Post-Classical Period600-1450

Rise Of

Major Belief Systems

Fall of Classic

Civilizations

Classical Period ends with decline of urban areas.

Why?• Devastating plagues• Invasions• Decline of Ag. Production• Political & economic

decentralization

Urban Revival during Post- Classical Age. Why?

• End of invasions• Availability of safe/reliable

transport• Rise of commerce and warmer

temps. between 800-1300• Increased ag. production =

rising pop.• Great availability of labor

• Buddhism• Christianity• Islam

Spread of Religions

Why successfully spread?• Emphasized

spiritual life• Stressed

importance of divine powers

• Emphasized internal devotion

• Offers hope through afterlife

•Helped those in need (poor, hungry, oppressed)

The Spread of Islam

Origins of Islam• Why was the

Arabian Peninsula both a likely and unlikely place to start a religion???

•Geography – desert

•People – –Bedouins–Tribal–No unity

•Strategic location

Unlikely

Likely

Located bwn 3 continents & major waterways

Changes during Late Classical Period

•Towns and Cities emerge *

**

*

•Prominent role of Arab Merchants

•Growth of Arabic language

•Materialistic culture emergesLiteracy and Education increases

•Fall of Rome

Islam as a “Unifier”• Distinctly Arabic• Ended feuding tribes• Source of Authority• Equality and a moral code• Trade and profit making

Islamic ExpansionWhy conquest? *Unity gave confidence*Valuable lands/trade/money

First Commanded by MuhammadFollowed by the first Caliphs

*Drought in Arabia*Seek Converts

Why was it successful?•Quick, Agile Army•Weak Surrounding Empires•Taxing policies insured

loyalty and revenue

Umayyad Dynasty661-750

• Capital moved to Damascus

• Favoritism toward Arabs• Second wave of

conquest/expansion: W. India to Spain

• Caliph = religious leader; family = advisors

• Capital = Baghdad•Tolerance towards non-Arabs•Consolidated Empire•Caliph = Absolute ruler; Vizier headed complex bureaucracy• Global Network of Trade;

Baghdad = major trade city• Baghdad = center of Islamic

Golden Age

Abbasids Dynasty750-945

Problems within the Empire

1. Issues of Succession*After the death of Muhammad*Rightful heir?

Division EmergesSunnisForwardMajorityAnyone can

assume role of caliph

Shi’is (Shiite)FundamentalistsMinorityClaim to be direct

descendants to Muhammad-Only they can be caliph

2. Empire grew too big•Rebellious governors•Ruling a diverse people•End of Arabian dominance

RESULTS: • By 1000 Abbasids were crumbling• Other cultural influences takeover

Arabs• Persians, Turks, Mongols• Arabian Political Dominance

Islamic Cultural Dynamism

Complete the following Analogy

What the birth and growth of Islam (Idea) did for the Arabs (people)…

_____________________ (Idea) did for the__________________(people) because they both

____________________________________

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