alongside the trade in goods, the exchange of people, technology, religious and cultural beliefs, food crops, domesticated animals, and disease pathogens developed across far-flung networks of communication and exchange.
A. The spread of crops, including rice and cotton from South Asia to the Middle East, encouraged changes in farming and irrigation techniques (The Qanat System, Noria & Sakia water wheels, and improved pumps like the Shaduf)
B. The spread of disease pathogens diminished urban populations and contributed to the decline of some empires (Effect of disease on the Roman Empire, Effect of Disease on the Chinese Empires
C. Required examples of transformed religious and cultural traditions: BUDDHISM, HINDUISM, CHRISTIANITY
The information that follows is not specifically mentioned by the College Board. However, it will make you a more culturally well-rounded person; so... you're welcome.
Art Pieces To Know :
Parthenon The Parthenon sits upon the Acropolis in the center of Athens. It is THE iconic Western work of Architecture. It served as a temple to Athena and a treasury to the Athenian Empire. There was a Parthenon before this one but the Persians destroyed it. So, they built this one instead. Later, in the 5th Century CE, they converted this temple to Athena into a temple to Mary. In the 1460s, it became an Ottoman Mosque. I always thought that it looked run down because of how old it was. Turns out, during a war between the Venetians and Ottomans, the Ottomans stored their ammo here thinking the Venetians wouldn't attack it. They were wrong.
Sanchi Stupa You are looking at the oldest stone structure in India. It's a stupa. Stupas are round structures usually housing Buddhist relics. Buddhists use Stupas as places of meditation. This one was commissioned by Ashoka himself. His wife directly oversaw the construction as Sanchi was both her hometown and the site of her marrage to Ashoka.
Great Wall Of China There had been walls in China for a while. They were only average walls. With their powers combined under the reign of Qin Shi Huangdi, they became the Great Wall. A theme of Chinese history that you should pick up on this year is that people from the North are constantly trying (and often succeeding) to invade China. The Wall as you know it today wasn't finished until much later (Ming Dynasty). Also, you can't see it from space. But, it's still pretty great. 13,000 miles great. It would take you 10 days to drive the length of this thing (going 60 mph with no stops...) It could replace both the US-Mexico border and the US-Canada border... twice. Sadly, around 300,000 people died in the construction of the wall.... many of which were buried within the wall!
Terra Cotta Army Ok. So, Qing Shi Huangdi will be the only guy to make the ART TO KNOW list twice. But, when you have the power of ALL OF CHINA behind you for the first time in history.... you can get stuff done. The Terra Cotta army is one of the most colossal wastes of time and energy ever. Qin Shi Huangdi had them constructed to defend him in the afterlife (watch me die and then be confronted by the afterlife's true ruler, Qin Shi Huangdi and his massive army). The best part of this story is that no one knew these fellas existed until 1974... Like our Lascaux Cave Paintings, these guys were discovered by accident. Some farmers were trying to dig a well. They kept finding these fragments of sculpture. These fragments were just the tip of the Terra Cotta Iceberg. I'm talking 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots, 520 horses; most of which are still buried. They won't let you walk through the pits (they let Queen Elizabeth II, but she also got to sit on the Iron in Westeros... It's good to be the Queen).
Pont Du Gard Aqueduct This may surprise you, but Romans often thought they were the best thing to ever happen. They liked to mock the Ziggurats and Pyramids for serving no purpose. Enter the Aqueduct. Aqueducts carry water from fresh springs to areas without water. This one is in France. It is the highest and one of the best-preserved. I'm amazed living in the Southern US and seeing Civil War battlefields. I think to myself, "Wow. This is so historic." This is about 2,000 years older. Amazing. After Rome fell, you would think that this would have been taken apart to build huts (or some other medieval junk). But, after the mineral deposits caused it to no longer carry water, it became a toll bridge. Talk about a demotion. ROMAN USE: Water to fountains, baths, homes, farms. MEDIEVAL USE: We can walk on it. This is still one of France's biggest tourist attractions.
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