Notes from "Big History"

Chapter 8 on Expanding the Afro-Eurasian Network

200-1000 BCE: The intensification of trade and commercial networks
200-600: The Central Core
(A) While the edges decline (Rome, Han China), power shifts to the middle: Iran, India, p. 127-8
(B) Population declined by half in Europe from 200-600 CE, p. 128
(C) Byzantine Empire continues but gradually wanes until the end in 1453, p. 128
(D) Kievan Russia chooses Orthodox Christianity instead of Islam (because vodka), p. 128
(E) Parthians & Sassanids in Persia = prosperity and creativity, p. 128
(F) Gupta Dynasty in India = classical age due to intensified agriculture, p. 128-9
(G) Silk Road reaches its heights in the first millenium, p. 129
(H) Demand for silk, as conspicuous consumption and for religious purposes, p. 129
(I) Besides silk, other things traded along the Silk Road, and Buddhist travelers' tales, p. 130
600-1000: Islam Arises* and China Recovers
(-) the story of Muhammad, early Islam, succession, and expansion, pp. 130-131
(J) Islam expansion's success: camels, religious fervor, and population pressures, p. 131
(K) Muslims stopped by Christian Europe at Constantinople (717) and Tours (732), p. 131
(L) More reasons for Muslim success: did not force conversion, invaded weak places, p. 132
(M) Muslim expansion facilitated trade, p. 132
(N) Abbasid cultural greatness, p. 132
(-) "Muslims produced more ... [books] than did any, and perhaps all, previous cultures." p. 132
(-) Cordoba, Seville, Granada = largest cities in Europe, great centers of learning, p. 132
(-) Post-Han Dynasty China = 300 years of disorder and instability until Tang Dynasty, p. 133
(O) Tang trade, domination of sea networks, p. 133
(P) Tang wealth and urbanization, p. 134
(Q) Tang cosmopolitanism, embracing people/ideas from abroad, p. 134
(R) Tang inventions: paper and guns, p. 134
(S) Battle of Talas River in 751 halts Muslim expansion to the east, p. 134
(T) Muslims learn papermaking from Chinese POWs, p. 134
(U) Tang decline, persecution of Buddhists, p. 135
The Edges & Limits of the Afro-Eurasian Network: Outside the main cities, on the periphery, nomadic
pastoralism dominated.
(V) People of the steppes, northern Eurasia, were a culture dependent on horses, p. 135
(W) Invaders besiege Europe, p. 136
(-) In some places, Romance languages survived; in others (England), Germanic won, p. 136
(X) St. Benedict (monks) preserve classical culture, p. 136
(Y) Vikings, the biggest threat, pp. 136-138
(Z) Vikings in the new world, p. 138
(AA) Declining centralization in Europe is why it's called the "Middle Ages," pp. 138-9
(BB) But remarkably, agriculture improved during this period, p. 139
(CC) Christianity survived b/c Irish monks, converts like William the Conquerer, Charlemagne, p. 138
(-) Meanwhile, Africa was drawn more into the Afro-Eurasian network through Muslims, p. 140
(DD) North and East Africa, but not Sub-Saharan Africa, p. 141
(EE) Gold trade in Ghana and Great Zimbabwe, p. 142

In summary:
(FF) the expansion of the "Afro-Eurasian network," p. 143
(GG) spread of universalist religions: Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, pp. 143-144
(HH) deforestation continues, p. 144
(II) humans extend control over nature, animals, p. 144
(JJ) population *decreases* slightly, pp. 144-145
(KK) increased complexity in human life, p. 145
At the end of the chapter, there's a note about speculation that Africans may have reached the New World
before Columbus, an expedition sent by Mansa Musa! But it's not a widely accepted hypothesis. (LL) pp. 145146
*See Yale's course on the Early Middle Ages, where Professor Freedman says: "So there are other rapid
conquests in world history, by people who are technologically, culturally, or certainly economically behind the
people that they conquer. The Mongols conquer an incredible territory. The Vikings are certainly less
developed, economically, less civilized, than the Carolingian Empire that they plunder. What is unusual about
Islam is that it has a permanent effect. Rather than disappearing back into their yurts, like the Mongols, or
disappearing back into the north like the Vikings, the Islamic powers not only stay as occupiers but become,
themselves, a cultivated, wealthy, highly civilized empire. What is unusual about the Arabs, then, is their ability
to consolidate and to hold onto their conquests."

(A) pp. 127-128

(B) p. 128

(C) p. 128

(D) p. 128

(E) p. 128

(F) pp. 128-129

(G) p. 129

(H) p. 129

(I) p. 130

(J) p. 131

(K) p. 131

(L) p. 132

(M) p. 132

(N) p. 132

(O) p. 133

(P) p. 134

(Q) p. 134

(R) p. 134

(S) p. 134

(T) p. 134-135

(U) p. 135

(V) p. 135

(W) p. 136

(X) p. 136

(Y) pp. 136-138

(Z) p. 138

(AA) pp. 138-139

(BB) p. 139

(CC) p. 138

(DD) p. 141

(EE) p. 142

(FF) p. 143

(GG) pp. 143-144

(HH) p. 144

(II) p. 144

(JJ) pp. 144-145

(KK) p. 145

(LL) pp. 146