AP World History - Unit 1: The Global
Tapestry
Review of History Within Civilizations
● What rises out of collapse of classical civilization and interactions developing between
new states
○ Growth of long-distance trade
Overview of World’s Major Religions in 1200
● Most events are connected to religion
● Key Points:
○ Most belief systems still are impacting history
○ Most major religions have divisions = subgroups and sects (focus more on
overall religion)
○ Understand theological basis of belief systems and impact of belief systems on
social, political, cultural, military developments
○ Origin and spread of belief systems - cultural interactions
● Religious Mysticism: adherents within religions focusing on mystical experiences that
bring them closer to divine - prayer, meditation
● Buddhism
○ Cultures: India, China, Southeast Asia, Japan
○ Context:
○ Founded by Siddhartha Gautama, a young Hindu prince - lived in Nepal from
563-483 BCE, rejected wealth and world possessions and became Buddha
(Enlightened One)
○ No supreme being - 4 Noble Truth: (1) all life is suffering, (2) suffering caused by
desire, (3) can be freed of desire, (4) freed of desire following a prescribed path
○ Death of Buddha (483 BCE) = Buddhism split - Theravada Buddhism and
Mahayana Buddhism
○ Theravada Buddhism: meditation, simplicity, nirvana as renunciation of
consciousness and self
○ Mahayana Buddhism: great ritual, spiritual comfort - more complex but with
greater spread
○ Impact: rejects caste system - appealed to those of lower rank
○ India: reabsorbed in Hinduism
○ China, Japan, Southeast Asia: Buddhism continued to thrive
○ Further: spread via trade routes
● Christianity
○ Cultures: started as group of Jews, quickly expanded through Europe,
northeastern Africa, Middle East
○ Context:
○ Based around Jesus of Nazareth, a figure who claimed to be Messiah the Jews
had awaited - teachings of devotion to God and love for others
○ Jesus was crucified by Roman and Jewish leaders in 30 CE and his followers
believe he rose from dead into heaven
○ Based on Bible teachings
○ Believe Jesus is the Son of God - forgiveness of sins, everlasting life is
achievable through him
○ World was created by God, but world has fallen from God
○ Believers should seek God and care for him and others
○ Impact: compassion, grace through faith appealed to lower classes and women
○ Became most influential religion in Mediterranean basin by 3rd century
○ Became official religion of Roman Empire, then branching north and west
○ Connection with Roman Empire had profound impact on global culture
● Confucianism
○ Cultures: China (400 BCE+)
○ Context:
○ Founded by Confucius, educator and political advisor - thoughts and sayings
collected in the Analects
○ Deals with how to restore political and social order, not with philosophical or
religious topics
○ 5 fundamental relations build society and make it orderly - (1) ruler and subject,
(2) parent and child, (3) husband and wife, (4) older sibling and younger sibling.
(5) friend and friend
○ Impact:
○ Compatible with other religions, causing it to flourish
○ Led to distinctive Chinese culture of tight-knit communities
○ Stayed within Chinese culture
● Hinduism
○ Cultures: India
○ Context:
○ Belief in one supreme force called Brahma who created everything - gods are
manifestations of Brahma (Vishnu = preserver, Shiva = destroyer)
○ Goal of believer is to merge with Brahma - believe it takes multiple lives to
accomplish and believers live to determine who they will be in their next life
○ Following the dharma (rules and obligations of your caste) will move you towards
Brahma - moksha is highest stake of being (internal peace and release of soul)
○ No sacred text - Vedas and Upanishads guide Hindus
○ Impact:
○ Religion and social caste system, which has prevented global acceptance of
religion
○ Recently, Hindus are rebelling caste system
○ Spawned Buddhism
● Islam
○Cultures: caliphates (Islamic kingdoms), North Africa, central Asia, Europe
○Context:
○7th century - Muslims are the believers
○Allah presented words through prophet Muhammad, whose words were recorded
in the Qur’an
○ Salvation is won through submission to God - 5 Pillars of Islam: (1) confession,
(2) prayer 5 times a day, (3) charity, (4) fasting during Ramadan, (5) pilgrimage to
Mecca
○ 2 groups, Shia and Sunni, who disagreed who should succeed Muhammad
○ Impact:
○ Rapidly spread to Middle East
● Judaism
○ Cultures: Hebrews
○ Context
○ God selected a group of holy people who should follow his laws and worship
them
○ Unique relationship with God
○ World is for them to enjoy, free will - destiny of world is paradise
○ Hebrew Bible - Torah, miracles, laws, historical chronicles, poetry, prophecies
○ Impact
○ First of major monotheistic faiths
Developments in the Middle East
● Abbasid Dynasty: Golden Age to Remember
○ Islamic Empire from 750-1258 CE - early mid-9th century golden age
○ Capital in Baghdad (modern-day Iraq)
○ Centre for arts and sciences - mathematics (Nasir al-Din al Tusi), medicine,
writings (House of Wisdom library)
○ Built around trade - used receipt and bill system
● Decline of Islamic Caliphates: Internal Rivalries and Mongol Invasions
○ Challenged by revolt of enslaved Turkish warriors, new Shia dynasty in Iran,
Seljuk Turk Sunni group, Persians, Europeans, Byzantines, and most importantly
Mongols
○ Mongols overtook and destroyed Baghdad in 1258
○ Ottoman Turks would later reunite Egypt, Syria, and Arabia in new Islamic state
until 1918
