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A History of World Societies, Volume A: To 1500

by John P. McKay; Bennet D. Hill; John Buckler; Roger B. Beck; Clare Haru Crowston; Patricia Buckley Ebrey; Merry E. Wiesner-Hanks

Table of Contents

A History of World Societies, Volume A: To 1500

Ninth Edition ©2012

ISBN-10: 0-312-66694-2
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-66694-1
Paper Text, 496 pages

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Note: All chapters close with Connections and a Chapter Review section
 
1. The Earliest Human Societies, to 2500 b.c.e.
Evolution and Migration
     Understanding the Early Human Past
     Hominid Evolution
     Homo Sapiens, "Thinking Humans"
     Migration and Differentiation
Paleolithic Society, 250,000-9000 b.c.e.
     Foraging for Food
     Family and Kinship Relationships
     Cultural Creations and Spirituality
The Development of Agriculture in the Neolithic Era, ca. 9000 b.c.e.
     The Development of Horticulture
     Animal Domestication and the Rise of Pastoralism
     Plow Agriculture
Neolithic Society
     Social Hierarchies and Slavery
     Gender Hierarchies and Inheritance
     Trade and Cross-Cultural Connections
Viewpoints Stone Age Houses in Chile and China
Listening to the Past Paleolithic Venus Figures
Individuals in Society The Iceman
 
2. The Rise of the State in Southwest Asia and the Nile Valley, 3200-500 b.c.e.
Writing, Cities, and States
     Written Sources and the Human Past
     Cites and the Idea of Civilization
     The Rise of States, Laws, and Social Hierarchies
Mesopotamia from Sumeria to Babylon
     Environmental Challenges, Irrigation, and Religion
     Sumerian Politics and Society
     The Invention of Writing and Other Intellectual Advances
     The Triumph of Babylon and the Spread of Mesopotamian Civilization
     Hammurabi's Code and Its Social Consequences
The Egyptians and Their Pharaohs
     The Nile and the God-King
     Social Divisions and Work in Ancient Egypt
     Migrations and Political Revivals
     New Political and Economic Powers
The Hebrews
     The Hebrew State
     The Jewish Religion
     The Family and Jewish Life
The Assyrians and Persians
     Assyria, the Military Monarchy
     The Rise and Expansion of the Persian Empire
     The Religion of Zoroaster
Listening to the Past Gilgamesh's Quest for Immortality
Individuals in Society Hatshepsut and Nefertiti
Global Trade Iron
Viewpoints Rulers and Divine Favor: Cyrus the Great in the Cyrus Cylinder and Hebrew Scripture 
 
3. The Foundation of Indian Society, to 300 c.e.
The Land and Its First Settlers, ca. 3000-1500 b.c.e.
     The Aryans During the Vedic Age, ca. 1500-500 b.c.e.
     Aryan Dominance in North India
     Life in Early India
     Brahmanism
India's Great Religions
     Jainism
     Siddhartha Gautama and Buddhism
     Hinduism
Western Contact and the Mauryan Unification of North India, ca. 513-185 b.c.e.
     Encounters with the West
     Chandragupta and the Founding of the Mauryan Empire
     The Reign of Ashoka, ca. 269-232 b.c.e.
Small States and Trading Networks, 185 b.c.e.-300 c.e.
Listening to the Past Conversations Between Rama and Sita from the Ramayana
Individuals in Society Gosala
Viewpoints On Enemies from The Laws of Manu and The Arthashastra
 
4. China's Classical Age, to 221 b.c.e.
The Emergence of Civilization in China
     The Impact of Geography
     Early Agricultural Societies of the Neolithic Age
The Shang Dynasty, ca. 1500-1050 b.c.e.
     Shang Society
     Bronze Metalworking
     The Development of Writing
The Early Zhou Dynasty, ca. 1050-400 b.c.e.
     Zhou Politics
     Life During the Zhou Dynasty
The Warring States Period, 400-221 b.c.e.
     New Technologies for War
     The Victorious States
Confucius and His Followers
     Confucius
     The Spread of Confucian Ideas
Daoism, Legalism, and Other Schools of Thought
     Daoism
     Legalism
     Yin and Yang
Individuals in Society Lord Mengchang
Listening to the Past The Book of Mencius
Viewpoints Mozi and Xunzi on Divine Response
 
