Scarlett Amandola An enduring issue is something that continues to occur throughout time. One enduring issue is cultural diffusion. Cultural diffusion refers to the spreading of different ideas and beliefs. Cultural diffusion affects people over time by allowing them to share new technologies and ideas, advancing their ability to grow. Cultural diffusion enables societies to blend and become more familiar with one another. This affects people to grow because they are learning information from others and continuing to use it. The significance of cultural diffusion is illustrated by many historical examples including the Medieval trade routes in the Islamic world, the impact of Islam on the Swahili city states in East Africa, and Japan borrowing …show more content…
The Map Illustrating Trade Routes in the Medieval Islamic World (document 3) shows all of the trade routes going through the Abbasid dynasty. As a result, traders spread religions such as the case of West Africa where Islam quickly spread throughout the region. Over time, trade and missionaries encouraged the expansion of large Muslim populations in other regions including India, China, and Spain.. The expanse of the Islamic Empire allowed merchants to trade goods and even ideas all the way from China to Europe. Cultural diffusion was spread by Islam’s influence to the Swahili city states through interaction started by trade. Many city states on the eastern coast of Africa participated in an international trade network and became sophisticated in Islamic cultural centers. Over time, city states intensified their small-scale agricultural economies to create surpluses for trading. Swahili people engaged in the Indian Ocean trade. Ibn Battuta was a Muslim and traveled in Asia and Africa. Ibn Battuta visited most of the Islamic world; he describes his observations of Mogadishu, one of the Swahili …show more content…
He also observed and interacted with government officials. Government officials prayed at a Mosque, which is a Muslim house of worship. High ranking government officials practicing Islam prove religion spread and became very important in places like Mogadishu, a Swahili city state. This shows cultural diffusion because the spread of Islam was important in the Swahili city states and that came from merchants trading leading to cultural diffusion of the religion. Cultural diffusion had a significant impact on Japan. Japan borrowed Buddhism and Confucianism from China. Japan sent appointed officials to China on more than nineteen occasions. These officials brought back information from Tang China to Japan about ideas on religion, government and art.Early Japan wanted to copy China and borrow Confucianism and Buddhism. In the year 710, the first permanent Japanese capital was established in Nara, a city modeled after the Chinese capital. Large Buddhist monasteries were built in the new capital. Japan even borrowed ideas for landscape painting. Japan also borrowed ideas from the government. According to the Taika Reforms of 645 “It is hereby decreed that household registers, tax registers, and rules for allocation and redistribution of land shall be established.” (document 5) Japan borrowed this edict because they wanted to strengthen
During this era of global history from 632 to 1352 C.E, it is seen that the societies began to interact with other cultures leading to cultural diffusion which would have both positive impacts, such as new trade goods, on societies along with negative effects, such as being conquered, on these societies as well. The documents provided show these benefits and harmful factors of cultural diffusion during this global era. Documents one, two, four, and five show some of the negative effects of global interaction. Within this group document one, four and five shows how societies have a direct negative impact on each other. On the other hand document three and six show how global interaction can have a positive impact on societies.
At the beginning of his journey, he decides to not travel with a caravan, this proves to be a good thing for him, as along his journey, he is continually meeting rich and pious people who give him camels, horses, donkeys, money, food, drink, and places to lodge. This is a custom of the muslim faith to give gifts to travelers. His journey first began in the Middle East, then venturing out to sea to Makkah, where his ship was attacked by pirates and he had to continue the journey to Makkah on foot. Then Ibn Battuta crossed the vast Arabian Desert to reach modern day Iraq and Iran, he stayed briefly then took another ship to Tanzania in East Africa. He eventually ended up going to India where he was warmly greeted by Sultan of Dehli, who was also known as the Shadow of God.
But as true as this may be, many cultures have evolved. They've exchanged. They've interacted with other cultures, and by doing this they have been a part of cultural diffusion. But
Moroccan traveler, Ibn Battuta, is well-known for being one of the greatest travelers of his time. Battuta’s descriptive account of his travels to East and West Africa in the fourteenth century provides important insight into African Islamic life at that point in time. Although Battuta and the peoples in black Africa shared the same religion, he comes to realize that sharing a religion is not enough to completely relate to a different group of people. The story of Ibn Battuta in Black Africa illustrates the difficulties he faced in relating to these peoples due to the non-traditional role of women, different religious customs, and frequent misinterpretation of situations.
... had control various territories. Many merchants learned the Islamic language and became custom to their traditions. This allowed for its culture to spread and Islam had received converts. The trading industry has a major effect on the economy and allows the spread of one’s culture.