○ Mamluks: Egyptian group that defeated Mongols in Nazareth, helping preserve
Islam in Near East
Developments in Europe
● Middle Ages: fall of Rome before Renaissance - complicated time
● Eastern Roman Empire became Byzantine Empire
● Western Europe: collapsed entirely - Christianity remained strong
● European Feudalism: Land Divided
1. Feudalism: European hierarchy social system of Middle Ages
2. King: power over whole kingdom
3. Nobles: had power over sections of kingdom in exchange for loyalty to king and
military service
4. Vassals: lesser lords with sections of Noble land who could divide it further -
estates were called fiefs or manors (self-sufficient)
■ Founded three-field system: 3 fields for fall, spring, and empty one to
replenish nutrients
■ Conflict between lords was regulated with code of chivalry which
condemned betrayal and promoted mutual respect
■ Male dominated: women could not own land and land was passed down
to eldest son (primogeniture), their education was limited to domestic
skills
5. Peasants or Serfs: worked the land
■ Had few rights or freedoms outside of manor
■ Skilled in trades, which helped them break out of feudal mode as global
trade increased - led to middle class emergence of craftsmen and
merchants
Emergence of Nation-States
● At end of Middle Ages, people began moving from feudal kingdom organization to
linguistic and cultural organization - emergence of modern countries
● Achievement of statehood in 13th century took different paths
○ Germany: reigning family of emperorship died out, entering a period of
interregnum (time between kings) - merchants and tradespeople became more
powerful
○ England: English nobles rebelled against King John and forced him to sign the
Magna Carta - reinstated the nobles, laid foundation for Parliament
○ Later divided into House of Lords (nobles and clergy - legal issues) and House of
Commons (knights and wealth burghers - trade and taxation)
○ France: in 12th century, England began to occupy many parts of France which
spurred revolts - Joan of Arc fought back English out of Orleans
○ Hundred Years’ War (1337-1453): unified France, leading to England’s
withdrawal
○ Spain: Queen Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon married to unite
Spain in a single monarchy and forced all residents to convert to Christianity -
Spanish Inquisition
○ Russia: taken over by Tartars (group of eastern Mongols) under Genghis Kahn
in 1242 until Russian prince Ivan III expanded his power in 1400s and became
czar - Ivan the Terrible became a ruthless ruler utilizing secret police in 1500s
Developments in Asia
China and Nearby Regions
● Song Dynasty (960-1279)
○ Confucianism justified subordination of women - foot binding: women’s feet
bound after birth to keep them small
○ Neo-Confucianism: Buddhist ideas about soul, filial piety, maintenance of proper
roles, loyalty to superiors
● Ming Dynasty (1368-1644): after brief period of Mongol dominance
● Religion: influenced by Nestorianism, Manichaeism, Zoroastrianism, Islam, and
especially Buddhism in two of its forms
○ Mahayana: peaceful and quiet existence apart from worldly values
○ Chan or Zen: meditation and appreciation of beauty
Japan
● Relatively isolated from external influences outside Asia for many years
● Feudal Japan (1192):
1. Emperor
2. Shogun (chief general)
3. Daimyo: owners of larger pieces of land, powerful samurai (like knights)
4. Followed Code of Bushido code of conduct - loyalty, courage, honour
5. Lesser samurai (like vassals)
6. Peasants and artisans
● Women had little rights and esteem
India
● Delhi Sultanate: Islamic invader kingdom in Delhi
● Islam took over Northern India - clash between Islam monotheism and Hinduism
polytheism
● Islam rulership brought in colleges and farming improvements
● Rajput Kingdoms: several Hindu principalities that united to resist Muslim forces from
1191 until eventual takeover in 1527
Southeast Asia
● Religion spread and established different states
● Khmer Empire (9th-15th century): Hindu Empire in modern day Cambodia, Laos,
Thailand
○ Beliefs were carried through Indian Ocean trade network
○ Crafted the Angor Wat temple
Developments in Africa
● Islamic Empire spread to North Africa in the 7th to 8th centuries - travelled through
Sahara Desert and reached the wealthy sub-Saharan
● An explosion of trade began
● Hausa Kingdoms: off Niger River, series of state system kingdoms
○ Islam region, achieved economic stability and religious influence though long
trade (salt and leather) - notably city of Kano
○ Political and economic downturn in 18th century due to internal wars
Developments in Americas
● 3 great civilization in Central and South America: Maya, Incas, Aztecs
● Aztecs: Trade and Sacrifice
○ Arrived in Mexico in mid 1200s
○ Tenochtitlan: capital city (modern Mexico City)
○ Expansionist policy and professional, strict army
○ Empire of 12 million people with flourishing trade, many of people enslaved
○ Women were subordinate, but could inherit property
● Inca: My Land is Your Land
○ Andes Mountains in Peru
○ Expansionist - army, established bureaucracy, unified language, system of roads
and tunnels
○ Many people were peasants
○ Capital of Cuzco had almost 300000 people in late 1400s
○ Women were more important and could pass property to their daughters
○ Polytheistic religion with human sacrifice - Sun god was most important
○ People were mummified after death
○ Military was very important
○ Temple of the Sun and Machu Picchu architecture
● The Mayans
