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What could the emphasis on human sacrifice tell you about the Aztec state and religion? In what ways was it a continuation of traditional Mesoamerican practices? In what ways was it not? Is the Aztec emphasis on human sacrifice similar to any other societies studied so far?
- The religious beliefs of and bloodletting rituals clearly reflected the desire of the Mexica to keep their agricultural society going.
- From the time of the Olmecs, and possibly even earlier, Mesoamerican peoples had regarded the ritual sacrifice of human beings as essential to the world’s survival.
- However the Mexica placed much more emphasis on human sacrifice than their predecessors.
- Mayans used to practice human sacrifices to prompt the gods to water their fields of maize
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What influence do the Mongols have on Eurasian trade and cultural integration?
- They sponsored interaction among peoples of different societies and linked Eurasian lands more directly than ever before.
- Recognizing the value in regular communications for the vast empire, Chinggis Khan and his successors maintained a courier network that rapidly relayed news, information, and government orders.
- The Mongol’s encouragement of travel and communication facilitated
- trade
- diplomatic travel
- missionary effort
- movements of peoples to new lands.
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Discuss the significance of Mansa Musa's pilgrimage to Mecca. How symbolic was this event? Discuss the imporance of Islam in sub-Saharan Africa.
- Mansa Musa's pilgramage was huge and he had a huge caravan travel with him to Mecca.
- Mansa Musa drew great inspiration from his trip to Mecca and took his relgion even more seriously than before.
- He built mosques, particularly in the trading cities frequently visited by Muslim Merchants,
- He sent distinguished Islamic scholars to study in North Africa.
- He established religious schools and brought in teachers, 4 who were direct desendants of Muhammad himself
- He did all of this to make Islam better known in Mali
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Why were England, France and Spain able to unify when the Italian states and the Holy Roman Empire struggled? What were the foundations of these new-nation states?
- England, France, and Spain
- Managed to organize regional monarchies that maintained order and reasonably good government
- Italian states and The Holy Roman Empire
- Struggled because they had to deal with Muslims and they didn't have a centralized government
The foundations of the new nation states were conquest.
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What factors might have expalined the difference between the Indian societies of North America and those of Mesoamerica and South America?
- Size of society, NA- small society,food resources in wild wouldn't support dense populations
- Different mindset (ways of thought)
- North Americans, hunter-gatherers
- Mesoamerica and South America, agriculture (please the gods)
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