5. The Greek Experience, 3500-100 b.c.e.
Hellas: The Land and the Polis, ca. 3500-ca. 800 b.c.e.
     The Minoans and Mycenaeans
     The Development of the Polis
Population and Politics in the Archaic Age, ca. 800-500 b.c.e.
     Greece's Overseas Expansion
     The Growth of Sparta
     The Evolution of Athens
Thought and Culture in the Classical Period, 500-338 b.c.e.
     The Deadly Conflicts, 499-404 b.c.e.
     Athenian Arts in the Age of Pericles
     Daily Life and Social Conditions in Athens
     Greek Religion in the Classical Period
     The Flowering of Philosophy
Hellenistic Society, 336-100 b.c.e.
From Polis to Monarchy, 404-200 b.c.e.
Building a Shared Society
The Growth of Trade and Commerce
Hellenistic Religion, Philosophy, and Science
     Religion in the Hellenistic World
     Philosophy and Its Guidance for Life
     Hellenistic Science and Medicine
Viewpoints Two Opinions About Athenian Democracy
Listening to the Past Aristotle, On the Family and On Slavery, from The Politics
Individuals in Society Archimedes, Scientist and Inventor  
 
6. The World of Rome, 750 b.c.e.-400 c.e.
The Romans in Italy
     The Etruscans and Rome
     The Roman Conquest of Italy
     The Distribution of Power in the Roman Republic
     Social Conflict in Rome
Roman Expansion and Its Repercussions
     Overseas Conquests and the Punic Wars, 264-133 b.c.e.
     New Influences and Old Values in Roman Culture
     The Late Republic and the Rise of Augustus, 133-27 b.c.e.
     The Successes of Augustus
The Pax Romana
     Political and Military Changes in the Empire
     Life in Rome
     Prosperity in the Roman Provinces
     Eastward Expansion and Contacts Between Rome and China
The Coming of Christianity
     Factors Behind the Rise of Christianity
     The Life and Teachings of Jesus
     The Spread of Christianity
     The Growing Acceptance and Evolution of Christianity
Turmoil and Reform
     Diocletian's Reforms
     Economic Hardship and Its Consequences
     Constantine, Christianity, and the Rise of Constantinople
Viewpoints On Roman Wives from a Tombstone Inscription and JuvenalÕs Sixth Satire
Individuals in Society Queen Cleopatra
Listening to the Past Cicero and the Plot to Kill Caesar
Global Trade Pottery 
 
7. East Asia and the Spread of Buddhism, 221 b.c.e.-800 c.e.
The Age of Empire in China: The Qin and Han Dynasties
     The Qin Unification, 221-206 b.c.e.
     The Han Dynasty, 206 b.c.e.-220 c.e.
     Han Intellectual and Cultural Life
     Inner Asia and the Silk Road
     Life in Han China
     China and Rome
     The Fall of the Han and the Age of Division
The Spread of Buddhism Out of India
     Buddhism's Path Through Central Asia
     The Appeal and Impact of Buddhism in China
The Chinese Empire Re-created: Sui (581-618) and Tang (618-907)
     The Sui Dynasty, 581-618
     The Tang Dynasty, 618-907
     Tang Culture
The East Asian Cultural Sphere
     Vietnam
     Korea
     Japan
Global Trade Silk
Individuals in Society The Ban Family
Listening to the Past Sixth-Century Biographies of Buddhist Nuns
Viewpoints Chinese and Japanese Principles of Good Government, ca. 650
 
8. Continuity and Change in Europe and Western Asia, 200-850
The Byzantine Empire
     Sources of Byzantine Strength
     The Sassanid Empire and Conflicts with Byzantium
     The Law Code of Justinian
     Byzantine Intellectual Life
     Life in Constantinople
The Growth of the Christian Church
     The Evolution of Church Leadership and Orthodoxy
     The Western Church and the Eastern Church
     The Iconoclastic Controversy
     Christian Monasticism
Christian Ideas and Practices
     Christian Beliefs and the Greco-Roman Tradition
     Saint Augustine
     Missionary Activity
     Conversion and Assimilation
Migrating Peoples
     Social and Economic Structures
     Chiefs, Warriors, and Laws
     Migrations and Political Change
     The Frankish Kingdom
     Charlemagne
Individuals in Society Theodora of Constantinople
Viewpoints Roman and Byzantine Views of Barbarians
Listening to the Past Gregory of Tours, The Conversion of Clovis
 
9. The Islamic World, 600-1400
The Origins of Islam
     Arabian Social and Economic Structure
     Muhammad's Rise As a Religious Leader
     The Tenets of Islam
Islamic States and Their Expansion
     Islam's Spread Beyond Arabia
     Reasons for the Spread of Islam
     The Caliphate and the Split Between Shi'a and Sunni Alliances
     The Abbasid Caliphate
     Administration of the Islamic Territories
Fragmentation and Military Challenges, 900-1400
     Breakaway Territories and Shi'a Gains
     The Ascendancy of the Turks
     The Mongol Invasions
Muslim Society: The Life of the People
     The Social Hierarchy
     Slavery
     Women in Classical Islamic Society
Trade and Commerce
Cultural Developments
     The Cultural Centers of Baghdad and Cordoba
     Education and Intellectual Life
     The Mystical Tradition of Sufism
Muslim-Christian Encounters
Viewpoints Jews in Muslim Lands
Listening to the Past Abu Hamid Al-Ghazali, The Etiquette of Marriage
Individuals in Society Ibn Battuta
 
