Debate questions for 600-1450

1. Prior to the spread of Islam, what was the importance of the Sub-Saharan
trade routes?
The Sub-Saharan trade routes such as the silk road spread: ideas, goods and
even diseases throughout the world web.
2. What is Islam, who is the founder and did it effect the economic position of
regions?
Muhammad was the prophet from Allah who founded the religion, from the
start the religion spread quickly and eventually became a common trade
language
3. How did Islam affect the social and cultural regions? Explain the difference
between Sunni and Shia.
Islam created a common trade language (Arabic) and literacy became
important to read religious texts. Sunni Muslims believed that Abu Bakr
should be the first successor of Muhammad, while the Shia Muslims believed
that that Ali, Muhammads cousin should be the leader.
4. What are the major trade routes of this period, where do they go and what is
traded?
The Silk Road was one of the most important trade routes of the time, but
there were other important Sub-Saharan trade routes and lets not forget the
Turquoise road in Mesoamerica. Some things traded on the Silk Road: silk,
gold, jade, tea and spices
5. How does culture and society influence these trade routes?
These trade routes are influenced by the merchants who run them, they are
characterized by different trade languages and all types of different goods,
both these factors vary from area to area.
6. Was trade controlled by one entity and why is this relevant?
I dont believe that trade was controlled by one entity, we wont see the rise
of monopolies for awhile, if one entity did control all of the trade, this would
cause problems among trade areas and trade groups.
7. When different religions had contact, what was the result? Islam and
Buddhism: Christianity and Islam.
Islam and Buddhism met peacefully, usually among trade routes. Islam and
Christianity didnt go quite well, this resulted in conflict.
8. What was the ripple effect of Europeans having all the new luxuries from the
east?
This caused Europeans to go out and explore to find more luxuries from the
East.
9. How did the Mongol empire impact the world and why did it not survive?
The Mongol empire conqueror China and spread its culture and ideas because
of this. It didnt survive because it spread itself too thin and internal affairs
(see: rise and fall of an empire)
10.What made the Chinese dynasties stable? What large building projects did
they complete and still use today?

The Chinese Emperors couldnt been removed by the people under the
mandate of heaven. The Zhou dynasty cultivated the great floodplain and
created many canals to boost trade.
11.What caused the large population growth in China, which led to urbanization
and the downfall of the dynasty?
Quick growing rice, it had two growing seasons which allowed twice as much
harvest and lead to more food which lead to more people and urbanization.
12.Japanese and European feudalism were very similar in structure, what is the
main difference of the two?
The philosophy of each was set by different people who had different
ideologies. Japanese feudalism had Confucius ideas, while European
feudalism was built atop Roman Imperial ideas.
13.Explain the economic and social structure of manorialism.
In notes
14.How does the Great Schism of 1048 affect Christianity? What are the
differences between the two? How does this led to war in later times?
It split the church between Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic, both
church leaders ex-communicated each other.
15.Meso-America was developing its own empires during this time, who were
they and what part of the world did they build upon.
-Aztec, Inca, Mayan, these cultures built upon the Olmecs civilization
16. All of the cultures were traders but were also invaders, what made their war
unique?
They way they conquered and human sacrifice
16.How does geography and lack of large animals play a part in the
development of these empires?
-Guns germs and steel.
18. What is unique about the Aztec buildings?
365 steps, one for everyday of the year.
19. What were the consequences of the Black Plague socially, culturally and
economically?
The black plague stopped the economy due to lack of trade, which was caused by
the death of many merchants because of the disease. Culturally, some cultural
traditions because whole generations where destroyed due to the plague
20. What was the effect of the Bantu migration?
It caused the three main African societies of this time to be created: Ghana, Mali
and Songhai.
21. How is the growth of and role of cities important in this time period?

Urbanization spurred the growth rate of societies which caused the classical era to
engage, along with the World Web and the innovation and creation of many new
technologies. But the generation that grew up after the Black Death had to piece
the World Web together again and get the economy running again, this is the post
classical era that included all the events covered in this paper today.