The Spread of Ideas, Strayer 16

25/12/2015

Let's see if you guys really want to use this while I'm paying attention. I know I say this too much, but this is an important topic, not just for the AP exam, but for your cultural literacy.

23 Comments

cathleen

1/1/2016 11:00:01

To kick off the new year-
Why did the scientific revolution occur in europe rather than in china or the islamic world?
Europe's fragmented civilization allowed the encouraging conditions for the Scientific revolution. Europe's legal system allowed independence for various institutions and thus allowed a separation between the secular and religious law, unlike Islam state (@sharia law)
European universities-school that encouraged progress and learning (kind of the whole scientific revolution)- also had autonomy. Europe also had access to many other cultures' knowledge and used this in their own developments. Europeans were in the center of a new exchange of information and became aware of lands, peoples, plants, animals, societies, and religions from the world .This is in contrast to the islamic world where this kind of science seemed to offend the quaran. The chinese did not have universities that promoted these kinds of sciences with autonomy. (They had their civil service exmas to prepare for and Confucianism)

What else would you all add? Some possible categories for this question could be -Europe, -Why not Islam, -Why not China but if anyone finds a better way to group them, I'm all ears

Bingham

1/1/2016 12:26:13

Hey Cathleen! I appreciate that you’ve always been willing to buy in to the forum. We all know the reason people don’t post in advance of the test is because they don’t do the work until right before the test. That’s a losing strategy, but I have to live with it! Oy, if people would just do what I tell them!

Your answer looks good, I think you’ve touched on all the key points, so you’re good. My approach would be to punch the “why not Islam/China?” part by organizationaly separating them sinse that seems to be the crux of the question. Here’s my approach to essentially the same things you said…

Europe’s historical development as a reinvigorated and fragmented civilization arguably gave rise to conditions uniquely favorable to the Scientific Revolution, including a legal system that guaranteed a measure of independence for a variety of institutions and unusually autonomous universities in which scholars could pursue their studies in relative freedom from the dictates of church or state authorities.

Western Europe was in a position to draw extensively upon the knowledge of other cultures, especially that of the Islamic world.

In the sixteenth through the eighteenth century, Europeans found themselves at the center of a massive new exchange of information as they became aware of lands, peoples, plants, animals, societies, and religions from around the world. This wave of new knowledge, uniquely available to Europeans, clearly shook up older ways of thinking and opened the way to new conceptions of the world.

In the Islamic world, science was patronized by a variety of local authorities, but it occurred largely outside the formal system of higher education, where philosophy and natural science were viewed with great suspicion.

In China, education focused on preparing for a rigidly defined set of civil service examinations and emphasized the humanistic and moral texts of classical Confucianism. The pursuit of scientific knowledge was relegated to the margins of the Chinese educational system.

Or in a more studyable, flashcardish form:
~Autonomy for universities from both church and state
~Positioned to draw on other culters esp. Islam
~Columbian exchange
~In Islam science was localized and help in suspicion
~In China the emphasis was on morality more than science

Please note though, when you take notes like this, you can use them to study to remember key points, but then you also need to be ready to flesh out those points as I did above.

Benji

4/1/2016 21:24:54

I apologize Cathleen, I thought it was a supporting detail but it was just extraneous information, don't mind me XD

Benji

3/1/2016 10:44:41

Hey Cathleen, there's are basically the same points I had in mind. It's also perhaps worth mentioning that natural philosophy (/science) began to form its own identity independent from theology and traditional philosophy. Also, these universities in Europe had curricula drawing heavily off of Aristotle's writings.

Cathleen

3/1/2016 12:45:19

Thanks, Benji! I totes agree on the natural philosophy's separate identity-thank you for picking up on that. I'm wondering how the curriculum in european universities drawing on aristotle's work is relevant to the question. Do you mean it as a supporting detail for european access to other culture's knowledge? Or were you using that evidence in some other way? I'm sorry for what might seem to be me nitpicking through your answer. I just want to make sure I'm seeing eye to eye with you and not missing out!

