Sources of World Societies, Volume 1
Twelfth EditionMerry E. Wiesner-Hanks; Patricia Buckley Ebrey; Roger B. Beck; Jerry Davila; Clare Haru Crowston; John P. McKay
©2021ISBN:9781319303594
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Learn about world history through the stories of individuals and the societies they lived in
A History of World Societies, Twelfth Edition provides a regional approach to global history that is easily understood and presented in straightforward sections. With a focus on social history, students see how the stories of individuals affected the arc of global history. This book is also enhanced by LearningCurve, our easy-to-use adaptive learning system that will ensure that you come to class prepared.
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Learn MoreTable of Contents
Preface
Chapter 1: The Earliest Human Societies, to 2500 B.C.E.
Viewpoints: Origin Stories
1-1 An Indian View of Creation
From the Rig Veda "The Creation Hymn" (ca. 600 B.C.E.)
1-2 The Yuchi People Explain Their Origins
YUCHI TRIBE OF NORTH AMERICA, In the Beginning (ca. 1929)
1-3 The Hebrew Account of Creation
The Book of Genesis
1-4 A Greek Description of Creation
HESIOD, From Theogony (ca. 700 B.C.E.)
1-5 Australian Concepts of Spiritual Power
Aboriginal Cave Painting of a Wandjina (ca. 2000 B.C.E.)
COMPARATIVE QUESTIONS
Chapter 2: The Rise of the State in Southwest Asia and the Nile Valley 3200-500 B.C.E.
2-1 A Mesopotamian Quest for Immortality
From The Epic of Gilgamesh
2-2 Law and Order in Ancient Babylonia
HAMMURABI, Hammurabi’s Code: Laws on Society and Family Life (ca. 1800 B.C.E.)
2-3 Moses Leads the Hebrews from Egypt
Book of Exodus (ca. 950-450 B.C.E.)
Viewpoints: Faulty Merchandise in the Ancient World
2-4 A Babylonian Merchant Complains about Mistreatment
Letter from a Babylonian Copper Merchant (ca. 1750 B.C.E.)
2-5 An Egyptian Priest Complains about Honey
Letter from an Egyptian temple official (ca. 1200 B.C.E.)
COMPARATIVE QUESTIONS
Chapter 3: The Foundation of Indian Society to 300 C.E.
3-1 Student-Teacher Dialogue in the Upanishads
From the Chandogya Upanishads
Viewpoints: The Buddhist Path to Enlightenment
3-2 Suffering and Enlightenment
THE BUDDAH, The Buddha Obtains Enlightenment (ca. 530-29 B.C.E.)
3-3 Ashoka Makes His Will Known
ASHOKA, From Thirteenth Rock Edict (256 B.C.E.)
3-4 Artistic Depictions of the Buddha
Miracle of the Buddha Walking on the River Nairanjana
3-5 Social Mores in Ancient India
From The Laws of Manu (ca. 100 B.C.E.-200 C.E.)
COMPARATIVE QUESTIONS
Chapter 4: China’s Classical Age, to 221 B.C.E.
4-1 Art and Culture in Shang China
Detail of Ritual Vase known as the Tigress (ca. 1200 B.C.E.)
4-2 Heaven’s Mandate
From Book of Documents (ca. 900-100 B.C.E.)
Viewpoints: Philosophical Responses to Social and Political Disorder
4-3 Confucian Maxims and Sayings
CONFUCIUS, From Analects (ca. 500 B.C.E. – 50 C.E.)
4-4 Laozi Offers Advice on Following the Way
LAOZI, From Dao De Jing: Administering the Empire (ca. 500-400 B.C.E.)
4-5 Han Fei Lays Out the Legalist View of Good Government
HAN FEI, The Five Vermin (ca. 250-25 B.C.E.)
COMPARATIVE QUESTIONS
Chapter 5: The Greek Experience, 3500-30 B.C.E.
Viewpoints: Greek Playwrights on Families, Fate, and Choice
5-1 A Father Sacrifices His Daughter
AESCHYLUS, Agamemnon
5-2 A Sister Buries Her Brother
SOPHICLES, Antigone
5-3 Socrates Defends Himself Against Criminal Charges
PLATO, From Apologia (ca. 399 B.C.E.)
Viewpoints: Depicting the Human Form
5-4 A Hellenic Depiction of Physical Perfection
Artemision Bronze (ca. 460 B.C.E.)
