Chapter Twelve: Pastoral People In The Global Stage, The Mongol Moment 1200-1500

Chapter Twelve: Pastoral People In The Global Stage, The Mongol Moment 1200-1500

The Mongols received a bad reputation. They were known as savages and barbarians. They were known for being excellent horsemen. It took them six hundred years to learn to ride them. Mongols were nomad, which meant they didn’t settle. They had nothing to lose as oppose to those with civilization that had settled. Mongols despite having a bad reputation they instilled loyalty. What was so interesting about Mongols was that they didn’t care what religion their followers had. They didn’t believe in changing people and their tradition. The empire had expanded throughout Asia, Persia and even Russia. It’s amazing how they depended on pastoral animals. They used pastoral animals for everything the animal could offer such as dairy, meant and fur. They were very resourceful when it came to not letting anything go to waste. They were also clever when it came to tribute taxes. We practice this trade today. They address the need for agricultural. I have heard the word “Mongro” or “nomad” as a form of downgrading the person. I had no ideas were the root came from. It’s always interesting to see where phrases or ideas originated.    

Chapter ten: The World Of Christendom

Chapter Ten: The World Of Christendom

Christendom was mainly located in Western Europe. Its root was the Roman Empire. The Roman Empire after a while collapsed as a result there was warfare. The soldiers came from prisons, slaves or in order to survive the followed and joined. In order to protect land that was conquest they need more soldiers. Soldiers were even brought from other countries. Which is why the bigger the borders, the more difficult it becomes. Christendom was not a country nor a religion. It was rather an identity in which it was a refugee for those who had it difficult. The collapsing of the Roman Empire was due to protection, prayer and production. There was very little basic social services. The Byzantine Empire was seeking a religion and was introduced to Orthodox Church. He reject Islam because alcohol was forbidden. The reason why they chose the Byzantine chose the Orthodox Church was because of its art. The art in the Orthodox Church gave a sense of ecstasy state, which caught the Russian’s eyes that also adopted this spiritual practice as well as the Greeks. The Byzantine Empire was very successful. It was around for over a thousand years. It was located in the Eastern part of Europe. Through out the post classical era there was a huge split in the Christianity and it just seemed that things were looking brighter in the Eastern part which was where Byzantines empire was located. Women role had changed. They were being put to work as laborers. In class we discussed that although a woman of higher status she was limited and had more work than a poor woman who worked yet had more freedom. “Another religious role was that of anchoress, a woman who withdrew to a locked cell, usually attached to a church, where she devoted herself wholly to prayer and fasting. Some of them gained reputation for great holiness and were much sought after for spiritual guidance (Strayer, page 285)”. It’s interesting how a woman’s role is changed through out time.

Chapter Nine: The Golden Age Of China

Chapter Nine: The Golden Age of China

In order to move on or expand things have to change. China has been one of the first of the six civilizations to form. Confucius played an important role when it came to social roles and hierarchies. He instilled education and ranking. He also made it clear that superior and inferiors needed each other. What I found curious was that at one point they wanted to dismiss Buddhism, which is a religion that is primarily practiced in China. To be forbidden to use certain material when it came to constructing the faith’s imagery because they were so against social change was absurd to me. After time it was assimilated into the Chinese culture as well as the honoring of Confucius. Buddhism was from a price born in India. “ Thus, as Buddhism faded in the land of it’s birth, it became solidly rooted in much of East Asia, providing an element of cultural commonality for a vast region (Strayer, page 261).” I had no idea that the Buddhism was introduced through the silk trade. I always have been fawn of the practice. It’s encouraging to seek enlightment and find nirvana. It’s a serene faith that has practical ideas that portray some of the Indian Ideas, which make sense seeing Buddha was born in India. “The way and morality” are a good way of living. It was a religion that was practiced by elite and those who weren’t. To seek “the way” was not determined on social class nor social status. It was however a social change that many felt threatened by.

