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Byzantium, Western Europe, and the Americas on the Eve of Invasion

Study session covering the Byzantine Empire, Eastern Europe, and Western Europe before the invasions. Topics include the Byzantine Empire, spread of civilization in Eastern Europe, new civilization in Western Europe, and changing economic and social forms.

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Byzantium, Western Europe, and the Americas on the Eve of Invasion

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  1. AP World History Exam Study Session #4 Byzantium, Western Europe, and the Americas on the Eve of Invasion

  2. BYZANTINE EMPIRE AND EASTERN EUROPE BYZANTINE EMPIRE • 4th century—Constantine built Constantinople as his capital • Became the capital of the Byzantine Empire when the Roman Empire split • Characteristics of the Byzantine Empire: • Complex administration centered around a remote emperor • Use of elaborate ceremonies • Greek became the empire’s official language

  3. Justinian • Rebuilt Constantinople • Built the Hagia Sophia • Codified Roman legal code • Made military gains at great cost • Justinian’s successors held off Arab invaders from the east and Bulgaria • Used “Greek fire” • Empire’s size and strength were reduced

  4. Byzantine politics were very similar to politics in China • Emperor was seen as ordained by God • Emperor was head of church and state • Women could serve as emperor • An elaborate bureaucracy organized the empire politically, socially, and economically • Byzantine culture blended Hellenism and Orthodox Christianity • 1054—The Church split into a western branch (Roman Catholic) and eastern branch (Eastern Orthodox)

  5. Declined gradually over time • Started after the schism in the church • Survived because of careful diplomacy until 1453 • Turks overran Constantinople

  6. SPREAD OF CIVILIZATION IN EASTERN EUROPE • Christian missionaries helped bring Eastern Orthodox Christianity north • To Russia and the Balkans • Included Cyril and Methodius • Created a new alphabet—Cyrillic

  7. Roman Catholicism competed for converts in Eastern Europe • Jews migrated to the area in large numbers • Valued education and literacy • Gained strength in local commerce

  8. 1000—Kievan Rus’ increased in power and influence • After conversion of Vladimir to Orthodox Christianity • State soon developed its own Russian Orthodox Church • Grew along the trade route between Scandinavia and Constantinople • Yaroslav issued codified Russian laws • Russian culture borrowed from Byzantium

  9. Boyars (Russian nobles) were more powerful than their western counterparts • Lost power because of Mongol invasions • Also called the Tartars • These cut the region off from western contacts • Stifled economic, political, and cultural development

  10. NEW CIVILIZATION IN WESTERN EUROPE STAGES OF POSTCLASSICAL DEVELOPMENT • Postclassical West suffered from several key problems: • Political fragmentation of Italy • Muslim conquest of Spain • Viking raids • Decline in intellectual life

  11. Effective political organization was usually local • Manorialism created oppressive system of political and economic organization • Between landlords and peasants • Many peasants were serfs • Three-field system and other developments improved agriculture

  12. Christian Church was the most organized institution in western Europe • Had a clear hierarchy • Established a chain of monasteries • Clovis’ conversion to Christianity helped him gain control over the Franks

  13. 800-Charlemagne established a substantial empire in France and Germany • His empire didn’t survive his death • Europe split into regional monarchies • After 900-Agricultural advances, population increase, and growing towns helped Europe revitalize

  14. Key military and political system during the Middle Ages was feudalism • Lords provided protection and aid to vassals • Vassals owed their lords military service and goods or payments • 1066—William the Conqueror introduced feudal monarchy to England after his invasion

  15. 1215—Noblemen forced English King John to sign the Magna Carta • Limited the power of the king • Parliament became more powerful • Western Europe wanted to expand which led to: • The conquest of Muslim Spain • Exploration in the Americas • The Crusades • These ended in epic failure • Connected Europe to the Middle East, Asia, and Africa • Increased trade