5-5 A Hellenistic Depiction of Powerful Emotions
Laocoön and His Sons (ca. 20 B.C.E.-70 C.E.)
COMPARATIVE QUESTIONS
Chapter 6: The World of Rome ca. 750 B.C.E. – 400 C.E.
6-1 The Romans Set Their Basic Laws in Stone
The Twelve Tables (ca. 450 B.C.E.)
6-2 Plutarch Describes a Man Who Would Be King
PLUTARCH, On Julius Caesar, A Man of Unlimited Ambition (ca. 100 C.E.)
6-3 The Senate Gives Augustus an Altar
Ara Pacis Augustae (13 B.C.E.)
Viewpoints: Christianity and the Roman State
6-4 An Official Asks for Advice on Dealing with Christians
PLINY THE YOUNGER, Letters to and from the Emperor Trajan on Christians (111-113 C.E.)
6-5 A Christian Defends His Religion Against Roman Persecution
TERTULLIAN, From Apologia (ca. 197 C.E.)
COMPARATIVE QUESTIONS
Chapter 7: East Asia and the Spread of Buddhism, 221 B.C.E.-800 C.E.
7-1 A Chinese Historian Describes a Nomadic People
SIMA QIAN, From The Records of the Historian: On the Xiongnu (ca. 109-86 B.C.E.)
7-2 What Makes a Good Woman?
BAN ZHAO, From Lessons for Women (ca. 80 C.E.)
Viewpoints: Buddhism in China
7-3 Reconciling Buddhism with Traditional Chinese Values
HAN YU, From Lives of the Eminent Monks: Zhu Seng Du (ca. 550 C.E.)
7-4 Emperor Wuzong Cracks Down on Buddhism
EMPEROR WUZONG, Edict on the Suppression of Buddhism (845 C.E.)
7-5 Cultural Fusion in Medieval Japan
Hachiman, Shinto God of War, in the Guise of a Buddhist Monk (ca. 1100-1300 C.E.)
COMPARATIVE QUESTIONS
Chapter 8: Continuity and Change in Europe and Western Asia, 200-850
8-1 Plague Strikes the Eastern Roman Empire, 542
PROCOPIUS, History of the Wars
8-2 Rules for a Religious Community
SAINT BENEDICT OF NURSIA, From The Rule of Saint Benedict: Work and Pray (529)
8-3 A Germanic People Create a Code of Law
The Law of the Salian Franks (ca. 500-600)
Viewpoints: Charlemagne and His Family
8-4 Einhard Describes Charlemagne’s Private Life
EINHARD, From The Life of Charlemagne (ca. 817-836)
8-5 A Painter Portrays the Royal Couple
Charlemagne and his Second Wife Hildegard
COMPARATIVE QUESTIONS
Chapter 9: The Islamic World, 600-1400
9-1 God and Believers in the Quran
Quran (ca. 650)
9-2 Geometry and Islamic Design
Great Mosque of Córdoba, Spain, and Gate of Al Hakam II, Detail (987)
9-3 A Muslim Philosopher on Reason, Knowledge, and Devotion to God
IBN RUSHID, or AVERROËS, On the Harmony of Religions and Philosophy, ca. 1190
Viewpoints: Abbasid Baghdad
9-4 A Jewish Traveler Visits Baghdad
BENJAMIN OF TUDELA, From Book of Travels (ca. 1159-1172)
9-5 An Islamic Geographer Describes Baghdad
YAQUT AL- HAMAWI, Dictionary of Countries (1224-1228)
COMPARATIVE QUESTIONS
Chapter 10: African Societies and Kingdoms, 1000 B.C.E.-1500 C.E.
Viewpoints: Outsiders Views of Sub-Saharan Africa
10-1 A Muslim Traveler Describes Ghana and Mali
ABU UBAYDALLAH AL-BAKRI, From The Book of Routes and Realms (ca. 1067-1068)
10-2 Fact and Fiction in an Account of Sub-Saharan Africa
ABU HAMID MUHAMMAD AL-ANDALUSI AL-GHARNATI, From Gift of the Spirit (ca. 1120-1170)
10-3 Leo Africanus Describes Timbuktu to a European Audience
LEO AFRICANUS (AL-HASAN IBN MUHAMMAD AL-WAZZAN AL-FASI), From The History and Description of Africa (1526)
10-4 A History of West Africa by West Africans
From Epic of Sundiata (ca. 1250)
COMPARATIVE QUESTIONS
Chapter 11: The Americas, to 1500 C.E.
