1. Postclassical Period Overview 500 – 1450 C.E.

2. The Postclassical Period was a time of great dynamism. There was a lot going on. – Medieval Europe was only a small part of this larger experience. – It has been seen as sandwiched between the grandeur of Greece & Rome and the Renaissance

3. What makes this a new period in World History? (periodization) We have to answer several questions: 1.What themes of the previous period are no longer dominate in this one? 2.What things happen to identify this as a new period? 3.What new themes define this as a new period?

4. 1. Obsolete Themes With the fall of the classical empires, we no longer see the processes of unification and expansion – China – India – Mediterranean Basically established by end of Classical Period. – split & western part fragmented

5. 2. New Identity Beginning of Postclassical Period is marked by the fall of Han China, Gupta India and the Roman Empire. Also marked by the emergence of the Arabs and Islam as a new force. – The Arab-Islamic civilization becomes the first world-class civilization that we have dealt with so far.

6. 2. New Identity There was a larger number of civilization centers and a larger geographical range than before. – Mediterranean world split into three distinct civilizations: 1.Islam & Arabs in Middle East & North Africa

8. 2. New Identity There was a larger number of civilization centers and a larger geographical range than before. – Mediterranean world split into three distinct civilizations: 1.Islam & Arabs in Middle East & North Africa 2.Byzantine Empire

10. 2. New Identity There was a larger number of civilization centers and a larger geographical range than before. – Mediterranean world split into three distinct civilizations: 1.Islam & Arabs in Middle East & North Africa 2.Byzantine Empire 3.Western European society

12. 2. New Identity New territories of civilization emerge – Japan – Russia – Northwestern Europe – Northern Germany – British Isles – Scandinavia – sub-Saharan Africa – the Swahili City States

14. 3. New Themes Two primary themes help define the Postclassical Period: 1.The spread of world religions that cross and unify political boundaries without erasing those boundaries. Christianity, Islam & Buddhism Surge of missionary activity Churches, centers of Islamic law and scholarship, and Buddhist temples become the focus of activity in this period, eclipsing the role of formal states.

15. 3. New Themes Two primary themes help define the Postclassical Period: 2.The emergence of a “world network.” Commercial arteries emerge, running from Middle East, across the Indian Ocean to Southeast Asia and China

17. 3. New Themes Two primary themes help define the Postclassical Period: 2.The emergence of a “world network.” Commercial arteries emerge, running from Middle East, across the Indian Ocean to Southeast Asia and China This east-west artery was embellished by feeder routes that ran north-south

23. 3. New Themes Two primary themes help define the Postclassical Period: 2.The emergence of a “world network.” Commercial arteries emerge, running from Middle East, across the Indian Ocean to Southeast Asia and China This east-west artery was embellished by feeder routes that ran north-south These trading connections were sustained by new technologies, navigational devices, improved map-making

25. Two zones of the World Network First zone: Arab world, Byzantine Empire, India, China 3. New Themes

26. Zone One of World Economic Network: Arab world, Byzantine Empire, China

27. Two zones of the World Network First zone: Arab world, Byzantine Empire, India, China – This was the developed world of the day – Most sophisticated manufacturing systems, largest cities, elaborate political structures, most upper-class people than elsewhere – These areas actively traded with each other and influenced each other 3. New Themes

28. Two zones of the World Network Second zone: New group of societies/civilizations that surrounded first zone: – Japan – parts of Southeast Asia – sub-Saharan Africa – Russia – Northwestern Europe 3. New Themes

29. Zone Two of World Economic Network: Japan, SE Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, Russia, NW Europe

30. Two zones of the World Network Second zone: - These societies forged trading connections with more developed regions - They imitated the more developed societies and developed economic and cultural apparatuses more quickly than they would have 3. New Themes

31. These two themes mark a significant shift in world history. – Local and regional factors no longer define and shape societies – Cultural issues, rather than political issues begin to unify people of the world – The economic trade network links people of the world together as it never had before.