Chapter Eight: Commerce and Culture

Trade was an important form of becoming cosmopolitan. It was crucial to have canal for trade. The Silk Road mainly consisted of the trade of silk. To be cosmopolitan was to have influences from different cultures. Other than good that were traded, beliefs and traditions and rituals were all adopted with n the interaction of different cultures. I think we sometimes forget that we are so multi diverse that we forget that in other arts of the world they are so black and white about things. I know we have advanced so much throughout this time period (500-1500) but it’s just so crazy to think that we are so fortunate to embrace different cultures and ideas that another times we would have been in prison or killed for questioning the way things were set up. Some of the negative consequences of the trade road were diseases that were caught or passed along the way. We all connected at one point and depended heavily when it came to trading. I thought it was curious that one on the eldest and successful and longest indigenous group to ever exist the Mayan dismissed the Andean civilization. For that reason they dismissed ever having the llama, potato or the writing system contribute to Mesoamerican culture. I am half Guatemalan and it was very interesting to read how The Mayan culture managed to do well with out very little connection with other parts of the world. They established their own way of writing, rituals and land-based trade within their region. 

Chapter Six: Eurasia Social Hierarchies

This chapter talked about the caste system in India. I just read a book called Joothan, which was an autobiography of a boy in India, and because of his ranking he had no way of moving up. He was shunned at birth. India’s social organization has designed this caste system to better regulate and have control of its country. It was so sad reading this book and further learning about the sudras and the untouchable. They were considered lower then low. India’s hierarchically depended what social group one belong to. It differs then today in the concept that if you are born into money it may make things easier but the same way one can posse’s money they can lose it. On the other hand if someone is born with no or little money they have the opportunity to either stay n that economical ranking or move up. Karma is not just an Indian idea but practiced worldwide. I’m a huge believer in Karma. I know as time passed, women were given less value but to have slave women raped and the men killed would probably make the women choose death then to be traumatized by being forced to have sex. Women were not even referred to by their name but rather their title such as wife or a mother. Women had very little worth when it came to Eurasia social hierarchies. “Greek thinkers, especially Aristotle, provided a set of ideas that justified women’s exclusions from public life and their general subordination to men (Strayer, page 174).” I was shocked how he went on his idea that women were passive went it came to providing “receptacle for the vital male contribution.” I couldn’t believe how he belittled women! It’s obvious that birth as well as reproduction of our species will not help without a woman.

Chapter Five: Eurasian Cultural Traditions

Chapter 5: Eurasian Cultural Traditions

The Classical Era was also known as the thinker era. In this chapter there seminal ideas that helped create and perseverate ideas. This Chapter dealt with China seeking order. Zhou’s Dynasty may have been big at one point to have one ruler but was eventually weakened. Confucius had a “Humanistic Society” point of view he believed in inequalities among family member. He was for education. He believed that people that were superior than other depended on inferiors. It was a cycle that led to a much “tranquil society”. Confucius’s way of thinking led to social stability it kept everything living in harmonies.  Siddhartha also known as Buddha formed a religion. What was different about him was that he was born a prince. Although his religion didn’t take well in India, where he was from, his beliefs spread out and were practiced in many countries primarily in Asia and China. He believed anyone could seek enlightment/nirvana in their lifetime. Buddhism brought social change. Hinduism was not one person but an idea it ran on a caste system. Socrates was not a religion but he was a philosopher. He created a system of rational learning. Plato wrote his books. Many of his ideas are still practiced and taught today. His questioning like Buddhism led to social change. The Catholic Church was so upset with his challenging idea they burned his books with hope that people would stop this certain way of thinking. Socrates was known as a threat to society. The Greek welcomed his way of thinking. Jesus had the Roman has his followers. The Roman Republic were antimonarchical. They were tired of being ruled and were anti king. The political union grew from 300 B.C. to 450 A.D. It had expanded so much it had become an empire. Jesus had formed a religion. His ideas were social change. The image of Christ was a king ship that was very scary for many. I believe these five thinkers plus Hinduism had many ideas that in one way or another relate to each other. These ideas and belief are still practiced today they have formed change and have taught us in order to survive there has to be changes. Taking sides and choosing what beliefs to go by have shaped Eurasian cultures and traditions.

Chapter Three: First Civilizations: Cities, States and Unequal Societies

Chapter three: First Civilizations: Cities, States, and Unequal Societies 3500-500 B.C.E. 

