Chapter 5 The Classical Period: Directions, Diversities, and Declines by 500 C.E. Chapter Objective: Define history and the concepts of cause and effect, time, change and continuity and perspective across the global historical periods covered in this course

Cultural Diffusion or Independent invention A major theme of AP World is cultural diffusion vs. independent invention It can be argued many of the most important aspects of civilization may have been exported from the core civilizations rather then reinvented at different times Think of this in terms of how each culture developed in relation to religion government and family Also how their culture traits compare to those of the classical civilizations

Crisis of Late Antiquity Chapter 5 deals with the collapse of empires and civilizations in the classical world and the emergence of new cultures Be especially alerted to the influences of religion ( Buddhism, Christianity and Hinduism) on these new empires

Basic Themes Basic theme of the 3 great civilizations of China, India and the Mediterranean involved expansion and integration Throughout the classical world, these themes faltered between 200 and 500 CE This lose of strength signaled the end of that era The response of major religions to political decline formed a leading direction in the next phase of world history Meanwhile, developments outside of the classical world gained new importance

Evaluate the effect on societies of the fall of the classical civilizations Several institutions were affected when gov. collapsed Religion, the family, education, trade and the transference of technology The most devastating effect was on western Europe after the demise of Rome China’s society was the least affected India’s experience was in between Rome and China

Compare the rise of civilizations in the Americas and Polynesia Rise of agriculture was significant in the Americas but less so in Polynesia Governments were headed by kings in both areas A lack of large domesticated animals was a mutual experience Writing systems were nonexistent in both places Polytheism was the common choice of religion Both systems developed civilizations later than China, India, or the Middle East