1. For the period 600 BCE to 1200 CE, compare and contrast the societies of Africa with the societies of the Americas. (This can be done by selecting several points of comparison, and then using just one or two societies from Africa and one or two from the Americas as examples to illustrate your points).
2. Compare and contrast the society and culture of the Islamic Civilization and Christian Civilization (“Christendom”) during the period of time Strayer calls the “Third Wave” of civilization, and what is also sometimes called the “Middle Ages” (approximately 600-1450 CE at its broadest).
Note, this is not asking you to compare the religious beliefs of the religions of Islam and Christianity, but rather to focus on the broader society and culture of these two civilizations.
3. All of these chapters in Part 3 of your texbook talk about the impact of increasing connection between civilizations (whether through trade, exploration, or conquest) on cultures (including religions).
What do you feel were the three most important cultural impacts of these growing connections, and why did you pick those?
4. First, explain how a relatively small number of Mongols come to create the world’s largest land empire. Second, think about Part 3 of your book (which includes Chapters 7-12): All of Part 3 deals with increasing interactions between civilizations as trade and commerce expanded, and about how the cultures of the world were changed because of this.
So then, why is there a chapter about the Mongols in this section of the book? (Or put another way – describe the role the Mongols played in creating a more interconnected world).
