Chapter 16 Traditions and Encounters study guide

The early civilizations of China and India emerged prior to 600 CE in what is known today as the continent of Asia. With the Himalayan mountains in between them, these civilizations developed in isolation from one another, and yet still managed to produce kingdoms with continuous growing populations to this day. Individual growth and development amongst the people stimulated technological inventions, increased the chances of survival and lead to: greater agricultural production, strong armies, and expansion. Eventually, these commodities and other luxury items produced will be traded, spurring the economic growth of both civilizations. Overall, these early stages of development not only furthered contact amongst these two great empires allowing for cultural diffusion, but also set the foundation for future generations to follow. Although China and India’s growing empires took place in different parts of the world, the structure of their economies developed similarly, beginning with an agricultural infrastructure and progressing towards trade within and beyond the kingdoms, while also acquiring distinctive cultural differences overtime such as a social hierarchy defined by certain beliefs. These characteristics will define the beginning and the advancement of early economic systems used during the Foundations Era and Classical Age, and provides insight on the essentials that influenced the two economic

During the Post-Classical Era merchants played an incredible role in shaping the course of different

Indian Ocean Trading Network - Long distance trade in dhows and sailboats made it a dynamic zone of interaction between peoples, cultures, and civilizations.

Both traded along the Indian Ocean using maritime trade. As the Ming traded along the Indian Ocean, they attained luxuries, for example silver, in exchange for Chinese exports such as cotton, silk and porcelain. The Ming Emperor, Zheng He, also sailed across the Indian Ocean. He is best known for the 7 sailing expeditions, which navigated across the Indian Ocean and the Southeast Asian archipelago. Zheng He's ships carried export goods; silks and porcelains, and he also brought back foreign luxuries such as spices and tropical woods. As for the Ottoman Empire, they also traded along the Indian Ocean; however, with items they had already attained. Armenians and Jews would often go to the port of Izmir, along the Ottoman Empire, and bring wool, beeswax, cotton and silk, causing great traffic. The Ottomans then traded these items in exchange for other luxurious items. Another similarity between the Ottoman and the Ming was why they traded along the Indian Ocean. Both traded along the Indian Ocean due to geography. The Ottomans were located closely to the Indian Ocean; they also had the right technology to trade along it, including ships and compasses. The Ming also traded along the Indian Ocean due to their geography. They were located nearest to the Indian Ocean, which then caused them to trade along it; also Zheng He had also laid out the groundwork for the Chinese to start trading

Like Han China, Classical India used their social structure system as a method of political

The innovation of maritime technology has revolutionized travel throughout history. Prior to ships and sea travel, humans were separated by vast oceans and confined to their homeland for life. Because of these large boundaries, discoveries and inventions were only shared within land masses and trade as a whole was very limited. This uncharted, inaccessible territory caused a major separation of mankind. However, these oceans sparked curiosity and desire for explorers to venture beyond their native land. This curiosity was the driving force to the invention of naval travel, a highly important and massive step for all growing communities during the Age of Exploration. Maritime technology’s advancements through history greatly aided in the Age of Exploration, allowing provinces to break their land boundaries and make monumental steps towards the advanced world humans populate today.

Middle Eastern gold and silver purchased pepper, textiles, and gemstones in India. Merchants from the Arab Empire established communities from East Africa to the China coast. Opportunities for trade led to the production of sugar and dates in Mesopotamia and stimulated a slave trade from East Africa to provide labor for the growing and refining of these products. Widespread conversion to Islam among traders in the Indian Ocean underpinned an international maritime culture and also helped to facilitate commercial transactions.

Before its modern state, India had only been united once. This time was under the rule of the Mauryan Empire in the 300s-200s BCE. The Mauryan Empire was started by Chandragupta Maurya after overthrowing and conquering the Magadha government. He proceeded to conquer more than half of the Indian subcontinent. After some time, Chandragupta’s grandson Asoka came to power. Asoka was a leader who ruled with feelings of remorse for decisions he had made in the past yet still ruled with great, imposing power. He also was mindful of his people and made sure to always rule in favor of them.