Bingham

3/1/2016 13:34:58

Agreed. The influence of Aristotle is related, but not relevant to the question asked.

Elizabeth Kent

1/1/2016 12:04:44

Hi guys! (if anyone is actually here)
I feel like I'm missing some stuff in my answer and there were some things I read that I didn't feel like there was enough proof to add it to my answer, so if one of y'all has anything else to add let me know.

In what ways did Asian cultural changes in the early modern era parallel those of Europe, and in what ways were they different?

Similarities:
-Challenges to established beliefs occurred due to commercial and urban life and political change causing new thinking in both Asia and Europe
-Ideas of moral and religious individualism occurred amongst Confucian scholars and Chinese Buddhists that mirrored Martin Luther's idea that people could find salvation by faith alone
-A scientific approach to knowledge known as kaozheng emerged in China as in Europe, but unlike Europe it was applied more to the past than the natural world

Differences:
-Neither China nor India experienced cultural or religious change as dramatic as the Protestant Reformation
-Neither Confucianism nor Hinduism spread widely as did Christianity

Bingham

1/1/2016 12:35:02

Hey Elizabeth, Cathleen and I are here!

First, great comparative organization. And you have the differences, which aren't exactly as interesting as we would normally like to see in a good comparison, but that's not your fault.

I like your similarities as well. I think some people miss the importance of individualism as a product of the Reformation, and get overly focused on the salvation by faith alone part. But you've seen through that clearly. Well done!

Bingham

1/1/2016 12:41:07

I think BPQ5 is an important one, and one that you aren’t likely to do because you should be focused on Strayer 16. So I’ll answer it, not because it will be on the test, but because it contains the kind of flow of history thinking you are going to need this semester as we write more and prepare for the big exam.
Based on Chapters 13 through 16, how does the history of Islam in the early modern era challenge a Eurocentric understanding of those centuries?
Throughout the early modern era, the Islamic world maintained a central role in world history.

The Islamic faith continued to expand, mostly through voluntary conversion.

It also remained vibrant, with a series of reform movements and new traditions taking shape.

The Islamic world supported several powerful empires and maintained a central place in long-distance commerce.

The expansion of European influence had little impact on the Islamic world.

Meanwhile, the Ottoman Empire expanded its influence in the Christian world, especially in the Balkans.

These developments challenge a Eurocentric understanding of the early modern era, in that the Islamic world’s history was to a large extent independent of the Western European experience. Thus to focus on Europe would result in the neglect of the Islamic world.

Benji

1/1/2016 14:25:58

Hey y'all (I don't have a lot of time at the moment to respond to everyone so I'll do that later).

I wanted to point out that the section "India: Bridging the Hindu/Muslim Divide" has no accompanying margin question. A DIY question I made up was "In what ways were the Hindu and Muslim faiths brought together?"
Here's my answer:
-The devotional form of Hinduism called bhaki brought together both Hindus and Muslims (category)
--Songs, prayers, dances, poetry, and rituals sought to achieve union with one or another of India's many deities
--it appealed especially to women
--it provided an avenue for social criticism
-set aside caste distinctions and Brahmin ritual prescriptions in favor of direct contact with the divine (I found this a parallel to Protestantism)
--had much in common with Sufi Islam and helped blur religious lines
-Sikhism arose as a distinctive religious tradition in the Punjab region of N India (category)
--believed that "there is no Hindu; there is no Muslim; only God" (Guru Nanak; founder of Sikhism)
--set aside caste distinction, untouchability, and seclusion of women while proclaiming the "brotherhood of all mankind" and essential equality of men and women
--created their own holy book called the Guru Granth (found it cool that it had "Guru" in the name, that'd be like calling the Bible the Jesus Book lol)
--created central place of worship and pilgrimage in the Golden Temple of Amristar
-prescribed dress requirements for men, including uncut beards/hair, turbans, and a small sword.

