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Period: 589 to 618
Sui (E. Asia)
Completed work on the Grand Canal to facilitate trade between north and south China. The Sui dynasty collapsed due to the stress and strong demands placed on the working class, leading to discontent and rebellion. -
Period: 600 to 1450
Post-Classic
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Period: 618 to 907
Tang (E. Asia)
The second emperor Tang Taizong was ruthless and ambitious, but he also heeded the interests of his subjects. Three policies helped: maintenance of transportation, the equal-field system, and reliance on bureaucracy based on merit. -
Period: 661 to 750
Umayyad Caliphate (Middle East)
Descended from a relative of Muhammad and eventually spread through Central Asia, North Africa, and Europe. They were conquerors who helped expand the Islamic religion and bring large swaths of land under Muslim control. The government places a tax called the “Jizya” on non-Muslim citizens. -
Period: 670 to 1025
Kingdom of Srivijaya (S. Asia)
Build a powerful navy and controlled the commerce in southeast Asian waters. Compelled port cities and financed their navy and bureaucracy from taxes levied on ships passing through the region. -
Period: 750 to 1258
Abbasid Caliphate (Middle East)
Overthrew the Umayyad Dynasty in 750 with the help of revolting non-Muslim citizens who resented religious discrimination. It relied heavily on Persian statecraft, a central authority from the court at Baghdad. They made great advances made in many areas of mathematics, science, and medicine. -
Period: 850 to 1267
Chola Kingdom (S. Asia)
They were situated in the deep South of India (Coromandel coast). Rulers allowed considerable autonomy to subjects and towns, as long as they maintained order and delivered taxes on time. Public life revolved around Hindu temples. Chola navy dominated the waters from the South China Sea to the Arabian Sea. -
Period: 960 to 1279
Song (E. Asia)
The Song approach to administration resulted in a more centralized government. It mistrusted military leaders and placed emphasis on civil administration, education, etc. A tradition there was foot binding, which involved the tight wrapping of young girls’ feet to prevent the natural growth of feet. -
Period: 1100 to 1400
Mixtec (Mesoamerica)
Thrived in the great valley of Oaxaca, where they produced and were known for their fine jewelry and goldsmithing. Monarchy based, the Mixtec placed high emphasis on birth order/bloodlines. It also had a polytheistic religion that saw items of nature as gods. Later conquered and fell to the Spanish. -
Period: 1235 to
Mali (Africa)
In the western Sahara desert, the dry and arid landscape brought development to the fertile land along the Niger River. Organized into familial clans, and religion was a crossroads between Islam and polytheism in the beginnings. Sundiata built the Mali empire. It benefitted on a larger scale than Ghana and they controlled and taxed trade passing. -
Period: 1237 to 1241
Khanate of the Golden Horde (Europe)
Prized the steppes north of the Black Sea as prime pasture land for horses. Maintained a large army from which they mounted raids into Russia. It didn’t occupy Russia, but extracted tribute from Russian cities and agricultural provinces. -
Period: 1258 to 1335
Ilkhanate of Persia (Middle East)
Hulegu toppled the Abbasid empire and establish the IP. (1258) He captured the capital of Baghdad after a brief siege. Troops looted the city, executed the caliph, and massacred thousands. Made important concessions to local interests; Persians were able to administer but had to give taxes. -
Period: 1299 to
Ottoman Empire (Europe)
Osman attracted more and more followers to what then became the Ottoman Empire. By the 1380s, the Ottomans had become the most powerful people in the Balkan peninsula. -
Period: 1300 to
Kongo (Africa)
Composed of provinces, villages had local chieftainships. Trade is important and is closely linked with the political structure as well. Largely polytheistic until Christianity was introduced by the Portuguese. -
Period: 1300 to 1521
Aztec (Mesoamerica)
Tenochtitlan (modern-day Mexico City) is the capital city because of its large amount of trade and agriculture. Used available obsidian and chert rather than iron or bronze for metallurgy. They had a theocratic monarchy and people were ruled by their city-state leaders and the emperor in Tenochtitlan. The Aztec religion was polytheistic and sacrifices were often made to show gratitude to their gods. They made advancements in medicine and mathematics and developed their own calendar. -
Period: 1336 to 1565
Kingdom of Vijayanagar (S. Asia)
Based in Northern Deccan; created from two brothers (Harihara and Bukka) sent by the Delhi to represent the sultan and implement court policies. However, they established V. as an independent empire. -
Theme: (GOV) Pt. 1
Taxing:
EX: The Jizya tax on non-muslim citizens in the Umayyad caliphate. Citizens were allowed to keep their faith as long as they paid a tax.
EX: The Golden Horde allowed Russia to govern themselves as long as they paid taxes. -
Theme: (GOV) Pt. 2
Assigning leaders to smaller sectors or outside empires:
EX: Montezuma II of the Aztec empire leads from the capital city Tenochtitlan while others were positioned to lead city-states.
EX: The Kongo was composed of provinces, and villages had local chieftainships
EX: Abbasid Caliphate relied heavily on a central authority in Baghdad. -
Theme: (GOV) Pt. 3
Some leaders do more for the benefit of their citizens:
EX: The Song Dynasty mistrusted military leaders and placed emphasis on civil administration, education, etc. -
Theme: (GOV) Pt. 4
Different empires each have their own form of the ruling:
EX: The Mongols ruled by conquering without caring much for ruling while empires like the dynasties in east Asia preferred a more centralized rule.
EX: Also, the caliphates ruled with Islamic interests; however, while the Umayyad were more conquerors while the Abbasids were more of statecraft. -
CCOT: Pt. 1
The forms/structures to which each empire rules is a change over time. An example is seen from the empires/dynasties that replace previous ruling parties. When looking at the Sui, Tang, and Song dynasties, each adapts the form of administration to better suit their conflicts, while also “improving” on the previous one’s faults. -
CCOT: Pt. 2
When the Sui generated hostility after forced labor and later collapsed because of it, the Tang then improved upon the Sui’s form of leadership by listening to the needs of the people and allowing equal opportunities in court positions. When the Tang collapsed partly to unchecked land distribution from the wealthier, which included military generals, the Song then formed a government that placed the military in the hands of the administrators. -
Place to Visit: Pt.1
The Tang Dynasty is the place to see. After the collapse of the Sui Dynasty, which built the Grand Canal, the Tang improved its administration strategies. One of the most beneficial strategies of this empire was their use of the land distribution, wherein twenty percent of a families’ land was their own and the rest could be assigned/redistributed by necessity. -
Place to Visit: Pt. 2
Another unique feature, and one that is used today, is the merit-based bureaucracy. This allowed for qualified individuals to rule versus individuals with power alone. Finally, the Tang maintained transportation; they held extensive networks based on horses, human runners, and roads. This led to an increase in information and the exchange of goods unique to certain areas of China.