Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Monday, June 27, 2011
Perception vs Reality, Colonizer/Colonized
Perception vs. Reality
The unnerving component of this weeks exercise is understanding how powerful, initial impressions can be when meeting strangers, and how actions displayed towards one another are determined based on those perceptions. For example, are Palestinians terrorists when they throw stones and bottles at Israeli tanks, or, are they freedom-fighters opposing and occupying force?
Were Native American Indians savages that needed to be obliterated when they resisted the European colonization, or where they defending their home from invading forces?
Several times throughout his book, Strayer, references how different groups of people, or societies, came to influence one another as a result of these impressions.
Were Native American Indians savages that needed to be obliterated when they resisted the European colonization, or where they defending their home from invading forces?
Several times throughout his book, Strayer, references how different groups of people, or societies, came to influence one another as a result of these impressions.
As inhabitants on this planet it’s crucial that humans resist “judging” a book by its cover. Today, in 2011, the so-called “culture war”, that political pundits like to say that exists between Islam and the West, is a very real and tangible example of the dynamic of “perception vs. reality”.
It must have been extremely difficult several hundred years ago to assess how a strangers motives, and way of life, would affect each others opinion or treatment of one-another.
I liked the exercise because it emphasizes how dangerous perception can be when viewed down the barrel of a gun, or, along the blade of a sword. Also, it highlights how easy it is to demonize a culture and people that are different then our own.
Earlier I mentioned the current issue of Islam in the West, as a result of September 11. Both Muslims and non-Muslims have a distorted view of one another.
Radical Jihadist see Americans and Jews as the devil, therefore killing the devil and his women and children are justified, and is a pathway to heaven. Absent their religion, they have families, play with their children and live their lives similar to the West. Conversely, Christians and Jews feel threatened by different customs and traditions that are common in the Islamic religion. For example, many Americans and Europeans feel uncomfortable around Arabs who wear Turbans on their heads; or when Arabic women are dressed in traditional long veiled clothes and head scarf. On both sides, the perception is that all Arabs are terrorists and all Americans, Jews, and European are imperialists.
In the words of that great urban philosopher, Rodney King, ”can’t we all just get along”?
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Songs of Revolution - Spain, America, and France.....
Chapter 18-Revolutions and their Echos.......
As I read the chapter regarding the revolutions that took place in the world in America , France, Haiti and Latin America, I can't help but feel that the world is witnessing another surge of "massive political and social change" in North Africa and the Middle East.
In 2011 political talkig-heads have coined the phrase, "Arab Spring" to describe events in the Middle East and North Africa.
December 17, 2010 will, in my opinion, go down in history as the spark that caused this revolution.
On that fateful day in Tunisia, a man named Mohammed Bouazizi, had his vegetable cart confiscated by local authorities for lacking the proper seller's permit.
In protest to his treatment he set himself on-fire. Little did he know, he also set the world on fire which sparked the "Arab Spring". He became a cause celeb, and brought attention to Tunisia's deplorable living conditions, police violence, massive unemployment and lack of human rights, to the average Tunisian resident.
Much like Rosa Parks in the early 60's in America, who refused to sit in the back of the bus and triggered the "civil rights" movement. Arabs all across North Africa and the Middle-East were now demanding change from their autocratic and dictatorial rulers. Most importantly, this revolutionary call was not the work of Zionist's or Western Imperialists, but from Arabs themselves. No more could the West be blamed for unequal social, political and economic conditions in their respective countries.
Tunisia started a domino effect, and soon "change" was demanded in Egypt, Libya, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Yemen. In a few years you will be able to hail a taxi in Saudi Arabia that is driven by a women.
Folks, 25 years from now, we will tell our children and grand-children, that we were in college when the Middle East changed forever, and how it views itself on the world's stage. This is an extraordinary time in history.
This is what it must have been like in the world as America broke it's bonds with Great Briton in 1776. Similarly, revolution sparked a drive for independence in France in 1789, in Haiti in 1791 and in Spain in 1810.
This demand for liberty and equality were the seeds for reforms in the women's movements, and the demand for suffrage, and ultimately for the abolition of
world -wide slavery, and a cultural and linguistic nationalism which helped unite these new nations.
Change is inevitable.....the only sure things are muerta and taxes. So, hang on, enjoy the ride..and don't forget to smell the roses along the way.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
Chapter 14, 15 ,16 - The Big Picture
The Early Modern Era 1450-1750
It's refreshing to see that Strayer, in his book, continues to recognize the Euro-centric way of looking at history, and he deliberately reminds us that other civilizations and Empires were developing concurrently with Europe. This group of chapters attempts to highlight the Islamic and Chinese societies as well.
As the European Empire was exploring the Atlantic trade route in the Americas, heading towards modernity and the scientific and industrial revolutions, the Empires of Russia, China, Mughal and Ottoman Empires were continuing older patterns of development.
The global trade in silver, even more than spices had, contributed to new and improved shipping lanes by which the world populations continued to interact, and exchange goods, services and ideas. Later the trade in furs, textiles and spices joined with silver as major commodities in demand.
The global trade in silver, even more than spices had, contributed to new and improved shipping lanes by which the world populations continued to interact, and exchange goods, services and ideas. Later the trade in furs, textiles and spices joined with silver as major commodities in demand.
Another popular commodity that linked the world in global trade was the Atlantic Slave trade. Between 1550-1850 some 11 million people from African society were forcibly shipped across the Atlantic. The profits were substantial and enriched both Euro-American and European societies. Sadly, a form of racism began to be associated with black slaves and Africa. Muslims for centuries used sub-Saharan Africa as a source for slaves, and as a Tunisian scholar, Ibn Khaldun, wrote, black people were "submissive to slavery , because Negroes have little that is essentially human and have attributes that are quite similar to those of dumb animals".
In Europe, slavery and racism went together. British traders justified there brutal treatment of Africans because they did not view them as men, but as brutes and inferior to whites, thus relieving themselves of guilt for their unimaginable treatment of Africans.
