Amy's AP World History Blog: July 2008

III. History Review through 600 C.E.

A. Nomads
Major ideas were hunting and agriculture. Developing trends were farming and agriculture. other stuff was they had few personal belongings, they didn't settle down in towns or build permanent homes, women had few rights, very male-dominated societies.

B. The Neolithic Revolution
Major ideas were specialization of labor. A lot of people started farming more food so others could do stuff like build, invent, create tools... major events were when people discovered how to use metals. A developing trend was people were starting to use animals for other than just food and clothing. For example, oxen were starting to be used for plowing up land. other stuff was that civilizations were starting to be built instead of people moving around a lot. People started to think of property in terms of ownership.

C. The Big Early Civilizations: The Rivers Deliver
Most of the world's early great civilizations were located in river valleys.
1. Mesopotamia
Major ideas were cities by water.
Sumer: The first major civilization of Mesopotamia
Developed form of writing called cuneiform. Developed wheel. Also developed a 12-month calendar, a math system based on units of 60 (60 seconds and 360 degrees). used geometry to survey the land and develop architectural enhancements like arches and columns.

From Sumer to Babylon to Nineveh to Babylon
Sumer and Akkad overthrown by Babylon. Code of Hammurabi. Major Person: King Hammurabi. Then, Hittites and Assyrians- Nineveh. Major Person: King Nebuchadnezzar- rebuilt Babylon. When Babylon fell, Persian empire developed into major world force.

Lydians, Phoenicians, and Hebrews, Oh My!
Lydians came up with concept of using coined money in trade. Phoenicians established powerful naval city-states all along the Mediterranean and developed a simple 22 letter alphabet. Hebrews were the first Jews. Established Israel in Palestine.

2. Ancient Egypt
Egyptians followed a stable agricultural cycle and compiled substantial food surpluses. 3 major kingdoms- Old, Middle, and New. major person: King Menes. Pharaohs constructed obelisks and pyramids for their after life. Hieroglyphics. Egypt became dependent on trade because of need for wood and stone. Religious beliefs: Polytheistic. Focused on afterlife. Major Person: Queen Hatsheput. Women in Egypt had more rights than in other societies. Romans eventually completely absorbed Egypt into their empire.

3. Indus Valley Civilization 2500 to 1500 B.C.E.
Khyber Pass provided connection to the outside world and later gave invading forces a way in. Polytheistic. Used potter's wheels, farmers grew cotton, artisans made cloth. Aryans invaded, easily defeated Indus Valley. Aryan beliefs evolved to form the basis of Hinduism. Caste System.

4. Early China: Shang on the Hwang around 1600 to around 1100 B.C.E.
The Shang considered themselves superior to all others. They were accomplished bronze workers, used horse-drawn chariots, developed the spoked wheel, became experts in the production of pottery and silk, devised a decimal system, and a highly accurate calendar. Believed in extended family. Polytheistic. Important person: Wu Wang. Ousted the Shang, made the Zhou Dynasty. Ended in 256 B.C.E.

5. Mesoamerica and Andean South America
Olmec (Mexico today....1200 to 1400 B.C.E.) and Chavin (in the Andes....900 to 300 B.C.E.) were two early civilizations in the Americas. Olmec supported by surpluses of corn, beans, and squash. Polytheistic. Chavin also Polytheistic. Had access to coast, had seafood. Developed ways to use metals in tools, weapons. Used llamas.

6. West Africa: Bantu Migrations and the Stateless Society"
Farmers migrated south and east.

D. The Classical Civilizations: Mesoamerica
Mayan Civilization. From about 300 B.C.E. to about 800 C.E. dominated present-day southern Mexico and parts of Central America. Collections of city-states that were ruled by the same king. Like the Egyptians, built pyramids and used Hieroglyphics. Used advanced agricultural techniques like the ridged field system. Cotton and maize were widely cultivated. Humans were the primary source of labor (slaves).
E. The Classical Civilizations: India and China
1. The Mauryan Empire in India (321 to approximately 180 B.C.E.)
Important person: Chandragupta Maurya, founded Mauryan Empire. Important person: Ashoka Maurya, took empire to its greatest heights. Trade was important. Had powerful military, then Ashoka converted to Buddhism, nonviolence.