The Agricultural Revolution led to the development of Civilizations. It was a form of settling without a leader. There had to be ground rules to live by. In order to keep food and enough water for all the cities and states there was a form of irrigation that went on to keep water flowing and food for everyone. The beginning Civilization was composed of six. Egypt, China, Mesopotamia, Indus Valley. Olmec, Andes, and Norte Chico. Each civilization had different sources of survival and food. The book pointed out

            “However, not all agricultural societies or chiefdom developed into civilizations,             so something else must have been involved.” (Strayer, page 61)

Civilization was the development of advanced technology that led to productivity. It wasn’t just a form of settling it was a form of irrigation to continue productivity among the city and states. Law were established. One of the most advanced civilizations was Mesopotamia. It was a big urban city. They were more advanced then say the Norte Chico that relied on fishnets and corn to have more food. Both Indus Valley and Mesopotamia were organized and planned out the formation of their cities. They had sewers, running water and flushing waters. They were far more advanced then the on growing civilizations that were forming through out the world. This chapter covers hierarchies of class which basically meant that their inequalities that were determined by status, wealth, and power. I believe that there are inequalities today that have much to do with the development of civilizations back then. If you have more power and wealth today, yes one’s status is high but I believe that they are limited in what they can do. Where as a country that is limited and has very little status, is available to explore different avenues then a country or state that has more status can. Since they have less to lose they can explore and experiment more. Longevity doesn’t die out. Which is why we know of the irrigation and development of civilizations has been successful because we have been rooted and successful in what was laid out for us in the 3500 B.C.E.

Chapter Seven:The Classical Era Variation: Africa and The Americas

Chapter seven gives a further explanation of the Classical Era. Although we have plenty of information of Eurasia, The Americas also were progressing. The chapter starts out with talking about the Mayan culture. Mayan have been exploited for many years yet they have a significantly large population. I’m half Guatemalan and I know for a fact Guatemala is split in between the Mayan culture as well as the Spanish also known as the Ladinos. Eurasia had many advantages that the Americas lacked. They had domesticated animal that were used for food as well as labor, whereas the Americas were limited. In this chapter we learned about the Kingdom of Meroe, which was located in Egypt and was apart of the Nubian civilization. The Meroe was wealthy yet declined due to deforestation. While reading the chapter I thought of the Persian. The Persian really did open a getaway for many and I also thought of the Greeks in the concept that Egypt God’s and the influences it has on us today. Christianity added a new member to its family, by allowing Axum to join. Axum was known as the emergence of a new one. With Christianity marking territory it made it’s round all over the world including Ethiopia. The Mesoamericans consisted of Mexico down Central America with t he one common ground of the culture. The Mayan culture has a fascinating yet independent culture. They have there own ceremonies, spiritual practices, wring records pyramids and structures. The have been around for a long time. With colonialism taking over I could see why the Mayan culture has been oppressed and exploited. The Mayan were independent, advance and can perceived as a threat to other societies trying to take over. I haven been 

Class notes for Oct. 31st/third paper due December 2nd assignment

Research Paper due December 2^nd

Annotated Bibliography due next Monday November 16^{th (at least 6 sources!)}

Worth 200 points!

Answer question:

Strayer believes that Paleolithic societies were more egalitarian than later societies in three aspects: wealth, power and gender, choose one of the 7 ancient civilizations we have looked at. Is it really less egalitarian than the Paleolithic/ Neolithic society it replaced? 6-8 pages

How will you approach paper? Define what t is to be egalitarian and explain.  Define terms. Choose a civilization. How much info is there? 6-8 pages worth? If not can choose from the remainder 6 civilizations. Explain your opinion. Pick a civilization based on what has more information. Based in the reading and the presentations in class. Interest is key! If your not interested you might not want to choose the civilization. What is it you want to know about the civilization? What do you already know? What information is available? TO look up information use key words that will help provide the info. You need for your paper. Paper must include for example: China 1. Gender, 2. Egalitarian, 3. Power/wealth. The best way to write the paper is by having the first page- 2^nd page be in the intro with your opinion, 3rd page wealth with a quote for each 3 aspects, 4 page power with a quote, 5^th page gender with a quote from citation and last page conclusion followed by annotated bibliography. Each page should have a quote.

Ex. The Olmecs were more/ less egalitarians then later societies bc…..