More than anything the global interactions of empires, with regard to slave trading, solidified the trade routes from The Americas, Africa , Europe and the Middle-east.
In addition to trade in material goods along these global sea routes, we see the globalization of Christianity, which up till now was limited to Europe. By 1500 Christianity had spread from Spain and England to Russia , Egypt, Ethiopia, southern India and central Asia. There were Catholics in western Europe and Orthodox Christians in Russia.
Catholic Portuguese and Spanish explorers viewed their outward expansion as a continuing of the Crusades. For example, when Vasco da Gama landed in India in 1498, he came, "in search of spice and Christians", and when Columbus arrived in the Americas, he was hoping to export to Spain, gold, cotton, and aloe wood. He also hoped the indigenous people "might become Christians".
Colonization and Religious imperialism went hand and hand in the early modern era.
Unlike Chinggess Khan and the Mongols, there was no religious tolerance when European Christian explorers were conquering the Aztec and Inca empires. Convert or die. Period. Much like Charlemagne, in Medieval Europe, as he swept through territories with a sword in one hand, and a Bible in the other, converting the population from their heathen ways.
Christianity was unable to achieve the same success in Asia and China, in large part because they were not a conquered people as the Native Americans or the indigenous people of the Americas.
There was more political stability in China under the Ming Dynasty between 1368-1644, and the Qing Dynasty between 1644-1912, which prevented Christianity from taking root, thus inhibiting wholesale conversion. The societies of Asia where content with their affiliation with Buddhism and Daoism, Confucianism and Hinduism, which was flourishing on their own continent.
Also, East Asian and Afro-Asian societies were steadily growing with the expansion of Islam.
Islam-ization spread slowly as a result of Holy men, scholars and travelers who spread the word of Allah. Unlike the spread of Christianity, which was a product of conquering armies.
Islam-ization spread slowly as a result of Holy men, scholars and travelers who spread the word of Allah. Unlike the spread of Christianity, which was a product of conquering armies.
Changing and blending of traditions continued in India with a form of Hinduism known as "bhakti". There was also another blend of Islam and Hinduism, known as "Sikhism", which further eroded the caste system, and was popular among peasants and commoners.
While Religion was rooting itself in societies around the world in the early modern era, Europe was preparing for a Scientific Revolution between 1650 and 1850.
No longer would man just seek answers to probing questions about the "world" by reading scriptures from Religious scholars or, the theories of Philosophers. The careful observation of events and systems, controlled experiments, and the formulation of general laws became the new ideology.
Some of these revolutionaries were Copernicus from Poland, Galileo from Italy, Descartes from France, and Issac Newton from England.
Obviously this was heretical to the church and fostered revolutionary thought in some societies. It also, unfortunately, reinforced racial and gender inequality as science was used to rationalize western accomplishments.
The industrial revolution was a result of the new technologies that spawned from scientific innovations. Science became the symbol of Modernity.
An important feature of science in society was the creation of
"zones of intellectual autonomy". These zones were Universities located in Paris, Oxford, Cambridge and Salamanca, which were free from the critical eyes of Church and State.
"zones of intellectual autonomy". These zones were Universities located in Paris, Oxford, Cambridge and Salamanca, which were free from the critical eyes of Church and State.
When Copernicus published his book, "On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Bodies", organized religion reacted in opposition. Church dogma taught that the earth was the center of the universe, and not the sun, as Copernicus theorized.
In Medicine too, the human body's mysteries were being uncovered and demystified as the human body was dissected in autopsies of cadavers. This led to a better understanding of the skeleton and circulatory systems.
With the improvement in printing and book making , knowledge could be shared by more and more thinkers and scholars in the 18th century. This period is known as the "enlightenment" and became the mantra of progress. The human condition could be improved by science and intellect, and not, just by tradition or Divine intervention.
Man's modality for living also came under scrutiny as the biologist, Charles Darwin's books, The Desent of Man, and The Origen of Species (1859 & 1871) began circulating around the globe, causing a revolution in thought about how man evolved.
In the field of political-economy, writers like Karl Marx, who lived from 1818-1883, espoused a view of world history as one of change and struggle. He observed that change came as a result of clashes, between slave and slave owner, between nobles and peasants, between capitalists and workers. He theorized that this struggle was the engine that led to the transformation of society, and the evolution of human civilization.
All civilizations and societies, including, China, Japan, Islam and Africa, continued to borrow each others cultures, as trade routes provided the vehicle for the exchange of ideas, culture, religion, and technology which thrust the globe headlong towards "Modernity".
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Chapter 13 Worlds of the Fifteenth Century
The Fifteenth Century is characterized by the many ways humanity organized itself around the world. For example, there were groups of, hunter - gatherer's, agricultural villages, chiefdom's, emerging civilizations and empires, and nomadic/pastoral societies.
By the 15th century,the majority of the world's population lived in one or another of these civilizations, in China, Europe, The Americas or in the Islamic world. Each of these civilizations experienced growth in the development of an organized society, enjoying cultural expression, and expansion of its influence and power. For example, Europe was enjoying the Renaissance, and humankind's most creative outburst was expressed in it's art, architecture, music, and language.
In China , under the Ming Dynasty, she enjoyed a cultural renewal of Confucian philosophy of tranquility and harmony. The Civilization of Islam was also consolidating and maturing.There emerged 4 centers of influence; the Ottoman and Songhay empires., and the Safvid Mughal empires.
These empires were sophisticated societies with cultural and economic systems that advanced the culture, with fantastic architecture and expressions of art.
In the Americas, the Aztec empire flourished and contributed greatly to world views on planetary observations, city-building, and tracking the cycles of the year. The Incas are another example of a highly organized sophisticated society living around the Andes mountains.
We can see, in the post-classical era the positive global impact of long-distance, and established trading routes, that allowed all these different civilizations, in the Fifteenth Century, to contribute to, as well as, be enhanced by, the interactions of different people from all over the globe.