The Mughal Empire ruled most of India and Pakistan in the 16th and 17th centuries. The empire Islam in South Asia, and caused the spread of Muslim arts and culture as well as faith. The Mughals were Muslims who ruled a country with a large

The Mughal Empire: Zahir al-Din, also known as Babur, was a Chagatai Turk that, unlike the Ottoman and Safavids, was just a soldier of fortune not fighting on behalf of Islam. He wanted to use his fortune to transform a glorious central Asian empire. Although, he did not succeed at that goal he then focused on India. Babur took Delhi in 1526. He did not like the land that he had conquered, it was a hot and humid climate but, Babur decided to stay. By the time of his death he had embraced most of the Indian subcontinent. The height of the Mughal power and influence came from Babur’s grandson Akbar. He gained power in Gujarat and Bengal, destroyed the Hindu kingdom of Vijayanagar in order to later expand in southern India. He was a thoughtful man who tolerated the religious differences in

In order to discuss the movements of Asiatic peoples into Europe from the first inroad of the Huns to the conquests of the Osmanli Turks in the sixteenth century, it will be necessary to review briefly the events in central and eastern Asia which preceded and precipitated these incursions.

While the perception of India being located in South Asia was preserved by some writers like Ammianus Marcellinus (c. 330-395) and Procopius of Caesarea (c. 500-post 565), others completely missed the mark. Cosmas Indicopleustes, an Alexandrian merchant, described India as a large region containing India proper, Ceylon, and parts of China. The term “Inner India” was used by Cosmas, to designate the silk rich country of Tzinitza, or China. The roman monk Rufinus (c. 345-410), spoke of how Bartholomew, an apostle of Jesus, had been assigned to “Nearer India” which was a region adjacent to Ethiopia. More examples are found in the texts of John Malalas (c. 491-578). He details a struggle between the Axumites and the Himyarites, or African Indians and Asian Indians. In reality, these two groups were likely near modern day Ethiopia and Egypt. Theophanes, Epiphanius, and Choricius, all documented how Indian goods were being brought into the Roman Empire in the mid-third and fourth centuries. The ports of Aila, Berenice, and Clysma are mentioned, but these are all located in northern Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Making it more likely, according to Vasiliev’s paper, that these ports were receiving goods from Ethiopia and other African regions, rather than

In Persia, Turkish nomads began to settle on the outskirts of the Abbasid Empire. By engaging in Persian trade, enlisting in the Abbasid army, being enslaved and integrated into lower culture, and moving into Abbasid proper, the Turks were eventually able to dominate the culture within Persia (Bentley, 357). The recognition of Tughril Beg of the Saljuq marked the beginning of Turkish rule over the Abbasid Empire. The early Turks in Persia had been converted to Islam and with their new influence and authority they began to spread the religion through conquest.

Did you know that India is the second most populated country in the world with over 1.2 billion people? This heavily populated country’s history and culture was, and still is, affected by its geography. For example, The Ganges River provided some irrigation, but was mostly known for its religious significance in the Hindu faith. The Indus River provided fertile land for the Indus Valley civilization and allowed agriculture to flourish, but also flooded, which was part of the civilization’s economical weakening. Another factor that which brought the fall of the civilization was the Hindu Kush Mountain Range; although it provided some protection, paths were discovered by invaders that permitted them to cross over and quell.

The Indus was one of the world’s oldest civilisations dating back to 3000BC. Originating in the south of India, they built complex and mathematically planned cities. They introduced commerce and agriculture to the region, trading as far as Mesopotamia. India’s history is intricately tied to its geographical location as a gateway between the East and West. India’s first invaders arrived around 1500 BC. An invaders paradise, the Aryans invaded from the north in 1500BC, dispersing south over the next seven hundred years. The Aryans brought strong cultural traditions including the Caste system and the foundation for many Indian based religions.