Ex. If helpful can have a subtitle in each page to better keep you organized

Chapter 1 Afro Eurasian connection

Muhammad 600 A.D. long era- rise and fall of the militarian Persians.

. 1492 colonialism occurred with Christopher Columbus and the “discoveries of the Americas”. It was also the beginning of European civilization. Except Antarctica. From classical Era (Persian) to Columbus must read ch11 and blog by Wednesday November 2^nd.

Chapter 11: The Worlds of Islam

I really enjoyed how this chapter tied in the history of Islam and the rise of the Muslim Religion. It touched based on why women were inferior to men. I have a coworker who is Muslim, and whenever she saw my cross necklace, it's was uncomfortable for her which now, I know why. It's also explains why she has assimilated to a new culture but still obeys her husband and is almost always covered up. The reason I talk about her is because she said she could only look beautiful for her husband. I knew Arabic women were considered inferior to their men. What I didn't know was that Allah had made it that way because the man is the one who supports the women therefore she is less and must obey him. I also didn't know, that a man can have up to four wives with the condition that they all be treated the same. I knew about multiple wives, but not it's terms and conditions. I'm taking a Mystic Religion class in which I have read about Rabia and the Sufi's. It was very beneficial, to get a different yet elaborate further definition of what Sufi's were and how mystic were seen in the Islamic culture. This chapter was long yet fascinating because it correlated with a class I'm currently taking. I'm actually really grateful seeing I have a five-page paper due this Friday. "The Muslim culture was not to be seen as a new religion but as the book pointed out, it was merely a returning to the old and pure religion of Abraham from which Arabs, Jews and Christians alike had deviated. (Strayer, 305)". This chapter touched based on the Islamic religion, gender and their views of marriage. I found it interesting that marriage was seen as a contract which hence the large amount of arrange marriages, yet divorce wasn't seen negative. A woman could divorce her husband because he will not have sex with her after a while. It just sounds different. Muslim were migrated to India where Hinduism was pretty big. It also mentioned the differences it had with Christianity. Priest had to hide the crosses and Pay higher taxes. The five Pillars of the Islam basically described what a Sufi lives by and the chapter talks about how the Muslim faith rapidly spread and as well as their Empire. As they expanded and Mecca grew wealthier the Persian Empire declined. Which ties the big we learned in class as well as the classical era.

Chapter four on the Eurasian Empires

This was a very interesting chapter. It was a little confusing with all the comparison and differences of empires. I found it interesting that Persia attacked Greece twice in  short period of time and was defeated twice by Greece. The Roman Empire instilled Christianity into a world wide religion through out its empire. The Roman Catholic church was later introduced. It was interesting to  read about religion, in the concept that I am taking a religion class and it's nice to have subjects come together. The Persian Empire centered kingship through out monarchs. Which ties in with Alexander the Great's death and how his empire split into three kingdoms  ruled by the leading Macedonian generals. There were similarities and differences between empires. China brought communism. They had a different approach to civilization. China saw Western Europe, Roman era as a failure. They didn't understand how it was difficult to reconstruct the unity of their classical empire. The empires were ruled differently and China thought communism was better. I had no idea India was briefly ruled by the persian empire which was later conquered by Alexander the Great. The Eurasian empires may have been different, but in one way or another they dealt with each other. There was so much information and differences in the chapter, that it makes me nervous when it comes to exactly what it is i need to know about the chapter if not everything.

Chapter Two First Farmers

Chapter 2: First farmers: The Revolution of Agriculture

The transformation of Gathers and hunters to Agricultural didn't happen over night. the more people migrated the less food there was to hunt. Hence cultivation of plans and breeding of animals was a new way of living. Our species improvised and did use with what was around, in order to survive. The agricultural Era was really the foundation of human life. The book best described it as

"Agricultural represented revolutionary transformation of human life."

This transformation led to colonization, domestication cities and increased populations. It was a relationship of humankind and other living things. To have humankind "direct" the way certain plants grow and where, or taming certain animals to make our living conditions more comfortable or to have a variety to choose from when it came to our diets is remarkable to see how we have evolved throughout time. The agricultural era was really a time where humans turned to alternatives when it came to cultivating or breeding animal for their benefit.