This was all a stepping stone for Europe to regain her place on the world stage as the Fifteenth century came to a close looking ahead to the Modern Era.
Chapter 12 The Mongol Moment 1200-1500
The most famous Mongolian in it's civilization is a figure romanticized in some history books, Chinggis Khan (1162-1227). As a fierce warrior committed to his herdsmen brothers, he subdued mightier armies and expanded the Mongolian Empire, striking fear in the hearts of his captives. They were the ultimate nomadic civilization. The empire spread by no particular blueprint looking for world domination. It had a reputation for religious tolerance, as long as there was no political interference with Mongolian rulers. The city of Karakorum had the beginning of a central bureaucracy by setting up administrative mechanisms to collect taxes from it's citizens.
The Mongol Moment is the clash of cultures, where the pastoral, nomadic mongols encounter the settled civilizations of Eurasia, like China, Persia and Russia. Long distance trading was important to the Mongols so they promoted the trading routes, enhancing the local economies in the Afro-Eurasian trading circuit. Diplomacy was also important to maintain the empire, and, to a degree that was unprecedented thus far, had diplomatic relations with China and Persia, exchanging ambassadors, intelligence, skilled workers and trade. There were no hegemonic aspirations or religious crusades to embark on .No hidden agendas.
Karakorun, in the 13th century was a cosmopolitan city that tolerated Muslims, Christians, Buddhists and Daoists, and attracted scholars, artists, doctors and engineers.
The Mongol Moment is the clash of cultures, where the pastoral, nomadic mongols encounter the settled civilizations of Eurasia, like China, Persia and Russia. Long distance trading was important to the Mongols so they promoted the trading routes, enhancing the local economies in the Afro-Eurasian trading circuit. Diplomacy was also important to maintain the empire, and, to a degree that was unprecedented thus far, had diplomatic relations with China and Persia, exchanging ambassadors, intelligence, skilled workers and trade. There were no hegemonic aspirations or religious crusades to embark on .No hidden agendas.
Karakorun, in the 13th century was a cosmopolitan city that tolerated Muslims, Christians, Buddhists and Daoists, and attracted scholars, artists, doctors and engineers.
Unfortunately, the Black Death, or plague found it's directions along the trading routes of the Eurasian continent inflicting incredible losses. Some estimates say that, starting in 1368, between 30 -66% of Europe's population succumbed to the disease. With much of it's empire in ruin and disrupted by the plague, the Mongol empire began to disintegrate, and by 1350 they were losing control of China, Persia and Russia.
In China with the establishment of the Ming Dynasty in 1368, the Mongols left, and, by 1480 left Moscow to the Russians, effectively ending it's reign, with it's citizens assimilating into the societies they once ruled.
Chapter 11 Afro-Eurasian Connections 600-1500
As we read about the great civilization of Islam we can see similarities in the way the empire matured and expanded, much the same way as other societies had , like Christendom and the Byzantium Empires.
Some of what we know comes from the writings of Ibn Battuta. As a Muslim he traveled throughout the empire chronicling his observations through the eyes of a devout Muslim during the years between 1304 to 1368.
The civilization of Islam operated as a network of political power as opposed to a central hierarchy. The empire was so great it encompassed parts of all the kingdoms of the Afro-Eurasian hemisphere,from North Africa, India, Arabia, Anatolia, ,Spain, and South East Asia, becoming as Strayer says in his book, "histories first-global civilization".
Some of what we know comes from the writings of Ibn Battuta. As a Muslim he traveled throughout the empire chronicling his observations through the eyes of a devout Muslim during the years between 1304 to 1368.
The civilization of Islam operated as a network of political power as opposed to a central hierarchy. The empire was so great it encompassed parts of all the kingdoms of the Afro-Eurasian hemisphere,from North Africa, India, Arabia, Anatolia, ,Spain, and South East Asia, becoming as Strayer says in his book, "histories first-global civilization".
Slavery on the African Continent in the “Post-Classical” era
World Slavery
Did the world use Africa as a source for slaves during the “Post –classical” period? What I was initially interested in finding out was whether the continent of Africa had a disproportionate amount of its inhabitants forced into slavery after 1500 C.E., but not during the “post-classical” period between (500-1500). I say yes and here is why.
My issue with Strayer regarding Chapter 8 of his book was how little he wrote about slavery during the “post –classical” era.
After considerable thought I knew my indignation came from “white guilt” and “human being guilt” because of my disappointment in humanity’s ability to easily exploit one another, and specifically regarding the European and American slave trade.
As an amateur historian with many semester credits in Ancient and International history, I thought I was somewhat qualified to criticize Strayer for not “beating up” western civilization and casually describing “slave trade” as if he was talking about the world-wide coffee or sugar trade.
After reading for a couple of hours on-line and reading many articles written by scholars and historians, I realized how little I knew about the entire body of research on African slavery. My own knowledge was limited to a “Euro-centric” world view and was focused almost entirely with the American slave trade and the cotton plantations of the old south in early American History. Also I was aware of the European responsibility for initiating the slave trade as the Dutch, Spanish, French and British had done.
Their Empires all participated and flourished from the riches of trading slaves. I now understand why Strayer perhaps only scratches the surface of slavery and limited his comments to the contents of his chapter on Commerce in third-wave civilizations.
Throughout history there is evidence of slavery on the major continents, and in all civilizations. Warring societies routinely made slaves of their conquered people. It didn’t matter if it was on the Eurasian continent or in the East Asian or African continent.
Slavery necessarily depends on a system of social stratifications; therefore, it was rare among “gather-hunter” societies of ancient man, these societies were more egalitarian as we have seen in Strayer’s Book. Slavery is documented as far back as the [1]code of Hammurabi, in 1750 B.C. Slavery existed in ancient civilization such as the Sumer and Ancient Egypt, ancient Nubia, and Akkadian Empire, Assyria and Ancient Greece.
In fact, during the Roman’s peak of influence, [2]almost 25% of the empire’s populations were slaves.
