Question.2383 - By the early second millennium C.E. the expansion of Islam and the resurgence of trade by land and sea had resulted in an Afro-Eurasian world bound together by a set of connections that were denser than ever. Outside – and even on the fringes – of this zone, however, other societies throughout the world continued to develop in relative isolation. Choose three societies to write about, two from regions defined by isolation (Australia and the Pacific, sub-Saharan Africa, or the Americas) and one from the most connected parts of Afro- Eurasia. For the isolated societies describe the impact of isolation on their development. Think not just about advantages and disadvantages, but also how isolation led to distinct qualities and characteristics compared to the interactive societies of Afro-Eurasia. For the society in the Axial Zone describe the way that interaction allowed them to benefit from the developments of other societies and spread developments to other societies.
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Introduction: During the third millennium CE, Islamic expansion took place. Still, there were some local communities in the world and these communities were isolated by the geographical barriers. Therefore, they imbibed unique strengths but compromised global strengths. Here, the researcher discusses three such communities. Analysis of three cultures during the second millennium CE: Anangu people: Anangu people are the oldest living civilization in Australia. Started living in the Northern territory of the desert and derived a unique culture as they remained untouched by the rest of the world. Now, these people can be found in the Kata Tjuta area of Uluru (Hueneke & Baker, 2009). As these people stayed away from the rest of the party, they derived a unique culture. The area is notorious for poisonous snakes, scorpions and life- threatening wild animals. In order to survive and entertain themselves, the Anangu people lived through stories. Stories that are passed from the ancestors for generations after generations. One of the most common stories is about a womb python that travels thousands of miles and survives. The story also encourages the locals to travel if needed in order to survive. The stories were carved in the caves with red rocks. This rock art painting became a perfect signature for These people who were completely unaware of chemical formulation and therefore, they derived the ink from local water and mineral substances (Barnes, 2011). This can be identified as a major disadvantage for the locals. Also, these people had found ways to create different colours from animal fats. But they were isolated from the world and thus, they could not cash their talents as they denied trading. The unavailability of trading betrayed their economic growth. Thus, the overall growth of this society was saturated. Classic Mayan culture: 3 The Mayans were residents of North America. Modern-day Texas, Mexico and other western states of the USA were prime civilizations, parts of the Mayans. The American continent was always a star beyond the cloud as it was hidden from the rest of the world. The Mayan Culture originated in 2600 BC and from 200 CE to 900 CE the culture witnessed urbanism (Fash, 1994). This period of Mayan Culture is also known as a classic period. As these people were detached from others, they started local businesses. The area was rich with minerals and fertile lands. Thus, the civilization was economically enriched. Their art and construction were also unique from the rest of the world. They constructed pyramids. These pyramids were different from the ones in Egypt. Their religious beliefs were also different from the rest of the world. Mayans did not have a well-furnished arsenal and they were aggressive with European expansion. They never met the rest of the world and thus they underestimated the strong European army (Hodell, Curtis & Brenner, 1995). Therefore, they lost their lands and they lost a lot of people. The Europeans overpowered these people. They destroyed the unique culture. At present, the educated native American speaks English and they cannot understand the hidden treasure of their culture. Thus, the Mayans will always be the greatest mystery of human history. Mongol of Eurasia: Mongol is the most popular tribe that is recommended by historians. These tribes existed in Eurasia and shared boundaries with Dal-ul-Islam, the region of Islamic rule in Iraq and Iran (Sasaki, 2015). Mongols were restricted by geographical barriers. The lands were infertile and they did not have a permanent place to reside. Therefore, this group was different from the Mayans and Anangu people. They were heavily armed and trained soldiers. They prepared themselves for the worst possible scenario. Wars and fights were art for them. 4 Unique plans and war styles differentiated them from the rest of the world. They were ferocious and cruel. However, the negative aspect of this group was the absence of unity. They did not share brotherhood. They were together as they needed a common place to stay. However, Mongols were reunited in 1206 CE by the Great Chengish Khan who created a common goal for every person in the Tribe (Munkh-Erdene, 2011). Conclusion: From this analysis, it can be concluded that every community cannot stand alone to survive. Therefore, sharing knowledge and art is an essential part of growth. The Mayans were enriched with resources but they were weak in artillery strengths. The Mongols had strong artillery but they had nothing in common. 5 References: Barnes, J. (2011). Tourism's role in the struggle for the intellectual and material possession of ‘The Centre Of Australia at Uluru, 1929–2011. Journal of Tourism History, 3(2), 147- 176. Fash, W. L. (1994). Changing perspectives on Maya civilization. Annual review of anthropology, 23(1), 181-208. Hodell, D. A., Curtis, J. H., & Brenner, M. (1995). Possible role of climate in the collapse of Classic Maya civilization. Nature, 375(6530), 391-394. Hueneke, H., & Baker, R. (2009). Tourist behaviour, local values, and interpretation at Uluru:‘The sacred deed at Australia’s mighty heart’. GeoJournal, 74(5), 477-490. Munkh-Erdene, L. (2011). Where did the Mongol Empire come from? Mediaeval Mongol ideas of people, state and empire. Inner Asia, 13(2), 211-37. Sasaki, R. J. (2015). The origins of the lost fleet of the Mongol Empire. Texas A&M University Press.More Articles From History