Period 3: Post-Classical World (600 -1450) - Key Concept 3.1

Summary

This video covers key concepts from the post-classical era (600-1450 CE) in AP World History. It discusses the deepening of global trade networks like the Silk Road, Indian Ocean, and trans-Saharan routes, emphasizing technological innovations such as the magnetic compass, credit systems, and advanced ships. The spread of Islam is highlighted as a significant force in cultural, political, and economic exchanges. Additionally, it explores migrations, cross-cultural interactions, diffusion of crops, and the impact of pathogens like the bubonic plague, illustrating how human interaction shaped societies during this period.

Takeaways

• 🌐 Post-classical era (600 CE to 1450 CE) saw a significant increase in global interaction and trade networks.
• 🚢 Improved maritime technology, such as the Chinese junk, stern post rudder, and lateen sail, expanded sea trade.
• 🧭 Innovations like the magnetic compass and stirrups facilitated both sea and land travel, enhancing trade.
• 💼 The Chinese invented paper money, known as 'flying money,' to cope with a shortage of copper coins.
• 🏛️ States like the Islamic empires, Mongols, and Tang China provided protection and infrastructure that encouraged trade.
• 🌿 The movement of people, such as the Bantu migrations, had environmental and linguistic impacts.
• 🐫 Adaptation to environments was evident, with the Mongols using horses, Vikings building longboats, and Arabs using camels.
• 🌳 Human migration led to environmental changes, such as reforestation due to depopulation by the Mongols.
• 🕌 Islam spread rapidly across Afro-Eurasia, influencing trade, culture, and politics.
• 🌟 Cultural and technological diffusion occurred due to cross-cultural exchanges, with religions like Buddhism and Islam spreading along trade routes.
• 🦠 The spread of crops and diseases, including the bubonic plague, had significant demographic impacts.

Q & A

What is the time period covered in Period 3 of the AP World History concept outline?

Period 3 covers the years 600 CE to 1450 CE.

How did improved transportation technologies affect trade during the post-classical era?

Improved transportation technologies like the Chinese junk, stern post rudder, lateen sail, and magnetic compass increased the volume of trade and expanded the geographical range of trade networks.

What were some key trade routes during this period, and how did they evolve?

The key trade routes were the Silk Road, trans-Saharan trade routes, and Indian Ocean trade. They became more effective due to technological innovations, such as new ships and navigation tools, and increased protection from empires like the Islamic empires and Tang China.

What role did the invention of paper money play in trade during the post-classical era?

The invention of paper money in China, due to the shortage of copper coins, allowed for easier transactions across long distances and greatly facilitated trade across the empire.

How did Islamic empires influence trade and cultural diffusion?

Islamic empires, through innovations like checks (sacks), banking houses, and their strategic position along trade routes, greatly facilitated the spread of goods, culture, and ideas. Islam also spread through mercantile activities and the influence of Sufi mystics.

What were some environmental adaptations made by different cultures during this period?

The Mongols domesticated horses, the Vikings built long boats for sea travel, and Arabs used camels for desert trade, all demonstrating how humans adapted to their environments to enhance mobility and trade.

What was the significance of urban centers like Timbuktu and Baghdad in the post-classical era?

Urban centers like Timbuktu in West Africa and Baghdad in the Middle East served as hubs for trade and cultural exchange, helping to facilitate the movement of goods, people, and ideas across different regions.

How did cross-cultural exchanges influence religious practices during this time?

Cross-cultural exchanges led to the diffusion of religions such as Buddhism, Islam, and neo-Confucianism. For example, merchants and monks spread Buddhism along the Silk Road, and Islam spread throughout West Africa via the trans-Saharan trade routes.

Who were two important travelers during the post-classical period, and why were their accounts significant?

Ibn Battuta and Marco Polo were two famous travelers. Ibn Battuta, a Muslim explorer, traveled extensively across Afro-Eurasia, while Marco Polo, a Christian explorer, is said to have reached the court of Kublai Khan in China. Their accounts helped spread knowledge of different cultures and regions.

What were some technological innovations that diffused across regions during the post-classical era?

Key innovations included gunpowder and paper from China, as well as Arabian spices and knowledge reaching Europe, largely due to interactions during the Crusades and trade.