1. ORGANIZATION AND REORGANIZATION OF HUMAN SOCIETIES c. 600 B.c.e. TO C. 600 C.E.
AP WORLD HISTORY ERA #2

2. 2.1 the development & codification of Religious & Cultural traditions
I. Codifications & further developments of existing religious traditions provided a bond among people & an ethical code to live by: Judaism & Hebrew scriptures, Sanskrit scriptures form basis of Vedic religions
II. New belief systems & cultural traditions emerged & spread, often asserting universal truths: Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism, Christianity & Greco-Roman philosophies
III. Belief systems reinforced existing social structures & offered new roles and status to some men & women: Confucian filial piety, Christian & Buddhist monastic life
IV. Other religious & cultural traditions continued & sometimes incorporated into major religious traditions: Ancestor veneration in Confucianism

3. 2.2 The development of states and empires
I. The number and size of key states & empires grew dramatically as rulers imposed political unity on areas where previously there was competing states: Southwest Asia: Persian empire, East Asia: Qin & Han empires
II. Empires & states developed new techniques of imperial administration, based in part, on success of earlier political forms: Satrap system: Persia; road network: Rome
III. Unique social & economic dimensions developed in imperial societies in Afro-Eurasia and the Americas: Imperial cities: Persepolis; tribute system: Delian League; caste system
IV. Roman, Han, Persian, Mauryan, & Gupta empires encountered political, cultural, & economic difficulties that led to their decline, collapse, & transformation into successor empires: Byzantine Empire

4. 2.3 emergence of interregional networks of communication & Exchange
I. Land & water routes became the basis for interregional trade, communication, & exchange in the Eastern Hemisphere: Eurasian Silk Roads, Indian Ocean trade network
II. New technologies facilitated long-distance communication & exchange: lateen sail
III. Besides the trade in goods, the exchange of people, technology, religious and cultural beliefs, foods, and diseases developed across these networks: Spread of Christianity & Buddhism