Diffusion of Cultures Trade, Beliefs, and Goods (+ Disease) Diffusion of cultures spread of ideas from central points
adaptation of ideas to local needs creative additions Innovation, Diffusion, Acculturation Major Trade Routes Six Major Routes on or crossing three continents. Africa
Asia Europe Trade routes connected most major civilizations Overland and Maritime
All of these routes would connect with others at certain points. This meant the world was connected by trade, even if most people never knew it. These trade routes are one of the biggest reasons cultural diffusion took place. These routes helped ideas, technologies, Etc spread across the entire world. Identify: Silk Routes, Indian Ocean, TransSahara, Mediterranean, Black Sea Spread of Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity 200 B.C.E-400 C.E Spread of Buddhism
The spread of Buddhism was facilitated both by royal sponsorship and by the travels of ordinary pilgrims and
missionaries. In India, the Mauryan king Ashoka and King Kanishka of the Kushans actively supported Buddhism. Two of the most well-known pilgrims who helped to transmit Buddhism to China were the Chinese monks Faxian and Xuanzang. Both have left reliable narrative accounts of their journeys. More Buddhism spread
Buddhist missionaries from India traveled to a variety of destinations: west to Syria, Egypt, and Mesopotamia, as well as to Sri Lanka, southeast Asia, and Tibet. Buddhism was changed and further developed in the lands to which it spread. Theravada Buddhism
became dominant in Sri Lanka, Mahayana in Tibet, and Chan (Zen) in East Asia. Buddhism in China Originally, Buddhism restricted to foreign merchant populations Gradual spread to larger population beginning 5th century CE Monasteries provide it with a base
Popularity of Buddhism and Taoism Disintegration of political order casts doubt on Confucian doctrines Buddhism, Daoism gain popularity People turn to their inward needs; seek
harmony in a time of turmoil Religions of salvation enter China as well but arent as popular as Buddhism. Buddhism and Hinduism in SE Asia Sea lanes in Indian Ocean
1st c. CE clear Indian influence in SEst c. CE clear Indian influence in SE Asia Rulers called rajas Sanskrit used for written communication Buddhism, Hinduism increasingly popular faiths Christianity in Mediterranean Basin
Gregory the Wonderworker, central Anatolia 3rd c. CE Christianity spreads through Middle East, North Africa, Europe Sizeable communities as far east as India Judaism, Zoroastrianism also practiced Spread of Christianity
Armenia was an important entrepot. An entrept (from the French "warehouse") is a trading post where merchandise can be imported and exported without paying import duties, often at a profit. for the Silk Road trade. Mediterranean states spread Christianity to Armenia in order to bring that kingdom over to its side and thus deprive Iran of control of this area Christianity in SW Asia
Influence of ascetic practices from India Desert-dwelling hermits, monastic societies After 5th c. CE, followed Nestorius Emphasized human nature of Jesus Rejected by the churches of the
Mediterranean Sea, so followers depart for Mesopotamia and Iran Provide framework for SW Asian Christianity and spread on the Silk Road Spread of Manichaeism Mani - Zoroastrian prophet
(21st c. CE clear Indian influence in SE6-272 CE) Influenced by Christianity and Buddhism Dualist good vs. evil light vs. dark spirit vs. matter Sinicization of Nomadic Peoples
China-fication Adoption of sedentary lifestyle Agriculture, urban living Adoption of Chinese names, dress, intermarriage, ruling customs Where does disease fit in?
Malaria, bubonic plague, small pox, influenza, tuberculosis, cholera, etc. Where did they originate? Concentrated Population, Domesticated Animals, Warm, Wet Climates Civilization may have been grand and glorious, but it also waded in manure. Emergence of disease pools Trade transportation and
disease Over thousands of years diseases became endemic in different societies When they came into contact with virgin populations, disease often
spread like wild fire Disease helped the spread of civilization Greco-Roman civilization in the Mediterranean Disease also tended to hold populations in check COMP Theses: Trade Networks In the Classical world both the Silk Route and Mediterranean served to facilitate the spread of state sponsored religions (Christianity) and cultures (sincizatons), both spread disease leading to the decline of great classical empires like Rome and the Han dynasty, however the Silk route would gain influence spreading Eastern culture to the Middle East whilst the Mediterranean would maintain its influence as a Roman lake (Mare Nostrum) The Indian Ocean and Trans-Saharan would differ in the technologies employed to transmit connections (dhow and latten sail vs. caravanserai) , the Indian Ocean would facilitate the
spread of Hinduism and Buddhism while the only religion spread across the Sahara in the Classical Age was Christianity in the East to the Kingdom of Axum. Both trade networks, however would connect major classical Empires through trade.
