mar17

Chapter 11 –Agricultural States: 

Chapter 11 – Agricultural States Map of present-day Mexico Extension of Mayan Empire Top: Mayan Hieroglyphs (writing) Bottom: Temple of the Warriors, Chichén Itzá

Today’s Objectives: 

Today’s Objectives How are states different from bands, tribes, and chiefdoms? What similarities do you see? Name some cultures that are considered exemplary of agricultural states. Know the environment, technology, demography, political organization, etc.

Introduction and Definitions: 

Introduction and Definitions Neolithic (12kyBP) – H/G went from band to tribe and chiefdom societies Development of intensive agriculture using fertilizers and irrigation State – societies that differ from bands, tribes, and chiefdoms in terms of bureaucratic organization Agricultural States – developed with the intensification of agriculture Industrial States – Chapter 12

Definitions: 

Definitions Agricultural Civilizations – complex societies with a number of characteristics: Dense populations located in urban centers Food surpluses, division of labor Bureaucratic organization or government Monumental art, architecture, engineering Writing systems Ecology of civilizations Agriculture developed in Near East, not in sub-Saharan Africa Geographical barriers Proximity of other cultures

Demography: 

Demography Pros: Population increase with transition to intensive agriculture Higher birth rates Food surplus Manufactured clothing and shelter Cons: Higher mortality rates Poor sanitation Worse health Jared Diamond article recap

Technology: 

Technology More sophisticated than chiefdoms Irrigation advances Shaduf (SW Asia) Pot irrigation (Oaxaca Valley) Farm equipment Plow Oxen Metallurgy (copper, tin, iron) Diffusion of ideas Before 1500 AD, not a lot of diffusion Near East, China, India more technically advanced than Europe China: paper making, printing, paper money, guns and gunpowder, compasses, umbrellas, hot-air balloons, anatomy, etc. Top: Egyptian shaduf Bottom: Temple of the Sun, Teotihuacan

Political Economy: 

Political Economy Scale Large: Mesopotamia, Egypt, Rome, China, Maya, Aztec Small: Africa, Asia Segmentary states Theatre states Feudalism Decentralized political economy, much like chiefdom societies Existed in western Europe and Japan

Early Empires: 

Early Empires Top: Roman Empire, Europe, c. 200 AD Left: Maya Empire, Central America, c. 300 AD Aztec Empire, Mexico, c. 1300 AD Inca Empire, Peru, c. 1300 AD Right: Tang Dynasty, China, c. 900 AD

Political Economy: 

Political Economy Labor Division of labor Created hundreds of new occupations: craftsworkers, commerce, government, education, military, etc. Property Rights Major source of wealth was land ownership Government or landlord owned property Peasantry Paid tribute to elite to cultivate land Command economy didn’t favor them Socioeconomic status varied (serfs to land owners) Corvée labor (compulsory labor for the government) Moral economy Painting of Medieval Europe serfdom

Political Economy: 

Political Economy Trade and Money Internal and external trade led to: Road networks (Rome, Americas) Government control over trade routes, products Caravan routes (Near East, North Africa) Monetary exchange developed from: Long-distance exchange Need for equivalent, portable form of exchange Merchants: Buy goods and resell them to others for profit Create demands for luxury goods Were sometimes used as spies Were usually full-time Practiced haggling Outdoor Market

Social Organization: 

Social Organization Mostly based on land and occupation Kinship still important Royal incest among Egyptians, Incas Patrimony Extended family prevalent Patrilineal (45%), bilateral (45%) Matrilineal (9%) – Example: Nayar

Social Organization: 

Social Organization Marriage Usually arranged, endogamous among elite Dowry (agricultural societies) and bridewealth (horticultural societies) Polygyny rare (elites might have harems) Divorce was uncommon (bad for women) Gender Relations Plow = lower status of women, patriarchy Women = inside, men = outside Female seclusion (foot binding, purdah) Sexism reinforced by religion Some variation in status of women in state societies Afghani woman and child Bound Feet

Social Stratification: 

Social Stratification Closed societies Status was ascribed, not achieved Caste system (India) Endogamous social grouping Movement into a different caste is impossible Slavery Tended to increase with social complexity Systems differed: open and closed Race and Ethnicity Used only in state societies Minorities subordinated by majority group

Law: 

Law Formal decisions through law, court, police, legal specialists Different from norms, customs, religion First law code: Hammurabi’s Code (1750 BC) Developed in Babylon (Near East) Reinforced inequality by protecting elite Are laws good or bad? Good – Maintain society by limiting disruptions Bad – Maintain social inequality

Warfare: 

Warfare Integral aspect of state societies Increased in scale Became more organized Increased surpluses Primary goal was to gain political control over other peoples Military professionals

Religion: 

Religion Political power, authority, and religion became more closely related Ecclesiastical religions No separation between church and state All people required to belong to the religion No tolerance for other beliefs Earliest: Egypt, China, Greece, Rome, Central and South America State officials were also priests and vice versa Rulers have divine authority Traditions based on written, interpreted texts Religion sanctified and legitimized authority of political leaders Universalistic Religions Spiritual messages that apply to all of humanity Two major branches: Near East = Judaism, Christianity, Islam Southern Asia = Hinduism and Buddhism Many universalistic religions become ecclesiastical religions Judaism Orthodox Christianity Islam Hinduism Buddhism