China and Aztec Civilization

China and Aztec Civilization

The period between 1000- 1500 CE marked a significant milestone in the history of China and Mesoamerican. With civilization, the two regions witnessed social and political growths, whose impact has persisted until today. Therefore, the complexities of the contemporary world bases on the era of the 1000-1500 CE. The Chinese and the Aztec share similar technological, art, and commercial achievements. Nevertheless, some features of civilization differ for both of them. Therefore, we will look at their similarities and differences in terms of art, technology, and commerce.

China and the Aztec made progress in technology, commerce, and arts advancements. The period saw China rise to become one of the best innovators of technology. The Ming Dynasty in China encouraged the development of technology in the country. With its centralized bureaucratic leadership, it ensured that technology was adopted in the region while in rulership in the 1492 CE (Schultz). They invented gun powders, printers, and marine compasses. For the Aztec, their goal was to achieve technological advancement in the creation of better weapons. For instance, they could use the obsidian to cool their guns. The Aztec also made improvements in the agriculture and construction sectors. They could drill reeds and bones for the application for these purposes.

In the field of arts, the Chinese government encouraged its citizens to practice calligraphy and compose poems. The government officials embraced the idea, which saw the growth of an artistic population. On the part of the Aztec, they were mainly involved in pottery, wood carving, and metal works.

In terms of economic achievements, there was a rapid growth in per capita income of the Chinese economy. The effective governance, technological and agricultural advancement, saw its economy drastically transformed. China had defined trade routes and a unified tax system. Such enabled it to expand its market to the rest of the world. Many other nations traded with China boosting its trade in global markets. The civilization formed the roots for China to rise and become the wealthiest nation globally. Aztec, on the other hand, experienced an economic revolution as a result of civilization. The Tenochtitlán in the capital served as a central trading centre to trade things such as tobacco, gold, tools, and pottery.

In brief, the civilization period of the 1000-1500 CE in China and Aztec brought significant changes to them. Both regions have achieved a lot in the technological, arts, and commercial sector. However, though the accomplishments are similar, there are a few differences between them. They have made achieved in the same dimension though the approach and ways of engaging may be different. All in all, civilization in China and Aztec greatly influenced the history of both regions.

Role and Impact of Islam in India and Africa

By 750AD, Islam had spread quickly across Africa and the Asian countries. Though conversion was not mandatory, the idea captivated many people. Since non-believers were subjected to pay more taxes, the best thing was to convert to Islam. The Muslims invented creative ways to pull people to their side, primarily through Muslim merchants. Their efforts have played a significant role, which impacted Africa and India communities either in a similar way or differently.

One comparable role and impact of Islam in India and Africa is bringing peace and unification in many regions that it spread. The occupants of these two areas were polytheistic, which meant that they reaped all the political hurdles related to it. The worship of many gods and their involvement in civic affairs often led to rivalry and conflicting loyalties in politics. This impeded their unity and peace. Therefore, the conversion to Islam meant that the people could embrace monotheism, which could be relevant to eliminate the barriers of unification. The union gave way to a united tribe, which created loyalty among the people as they relied on one deity. Consequently, Islam facilitated the emergence of more prominent kingdoms in the areas that were once characterized by many smaller dynasties.

The other similar role and impact of the Islamic religion was the increase in trade. Muslims were vigilant to engage in business for profit. The Islamic civilization ensured that merchants were always safe. Thus, there was the application of the Islamic Sharia laws from the Koran that provided equality for justice. It imposed stringed rules against dishonesty and theft in business. Through the Sharia laws, the qadis were mandated to resolve the dispute arising from such fraud. Traders were assured of a systemic forum to forward their complaints and have them fixed. Having to travel and trade was now not a risky venture as before, courtesy of the Islam penetration.

