Chapter 5 Discussion

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Chapter 5 Discussion
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• Evaluate the effect on societies of the fall of
  the classical civilizations

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• Several institutions were affected when the
  government collapsed, including religion, the
  family, education, trade, and the transference of
  technology. The most devastating effect was on
  western Europe after the demise of Rome. Chinas
  society was least affected, and Indias
  experience was somewhere in between these two.

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• Compare the rise of civilization in the Americas
  and in Polynesia

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• The rise of agriculture was significant in the
  Americas but less so in Polynesia. Governments
  were headed by kings in both areas. A lack of
  large domesticated animals was a mutual
  experience. Writing systems were usually
  nonexistent in both places. Polytheism was the
  common choice of religions. Both systems
  developed civilizations later than in China,
  India, or the Middle East.

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• Compare the eastern and western portions of the
  Roman Empire

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• The two portions of the Roman Empire were
  different in numerous ways. The East was a
  vibrant and energetic society that held great
  wealth and contact with the Asian continent. The
  western portion was a society wrapped around the
  laurels it had garnered throughout its history.
  In the end, the two portions of one empire shared
  a common government, but not rules, and a common
  economy, although it was not even in its input or
  outtake.

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• How can it be argued that the Roman Empire did
  not really fall in 476 C.E.?

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• Unlike many civilizations that went through a
  decline and fall, the Roman Empire was an unusual
  end to the Ancient Era and mainly occurred in the
  western portion of the empire. Even after the
  fall of the Roman Empire, the eastern Roman
  Empire remained highly civilized and successful
  for the next century. Additionally, one could
  argue that the Roman Empire did not fall, because
  the barbarians that eventually conquered the
  western Roman Empire actually absorbed most of
  the Roman culture into their society after all,
  part of the reason they attacked the empire was
  to gain what the Romans had.

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• Compare the factors in the decline of the
  classical civilizations.

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• Some areas during the classical eras changed more
  than others. Nomadic invaders helped to topple
  empires but also helped to bring in new ideas and
  techniques. The spread of religion caused
  unstable societies and many wars that led to
  thousands of deaths. In each society one could
  argue that the society became complacent, which
  led to the decline. The Mediterranean society was
  aided in its downfall by outside forces, while
  the eastern civilizations were mainly aided by
  internal conflicts that brought about the fall.

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• The rise of religion led to the downfalls, but
  also contributed to the fact that all of the
  civilizations lost the same things. For instance,
  the Hans fall left the government in disarray,
  yet there were people who were able to lead a
  semistable economy on their own. In Rome,
  everything fell apart and came to a stop.

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• Compare the main features of the civilizations of
  Kush, Axum, and Ethiopia

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• Kush was a civilization that ruled Egypt for many
  centuries they adapted the culture of the
  Egyptians and didnt expand much on their own
  (culturally). Axum was a civilization that
  developed from the Berue area and had influence
  from the Arabian Peninsula but then developed its
  own culture. Ethiopia developed after Axum and
  developed more of the Axum culture, later
  defining and using Christianity instead of Islam
  (the religion than the rest of Africa followed).

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• Identify three examples of syncretism in the
  development of Christianity and Hinduism

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• Both Hinduism and Christianity served many
  purposes for their followers. Both gave hope to
  people who felt they were a part of a dying
  cause. Both had risen because of invaders on the
  civilization and because of government oppression
  on its people. Both religions later led to the
  fall of the classical civilizations.

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