1. 600 - 1450 C.E. (Before Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492)
Post-Classical
AP Test Review!
Post = After
Classical = ‘Ancient Big Empires’ (like Rome / Han)
C.E.
(Before Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492)

2. Islam!
Muhammad - last prophet of Allah, received message from Angel Gabriel near Mecca
Forced from Mecca to Medina (hijra), formed umma
After Muhammad’s death, Abu Bakr wrote Quran, formed 5 pillars, started Umayyad Caliphate
Sunni / Shi’a schism over who should be caliph

3. Abbasid Caliphate Baghdad - capital ‘Golden Age’ of culture
Very cosmopolitan
Did not force conversion to Islam
Taxed non-Muslims
Overextended, many military threats
Fragmented (Fatimid in Egypt, Umayyad Spain, Samanid in Persia)
Mamluk (Turk) slaves used as soldiers very expensive
Fell to Mongols 1258
Abbasid Caliphate

4. Eastern Europe (Byzantine Empire)
Constantinople - capital
Continued Roman traditions
Emperor Justinian created Justinian Code (Law Code)
Emperor was also patriarch of Eastern Orthodox Church
Hagia Sophia!
Key location as crossroads of trade from Mediterranean to Silk Road
Influenced Kievan Russia
Lost power and territory throughout Post-Classical period

5. Western Europe (Medieval / Middle Ages)
After fall of Rome, Western (Latin) Europe was divided, little trade, education lost
Lords fought each other, Vikings attacked
Feudalism (Manor System), Castles
Attempts at uniting Europe:
Charlemagne - brief period of education
Holy Roman Empire - Germanic kingdoms but under Pope’s influence
Catholic Church and papacy offered cultural unity
Pope fought with kings for power over Church appointments
Monasteries - places of literacy, also offered aid to those in need

6. Late Middle Ages (Renaissance)
Crusades - invasions to free Holy Lands in the Middle East from Muslims. Europeans gained trade, wealth, and lost knowledge of Classical Age (Greece & Rome)
Black Death - led to serfs demanding freedom and end of Feudalism
Increased trade with Middle East & Silk Road led to wealth of Italy, start of Renaissance
Key Renaissance Ideas!
Printing Press, Humanism, Gothic Architecture, patrons, Medici, Giotto, Da Vinci Michelangelo

7. West Africa East Africa
Traded across Trans-Saharan, gained gold
(Some slave trade but very small)
Ghana - first nation outside Middle East to adopt Islam, adopted Islam peacefully
Mali - Larger, wealthier. Mansa Musa performed hajj, spread wealth, built mosques to encourage conversion to Islam
Traded on Indian Ocean
‘Swahili Coast’
Muslim traders mixed Arabic & Persian with Bantu to create Swahili language
Main port: Kilwa
Traded with inland kingdoms like Great Zimbabwe

8. India (Delhi Sultanate)
Muslim invaders enforced rule harshly but provided some unity for divided India
Later rulers were tolerant of Hindus but the division and tensions between the two religions remained high
The Gujurat region (dominated by Muslims) heavily influenced trade on Indian Ocean and spread Islam

9. CHINA! TANG YUAN MING SONG
Buddhism introduced Changan - capital Silk Road trade
Cosmopolitan Forced tributary system
Challenged by Tibet, UIghurs, Turks
Problems blamed on Buddhists
MING
Beijing - capital Confucian order restored
Silk Road closed Emperor Yongle expands trade on Indian Ocean, sends Zheng He
China becomes closed off, fears foreign influence
YUAN
Mongol Empire run by Kublai Khan
Beijing - capital Confucian order disrupted
Silk Road re-opened led to spread of Bubonic Plague
Cosmopolitan, merchants gain power Marco Polo visits then returns to Europe and sparks interest in trade with China
SONG
Southern Song
Very crowded
Canton - capital
Silk Road closed Neo-Confucianism Chan Buddhism Confucianism reinforced Women suppressed (Footbinding) Many intellectual developments

10. Korea Japan Before Mongols attack - Koryo Dynasty
Woodblock printing developed
Mongols attack, Koryo resisted
Korea devastated
After Yuan Empire fell, Koryo overthrown and Yi Dynasty started
Further development of woodblock printing
Advancements with gunpowder
Yamato government Capital - Kyoto (Heian) Adopted Tang characteristics: Confucianism, Buddhism, centralized political ruling style Fujiwara family dominated govt, favored education and valued culture
Kamakura Shogunate overthrows Yamato in 1185, established military government
Mongols attack fails BUT Kamakura Shogunate prepares for invasion, overspends & collapses
Ashikaga Shogunate takes control of Kyoto, but quickly breaks down into regional wars between daimyo (Onin War)

11. Mesoamerica Andean Teotihuacan, Toltecs, Mayans, Aztecs
Large urban centers-center of trade Wealthy elites live in center of city near temples, display wealth with diet & dress Sacrifice performed to please polytheistic gods
Chinampas - floating gardens Long distance trade, advanced textiles
Mayans develop advanced calendar systems, hieroglyphic and cursive writing systems, number placement values
Aztecs use tribute to keep local tribes villages weak
Aztec king chosen by clans
Moche, Tiwanaku & Wari, Inca
Large urban centers-center of trade Wealthy elites live in center of city near temples, display wealth with diet & dress Sacrifice performed to please polytheistic gods
Specialized trade between villages, clans, regions
ayllu - clans mit’a - shared labor khipu - records
Moche develop advanced metallurgy Tiwanaku & Wari advanced architecture
Incas use tribute to keep local tribes villages weak, use mit’a system to force obedience and colonize to expand for resources
Inca king hereditary primogeniture