I really like the way the author pointed out the roles of gender, when he spoke of women being the innovators of farming and also weavers later on in the chapter. while men main took over the domestication of animals.

Although the agricultural era was a new way of living and had many benefits, there were also consequences. For example domesticated animals and plants become dependent on humans. The agricultural era also led to loss of gatherer hunters skills based on the fact that they too became dependent on animals and plants for survival.

The beginning of the agricultural revolution started when the ice age ended. With the migration happening so rapidly, and increased populations it led to extinctions of big animals.The people that  migrated had to turn to available resources and different animals for nourishment.

To be stabilized, led to a food crisis. Which led to an effort to increase food which lead to breeding animals and cultivating what they had, in order to reproduce more. The consequence of being dependent  is that they couldn't just up and leave which i personally don't believe is a bad thing. it made us be more resourceful. they were starting to slowly be colonized.

All over the world  people joined the agricultural movement in their own ways. The book broke it down to having for fourteen species that were able to be tamed mainly cattle, horses and pigs. Many things were cultivated some more than others depending on the climate, such as bean, maize and yams.

The extension of farming was based in two ways.  Diffusion, which was gradual spread of agricultural with exchanging methods of breeding and planting. The second way was slow colonization. which basically meant that more people led a demand of food where conquest happened or displacement of gatherers and hunters.

An example are the Bantu people. they killed and drove away Paleolithic people. They also spread diseases that had no cure. The agricultural revolution benefited many but not all. herders existed where they relied on animals for their diet. As the agricultural enriched people it also created a sense of power that many took advantage of. Survival of the fittest and or greed either way it  lead people turning against each other which was not trait that the Paleolithic had instilled in each other.

Chapter One Reflection

Chapter One Reflection

The first chapter describing the first people populating the planet was interesting; in the concept to see as time passed, how we evolved.Having evidence that our species can be traced back from Africa is incredible. From, hunter gathers, to paleolithic people. Based on finding such as drawings located in caves during the stone age we now know of songs,  possible religious ceremonies, stories and animals that were haunted as food to survive. With mother nature changing the shape of the world, it affected many migrants when it came to survival. for example in Russia because it was so cold the clothing was warmer. I recall a previous class that addressed the neandrotall people and how they lived in high altitude as a result their noses changed shapes where i believe they were much pointier. I don't know how much of this is true, but i recall hearing that the neandrotall species became extinct because their brains didn't develop like the homo sapience. they didn't want to be colonized and only haunted the way they were taught, which limited their food intake.Whereas the migrants that headed near Australia, which was much  warmer climate. It also affected the diet the first people had. Fishing was another option for them to eat. Which lead to different hunting tools.
I found it interesting how the migrants in Australia progressed at a rapid rate and in a sense became more colonized than others.To  create boats to get by and bring over  seeds, animals baskets, hunting tool with them and eventually trading their good for others expanded sources that could be use to survive as their migration continued. One of the negative consequences were animals became extinct or wild plants that didn't grow in different regions of the world.
In addition it was very interesting to know that there was a gender inequality at such an early time in history. Despite women providing a vass majority of the "income" when it came to the diet of the first human societies, and how men hunters only provided about thirty percent of meat makes a huge difference why and to who we should be thankful that our species has lasted this long.
Paleolithic people like many had rules and structure. Although, the groups were small it was fascinating to read how they were sympathetic toward their own kind, when it came to distributing food. To be humble, and settle with the pure basics reminds me of the Kung people that I learned in my cultural anthropology class last semester. It's also how many Europeans and Central American live today. On the contrary with us, they'res not enough time in a day to do what we need nor want to do. In fact, I read an article about a two years ago on how we're always rushing to Point B from Point A, and how we don't even get to enjoy life anymore. On a positive note we do have a longer life span than the Paleolithic people.
The stone age has art that was found inside caves that has similar findings of the Sun People located in the Northern fringe Of Africa. Religious rituals, songs and dances all told through painting findings. The book best described it when the author said that the Sun people practiced ancient way of life. The Sun people were wise and humble.
the first chapter provided so much valuable information which made me think back to a previous cultural anthropology class. One of the reason that history is so important, is the fact that it is a ongoing progress. It's interesting to see what we have passed on and what we have lost.