Renowned philosophers such [3]Aristotle, Plato and Socrates accepted the theory of “natural slavery” in America. We’ve heard the expression, in the twentieth century, by an American President “two chickens in every pot” to describe the typical household as its “mantra”. Well, in 500 B.C.E. in Greece it was[4] “majority of citizens owned at least one slave”in every pot, (house); and wealthy, with huge crop bearing estates, had hundreds.
Slavery existed in ancient [5]Celtic society, as witnessed by the Romans. There is evidence of German and British slaves and Latin slaves around 793 A.C.E. More examples of the existence of slavery between warring Empires states are during the middle-ages or, as Strayer would say, “Post Classical” civilizations. The [6]Vikings raided the northern part of the Eurasian continent and conquered and enslaved English, Irish, Scottish, and Slavic people.
One of the reasons [7]Islam in the 8th century A.C.E. both as a religion, and as a culture of Arabia, expanded so quickly, and over large tracts of territory, was captured people would convert to Islam to avoid a painful death, or Slavery. There were Jewish [8]Radhanites , who were European merchants, who engaged in slave trading and brokering between Muslim and Christian between 900-1200..
The city-states of [9]Genoa, Venice and Pisa, between 1100-1500, saw a continuation of the slave trade as Genoa and Venice thrived. However, the European enslaved by Europeans pretty much ended as Christianity beginning expanded its control around 1500.
In the Russian territories the inhabitants of Moscow were raided for slaves by the
“Golden Horde” Tokhtamysh Khan in 1382. The [10]Byzantium-Ottoman wars brought 1000’s of Christian slaves into the Islamic world.
Africans too participated greatly in slavery. Often warring with rival ethnic groups or neighbors, which resulted in losers being sold to European Traders, bound for European or Arabic societies during the “post classical” era?
The continent of the South East Asia and China saw its own experiences with slavery. A Elite Indian’s in the 8th century would acquire “un-paid” labor. A euphuism for slavery was “debt bondage”. This was the fate of peasants who could not pay their bills. A son could be sold for”bonded labor”, for life, to be pay off a family’s debt, much the same way as Mexican immigrants are sometimes treated to pay the debts of the “coyote”. Many women ended up in prostitution, and young men end up running drugs for the cartels in border towns like California, Arizona and Texas. The [11]Indian peninsula has a long history of Arab invaders in India, and also Arab slave traders brought slaves from Africa as early as 100 A.D.
In [12]China during the Tang Dynasty 618-907, they sold captured Koreans as slaves. During the Han Dynasty (200 B.C.E. To 220 C.E), China castrated young men and used them as slaves in the Harems along the “silk road”.
As I continued my research I was surprised to find out that slavery was an accepted Legal form of Law in Africa.
[13]Africans participated in the African slave trade by supplying criminals or captured rival tribes and selling them to European slave traders. It was rare for slavers to trek in the “interior” of Africa for fear of disease and unfriendly Africans who could harm them.
The so called plunder of African slaves happened later, mainly between the 16th and 18th centuries’. My focus is primarily from 500-1500 C.E., the “post-classical” era that I referenced earlier on the chapter 8 Blog. I had mistakenly condemned Strayer for something that didn’t exist.
Were there slaves kidnapped from Africa, by the world’s civilizations, to build empires between 500-1500 C.E.?
Not really, all the major continents were busy for a millennium warring and enslaving each other. Taking turns, depending on the ebb ad flow of a civilization. The Eurasian continent had territories enslaving each other, as mentioned earlier, there were endless Christian, Muslim battles, enslaving each other. We have seen in the Indus Valley Region, Indians and Chinese societies enslaving their respective captives. These were the workers and servants of these empires- slaves resulting from their conquests.
Finally, we see African nations raiding and enslaving their neighbors or rivals ethnic tribes. Yes, there was slave trading in North Africa, and slaves were transported to European or Arab elite. But the vast rape of the East-West Coast of Africa and “interior” of the continent, occurred in the later part of the [14]15th-16th-17th and18th centuries, with estimates between 9-4 and 13 million slaves arriving in the New World and several millions more who died during the crossing of the Atlantic Ocean.
Professors, Henry Louis Gates, Jr, of Harvard University, as well as two leading historians from Boston University, John Thorton and Linda Heywood, contend that 90% of slaves coming over during the middle – passage period, were enslaved and sold to Europeans salve traders by African Chiefdoms, and that only on the margins, or coast, were Europeans directly involved in kidnapping Africans for the slave trade.
There is much more I could write about slavery in the modern era, and the debate that [15]Professor Gates has sparked regarding “reparations” to descendents of African slaves; however, this essay limits its critique to the “Post-Classical” era.
My research validates my abhorrence to all forms of slavery, whether it’s black on black, yellow on yellow, brown on brown, or white on white.
I was enlightened however; to learn that during the period I questioned Strayer about, that, the African continent was pre-occupied “feeding” on itself primarily as the other continents were doing.
Bibliography
[1] http://public.wsu.edu/”dee/Meso/Code.HTM, Translated by L.W. King (1910) Edited By Richard Hooker Code# 7,15,16,17,18
3 http://www.jstor.org/pss/1087451, Aristotle’s Theory of Natural Slavery, Nicholas D. Smith
4 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/slavery_slavery_in_ancient_Greece , From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia 5 http://www.essortment.com/ancient-celtic-history-2861.htm,
Ancient Celtic History
6 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/swedish_slave_tradeVikingandpre-Vikingsave2/Swedishslavetrade, From Wikipedia, The free Encyclopedia
9 http://pages.pomona.edu/”gig04747/genoa/index.htm ,Medieval Genoa, Professor Stephen A Epstein, University of Colorado, Boulder
10 http://books.google.com/books?id=P2422N, Medieval Slavery in the New Geopolitical Space
13 http://www.tracingcenter.org/blog/2010/04/reparations-and-Africa-complicity-in-the-slave-trade, Posted April 23, 2010 by Professor James Dewolf Perry
[14] http://en.wikipedia-org/wiki/middle_Passage , Middle Passage, Free Wikipedia Encyclopedia
Monday, June 13, 2011
Chapter 7 questions
1--What are some of the features of a "civilization" as outlined in the book?
