First Civilizations

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....