Death, smallpox and measles spread to empires along the Silk road. Who? – various cultures from the East to the West, used heavily again from about 1200 C.E until about 16.00 CE, during the reign of the Mongols. Cultural diffusion - Spread Buddhism and Christianity; spurred European interest in finding a water route to China. Indian Ocean Trade Patterns Post-classical Trade Patters increased trade during Tang, Song, Yuan, and Ming dynasties Ming send expeditions to display wealth of “Middle Kingdom” (Zheng He); traveled across ocean to ; expeditions stopped by Confucian scholars, but trade continued merchants used monsoon winds to travel to and the merchants blended with Bantu to form Swahili; established wealthy city-states European technology advances allowed Europeans to explore more extensive trade in the Europeans were especially interested in spices from the “” Unfavorable balance of trade for Europeans (no one really wanted/needed European goods) “middle” section of trade routes establishment of trading ports for Chinese, Arabs, and Europeans *Hanseatic League What? – A trading relationship between European states. The league established permanent commercial trading posts (Kontore) in a number of European towns, notably Bruges in Flanders, Bergen in Norway, Novgorod in Russia, and the Steel Yard in London. The league's principal trade consisted of grain, timber, furs, tar, honey, and flax traded from Russia and Poland to Flanders and England, which in turn sent cloth and other manufactured goods eastward to the Slavs. Swedish copper and iron ore were traded westward, and herring caught off the southern tip of Sweden was traded throughout Germany southward to the Alps. Who? – The Hanseatic League was a collection of ever growing trading centres / city-states predominantly German initially in the Baltic and Northern Europe that grouped together in 1241 to establish common trade patterns fight off pirates and foreign governments. More than 100 cities joined the league. Impact – It resulted in a substantial middle class in northern Europe, a development that would drive later changes (Renaissance, Reformation, etc) *The Hanseatic League is mentioned in your textbook, but this is basically the information you need to know. Missionary outreach of major religions Islam, Christianity, and Buddhism all had missionaries traveling through Mass Migrations – The Mongols and the Bantu
Political Manorialism: typically organized into feudal estates as small landowners sold land to larger landowners; some peasants moved to cities, others stayed to work the lands of those they sold to Feudalism: large landowners (nobles, lords) gave parcels of land to vassals (sometimes knights, sometimes lesser nobles/lords) in exchange for military service; serfs worked the lands of the lords and vassals in exchange for protection Loose kingdoms/Empires developed (Charlemagne, Holy Roman) Sometimes conflicts between estates; largest threat to security were Viking invasions from the North and the Crusades. nation-states begin to develop in (after invasion of William in 1066) and , remain a collection of large estates (princedoms, duchies) continued to be ruled by Muslims Development of Parliaments: an extension/evolution of feudal relationship between lord and vassal; , , Conflict between Catholic Church and monarchs: power struggle for who has more influence (investiture) Hundred Years’ War: between and Economic trade diminished, estates had to become Feudalism: serfs gave a portion of their crops and had to work the lands of their lords Technology: renewed contacts with the East ~900 brought plows and improved agricultural techniques An increase in trade sparked peasant migration to cities which allowed landowners to buy more land and pay serfs wages to work the land Crusades: brought attention to products from the East, Europeans wanted these goods; led to an increase in trade and an increase in rivalries between Christian and Muslim merchants renewed trade opportunities and motivations after the crusades early banking systems technology: gunpowder, cannons Social Social Feudalism: lords, vassals, knights, serfs Status of women generally declined Serfs could be freed from obligations by living in a city for a year and a day Laws/punishments tended to favor higher classes over lower, men over women Nobility through landownership, military accomplishments, alliances, service to the state Gradual increase in status of most peasants Urbanization Increased population due to better agricultural techniques Increase in rights for peasants/serfs (especially after the development of Parliaments that attempted to protect their rights Development of primitive middle class: wealthy families from banking and commerce Chivalry: code of conduct for knights and lords; unlike bushido in that it involves a reciprocal relationship and does not apply to women Religion: Catholic Church dominated cultural beliefs and traditions (architecture, art, Gothic architecture: influences from Muslims Expansion of universities, increased emphasis on learning Renewed interest in Greco-Roman heritage