  16. Reforms affected the Catholic Church • Investiture controversy gave the church power over monarchies

  17. WESTERN CULTURE IN THE POST-CLASSICAL ERA • Theologians like Thomas Aquinas helped assimilate Greek philosophical ideas into Catholicism • Bernard of Clairvaux opposed this • Scholasticism prevailed • Christian devotion among lay people increased • Pagan traditions still continued

  18. Religious themes were found in medieval architecture, literature, and art • Gothic cathedrals sprang up around western Europe

  19. CHANGING ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL FORMS IN THE POST-CLASSICAL CENTURIES • Western Europe grew commercially • Peasants gained more freedom with agricultural advances • Urban growth allowed more specialized manufacturing and commercial activities • This promoted greater trade

  20. Hanseatic League was a good example of cities working together for mutual economic benefit • Guilds grouped people in the same business or trade in a single city • Men placed new limits on women • Patriarchal structure took deep root

  21. DECLINE OF MEDIEVAL SYNTHESIS • Hundred Years’ War caused devastation and antifeudal innovations • Agricultural resources couldn’t sustain population • Devastating plagues like the Black Death swept Europe

  22. Growth of professional armies shook the authority of feudal lords • Series of controversies over papal authority distanced the Catholic Church from everyday devotion • Intellectual and artistic life moved away from Church influence • Legacy includes: • Birth of universities • New political ideas • Change in the relationship between the West and the regions around it

  23. THE AMERICAS ON THE EVE OF INVASION POSTCLASSICAL MESOAMERICA (1000-1500 CE) • Toltecs moved into the political power vacuum left by the collapse of Teotihuacán • Established a strong military ethic and a cult of human sacrifice and war • Influence spread over much of central Mexico • Introduced the legend of Quetzalcoatl

  24. Aztecs gained control in the Lake Texcoco region following the Toltecs • Made their capital at Tenochtitlan • Had a reputation as tough warriors and fanatical followers of their gods • By the time of Moctezuma II, the king represented civil power and served as a representative of the gods on earth • Cult of human sacrifice and conquest became very important

  25. Aztec polytheistic religion united and oppressed • There was little distinction between the world of the gods and the natural world • Human sacrifice increased in the name of religion • Used ingenious and successful irrigation system • Chinampas were floating gardens • Special merchant class regulated markets • State oversaw a vast tribute network

  26. AZTEC SOCITY IN TRANSITION • A new social hierarchy replaced the old kinship-based clan system • Women had more rights than their contemporaries elsewhere • Area they controlled may have included 20 million people • Each city-state was ruled by a noble speaker • Conquered city-states were left unchanged if they recognized Aztec supremacy and met their obligations

  27. WORLD OF THE INCAS • Achieved a level of integration previously unknown in the Americas • Utilized strong state organization and bureaucratic control over different people • Pachacuti helped the empire spread • From modern Columbia to Argentina

  28. Adopted the practice of royal split inheritance • Required new land and wealth • May have caused the empire’s growth • Temple of the Sun at Cuzco was the center of religious life • Developed a bureaucracy headed by an inca and four regional governors • Spread their language • Used colonists • Built extensive road networks to encourage unity

  29. Empire demanded mita • Mandatory labor on church and state lands • Used system of royal multiple marriages • Created to forge alliances • Also created rival claimants to the throne • Empire was on the verge of civil war when the Spanish invaded

  30. Cultural achievements include: • Pottery, art, and metalworking • Recording device—quipu • Land and water management system • Extensive road system • Incan and Aztecs empires were two variations of similar patterns and processes • Sedentary agriculture was the most important shared characteristic • There were similarities in religion, cosmology, and social structure

  31. THE OTHER INDIANS • 1500—Americas may have had as many inhabitants as Europe • Between 57-72 million people • Chieftainships based on sedentary agriculture were found outside the major American empires • Cultural diversity was especially great in North America

  32. Most American societies were strongly kin-based • Unlike Incas, Aztecs, and European and Asian societies • Contained a broad range of societies • From great civilizations to small bands of hunters • Religion played a great role in defining relationships

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