Reaching Out: Cross Cultural Interactions

AP World HistoryChapter 22

Trade and Travel

• Venetian Marco Polo (1253-1324) served under Kublia Khan for 17 years.

• Recorded travels impact European views of Asia.

• Mongols, Christians recognize Muslims as common enemy.

• Traveling diplomats include Rabban Sauma (Nestorian) and Ibn Battuta (1304-1369)

• Muslim and Christian missionaries moved throughout region.

Marco Polo in

Mongolian attire.

Cultural Exchanges

• Muslims, Jews and Europeans exchange cultures.

• Muslims introduce Europeans to sugar.

• Gunpowder technology reaches Europe by 1258.

The Sultiana, a bronze muzzle-loading cannon, was used by the Ottomans in the siege of Constantinpole. The cannon used

gunpowder to launch a 25-inch stone cannonball.

Bring Out Your Dead!

• The Bubonic Plague comes from SW China.

• Mongols, merchants, travelers spread disease west (1346-1348).

• 60-70% mortality rate within days of onset of symptoms.

• Has significant social and economic impact.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qK4X6bqy3o&feature=related

The Culprits

The Symptoms

Bulbous

Septicemic Form:

almost 100% mortality rate.

Lancing a Buboe

The Disease Cycle

Flea drinks rat blood that carries the

bacteria.

Flea’s gut cloggedwith bacteria.

Bacteriamultiply inflea’s gut.

Flea bites human and regurgitates blood into human wound.

Human is infected!

The Fall of the Mongols

• The Mongols depart China, and the Ming Dynasty takes over.

• Dynasty brings back Confucian teaching, centralization.

• Society sees economic, cultural recovery.

An African giraffe that was put on display in a Ming Zoo.

Recovery Spreads West

• European recovery begins with taxes, formation of standing armies.

• Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain fund age of discovery.

• Completes reconquista of peninsula.

Spanish King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella and their subjects.

The “Rebirth” of Europe

• The Renaissance brings about a rebirth of classical culture (art, architecture, etc.).

• Humanists maintain strong connection to Christianity.

• Group promotes staying pure while living in the real world.

Michelangelo’s famous David statue (slightly modified).

Images of the Renaissance

The School of Athens by Rafael

Left: Leonardo Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. Below: St. Peter’s Basilica.

Exploring the World

• The Ming Dynasty promotes naval exploration.

• Europeans explore in Indian, Atlantic oceans for God and gold.

• Bartholomew Diaz, Vasco Da Gama and Christopher Columbus usher in Age of Discovery.

Vasco Da Gama sailed around the Cape of Good Hope (1497-1499)