CCOT China (religion): Between 600 CE and 1500 CE, Tang China attempted to eradicate Buddhism for its high acceptance in 840 until the Yuan Empire demoted Confucianism in 1200s, which was followed by a strong pursuit of Confucian beliefs in the Ming Empire in the 1500s, while Buddhism was never fully eradicated and was always present. After Tang support of Buddhism for years, the Confucianist elites were upset at Buddhist monks not paying taxes and believed that Buddhism undermined family values (women could participate in politics). Then the Yuan demoted Confucianism and many men became merchants. After that the Ming tried to bring it back. Can use song neo-confucianism as part of continuity, even when Confucianism was wanted by people it was tied in with Buddhism. Tang Buddhism 600-800 > Tang Confucianism (Persecution of Buddhism) 800-900 > Song Neo- Confucianism 960-1279> Yuan Demotion of Confucianism (Possibly accepted Buddhism) 126> Ming Confucianism Prevalence of Buddhism. Buddhism was NEVER fully eradicated and always bounced back. Tang was the center of Mahayana Buddhist ideas and Vietnam, Korea came to the Tang for new ideas. The Tang elites eventually were unhappy (look above). They tried to get rid of Buddhism by burning monasteries and such, but it still lasted. The Song empire realized the Tang failure and instead incorporated Buddhism into neo-confucianism. Yuan accepted Buddhism and really, all belief systems, including Confucianism (but the new Confucians had lower status than, say, in the Tang). The Ming did not LIKE the foreign-ness of Buddhism, but regardless Buddhism was still there. GLOBAL: Vietnam, Korea came to the Tang capitol for new Buddhist ideas. Japan and Korea were introduced into Chan Buddhism. Tang Mahayana Buddhism influenced Tibet and caused them to create Tibetan Buddhism. China (trade): Between 600 CE and 1500 CE, Chinese trade gradually grew throughout Tang, Song, and Yuan power, until anti-mongol sentiments led to closed-door Ming policies by the 1300s, although the importance of the Silk Road persisted. Tang exports often vastly outnumbered imports. Travel along the Silk Road increased, ports of IOTN got more commerce. Goods included superior silks and porcelain. In the Song dynasty, rapid economic growth (land no longer only source of wealth, undermined gov t monopolies) (cities, commerce, use of credit grew, as Song industries were able to mass produce goods like bronze and ceramics). In the Yuan, the capitol (Beijing) was connected to the caravan routes. The caravan routes connected Europe to China (use of Silk Road). Plus, since
Confucianism declined in importance, merchants were looked down upon less, and corporations/gentry families began engaging in commerce. But the Ming dynasty didn t do this. Instead, due to anti-mongol (and anti-foreigner, tight policies) policies, they closed up. They censored their technology (guns, gunpowder) from Southeast Asia by shutting down shipyards and ports. Emperor Yongle started maritime expeditions, but they were not for trade. GLOBAL: Silk Road connected Europe to China in Yuan Empire China (political structure): Between 600 CE and 1500 CE, Chinese political structures experienced a dramatic turning point with the fall of the Tang empire and the establishment of the Yuan empire in the 1200s, which led to the tight Ming political policies by the 1300s, although an imperial structure persisted. GLOBAL: China (interactions): Between 600 CE and 1500 CE, Chinese interactions experienced a dramatic turning point with the establishment of Yuan power, which led to closed-door Ming policies by the 1300s, although some degree of contact with Korea and Japan persisted. Africa (religion): Between 600 CE and 1500 CE, African religion gradually changed from indigenous religions and cults to the organized religion of Islam because of trade contacts, while continuously believing in magicians, magic, and other things Islam couldn t change. Started out as folk religions believing in magicians and etc. Ruler of Takrur converted in 1030, and after that, it spread peacefully through trade and viciously through the Biebers. By the end, Africa was mostly all Islamic states. Africa (Economy): Between 600 CE and 1500 CE, African trade differed as Ghana first used the domination of Trans-Saharan trade routes and a good agricultural base to dominate trade in Africa, Mali expanded on land and used Islam to further expand this, while because they didn't go out beyond the rural communities in which their families had lived for generations, the villages endured an an agricultural support, rather than extensive trade, while the kingdoms and empires rose and fell with increased outside contact.
