Development of Medieval Civilizations: Contrasts with Ancient Times

1. Chapter 2, Section 1. How did civilizations develop in the medieval world, and how was this different from ancient times?

2. In the 7th Century a man named Muhammed founded a monotheistic religion in the Arabian Peninsula. It was based upon the holy book, the Quran. Islam

3. Muslims absorbed science and technology from those they conquered, and made their own advances in Math, the sciences, astronomy, and medicine. They brought a code of law and a written language to societies without them. They brought wealth and a better life through extensive trade networks.

4. Ruled from 1312 to 1337, doubling the size of Mali. He was a Muslim and made a pilgrimage to Mecca. He made capital city Timbuktu a center of Islamic learning and culture. Mansa Musa

5. The Portuguese came to Africa by ship, looking for gold and slaves. They stayed to try to gain control of the Indian Ocean.

6. The Chinese began to make steel for swords and sickles, and gunpowder for explosives. China was a Monarchy with a large bureaucracy based upon Confucian ideals.

7. Early Japanese rulers such as Shotoku Taishi tried to set up a centralized political system based on China. The power of landed aristocrats ensured a weak central authority. They therefore kept much of their customs, beliefs and institutions from the past.

8. By 1200AD, Muslims controlled the Northern Plain of India. The subcontinent is mostly Hindu India plus two Islamic states- Bangladesh and Pakistan.

9. The coronation of Charlemagne as Roman emperor (800AD) fused Europe together: the German tribes, the Roman legacy, and the Christian church. The Carolingian Empire fostered the idea of a distinct European identity.

10. Feudalism: Put power into the hands of many different lords, who came to constitute a powerful group of nobles that dominated the political, economic, and social life of Europe.

11. The development of trade, the expansion of towns and cities, and the development of a money economy created the foundations for a mostly urban industrial society. The High Middle Age: An increase in agricultural production helped Europe sustain a dramatic rise in population.

12. The collapse of medieval civilization. The end of the 14th century brought the Black Death plague, a decline in trade and industry, constant warfare, political instability, a decline of church power, and a battle between two popes.

13. The Maya and the Aztec built elaborate cities that had pyramids, temples, and palaces. Both were polytheistic, worshiping many gods and goddesses.