Medieval Iberian Peninsula: Taifas, Kingdoms, and Repopulation
Medieval Iberian Peninsula
Taifas: Small, independent kingdoms formed in the Iberian Peninsula after the fragmentation of the Caliphate of Cordoba during the 11th century.
Parias: Taxes paid by the Taifas to Christian kingdoms in exchange for peace, reflecting Christian hegemony in the 11th century.
Almoravids: Muslims from North Africa who established a large empire, arriving in 1086 after the conquest of Toledo. Their empire later fragmented into new Taifas.
Almohads: Another Muslim group from North
Read MoreNative Americans and Spanish Explorers in North America
Native Americans & Spanish Explorers
They first arrived 30,000 years ago or before. It is believed that the first settlers came from Asia and crossed the land bridge that united the 2 continents (The Bering Strait – between Russia & Alaska).
Native American Cultural Regions
In the mid 1500s, 10 million Indians lived in North America with several hundred languages and varying social structures.
- Maize Regions – in Eastern half (NE & SE). Depended on hunting, fishing, farming, and gathering.
Native American History and European Colonization in North America
Native Americans
Five Tribes
- Cherokee
- Choctaw
- Muscogee (Creek)
- Chickasaw
- Seminole
Regions
- Arctic: Hunting and fishing
- Subarctic: Hunting
- Coastal: Fishing
- Coastal: Fishing and gathering
- Plateau: Fishing, hunting, and gathering
- Desert: Gathering
- Pueblo: Farming
- Plains: Hunting
- Woodland: Farming
- Mississippi: Farming
Three Sisters of Farming
Woodland farmers, Plains, Mississippi farmers, Maya (corn, beans, squash)
Woodland Farmers
- Southern Canada and Northern U.S.
- Sophisticated culture
- Permanently settled (agriculture)
- Humid
Cold War Era: Economic Systems & Global Impact (1945-1989)
The Cold War Era: 1945-1989
The US-Led Western Political Economy
After World War II, the USA and its allies established a new international system to ensure security and economic growth for the Western capitalist alliance.
- Monetary and Financial System: A dollar-gold standard was established, and the IMF and the World Bank were created. The USA also implemented the Marshall Plan for Europe.
- Increasing Trade Liberalization: The GATT was created, which, despite initial limitations, served as a framework
Pre-Columbian Civilizations: Maya, Aztec, and Inca Empires
Pre-Columbian Civilizations
Maya Civilization
The Maya civilization thrived in the Yucatan Peninsula, a tropical region characterized by rainforests and underground rivers due to its limestone soil. The lack of surface rivers and difficult communication led to the formation of independent city-states. Their primary economic activity was agriculture, supplemented by trade. They practiced slash-and-burn agriculture, which resulted in deforestation and droughts. The Maya were polytheistic, with deities
Read MoreGlobal Silver Trade: 16th-18th Century Economic & Social Impacts
Global Silver Trade: 16th-18th Century Impacts
The global flow of silver from the mid-sixteenth century to the early eighteenth century had significant social and economic effects worldwide. Economically, it altered the currency systems of many countries. Socially, it facilitated the exchange of luxury goods across different regions.
Economic Transformations
The rise in global silver flow during the 16th to 18th centuries dramatically changed economies. The Ming Chinese government’s requirement for
Read More