Ch 9

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Ch 9 discusses the birth of Islam. While according to Western historians, the rise of Islam occured during the Medievil time period, evidence points otherwise. Defining the Classical Era are 4 major points, of where they were existentially, technologically, socially, and migration wise.

Classical Era:
1. competition for dominance between civilizations
2. unique thinkers developed seminal ideas that are still used today
3. formation of complex empires and cosmopolitan urban centers
4. political units arise which straddle more than one continent.

Islmaic Era:
1. Islmaic Empire in competition with China and other flourishing empires.
2. The main seminal thinker of Islam was born during this time
3. This was the formation of the Islamic Empire
4. Islam spreads across mulitple continents.

Overall, Islamic history shows evidence that it was in its Classical Era. The exestential state of Islam, being in competition w/ China and other flourishing civilizations. The technological advancements, of seminal thinkers also occured for Islam during this time, with its main seminal thinker being born around 600. Socially, the Islamic empire formed. Lastly, the diffusion of Islam across multiple continents occured. These factors show that while the West was exiting its Classical Era, Islam was just beginning their Classical Era.

This is particually interesting because it is showing just how skewed Western historians perception of history is. While that may have been the era that was occuring in one place, it was not consistant around the world. In order to have a real picture of what the world was like at that time, we must see how all different civilaztions were, not just in the West.



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