2. The Gupta Dynasty in India ( 320-550 C.E.)
Important person: Chandra Gupta. Mathematicians there developed the concepts of pi and zero. Decimal system. Hinduism became dominant religion. Gupta Dynasty collapsed under the White Huns.

3. The Qin Dynasty in China (221 to around 209 B.C.E.)
Great Wall of China. Important person: Qin Shihuangdi, first emperor. Dominant belief system was Legalism.

4. The Han Dynasty in China (around 200 B.C.E. to around 200 C.E.)
Important person Wu Ti, often called the warrior emperor. One of the most significant developments was the civil service system based on the teachings of Confucius. Also, Chinese invented paper, highly accurate sundials, and calendars.

F. The Classical Civilizations: Mediterranean
1. Greece
Coastal position aided trade by boat. Could easily sail somewhere to trade wine and olive products for grain. Collections of city-states. Two major cities were Athens and Sparta. Each Polis was composed of three groups. Athens regarded as first democracy, although no women could participate. Important people: Draco and Solon (aristocrats who helped make democracy in Athens). Greeks were polytheistic, meaning they had many gods and myths (for example, Zeus and Aphrodite). The Persian wars: Greece had two major victories. Important person: Pericles (leader of Athens), Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, Archimedes, Hippocrates, Euclid, and Pythagoras (a2+b2=c2). Pelopponnesian War in 431 B.C.E. Between Athens and Sparta. Philip of Macedon invaded Athens, allowed Greek Culture to still flourish. Philip's son, Alexander the Great, expanded Macedonian dominance even more to include Greece, Macedon, Egypt, Bactria, and Anatolia. Hellenism-culture, ideals, and pattern of life of Classical Greece. Romans.

2. Rome (509 B.C.E.-476 C.E.)
Like the Greeks, Romans were polytheistic (Example- Cupid). many of their gods were of Greek origin. Had a form of democracy that was slightly different than the Greek's. Organized and patriarchal social structure. Early on, Rome developed civil laws to protect individual rights. Twelve Tables of Rome. "Innocent until proven guilty." Slavery important element. The Punic Wars. Second Punic war started in 218 C.E. with and attack by Hannibal, a A Carthaginian general, one of the great military geniuses of all time. Romans built an extensive road network, made aqueducts, and greatly enlarged their navy. Important people: Pompey, Crassus, Julius Caesar, Octavius, Marc Antony, Lepidus. Octavius assumed the name Augustus Caesar. Literature and architecture flourished. Ptolemy, science. Paganism was the state religion, then Christianity developed. Christianity grew out of Judaism. Christians persecuted. Emperor Constantine issued Edict of Milan, Christianity became official religion of Roman Empire.

G. Lat Classical Period: Empires Collapse and People on the Move
1. Collapse of the Maya
Nobody's sure exactly what happened to the Maya. Started to desert their cities in the 9th century C.E. and the great civilization fizzled out.

2. Collapse of Han China
Xin Dynasty: Wang Mang (9-23 C.E.) took power. Made some disastrous missteps that weakened the empire and his control over it. The Xin Dynasty came to an end in 23 C.E. when Wang Mang was killed in battle. The Han Dynasty was restored, impossible to make full recovery, government collapsed in 220 C.E. For next 400 years, China divided into regional kingdoms.

3. Collapse of Gupta Empire
Empire fell because it was invaded by the White Huns. Underlying culture of India (including Hinduism and the Caste System) survived invasion, empire didn't.

4. Collapse of Western Portion of Roman Empire
In 284 C.E., Diocletian became emperor. Constantine became emperor in 322 C.E. Germanic invaders, pressed by Attila and his Huns, completed fall of Roman Empire.

5. Cultural Diffusion 200-600 C.E.
Trade routes flourishing at the same time major empires were collapsing. Disease and invading armies traveled same routes. Religion also followed the roads of merchants.

IV. Major Belief Systems through 600 C.E.
A. Polytheism
The vast majority of ancient civilizations were polytheistic, except Hebrews and Christians. Polytheists believe on multiple gods who impact daily life. many of the grand works of civilizations dedicated to gods.