It's also important (though with this question extraneous) to note that Sikhism turned from peaceful to militaristic an account of the Mughal and certain Hindu hostilities. Their military skills later helped the British take over in the 18th century.

Let me know if there were any important details or information that would also come in handy in regard to this section and margin questionless sections in general (and if this helped at all)

-Benji

Benji

1/1/2016 14:28:01

Also HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Bingham

1/1/2016 16:01:30

Good catch man! That little Strayer omission catches a lot of people every year; just goes to show you, you have to do more that MQs. And I think you've caught the important stuff there.

Caroline O'Connor

1/1/2016 15:55:50

Alright, Happy New Year to all and here is my answer to MQ1.

In what ways did the Protestant Reformation transform European society, culture, and politics?

-Created a permanent schism within Catholic Christendom.
-Gave some kings and princes a justification for their own independence from the Church and an opportunity to gain the lands and taxes previously held by the Church.
-Provided the urban middle classes a new religious legitimacy for their growing role in society.
-Used by common people to express their opposition to the whole social order.
-Less impact on the lives of women, although it did stimulate female education and literacy, even if there was little space for women to make use of that education outside the family.
-Religious difference led to sectarian violence, to war, and ultimately to religious coexistence.
-Successful challenge to the immense prestige and power of the pope and the established Church encouraged a skeptical attitude toward authority and tradition.
-Fostered religious individualism as people were encouraged to read and interpret the scriptures themselves and to seek salvation without the mediation of the Church.
-Triggered the Catholic Counter-Reformation, leading to less corruption in the church and the formation of missionary groups such as the Jesuits.

So, I think I've hit all the main points, but I could use some suggestions about how to split the answers into categories as Mr. Bingham has been asking us to do. The obvious categories would be social, cultural, and political. I mainly had trouble deciding which points would go in each category. Thanks!

Bingham

1/1/2016 16:08:36

Good work. I agree with your categories; here's what I did with your answers.

Cultural-Created a permanent schism within Catholic Christendom.
Political-Gave some kings and princes a justification for their own independence from the Church and an opportunity to gain the lands and taxes previously held by the Church.
Social-Provided the urban middle classes a new religious legitimacy for their growing role in society.
Social-Used by common people to express their opposition to the whole social order.
Social-Less impact on the lives of women, although it did stimulate female education and literacy, even if there was little space for women to make use of that education outside the family.
Political-Religious difference led to sectarian violence, to war, and ultimately to religious coexistence.
Political/Social-Successful challenge to the immense prestige and power of the pope and the established Church encouraged a skeptical attitude toward authority and tradition.
Cultural-Fostered religious individualism as people were encouraged to read and interpret the scriptures themselves and to seek salvation without the mediation of the Church.
Cultural-Triggered the Catholic Counter-Reformation, leading to less corruption in the church and the formation of missionary groups such as the Jesuits.

Bingham

1/1/2016 16:12:15

Since you guys are getting active, and active early, I throw out a little morsel for you. I think this MQ is actually kind of tough.

What was revolutionary about the Scientific Revolution?
The Scientific Revolution was revolutionary because it put an end to the idea that the earth was stationary and at the center of the universe, which had been the dominant view of the world in Western Europe.

It was also revolutionary because the laws formulated by Isaac Newton showed that the universe was not propelled by angels and spirits but functioned on its own according to timeless principles that could be described mathematically. A corollary of this view was the idea that knowledge of the universe could be obtained through human reason alone, without the aid of ancient authorities or divine revelation.

Above all, it was revolutionary because it challenged educated people to question traditional views of the world and humankind’s place in it.

cathleen

4/1/2016 17:55:09

Fun fact on identifying if someone is of the sikh religion: I was watching the English Patient (1997) and the nurse was watching a soldier with long hair and a turban and told the patient he was indian. The patient put her in her place and told her that the man must be Sikh if he has long hair and wears a turban. Thanks, Strayer!

Micah

5/1/2016 22:15:25

I'll be MQ 2: How was the European imperial expansion related to the spread of Christianity?