Answer:
When a society and / or culture grows and matures it starts to obtain certain characteristics. We know what " gatherer-hunter" societies looked like and how they behaved. For example: they were a nomadic and moved frequently, following the seasons and the migration of animals, that they hunted for food and clothing. They pretty much only produced items that could be moved easily and quickly. Food was hunted wherever they ended up and the fruits and nuts that were indigenous to the environment was their food-pantry. Men were primarily focused on hunting game while women gathered the veges, nuts, seeds, and fruits that were the staple diet. Thus women had a valued and more equal role with the men of the tribe. The communities were usually small consisting of perhaps 20-30 people and decision making was shared with all the men.
In a "civilization" there are several different characteristics. For example: the communities were large, often numbering into the hundreds or thousands, and obviously were more congregated in urban clusters resembling small cities. There was a hierarchy of power. Decisions were made by a selection of leaders. Food staples were produced by fewer people for the benefit of the whole. Women lost some standing in the community as men took over the job of growing and harvesting food, especially with the domestication of animals that could pull a plow needing the strength of men. In a civilization there is some form of a written language as well as elaborate artwork and different work tools. There is also some form of deity worship or religious expression that is present in the society.
These early urban centers very much resemble the urban community's we live in today.
2--What are some of the reasons that "civilizations" rose and fell during the classical era of world history?
Answer:
When we look at our own "civilization" we can see how really vulnerable humans are to injury, illness, accidents, diseases and
death. We take for granted services available to us when emergencies arise. What do we do? We call 911. That phone starts in motion a whole array of services not really available to our ancestors in the classical era.
Yes there was a sophisticated irrigation system that disposed of waste as in the aqua-ducts of the Roman Empire and the land of the Pharaohs. This improved greatly the health of a community.
We can see how the cities and states affected by Hurricane Katrina were helped by the federal government, volunteer and church agencies.
Ancient man was at the mercy of earth-quakes, wild fires, extended drought, storms, and other ecological variables. A civilization very much depended on mother-nature cooperating to maintain the unity of the civilization, providing ample rainfall and availability of water, which was absolutely critical to human and animal survival
Outside warring neighbors also contributed to the demise of communities, weakening a local political structure that provided some measure of services like maintaining the irrigation systems and protection.
Internal bickering and murder often replaced a more civil method of selecting leaders, leading to instability and conflict, which also contributed to a loss of power and prestige.
Therefore, a combination of favorable ecological variables, plentiful water supply, and internal and external political stability greatly improved a civilizations longevity.
5 Questions:
1--What are the names of the 3 Super-continents?
2--Did women have the same rights and social standing in "Paleolithic" times than in "post-agricultural" urban centers?
3--What are some of the features of a "civilization"?
4--What are some of the reasons that "civilizations" rose and
fell during the Classical Era?
5--What are some of the reasons that some civilizations recieved
Answer:
When we look at our own "civilization" we can see how really vulnerable humans are to injury, illness, accidents, diseases and
death. We take for granted services available to us when emergencies arise. What do we do? We call 911. That phone starts in motion a whole array of services not really available to our ancestors in the classical era.
Yes there was a sophisticated irrigation system that disposed of waste as in the aqua-ducts of the Roman Empire and the land of the Pharaohs. This improved greatly the health of a community.
We can see how the cities and states affected by Hurricane Katrina were helped by the federal government, volunteer and church agencies.
Ancient man was at the mercy of earth-quakes, wild fires, extended drought, storms, and other ecological variables. A civilization very much depended on mother-nature cooperating to maintain the unity of the civilization, providing ample rainfall and availability of water, which was absolutely critical to human and animal survival
Outside warring neighbors also contributed to the demise of communities, weakening a local political structure that provided some measure of services like maintaining the irrigation systems and protection.
Internal bickering and murder often replaced a more civil method of selecting leaders, leading to instability and conflict, which also contributed to a loss of power and prestige.
Therefore, a combination of favorable ecological variables, plentiful water supply, and internal and external political stability greatly improved a civilizations longevity.
5 Questions:
1--What are the names of the 3 Super-continents?
2--Did women have the same rights and social standing in "Paleolithic" times than in "post-agricultural" urban centers?
3--What are some of the features of a "civilization"?
4--What are some of the reasons that "civilizations" rose and
fell during the Classical Era?
5--What are some of the reasons that some civilizations recieved
more "ink" in the history books than others?
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Chapter 10
The Worlds European Christendom 500-1300
Another of Strayer's "third-wave civilizations" was The Byzantine Empire. As a result of a split between Christians due to diminishing influence by the Roman Empire, a smaller more localized society of Christians organized and replaced the centralized power of the "Emperor Pope" with Rome as the center of the universe.
They settled in the ancient Greek city of Byzantine, and made Constantinople it's capital, named after the Emperor Constantine. Their influence started roughly 330 and ended in 1453 C.E. It will be much later that the shift of political power and religious supremacy shifted back to Europeans.
The Byzantine Empire was much smaller and more easily manageable than the vast Roman Empire of the classical period, having lost much of her territory to the Arab/Islamic hegemony, like Syria/Palestine, Egypt and North Africa.
Some of the differences of their respective traditions included language and culture. For example: Latin was the official language in Rome, while Greek was used in the Byzantine. Another difference was in the veneration of icons. The Roman's used icons and Byzantines forbade the practice. Priest in the West shaved, and beards flowed in the Byzantine; Roman priests remained celibate, while Orthodox clergy were allowed to marry and have a family.
The Byzantine Empire flourished and traded along the long-distance routes linking western Europe, Russia, Central Asia, China and the Islamic regions. Some of the products were jewelry, gold, linen, gemstones, and silver. Christianity and literacy also traveled along the trade routes gaining wide popularity. Eventually, the Russian Prince, Vladimir from the region of Kiev, chose the Orthodox Byzantine religion over Islamic traditions, as the official religion of Rus (Russia). This society was extremely sophisticated and attracted scientists, theologians, philosophers and other intellectuals to it's cities. It's art and architecture rival that of classical Rome.