B. Confucianism
Widely practiced throughout China from around 400 B.C.E. onward. A political and social philosophy. Focuses on five fundamental relationships. Junzi, individuals considered superior because educated, conscientious, and able to put aside personal ambition for the good of the state.

C. Daoism
Some Chinese practiced Daoism from around 500 B.C.E. onward. Defined as the way of nature. Passive and yielding.

D. Legalism
The Chinese, specifically during the Qin Dynasty, are the most notable practitioners. Maintained that Peace and order were achievable only through a centralized, tightly governed state. Tough laws needed. Believed two of most worthy professions were farming and military.

E. Hinduism
Aryans, and subsequent empires in the Indian subcontinent, practiced Hinduism. One supreme force called Brahma, the creator. Hindu gods are manifestations of Brahma. Hindus believe in more than one life. Religion and Caste System. Believe can be reincarnated as animals.

F. Buddhism
Eastern civilizations, most notably India, China, and Southeast Asia practiced Buddhism. Founded by young Hindu prince named Siddhartha Gautama, born and lived in Nepal form 563 through 483 B.C.E. Rejected wealth to search for meaning of human suffering. After meditating under sacred tree, became the Buddha. No supreme being in Buddhism, four noble truths. Goal is to reach perfect peace and harmony. Also believe in reincarnation. Buddha died in 483 B.C.E., Buddhism split into two large movements, Thervada (Hinayana) and Mahayana...Buddhism appealed to those of lower rank.

G. Judaism
Hebrews practiced Judaism. Monotheistic. Belief in afterlife. Created by God. God created world. Destiny of world is paradise. Follow law of Moses. Religious practice and societal custom.

H. Christianity
Originally splinter group of Jews, quickly expanded into non-Jewish community and throughout the Roman Empire. Jesus, son of God, the promised Messiah. Many attracted to teachings and love for human beings. In 30 C.E., Jesus crucified. Rose from dead and ascended into heaven. World made by personal and sovereign God. Seek to know God, worship him. Practice love and service. Spread by the disciples of Jesus. Paul of Tarsus. Christianity appealed to the lower classes and women. Became most influential religion in the Mediterranean basin.

V. Technology and Innovations through 600 C.E.
Most important technologies developed by early civilizations included farming tools: ploughs, hoes, rakes, the wheel, the cart, and pottery to store surplus in the off season. Copper first metal used. Knowledge that helped make farming technology used to create weapons, defense systems. Major development was stirrup. Irrigation, steady water supplies, fairly reliable plumbing and sewage systems needed as civilizations grew. Pyramids, ziggurats, walls, temples, aqueducts, coliseums, theaters, stadiums, roads. Means of communication,record keeping, for trade and everything. Every civilization developed relatively accurate calendars. Maya and Gupta: concept of zero. Chinese: Building of Great Wall, massive army, windmills, wheelbarrows, early forms of gunpowder, how to distill alcohol, paper.

VI. Changes and Continuities in the Role of Women.
Women maintained power within private sphere- managing households and taking responsibility for children's education, wives and mothers often the unrecognized power behind the throne. Upper class or elite women more restricted in their public appearances, lower class women, peasants, and female slaves continued work outside home. In Buddhism and Christianity women considered equal able to achieve salvation or nirvana. Hindu woman could not read sacred Vedas or participate in prayers, could not reach maksha in her lifetime. Daoism in China promoted balance, as Confucianism came to dominate, men clearly superior to women.

VII. Pulling It All Together
1. Civilizations
Agriculture, written language, and use of metals contributed to growth of early civilizations. Trade routes and conquest. What happens when civilizations become dominant with no rivals. Why the civilizations start to fall apart.
2. Sources of Change
Two main methods were trade and conquest, but expansion of major belief systems played major role also. Invention and innovation.
3. Humans versus nature
Digging of canals, irrigation ditches, stone-cutting, plowing, metal-working, and development of calendars and sundials. A civilizations developed, they were less subject to natural events causing their demise, but more subject to other civilizations doing so. Focus of concern shifted from need for bodily protection to the desire for internal peace.

Amy's AP World History Blog

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Part 2- Chapter 6: Ancient Stuff:Arond 8000 B.C.E. to 600 C.E.

Chapter 5: Cracking the Free-Response Question

About Me

Blog Archive