Chapter 4: Empires: The basic definition of an empire is a political system that provides coercive corrective power. It is more commonly used for larger more aggressive states that rule, conquer, and extract resources from other states and peoples.
Empires and Civilizations in Collision: The Persians and the Greeks
Most cultures in this region did not encounter one another with the exception of the following Persian and Greek Empires. Empires can collapse for many reasons; size constraints, resource constraints, and lack technological advancement. Another factor within a prosperous empire is the increasing influence of the middle class where than can exercise more control of commoners and create a peasant system. After the fall of Rome is 476 AD Western Europe is unable to recreate the splendor and scale of Roman imperial status. The Byzantine Empire in Eastern Europe picks up where Rome leaves off much more easily as it was supporting the western half of the empire for many centuries. China also doesn’t suffer from a weak transition of power, as other dynasties were about to continue the Empire in one form or another.
Chapter 5: Key points; Empires and their growth and the inception of seminal thinkers.
Seminal Thinkers
Socrates- Born in Greece, Did no original writings (his work is carried on through his students like Plato), concerned with the nature of reality and knowledge attained through reason, nature of truth, known as the father of philosophy, influential among rational people of all faiths, created a method of rational inquiry, had an effect of revolutionary change.
Confucius- Born in China around 500 BC, Analects (the collection of his works), concerned with social order and the right place of social order, Mandate of Heaven, Chinese leaders still follow this wisdom to this day, not a religious system, provided social stability,
Buddha- Siddhartha born in India circa 500 BC, his teachings were also spread through his students, individual spiritual quest for enlightenment, anyone can achieve enlightenment in their lifetime, practiced more in southeast Asia, China, and Europe, is a religion, leads towards change,
Hindu- From India, collection of Gods, arose over time, major writings include..., goal of human life is enlightenment, reincarnation is only achieved through the caste system and only after achieving Brahmin status, still widely practiced today, is a religion, socially stable,
Jesus- Born in the Roman Empire around year 0 (duh), New Testament, love, compassion, forgiveness, equality, emphasis on marginalized people, anyone can get to heaven within their lifetime, practiced widely throughout the world, is a proselyting religion, a revolutionizing religion in its belief of a single god in a Roman Empire,
Mohamed- Born in Arabia 600AD, his followers wrote his sayings and his examples the hadita and suma, 5 pillars of Islam; profession of faith, praying 5 times a day toward mecca, alms giving, pilgrimage to mecca, fasting during Ramadan. This religions, life and politics are not independent, practiced everywhere throughout the world. Proselyting religion.
Chapter 6: Reflections: Arguing with Solomon and the Buddha
Solomon thought life continued in a constant cycle or path where Buddha thought the only constant is change.
· The Landlord Class
In China like many societies wealth meant land. Landlords could avoid paying taxes thus increasing revenue and placing a greater burden on the peasant class as well as possibly funding private armies of their own.
· Peasants
Peasants make up the vast majority of the Chinese populous throughout its history. It was a hard life where you were venerable to nature, landlords, and the state. Although peasants were oppressed they were seen as the backbone of the Chinese culture. Enduring through hard times and their perseverance was to be admired.
· Merchants
Merchants were seen as profiting off others hard work as well as greedy, lazy, and material driven. Some would use their wealth to educate their children for the civil tests. Some would purchase wealthy estates as a way to increase their position but decrease their dislike.
Chapter 7:
Mayans; Although they were in Central America as far back as 2000 BC the classical Mayans reined between 250 and 900 AD. The Maya lived in an almost totally manufactured society where drained swamps, terraced hilltops, and water management systems were commonplace. They had an advanced understanding of mathematics and astrology. They had many city-states and local lords and lacked a central political system and cultural center. After an extremely fast population growth pushed the Mayan population to over 5 million there began a gradual exhaustion of resources and starvation set it. This is thought to be the cause of their demise, which is in contrast to their historical counterparts.
Reflections: Deciding What’s Important: Balance in World History What culture gets more pages? Is duration of culture an effective guide? Should history be taught to a particular group?
Chape
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