Basic Geography and Impact of Interactions Among Major Societies

I. Basic Geography

Basic World Geography

[Click above for a map gallery]

II. Impact of Interactions

• Interactions between cultures led to cultural diffusion (exchange of new ideas). Cultural diffusion led to changes in societies that helped to shape the world into what we now know it as.

1.Creation of a New Culture

• Aryans Invaded Indus Valley (1900 BCE)
  
  - Aryans brought the use of chavalry and iron weapon in warfare. Also, the system of separating the conquered from the conquestors brought on the caste system, which shaped the history of India. The mix of Aryan and native culture produced Indian culture as we now know it.

2. Spread of Religion

• Missionary Work by King Ashoka (c. 250 BCE)
  
  - Spread Buddhism to SE and East Asia, where it is still practiced today.
  
  
• Spread of Confucianism and Other Chinese Culture to Korea and Japan (c. 700 CE)
  
  - Religion usually effected social and gender structures
  
  
• Religion as a Link Between Different Peoples of the Abbasid Caliphate (c. 750)
  
  - Allowed different peoples from Asia, Africa, Middle East and even Europe to connect within a vast empire without destroying the unique cultures.

3. Commerce

• Many cities like Constantinople of Byzantium Empire and Moroe of Nubian Empire flourished because they were at the bridge of the global trade route.

Exchange of Foreign Goods

- Certain goods became the driving force of a country's economy. An example will be how India traded with Africa, E Asia, and then Europe for pepper, which was a very prosperous business.

-Seong Im Hong