Ap World History Study Question and Answers
Ap World History Study Question and Answers
Ap World History Study Question and Answers
CHAPTER 10 ->
4. West Africa – the region ruled at this time by the Empire of Mali – and East Africa from
regions near Egypt all the way to Great Zimbabwe.
West Africa first became integrated into the Muslim trading world when they expanded
their territory towards northern Africa. East Africa became integrated into the Indian Ocean
trading system as monsoon winds and various weather conditions lead many merchants to
believe this region to be a convenient place to set up entre-pots and busy commercial hubs.
These two Sub-Saharan African regions traded ivory, gold and slaves – mainly. In return
they received many spices from India, goods from the Islamic world, and even goods from
China and European regions.
Sub-Saharan Africa – being so near to the Islamic heartland – was greatly influenced by
people of Muslim faith and folks from West and East Africa alike converted to Islam.
Additionally, because of the Muslims, a lot of their prosperity depended on slave trade. This
shaped their social standing in the world for centuries to come.
5. Initially, at the beginning of this time period, the Islamic world had a more centralized rule,
mostly by caliphates. Later on, however, they underwent political fragmentation as Afro-
Eurasian trade boomed and the caliphates failed to uphold their regime. They became
ceremonial.
Although rule was scattered and confusing during this era, one thing was very clear. The
people shared the same faith. Because of so much trade, the word of the Quran was
widespread and simultaneously the image of Islam was softened by a mystical movement
called Sufiism. Thus, this era brought about many new converts to Islam.
Though scholars though new converts did not practice Islam with the harshness and rigor
they would have liked, Islam continued to spread.
Sub-Saharan Africa’s art and architecture was heavily influenced by the Islamic world.
Islamic merchants settled in foreign places but still stayed true to their faith. So, resultingly,
many different cultures merged and assimilated themselves into Islam – which did make
many Islamic people in power glad because they were an expansionist faith.
Finally, Islam itself underwent some changes in the way it presented itself to the public. As
mentioned before, the ‘rules’ softened a little due to Sufiism as they did great tricks and
dances that made being Muslim more enjoyable at this time. Also, Arabic began to lose its
solidarity as the Turks began integrating the Turkish language into politics more and Persian
for art and literature. Although Arabic was still the language of the faith.
6. The Turks were tolerant people who mainly came to India to impose themselves on the
peoples for taxes. They were great warlords who managed to develop an entire Sultanate in
Northern India – thanks to Muhammad Ghuri – and retain their steppe ways and Islamic
beliefs. Their subjects mostly remained of Hindu faith but the languages that later evolved out
of Sanskrit, had tinges of influence from the Persian language – the one used by Turks for art,
literature and poetry. Indians assimilated parts of Turkish culture into their wardrobe and
languages, while maintaining their faith. The Turks initially learned local dialects to
effectively communicate with their subjects. The Indians learned skills from their ruler’s
artisans like how to weave silk and extract it from cocoons.
To summarize, the Indians adopted much of Turkish culture and assimilated it into a
convenient way that was for themselves. They remained distinct from the Arab World’s
culture, but Persian Culture was something they adapted and incorporated for years to come.
9. Christian Europe, at this time, was in the hands of fiefs. At least the western part. Fiefs
were essentially feudal lords’ part of the feudal system. This system was one in which
peasants were tied to the land and worked for the land and paid taxes to their respective fiefs.
Many peasants were sick of this however, and ran away from their feudal lords. They
headed east and soon small communities of these Christians set up towns in Eastern Europe –
near the Baltic Sea. Many, gathered in a city called Kiev, which was modelled after
Constantinople. These people were orthodox Christians who had no feudal system and simply
did labor work for the kings of that region, and in return got safety and protection. They were
not tied to the land they worked on like before.
These people soon started trading as well, like western Europe. Both Western and Eastern
Europe were of Christian faith. Eastern Europe was less passionate about expansion of their
faith however. Western European states like Spain, Portugal and Italy, were keen on driving
away the Muslims from regions they felt they had the right to – sacred places like Jerusalem.
To summarize, Eastern Europe became more inhabited because of the people escaping the
feudal system in the west. Western Europe, in the meantime, was busy trying to spread their
faith.
11. The Mongols were originally a clan from the northern China steppe region and rose to
power by conquering the Song Dynasty. They were military based and their leaders adapted
to each region’s – regions they conquered – language, culture and religion.
Essentially, they didn’t care much about their own faith nor beliefs, they simply conquered
and adapted when ruling. They weren’t very skilled rulers however and generally subjugated
various regions of the places they conquered, to deputies and administrators who answered to
them – the Mongols.
They promoted global commerce as they linked East Asian Regions with Central Asian,
some European and North African regions. Through them, the diffusion of knowledge, art
and culture happened and Afro-Eurasia became more interconnected than ever before.
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