-Colonial settlers and traders brought their faith with them and sought to replicate it in their newly conquered homeland

-Once the natives homelands were conquered, missionaries would actively spread the Christian message beyond European communities

-Because of European successful conquering, it seemed that native gods had been bested and any possible future lay within the powerful religion of European invaders.

Please tell me anything that I could do better. Thank you in advance.

Also, I don't know if I should be asking this but any better study strategies? I am using flashcards right now but are their any other strategies that are more effective?

Bingham

6/1/2016 06:15:37

With regard to studying, did you check out the "learning tools" page on this site? Also, it's "are there", not "their". Diaz would kill you!

Blake

6/1/2016 18:58:56

Little late but I thought I'd tell you what I came up with over break.
-Christianity motivated and justified the imperial expansion (this one I'm not sure about)
Maybe more details about missionaries, like where and what. Such as Spanish Portuguese and Russians
-Portuguese and Spanish travel overseas was viewed as a continuation of a long tradition
- you could also talk about success in Spanish and Philippines without too much extra stuff.

Hope this helps! Sorry I'm a little late. I kinda forgot the forum was a thing until I got back to reality today. 😂

Blake

6/1/2016 18:51:09

For all you procrastinators out there,
I recommend looking at the chart that describes the differences between catholic/Protestant. It helped me picture the text better if that makes any sense. Study away!

Caroline O'Connor

6/1/2016 22:29:33

Alright, so I finally solidified my answer to MQ5...

What accounts for the continued spread of Islam in the early modern era and for the emergence of reform or renewal movements within the Islamic world?

-Continued Islamization depended on Muslim Sufis, Islamic scholars, and itinerant traders, who posed no threat and often proved useful to local rulers and village communities.
-Conversion to spread did not require a sudden abandonment of old religious practices. It was more often an assimilation of Islamic culture into local religious systems.
-Islam spread through the movements of Muslim Africans to the Americas via the Atlantic Slave Trade.
-The emergence of reform movements such as Wahhabism was a reaction to the blending or syncretism that accompanied Islamization and came to be seen as offensive or even heretical by more orthodox Muslims.
-The syncretism led some Muslim scholars and religious leaders to examine the ways the general practice of Islam had deviated from the teachings of the Quran and return to purer ways.

I think the last two points could be combined into one more succinct point, but I could not figure out quite how to work it. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Kendal LeFlore

7/1/2016 20:28:15

Okay, I don't really expect a response since half of the class has already taken the test and the other half is studying for it, but can we just talk about how interesting this chapter and time period was? This was the first (only?) time the Europeans really revolutionized the world, and this is the moment where the idea of European superiority could be justified, at least in the world of science. Finally, I can understand why Euro-centricity continues to be a problem in history textbooks and why the West thinks it is so cool.

Besides all that, this was humanity's turning point into self-awareness and democracy and individualism and, ultimately, modernity. That's so exciting! And the name-dropping in this chapter! From Galileo to Darwin, Locke to Marx, Voltaire to Freud, there were more famous people than a "Love Actually"-type all-star blockbuster!

I had my doubts about you, Chapter 16, but you have come out on top.

Bingham

7/1/2016 21:24:57

Thank you Kendall for noticing. You are correct. This is the only time we'll really see our western heritage redeeming itself. It was bad before, and you'll see it get worse later. But this was the magical moment. The spread of religion for truly altruistic reasons. And at the same time, a strong push toward individualism, faith in the ordinary human, a striving for excellence not seen since the Greeks, innovation in ways of understanding the world that were fundamental in astronomy, physics, biology, political science, economics, and public policy. The very idea of progress in human affairs comes to us from this time! But most importantly, the lesson is that these breakthroughs in human achievement happened in the context of independent, free thinking universities. Here, for all their faults, separate from the ridiculous good luck they had, Europeans earned their place in history. And you are the beneficiary of that legacy.

The Spread of Ideas, Strayer 16

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Bingham

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