First Civilizations

Tokugawa's Control During the Tokugawa times, Japan was having 250 years of peace.  He was a military ruler who wanted to prevent a civil war between the 260 rival lord called the daimyo. These lords had samurai warriors.  During this time, the country was controlled and regulated by these men.  According to Strayer on page 852, these daimyo local rulers had to leave their families behind and created second homes in Edo, which was the country's capital. Here they lived during alternated years.  This was one of Tokugawa's ways to control these rulers. "Pacified...but not really unified." (Strayer, p. 852)  Since the country was not at war, the samurai fighters were not really fighting.  However, there were highly paid.  Strayer states that Tokugawa created rules to control the country's occupation, residence, dress, and hairstyles.  He also made rules to control the four status groups and gave them ranking.  Samurai was at the top, then pea...

Echoes of Atlantic Revolutions Atlantic revolutionaries shared common ideas that came from European Enlightenment.  There were shared across the ocean by books, newspapers, and pamphlets.  These included the ideas of liberty, equality, free trade, religious tolerance, republicanism, and human rationality.  Also, "popular sovereignty", which meant government and authority to govern would be established by people.  Atlantic revolutions eliminated monarchs.  They were also known as "democratic revolutions". Women, slaves, Native Americans, and men without property did not benefit from the Atlantic Revolutions right away.  However, the revolutions gave them hope to continue fighting for future results.   The North American Revolution  Independence from oppressive British rule.  The Declaration of Independence.  Joining 13 separate colonies into new nation.  The Bill of Rights (separation of church and state, fede...

The Great Dying After the invasion of the Europeans, the Americas were exposed to unknown to them diseases. Native America The Population in the Western Hemisphere was 60-80 million people.  Most of the people lived in Mesoamerican and Andean zones. These areas were dominated by the Aztec and Inca empires. They were not immuned to diseases such as smallpox, measles, typhus, influenza, malaria, and yellow fever. When they came in contact with these European and African diseases, they died in large numbers. Some say these diseases killed off 90% of the population. The Dutch reported that New York area lost 9 out of 10 people. Plymouth colony reported that Massachusetts area was being wiped out.  Governor Bradford stated, "good hand of God sweeping away great multitudes of the natives that he might make room for us" (Strayer p. 560). Caribbean Islands People of the Caribbean Islands were densely settled.  However, they all vanished within fifty years after Colum...

The World of Islam as a New Civilization Networks of Faith According to Strayer on page 392, Islamic believers were not just people in temples, but rather people who were connected.  They served as judges, lawyers, interpreters, administrators, prayer leaders, reciters of Quran, and as teachers of the sharia.  Education of Islam spread from Indonesia to West Africa.  There were strong networks of the Sufis, who were teachers, and the ulama, who were scholars.  Thousands of people, from kings to peasants, made their pilgrimage to Mecca, where they experienced umma, the unity in Muslim community. Networks of Exchange The Islamic Civilization was growing strong in its religion and laws, which were valued and helped regulate its commerce across many cultures.   In 756,  people of Islam had their capital Baghdad.  This was a city of half a million people.  Elite people in these cities were looking for luxury goods and foreign products....

The development of Silk Roads began with large civilizations and specialized agriculture.  The Silk Road was the network of the trades made in Eurasia.  Part of Eurasia were China, India, the Middle East, the Mediterranean, the Eastern Russia, and Central Asia.  These were the pastoral people, with animals. They exchanged and traded items such as furs, livestock, wool, and amber.   Later in history, this area was stretched out even more with Persian Empire's invasions, Alexander the Great's empire growth, and Han dynasty taking authority westward.  The  Silk Road became very large and powerful with many merchants and travelers. China offered its silk, bamboo, mirrors, gunpowder, paper, rhubarb, ginger, lacquerware, and chrysanthemums. Siberia and Central Asia offered its furs, walrus tusks, amber, livestock, horses, falcons, hides, copper vessels, tents, saddles and slaves. India offered its cotton textiles, herbal medicine, precious stones, spices, ...

The Teotihuacan is known as the Americas' Greatest City.  It was built in the Valley of Mexico around 150 B.C.E.  Its population grew up from 100,000 to 200,000.  It was one of the six largest urban complexes in the world.  The city was very well developed.  It has wide streets, large marketplaces, temples, palaces, living complexes, waterways, drainage systems, colorful murals, and much more. According to Strayer on page 244-245, on the Street of the Dead there were huge homes built for authorities and elite.  There were also temples and two giant pyramids. One of them was the Pyramid of the Sun.  It was considered the birthplace of the sun and the moon.  And there was the Temple of the Feathered Serpent, where the victims were sacrificed in order to keep company for the high-ranking individuals going into afterlife.  There were sections of the city dedicated to foreigners.  Many of their buildings had mural art.  Some of it sh...