Nonetheless, despite the similarities, the influence of Islam in India and Africa was also felt differently in the two regions. For one, the Islam religion was most appealing to tribal leaders of the African communities. Considering that Islam was intertwined with political prowess, the African leaders relied on it to strengthen their kingship authority. Leaders who converted experienced more power and supremacy within their means. In the end, this saw numerous empires emerge as a result. The commoners did not practice the religion as it was for the kings and influential people (Snyder 27). On the other hand, the social pattern in Africa was quite the opposite in India. The Islamic religion was most inviting to the people with little or no influence in the community. The conversion was also appealing for the Buddhists, who too did not benefit from the Hindu caste system. Their leaders depended on Hinduism for authority and prestige. If they were to convert, it would destroy the hierarchical essence of dharma in the political order. As such, the Islam religion did not have a significant influence on the political or social structures of Indian society. In a real sense, each benefited from the other. The Hindu culture was essential for the Islamic civilization as they learnt knowledge about the numbering system.

In summation, the spread of Islam in India and Africa was of significant influence considering the role it played. Islam was a perfect tool to enforce cohesion and increase in trade in both religions. African leaders were receptive to the faith since it helped intensify their authority and influence. On the contrary, in India, the effect on social and political culture was not impactful and the Islam leaders did not embrace it.

 How the Mongols Changed the World

The Mongols brought changes to the world as a result of the destructive invasion in many parts of China and Eastern Europe. It managed to conquer lands in these areas, which contributed to new developments. The Mongols invasion saw the fundamental transformation in Europe and Asia, whose impact is felt today. Such attacks eventually affected long-term global power and demographics.

One of the main changes brought by the Mongol is historical developments. Over time, some of the significant trade routes were able to gain importance in the global economy. Since the invasion, the Mongols has always influenced the demographics. For instance, central Asian countries have seen the Indo-European languages and the Indo-Aryan been replaced to the Turkic kind of the Mongols. Such is a result of the shift of the Turkic people into the region during the period. The era had witnessed an increase in central Asia immigrants in the 11th century (Rossabi 34). Nations like Iraq and Iran that were once larger population continued to be depopulated. The trend significantly affected them such that they recovered only until the 20th century. In light of this, these states had lost relevance in global affairs, seeing that other powers were replacing them.

Secondly, the Mongols changed the world in the sense that it led to the rise of new Empires. With time, the Middle East and Central Asia become more depopulated. This meant that their ability to control the trade links weakened with time. Populations from Central Asia and eastern regions took the advantage and moved into this new location. Eventually, the Turkic community began to establish their dynasties, which they had even initiated before the Mongol invasion.

Finally, the Mongols transformed the world as it influenced new political developments. The Mongol invasion was disruptive to many countries, though not much in China. The Chinese people were able to recover quickly by the 15th century. However, the invasion of the Mongol in China contributed to the isolationist policies, which were felt by this period. They began to view other outside countries as uncivilized in places where the Mongols were still invading. They had shifted their focus away from other nations. As a result, this affected the economic and political position of the Chinese up until the early 20th century. As one of the significant global powers, the decline made it insular.

In conclusion, the Mongol invasions brought significant global changes. Such wars caused by human actions may not have been comparable to any other in history until up to the 19th century. It caused substantial disruptions and impact in the affected countries. For some they found great opportunities, while the fortune of others was at stake. Other regions, especially in the Middle East, experienced a decline in political and economic powers because of depopulation. The demographic changes in Central Asia and the Middle East seen even today are an aftermath of the changes with the Mongols invasion. For the Chinese republic, they become more isolationist. The Turkish also influenced languages of the Indo-Arayan of Central Asia.

Works Cited

Schultz, Colin. “Oxford University Is Older Than the Aztecs”. Smithsonian, 2013, Oct. 11, www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/oxford-university-is-older-than-the-aztecs-1529607/. Accessed 13 Dec. 2019.

Snyder, Joseph M. Gale Researcher Guide for: The Introduction and Impact of Islam in Asia. Gale, Cengage Learning, 2018.

Rossabi, Morris. “The legacy of the Mongols.” Central Asia in historical perspective. Routledge, 2018. 27-44.