In the subcontinent of Afro-Eurasia, many changes took place in the means of trade. Its impact on the involved countries over the years helped develop the world into a more international trading network. Some of these changes were caused by trade through the Indian Ocean. Because of this trade, in the years 600 BCE to 1450 CE, the Indian Ocean impacted many aspects of the areas involved with it, such as a flourishing of new types of culture, such as the African culture being altered by Asians, Arabs and Persians. The Indian Ocean trade routes also impacted the spread of religion. The spread of Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, and Hinduism were all aided by travelling merchants. The trade impacted the growth of many cities as well. Trade brought in money for lesser empires and cities to help them grown and gain power. Advancements in technology also boomed because of this trade. Tools such as compasses, astrolabes, and new sails were invented to facilitate the navigation of the waters. Countries took advantage of their natural resources as well, trading their own resources with the recourses of the other countries to make a large profit.
The move to the capital of Heian-kyō (modern day Kyoto) was motivated in large part on a desire by Emperor Kammu to reduce the substantial influence exercised by the monasteries in Heijō-kyō (modern day Nara). Nara was patterned after the capital city of Tang, China, and its religion was based on their brand of Buddhism. Earlier Imperial sponsorship of Buddhism had politicized the clergy, resulting in power and corruption within their leadership.
The Muslim dominance of the trading centre of the former Constantinople increased the pressure on Western nations to find new ways to the East by going westwards. This eventually led to the expeditions of Columbus, Magellan, and
Being a country united by populations of people who settled on its islands from across Eastern Asia, Japan had a huge religious influence. Shinto started by the accumulation of the practices and traditions of many of the East Asian religions from countries such as Korea
The African culture were changed by trade which created cultural diffusion. The african culture was changed by the Europeans that they traded with, this is cultural diffusion. Cultural diffusion is the movement of seen and unseen characteristics of culture between two or more societies.
Prince Shotoku and Empress Suiko created Japan’s first constitution and established Buddhism as the country’s dominant religion. Emperor Kammu established a new capital in Kyoto and made efforts to free the emperor from the web of entrenched bureaucracy and the court’s increasing preoccupation with the pursuit of arts and literature led to a situation where the real powers were occupied by the posts of regent. During the 14th century, Japan was ruled by a number of shoguns and until Tokugawa Ieyasu became shogun the Japan was united and the imperial institution regained some of it past
economic relationships. The trade routes between Asia and North Africa are ancient due to the accessibility through the Suez Canal and the Bab el Mandeb. These trade routes allowed culture, traditions, religion, and ideas to culturally diffuse between the two countries. Religiously, the spread of Islam was mainly due to the expansion of the Muslim political system. Muslims were seen as liberators from the harsh rule of the Byzantines, so the Africans welcomed them. The Muslim government in North Africa allowed religious freedom.
Islam was spread to the African continent during the time of second caliph, Caliph Umar al-Khattab(13-23 AH/ 634-644CE) through his commander, Amru b al-As (18-21AH/ 639-642 CE). He was sent to Egypt in order to expand the political hegemony as well as to find new resources for Islamic caliphate. As prescribed by John Fage (1978): “Islam, a civilization as well as a religion, was the first major external influence upon the course of African history. Within about four centuries of the Arab conquest of North Africa that began with the invasion of Egypt in A.D. 639…” Since then, the Islamic territory was widening gradually and becoming much prosperous throughout this continent. Later in the Umayyad era, under the general commander of Uqba ibn Nafiq, the Islamic conquest went further into Maghrib (modern day of Tunisia). The local populations were mostly Arab Berbers who were readily accept the Umayyad legitimacy to rule over them. Nonetheless, after several decades, there was a strong resistance by Berbers whom called themselves as Kharijites Berbers whom unsatisfied with Umayyad rule particularly after the death of Caliph Umar ibn Abd’ Aziz. In Kitab al’Ibar (‘Book of Lessons’) by Ibn Khaldun, he draws attention...
Ibn Battuta is known as the greatest explorer, traveling thousands of miles during a 30-year span. He was born in Tangier, Morocco. He studied the Sharia, the sacred law of the Muslims based on the Koran and the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad. In 1325, at age 21, he left his homeland for Mecca. He intended to complete the Hajj in Mecca, but he also wished to study Islamic law along the way. During this Journey, it sparked his lasting interest in travel. We begin this essay diving into the East African coast, the dangers of the Sahara Desert, and his thoughts on the traditions in the kingdom of Mali.
Most Japanese would refer to themselves as believers of Shintoism and Buddhism. Christianity was introduced to the Japanese in 1543 when missionaries led by Francis Xavier arrived in Japan. However during this time Japan’s national religion was Buddhism. The Japanese adopted Confucianism from the Chinese as a moral guidance principle. The Japanese believed that the Christians were taking away the Japanese faith; thus, during the Edo Period most of the Christians in Japan were exiled or executed.