Western Christian influence diminished with the holy Roman Empire around 500 C.E. During the post-classical period, former city states fragmented and a decentralized society emerged, one where each ruler was responsible for it's own protection, thus a warrior landowner gained power, wealth and stability managing his own regions. By 1100 C.E. most of Europe had embraced Christianity, coinciding climatically was a warming period which allowed a stable and predictable growing season generating wealth for it's inhabitants.
This acceleration of Europe's influence continued the expansion of the European civilization as it's urban centers swelled with a population explosion. For example, the population in the early 1300's in London was 40,000; in Paris 80,000; in Venice by the end of the 1400's reached 150,000. To give this some perspective though, boasting the civilization centered in Constantinople, was a population of 400,000 in the year 1000 C.E. Even more impressive is in China, with the capital of the Song dynasty, Hanzhou, growing to a million people in the 13 TH. centuary
This acceleration of Europe's influence continued the expansion of the European civilization as it's urban centers swelled with a population explosion. For example, the population in the early 1300's in London was 40,000; in Paris 80,000; in Venice by the end of the 1400's reached 150,000. To give this some perspective though, boasting the civilization centered in Constantinople, was a population of 400,000 in the year 1000 C.E. Even more impressive is in China, with the capital of the Song dynasty, Hanzhou, growing to a million people in the 13 TH. centuary
Christianity and European influence was growing gradually more slowly than the neighbors in the East. However, the Christian Crusaders from 1095 to 1291, sought to Colonize the unfaithful by a series of wars that were primarily battling the forces of Islam , but also with the Byzantine upstarts who broke from the Church some years earlier. Constantinople was sacked in 1204 by Christian Crusaders.
The European civilization was much less influential than some of the other civilizations of the third-wave, in comparison to the Byzantine, China, India and the Islamic world. We have just seen their smaller cities, weaker economies, and inferior technology. Unlike the giant of China, with it's invention of paper, printing, and advancements in navigation and metallurgy too.
But Europeans could borrow technology and other things learned from trading. The city states that were the framework of the European Union of today, had it's genesis in Charlemagne's system of local rulers, thus enabling local customs to later become cultural identity's called France, Spain, England, Sweden, Prussia, The Netherlands and Poland.
The West came to develop a system of independence in some cities, towns, guilds and universities, as well as a functioning legal system.
Religious scholars like Thomas Aquinas, who was an Aristotle groupie, assured that christian doctrine would be presented as the natural order of the universe, in the teachings at the university and official church doctrine.
By 1500, European political and cultural, power and influence began to catch up with the Islamic world and China, and the spread of Christianity was the vehicle and conduit for that change.
Chapter 9, China and the World
Napoleon Bonaparte, has been quoted saying, as he pointed to China on a world map, "There is a sleeping giant. Let him sleep. If he awakes, he will shake the world."
Anyone who has seen the Summer Olympics in 2008, held in Beijing, China, and witnessed, in particular the opening and closing ceremonies, has no doubt been watching the sleeping giant awakened. Or perhaps, as Strayer says in the book, " ....with the rise of China...as a major player in the world economy of the twenty-first century, are we perhaps returning to an earlier pattern?
Chapter 9 deals with the massive and influential "third wave" civilization of China. It's gravitational pull has affected Tibet, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam on a social, economical and political level. China's "golden age" of achievement occurred during the post-classical era between 589-618 C.E., under the Sui dynasty which unified the country's canal system. This allowed the north and southern provinces to trade and prosper, thus enabling the subsequent dynasties of the Tang (618-907), and the Song (960-1269) to establish patterns of life still alive in the 21 ST. century.
It's similar to the Eurasian expansion facilitated by the Roman Empire's legacy of superb roads, or the sea routes established by the Maya civilization's canoes, which allowed, arguably, the single most important catalyst for progress and change on the planet: "people coming into contact with strangers".
It's similar to the Eurasian expansion facilitated by the Roman Empire's legacy of superb roads, or the sea routes established by the Maya civilization's canoes, which allowed, arguably, the single most important catalyst for progress and change on the planet: "people coming into contact with strangers".
China, for the first time in history, invented the ability to print books and invented paper, thus enabling them to mass produce literacy and educate vast numbers of people, both commoners and elite
It's upper class created well ordered societies that saw technological and industrial advancement, like printing and iron works. The great Italian navigator and explorer, Marco Polo, said in the late 1270's, as he gazed upon China's great cities, with it's sophisticated, intellectual and artistic achievements, it's organized bureaucracies, its thriving economy and its literate elite, commented, that China was the greatest state in the world.
Notwithstanding a Euro-centric, self-identity, born from the empires' of Rome and Greece, China was the center of it's world, and viewed all foreigners as barbarians and inferior.
It's upper class created well ordered societies that saw technological and industrial advancement, like printing and iron works. The great Italian navigator and explorer, Marco Polo, said in the late 1270's, as he gazed upon China's great cities, with it's sophisticated, intellectual and artistic achievements, it's organized bureaucracies, its thriving economy and its literate elite, commented, that China was the greatest state in the world.
Notwithstanding a Euro-centric, self-identity, born from the empires' of Rome and Greece, China was the center of it's world, and viewed all foreigners as barbarians and inferior.
China's contribution to the world in terms of paper making and printing is revolutionary, and pivotal with global implications. It's invention of gunpowder too, has morphed from its birth around 1000 C.E. , and triggered the first arms race, as Europeans copied and developed firearms and cannons; now, they could propel "metal" , which, like all technology becomes more efficient and effective with each new innovation, thus enabling more efficient killing.
India's influence with religion and Buddhism took hold in China giving a cultural bond with peripheral societies like Korea, Japan, and Vietnam, who embraced the teaching's of Buddha.
