Eastern Europe and Russia, AP World History p.2

Peoples Analysis: Byzantines

Name of group: Byzantines
Time period: 330-1453
Location: Eastern Rome, Byzantium
Important neighbors: Persia, the Arabs, the Muslim empire, Egypt, the Seljuks, Saharan Africa, Bulgaria, Russia
Strengths:
  • Constantinople as an economic center
  • systematic Roman legal codes
  • elaborate bureaucracy
  • large amounts of land mass
Weaknesses:
  • once invaded, Byzantium become very weak
  • the split of the church
  • the fall of Constantinople
  • wealth lures others to invade
  • government unable to counter the effect of the invasion
Impact on neighbors:
  • had major effect on Russian culture
  • contributed to the Italian Renaissance
  • once Constantinople was converted to a Turkish city, mosques were built
  • influenced other societies through their bureaucracy
Legacy:
  • the Roman legal codes
  • Constantinople
  • preserving classical Rome and Greece
  • religious art
Kevin G. 1-26-2011

Peoples Analysis: Mongols

Name of group: Mongols
Time period: 1200's
Location: Eastern Europe, Asia (China), Middle East, Russia
Important neighbors: Russia, China, the West, India
Strengths:
  • 10,000 warrior army
  • scouting parties and messengers
  • the Mongolian philosophers
  • nomadic lifestyle made it easier to conquer
  • horses
  • cavalry forces
  • cultural and religious tolerance
Weaknesses:
  • the lack of ability to capture fortifications
  • divided khanates
  • civil disunity
  • cultural and religious tolerance
Impact on neighbors:
  • Chinese interlude
  • Russian tributaries and the rise of Moscow
  • interconnected the continent
Legacy:
  • reopened the Silk Road
  • the last greatest nomadic empire
Kevin G. 1-26-11

Peoples Analysis: Kiev Russia

Name of group: the Russians
Time period: 1236-1240
Location: Northern Eurasia
Important neighbors: the Mongol Empire, Western Europe
Strengths:
  • Moscow dominance
  • tributary system with the Mongols
  • the Novgorod Republic
  • the Orthodox church

Weaknesses:
  • loss of population due to the Mongols
  • cut off from other societies
  • internal problems with the princes
  • fall of Kiev

Legacy:
  • change of power from Kiev to Moscow
  • division to Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus

Kevin G. 1/27/11