10. African Societies and Kingdoms, 1000 b.c.e.-1500 c.e.
The Land and Peoples of Africa
     Africa's Geographical and Human Diversity
     Egypt, Race, and Being African
Early African Societies
     Settled Agriculture and Its Impact
     Bantu Migrations
     Life in the Kingdoms of the Western Sudan, ca. 1000 b.c.e.-800 c.e.
The Trans-Saharan Trade
     The Berbers of North Africa
     Effects of Trade on West African Society
     The Spread of Islam in Africa
African Kingdoms and Empires, ca. 800-1500
     The Kingdom of Ghana, ca. 900-1100
     The Kingdom of Mali, ca. 1200-1450
     Ethiopia: The Christian Kingdom of Aksum
     The East African City-States
     Southern Africa and Great Zimbabwe
Individuals in Society Amda Siyon
Viewpoints Early Descriptions of Africa
Listening to the Past A Tenth-Century Muslim Traveler Describes Parts of the East African Coast 
 
11. The Americas, 2500 b.c.e.-1500 c.e.
The First Peoples of the Americas
     Describing the Americas and Their Peoples
     Settling the Americas
     The Development of Agriculture
Early Societies
     Mounds, Towns, and Trade in North and South America
     Olmec Agriculture, Technology, and Religion
Classical Era Mesoamerica and North America, 300-900 c.e.
     Maya Agriculture and Trade
     Maya Science and Religion
     Growth and Assimilation of the Teotihuacan and Toltec Cultures
     Hohokam, Hopewell, and Mississippian Societies
The Aztecs
     Religion and War in Aztec Society
     Social Distinctions Among the Aztecs
     The City of Tenochtitlan
The Incas
     Earlier Peruvian Cultures
     Inca Imperialism and Its Religious Basis
     The Clan-Based Structure of Inca Society
Viewpoints Creation in the Popul Vuh and in Okanogan Tradition
Individuals in Society TlacaŽlel
Listening to the Past Felipe Guaman Poma de Ayala, The First New Chronicle and Good Government
 
12. Cultural Exchange in Central and Southern Asia, to 1400
Central Asian Nomads
     Nomadic Society
     The Turks
     The Mongols
     Mongol Daily Life
Chinggis Khan and the Mongol Empire
     The Chinggis Kahn
     Chinggis's Successors
     The Mongols as Rulers
East-West Communication During the Mongol Era
     The Movement of Peoples
     The Spread of Disease, Goods, and Ideas
India, Islam, and the Development of Regional Cultures, 300-1400
     The Gupta Empire, ca. 320-480
     India's Medieval Age and the First Encounter with Islam
     The Delhi Sultanate
     Life in Medieval India
Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands, and the Growth of Maritime Trade
     State Formation and Indian Influences
     The Srivijaya Maritime Trade Empire
     The Spread of Indian Culture in Comparative Perspective
     The Settlement of the Pacific Islands
Listening to the Past The Abduction of Women in The Secret History of the Mongols
Viewpoints Chinese Accounts About the Mongol Army
Individuals in Society Bhaskara the Teacher
Global Trade Spices 
 
13. States and Cultures in East Asia, 800-1400
The Medieval Chinese Economic Revolution, 800-1100
China During the Song and Yuan Dynasties, 960-1368
     The Song Dynasty
     The Scholar-Officials and Neo-Confucianism
     Women's Lives in Song Times
     China Under Mongol Rule
Korea Under the Koryo Dynasty, 935-1392
Japan's Heian Period, 794-1185
     Fujiwara Rule
     Aristocratic Culture
The Samurai and the Kamakura Shogunate, 1185-1333
     Military Rule
     Cultural Trends
Global Trade Tea
Individuals in Society Shen Gua
Viewpoints Zhu Xi and Yuan Cai on Family Management
Listening to the Past The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon 
 
14. Europe in the Middle Ages, 800-1450
Political Developments
     Invasions and Migrations
     Feudalism and Manorialism
     The Restoration of Order
     Law and Justice
The Christian Church
     Papal Reforms
     Monastic Life
     Popular Religion
     The Expansion of Christianity
The Crusades
     Background and Motives
     The Course of the Crusades
     Consequences of the Crusades
The Life of the People
     The Life and Work of Peasants
     The Life and Work of Nobles
     Towns, Cities, and the Growth of Commercial Interests
     The Expansion of Trade and the Commercial Revolution
Learning and Culture
     Universities and Scholasticism
     Cathedrals and a New Architectural Style
     Troubadour Poetry
Crises of the Later Middle Ages
     The Great Famine and the Black Death
     The Hundred Years' War
     Challenges to the Church
     Peasant and Urban Revolts
Individuals in Society Hildegard of Bingen
Listening to the Past An Arab View of the Crusades
Viewpoints Italian and English Views of the Plague 

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