It's emphasis on morality, rituals and contemplation had a big appeal to the commoners without threatening the ruling party of the State. So, in some ways they tolerated religious traditions.
However, just as the Templar Knights of the Round Table, once revered as the protectors of the Holy Roman Empire in Medieval Europe, met a guillotines fate, with their wealth and property confiscated by an insecure and financially strapped "state"; so too the Buddhist monks had a similar fate called the "An Luchan" revolt. It lasted 8 years from 755-763 C.E., where similarly, the "state" felt threatened and closed monasteries, temples and shrines, scattering its nuns and monks, confiscating its wealth and property and forcing the clergy to become regular "tax paying" citizens.
In 2008, at the summer Olympics in Beijing China, the world had an opportunity to see China in all it's spender and glory, marvel at it's artistry and precision; it's cultural sophistication and reverence to elders; as well as a reverence for nature with her simplicity, elegance and beauty.
China, on the world stage in 2011, as in the post-classical era, is asserting her economic strength, and shedding her self-imposed isolation and opening her closed society revealing today, what both Napoleon and Marco Polo had discovered centuries ago.........
China, on the world stage in 2011, as in the post-classical era, is asserting her economic strength, and shedding her self-imposed isolation and opening her closed society revealing today, what both Napoleon and Marco Polo had discovered centuries ago.........
Chapter 8 Commerce and Culture
When I think about this chapter regarding the way early civilizations traded with one another, I am mindful of how little has changed in some basic ways that people like to exchange goods. I can visualize how it must have been as traders on the Silk, Sea and Sand roads stopped at central marketplaces to sell and buy various items from silk to spices to jewelry. There is a certain energy and excitement with all the different looking people milling about. The cacophony of different languages filing the air must have been incredible as vendors enthusiastically called attention to their items. The smells and sights were probably very similiar if you were to visit and shop at any ethnic neighborhood in any major city around the globe.
The years 500 to 1500 C.E. are referred to by Robert Strayer in his book, as the era of third-wave civilizations. This was a time when long distance trade became the vehicle by which different people were exposed to other inhabitants of the planet. These trading routes became the conduit by which culture, religion, language, disease, and war spread throughout the world. For example, the Silk roads from China enabled that civilization to prosper and to become one of the longest and most sophisticated cultures that contributed greatly to the world community in terms of trade in silk, paper, porcelain, and gun powder.
A key framework in the infrastructure of a mini, market-economy in general, are the land roads left by the Roman Empire. They built large , well constructed roads throughout its territory, thus enabling them to move troops and supplies as well as food and luxury items to Rome. The world's leaders learned the benefits of cross-cultural exchange and the accompanying wealth and influence enjoyed by commoners and, the elite.
Likewise, the Sea routes traveled by Arabic, Indian, and Persian merchants in the Indian Ocean traded cloth, glassware, weapons, and books. Also available was salt, copper and gold, language, cultural traditions, religious practices and food, all melded and blended together.
The other trade route that allowed third-wave civilizations to grow was the arduous walk through the Saharan Desert. With the domestication of the camel, and it's ability to travel without water for up to 10 days, enabled North African Arabs to trade gold for ivory and other luxury items.
The limitation of the camel however, was volume. A camel could only carry so much weight. Therefore only the wealthy and elite could afford most , if not all, the products on the silk routes.. The sea route was more efficient and included goods for the general population like silk, spices and metalurgy to name a few.
The limitation of the camel however, was volume. A camel could only carry so much weight. Therefore only the wealthy and elite could afford most , if not all, the products on the silk routes.. The sea route was more efficient and included goods for the general population like silk, spices and metalurgy to name a few.
Other third-wave civilizations were developing in the west. They were the Mesoamerica and Andes. Just like its counterparts in the Eurasian continent, long distance trade among different societies changed buyer and trader alike.
For example: a major chiefdom in North America flourished between 900 and 1250 C.E., and became a central commerce destination. It was called Cahokia and lay on the crossroads of three trading networks, Lake Superior, which produced copper, and the Atlantic coast which had sea shells. Also there were buffalo hides from the great plains, and the mineral, Obsidian from the Rocky Mountains.
For example: a major chiefdom in North America flourished between 900 and 1250 C.E., and became a central commerce destination. It was called Cahokia and lay on the crossroads of three trading networks, Lake Superior, which produced copper, and the Atlantic coast which had sea shells. Also there were buffalo hides from the great plains, and the mineral, Obsidian from the Rocky Mountains.
Along the sea routes in the Andea civilization, north and south of the equator along the west coasts of the Americas, the Maya traded cotton cloths, precious jewels and specific bird-feathers mostly destined for royal families
Islam was a major influence during the post-classical era between 500-1500 C.E. As mentioned earlier religion also traveled and settled throughout the Indian Ocean basin. Buddhism and Hinduism also took root in southeast Asia , in part from the "indianization" coming from India's influence as a result of the silk route.
Several times, in previous chapters, throughout this blog I have praised Strayer's interpretations and analysis of "world history". However, in the area of "slave trade", I'm a little disappointed in his mediocre,or, less passionate description of the post-classical era of humans "owning" humans, as slaves.
Men, women and children became much like domesticated animals, such as the mule , horse and oxen, which made societies wealthy and transformed civilizations. It's difficult to fathom the idea that the African continent has been a source of cheap human labor since ancient times through the sixteenth century. Both Christians, and Muslim's alike, benefited from the wealth generated by slavery.
In his book, Way of the World, Strayer devotes a mere 3 paragraphs, on pages 234 and 235, to the effects of the "slave trade"
In his book, Way of the World, Strayer devotes a mere 3 paragraphs, on pages 234 and 235, to the effects of the "slave trade"
I bet a class in African, or African-American history, covering a period of 1500 years, which incorporated the histories of the various Empire's of Europe and the Middle east, might have more to say about slavery, and would likely take up more than 3 paragraphs. Just a guess mind you.