Mali later controlling the gold/ copper mines (believed to have caused value of gold to remain depressed in Cairo for years; Musa so lmavish with his gifts because it was his personal duty as a Muslim to display Mali s exceeding wealth) Also, North African Muslim traders gave Mali and its rulers significant prosperity. From these riches, 1250 to 1500 about 30 to 40 city states rose that provided a lot of profits (Ex: Great Zimbabwe). Africa (political structure): Between 600 CE and 1500 CE, African political structures shifted from dispersed nomadic groups to more centralized states of Ghana and Mali in the 8th to 15th centuries, although power through trade continued throughout the time period. Like Ghana before it, Mali depended on a well-developed agricultural base and CONTROL OF THE LUCRATIVE REGIONAL AND TRANS-SAHARAN TRADE ROUTES. USE OF GOLD MINES NOTE: differences in society /environment caused hard uniformity. Also, different languages; different natural impediments prevented any invasion/ no uniform culture Gradual participation in trade along Indian Ocean maritime trade route & spread of Islam Increased long distance contacts, construction of larger ships à shipments of cotton textiles, pepper, food grains, timber, etc Africa (interactions): Between 600 CE and 1500 CE, African societies gradually changed from relatively isolated communities into metropolitan trading centers, while villages, endured over time, disconnected from the outside world of trade, while trading kingdoms and empires rose and fell due to increased interaction. - Ghana pioneers in political and trading power. - Gold from Ghana exported - Pastoralists/ farmers guided caravans, so they also got profit.
COMP Aztec/Inca: Thesis: Between 600 CE and 1500 CE, Aztecs and Incas differed in forms of political control over conquered states and economic systems, while in both societies religion played a similar role. while the Aztecs used their military to force defeated peoples to provide food, textiles, and even sacrificial captives as tribute. The Aztecs just went in, took food as tribute, and left. left local hereditary elites in place, the Incas in contrast created more centralized administrative structure managed by a trained bureaucracy. The Incas left military garrisons in regions and monitored local regional elites (they kept them in power, so the subject people would listen, but really controlled them behind the scenes). Aztecs used a system of barter (standard units of value: cacao, quills filled with gold, cotton cloth), used lightweight/valuable products (due to absence of draft animals/wheeled vehicles). Incas used herds of alpacas and llamas, as well as the mit a system, to survive and gain prosperity (also exploited different countries needs, multiplied exchanges when trading) many annual sacrifices which were ordered by king to appease gods, king needed to legitimate rule by creating elaborate religious rituals/performing them; warfare had religious meaning, conquests to legitimate rule Aztecs: king took part in rituals, cult of Huitzilopochtli popularized human sacrifice (often captives) for military both societies made their kings expand when they took rule Silk Road/Indian Ocean: While both trading networks allowed for efficient transmission as a result of competition, the geographical impact and role of politics for each network differed between 1000-1500 CE. the Yuan Empire used the Silk Road to connect Asia with Europe Mongols in Russia/China: From 1200 to 1500 the Golden Horde and the Yuan both entered a period of economic decline, but they had differing government centralization, and in how they interacted with their subject peoples.
("The flow of silver and gold into Mongol hands starved the local economy of precious metal" Russia pg. 307 "The agriculture base, damaged by war, over-taxation, and the passage of armies, could not satisfy the financial needs of the Mongol aristocracy" China pg. 310) Golden Horde ruled Russia from afar, stationing their capital at Old Sarai where the Volga flows into the Caspian Sea. To facilitate their control over their Russian subjects, they granted privileges to the Orthodox Church to help the Russian people accept their distant masters Mongols in Russia vs. Mongols in China While Mongols united China and managed to keep it unified, Mongol unification in Russia quickly fell apart. Golden Horderwas established by Batu, Genghis Khan s grandson, after he defeated the Russian and Kipchack army In 1223, they were a unified state, but they broke apart into smaller khanates like the White Horde in southeastern Russia and the Crimean Khanate along the Black Sea China had been 3 separate states, the Tangutt, Jin, and Souther Song, with different languages, writing systems, and political structures. Mongols destroyed this and reunified China once and for all European Monarch/African Monarch: Between (certain time periods), European monarchs and African monarchs both experienced decentralized rule, however, Europe -conflict between religious ruler and political ruler -decentralized rule because of feudalistic remains Africa - one ruler who is religious and political figure -decentralized rule because of geographic isolation between African states - state sponsership - no equivalent of a pope in africa