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Summary Globalization in World History: Chapter 3
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Summary of Peter Stearns - Globalization in World History, chapter 3.
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Stearns – Chapter 3: 1000 CE as turning point – The Birth of Globalization?● By 1000 CE, a number of key changes had accumulated, over the course of
300 years. A network had emerged that was wide ranging, with regular
contacts and attendant impacts it can, for the first time, be called a version of
Globalization.
● David Northrup put it like this: before 1000 CE, the most important factors
shaping human life and social institutions were regionally separate and
distinctive, society by regional society, with contacts playing only a peripheral
role. After 1000 CE, societies start functioning in response to contacts, so that
world history becomes the story of convergence rather than separation.
● This period as a crucial turning point is referred to as protoglobalization, for
the reason that the developments were not truly global, but Afro-Eurasian.
But, the intense contacts that were established in this period, did lead to other
developments like the discovery of new lands.
● The shift around 1000 CE resulted from an accumulation of developments in
shipping, trade routes and cultural outreach.
● 13th and 14th century: a substantial number of travellers went from Europe or
North Africa to East Asia. This reflected a new capacity to take advantage of
established routes and contacts and a new interest in reaching out as widely
as possible.
● Mapping also came of age by around 1000 CE, with increasingly accurate
representations of Asia, Europe, and much of Africa. Arab mapmakers led the
way, which reflected larger Arab leadership in the processes of trade and
travel.
● Better maps facilitated additional contacts.
● Dependence on long-distance trade also increased, another sign of change.
Markets for Chinese silk continued to play an important role, which
represented the obvious continuity with the past. Chinese export expanded,
for example in porcelain. Import of African slaves to the Middle East became a
regular trade item.
● 14th century: European interest in imported sugar increased European
involvement in global outreach.
● The impact of the interregional economy, with increasingly active exchanges
among Asia, Africa, and Europe, began to accelerate.
● Ship wrecks from this period show direct trade between the Middle East and
China by the 9th century.
● Before 1000 CE: Islam rose and spread rapidly, in the Middle East and North
Africa, this development provided additional political structure. The spread of
Christianity and Buddhism continued as well, particularly in centres like Japan
and Northern Europe.
● The creation of a new network for interactions among different regions
depended on these many different changes.
Arabs as Trans-regional Leaders
● 7th and 8th century: Arabs played an increasingly dominant role in Indian
Ocean trade, using many routes and exchanging many products that had
been in play before, but with increased intensity and range. No monopoly, but
their role was noteworthy. It helped extend Indian Ocean activity down the
, east coast of Africa, where merchants mixed with local elites formed a
network of connections. Swahili was a new language born from Arabic and
African tongues clear sign of the cultural accompaniments to more consistent
commercial exchange. The Islam provided religious linkage.
● Arab conquests through the Middle East and North Africa, Spain and central
Asia, provided a large, landed territorial base that helped link Mediterranean
and Indian Ocean trade and provided a number of vantage points for ventures
into the Indian Ocean itself. 600-1100: Red Sea expeditions provide a primary
entry for Arab activities.
● The high Arab and Islamic valuation of commerce and merchant endeavour
provided a vital component. Islam overall was far friendlier to the merchant
calling than any other world religion. The Quran explicitly equates honest
merchants with prophets and martyrs. Trading and profit-taking could perfectly
be combined with religious purity so long as certain ethical standards were
observed and religious obligations were fulfilled. Also: expansion of trade
increase in Islamic missionary activity.
● A pattern emerged in which expanding trade helped encourage conversion to
Islam, which made it easier for Arabs to deal with local merchants as co-
religionists. This shared religious factor would encourage Indian Muslims and
Indonesians to become more active in interregional trade in their own right,
but the impulse came from the Middle East.
● All this Arabic becomes a common language throughout much of the Indian
Ocean.
● A Result of these developments, is that travel and trade served as important
elements of Arab culture from 1000 CE a number of books were written,
discussing travel in for example China. They reflect the importance of Arab
involvements in wide exchanges, and these also might stimulate interest in
these exchanges in return.
● The expansion of the Islam and the intense belief in a basic Muslim unity
across geographical and political borders, created a first example of a global
community.
● Muslim scholars could travel widely and participate actively in discussions of
faith and law among groups of colleagues.
● Muslims also identified a land of war outside of Islamic purview, which around
1000 CE mostly referred to Europe and East Asia.
● As Arabs gained a growing role in trans-regional trade, particularly in the
Indian Ocean, they also helped expand its range, volume and impact. Islamic
energy pushed in a number of directions.
● Exchanges pushed farther east: late 7th century, Arabs and Persians as well
as Indians and Malaysians, were listed by Chinese officials as ship owners
working out of the port of Guangzhou.
● Arab commercial forays brought involvement from other groups. It also
furthered additional innovations: partnerships developed between Arabs and
local merchant houses. Bills of exchange were introduced, which facilitated
payments for goods of distant origin. Arab commercial law was recognized in
a number of different regions.
● Affected daily lives of many producers and consumers.
● Enhanced trade with India Persians and Arabs were able to import sugar
cane, saffron and rice grains became staples of the regional diet.
● Porcelain was now the most important product coming from China, silk was
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