His description , to me, is like his descriptions of other items that changed the world due to the wealth and power that they generated. Like, silk, cotton, gold, gun powder, spices or..... slaves.
His description , to me, is like his descriptions of other items that changed the world due to the wealth and power that they generated. Like, silk, cotton, gold, gun powder, spices or..... slaves.
I don't mean to sound like "Chomsky" junior, and to be fair the author may go into more detail about the world wide effect of slavery later in the book. Perhaps, we just haven't read about it yet. Especially, since in the year 2011, the continent of Africa is still struggling today with famine, tribal wars, genocide, A.I.D.S., world debt, and crushing poverty, despite immense wealth in mineral deposits, that continue, to some degree, to enrich foreign mining behemoths.
It's a civilization that has been decimated and exploited, for several millennium, condemning the African to a painfully slow evolution into it's society's maturity, as a direct result of slavery.
It's a civilization that has been decimated and exploited, for several millennium, condemning the African to a painfully slow evolution into it's society's maturity, as a direct result of slavery.
Strayer goes on in more detail about the third-wave civilizations as being more balanced, with multi-centered empires as we have seen in East Africa, Indian Ocean basin, Arabia, China and South East Asia.
Does the U.S. have to be number one all the time?
Does China's emergence as a super power threaten United States and European hegemony in the next century?
Does China's emergence as a super power threaten United States and European hegemony in the next century?
Friday, June 3, 2011
Chapter 7 Africa and the Americas
Richard DiTullio
Africa and the Americas
Reading chapter 7, Africa and the Americas, reminded me of how restaurant critics evaluate restaurants in San Francisco.
Did you know there are over 6,000 eating establishments in the City by the Bay?
You may be asking, what is the relevance to the chapter regarding
“Classical Era Variations”
If you were an alien, who was observing and learning about the restaurant scene in San Francisco as you orbited earth, you may get the wrong impression if you obtained your data from the San Francisco Chronicle.
It seems that the top 100 restaurants are the consistent choices of food critics. Each of these establishments take turns being rated 1 star, 2, 3 or 4 stars. It’s the same old restaurants just re-cycled and written about, saying the same old boring stuff.
What about the other restaurants? Are they relevant in any way shape or form? Do they not have interesting menu selections? Why then, don't we here to much about them?
Historians often refer to the ancient civilizations of Greece, Rome, Persia, China and the Indians of South Asia, as the “Classical Period” of mankind's tenure on earth. These were the civilizations that received the most “ink” in the History Books.
Well, as in the case of the restaurant scene of San Francisco, there were other civilizations that flourished around the Globe that were just as significant and valued, as the aforementioned “Eurasian” societies.
Robert Strayer, the author of “Way of the World”, and other scholars have sought to counteract a “Euro-Centric” telling of World History. These other civilizations existed, thrived and broke apart, just as their Eurasian counterparts did while occupying the same “time and space” as Greece, Rome, Persia, China and the Indians of South Asia
They were primarily located on two of the three super-continents, i.e. the African continent and the Americas continent.
To be fair Historians may have focused on the big-5 civilizations due to unevenness in population disbursements.
For example: Historians estimate that of the three great Super-continents of “Eurasia”, “Africa” and the “Americas”, 80% of the world’s population resided on the “Eurasian” continent; and, about 11% on the “African” continent and another 3 to 7% on the continent of the “Americas”. Hence,The Eurasian continent received the most "historical" examination in the history books of our elementary and high school classes.
Many, many restaurants are making top notch food and are generally contributing to a thriving and exciting restaurant scene in San Francisco.
So too, the civilizations of the “Mesoamerican Maya”, the “Peruvian Moche”, and the civilizations of the “African continent”, like the “Mero”, “Axum” and the “Niger River Valley” were thriving and contributory civilizations, therefore just as relevant, as their neighbors on the Eurasian continent.
As we have seen in the preceding chapters, the “Agricultural Revolution” was the genesis of civilizations. As early man transitioned from ”gatherer-hunter” societies to residents of city-states, a culture started to emerge.
The book goes into details on 3 regions in Africa and 3 regions of the Americas. I will only speak broadly about these details to emphasize the relevance and existence of these other valued civilizations.
These other two Super-continents, as its Eurasian neighbor, had variations and similarities based on proximity to water and other ecological variables like changing weather patterns.
They existed and disappeared, based on environmental changes as well as from internal upheavals, wars, and disease.
For example: the Maya civilization of Mesoamerica started around 2000 B.C.E. to about 840 C.E., however, they disappeared by nearly 85% due to famine, epidemics, fratricidal warfare, and a prolonged drought. Their culture developed mathematics, astronomy, architecture and writing, etc, as the other more popular civilizations like Greece and Rome did.
The city of “Teotihuan” was the largest and most sophisticated urban complex in the Americas. Its population was estimated to be between 100-200,000 people. The city boasted grand public buildings, temples, broad avenues lined with statues, palaces, and market squares, as well as a political system of governance. It also had a complex, irrigation network, providing water, just as the Roman Aqueducts’ had on the Eurasian continent.
Other examples of “first civilizations” of the Classical Era are the Bantu speaking peoples of the African continent. Also, the city of Axum, which was located on the horn of Africa, was a thriving metropolis. This was a highly developed agricultural region that produced a fairly sophisticated society. The Axumites constructed “obelisks” to honor their dead. Some were over 100 feet tall. There is a noteworthy one that is almost 80 feet tall and cut from a single stone. The engineering of these structures rival the Pyramids of the Pharaohs’
The people of the African Continent as well as the continent of the Americas, had, developed as a result of the “agricultural revolution”. The civilizations of the African continent and the Americas continent, created long distance trading, which allowed exposure to other religions, spices, artwork, etc, ; they developed urban centers, complex societies, architecture and written languages, that parallel the same major features of the “classical” Eurasian civilizations.
Just like the restaurants of San Francisco that are not on the “top 100” list, these lesser known , but equally important, civilizations contributed to the rich traditions and cultures of mankind, that make their home on the third planet from the sun,… called ………Earth.
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