11-1 Obligations Under Inca Rule
The First Chronicle of Good Government on the History of the World and the Incas up to 1615 (1616)
11-2 The Founding of Tenochtitlán and the Origins of the Aztec Empire
The Codex Mendoza (ca. 1541)
11-3 Diego Durán Describes Mexica Customs
DIEGO DURAN, From Book of the Gods and Rites (ca. 1576-1579)
Viewpoints: The Importance of the Ball Game in Maya Society
11-4 The Rules and Objectives of a Maya Ball Game
ANTONIO DE HERRERA Y TORDESILLAS, On the Maya Ball Game Tlachtli (ca. 1598)
11-5 The Gods Challenge Two Maya Heroes to a Game of Tlachtli
FATHER FRANCISCO XIMENEZ, From Popol Vuh (ca. 1701-1703)
COMPARATIVE QUESTIONS
Chapter 12: States and Cultures in East Asia, 800-1400
Viewpoints: Elite Values in Feudal Japan
12-1 Marriage and Female Virtue
MURASAKI SHIKIBU, From The Tale of Genji (ca. 1021)
12-2 Depiction of an Aristocratic Woman
The Poet Koōgimi, from the Fujifusa version of the Thirty-six Poetic Immortals handscroll
12-3 The Experience of War in Feudal Japan
From The Tale of the Heike (ca. 1250)
12-4 The Islamic World as Seen from a Chinese Perspective
CHAU JU-KUA, On the Arab People of Quanzhou (ca. 1250)
12-5 Wang Eight and His Wife
HONG MAI, From Yijian zhi
COMPARATIVE QUESTIONS
Chapter 13: Cultural Exchange in Central and Southern Asia, to 1400
Viewpoints: The Mongols and Their Conquests
13-1 Observations on Mongol Rule in China
Epitaph for the Honorable Menggu (ca. 1272)
13-3 The Role of a Mongol Leader in Battle
RASHID-AL-DIN, Chinggis Khan Fighting the Tartars (ca. 1300)
13-3 A European Merchant Travels the Silk Road
MARCO POLO, From Travels: Description of the World (ca. 1298)
13-4 Hindu Description of the Ideal Wife
VATSYAYANA, From the Kamasutra: About a Wife (ca. 150-1200)
13-5 A Muslim Scholar Offers Guidance to His Fellow Believers
MAULANA BURHAN UD-DIN MARGHINANI, From Guidance: Alms, Marriage, and Testimony (ca. 1197)
COMPARATIVE QUESTIONS
Chapter 14: Europe and Western Asia in the Middle Ages, 850-1450
14-1 Royal Power and the Rule of Law
KING JOHN OF ENGLAND, From Magna Carta: The Great Charter of Liberties (1215)
14-2 The Pope Declares His Own Power
POPE BONIFACE VIII, Unam Sanctam (1302)
14-3 A Scholastic Places Logic in the Service of Theology
THOMAS AQUINAS, From Summa Theologica: Can It Be Demonstrated That God Exists? (1268)
Viewpoints: Men and Women’s Work in Medieval Cities
14-4 A Lawyer Apprentices His Son
Apprenticeship Contract for a Money-Changer (1248)
14-5 A Writer Provides Advice to Women
CHRISTINE DE PIZAN, Advice to the Wives of Artisans, from The Treasure of the City of Ladies (1405)
COMPARATIVE QUESTIONS
Chapter 15: Europe in the Renaissance and Reformation, 1350-1600
Viewpoints: The Intellectual Foundations of the Renaissance
15-1 Petrarch Expresses His Admiration for Classical and Christian Works
PETRARCH, Letters (ca. 1354, 1360)
15-2 Pico della Mirandola Argues for the Importance of Philosophical Debate
PICO DELLA MIRANDOLA, From On the Dignity of Man (1486)
15-3 A Renaissance Painter Portrays Powerful Women
ARTEMISIA GENTILESCHI, Judith and her Maidservant with the Head of Holofernes (1625)
15-4 Luther Calls for a Break with the Catholic Church
MARTIN LUTHER, From Address to the Christian Nobility of the German Nation (1520)
15-5 John Calvin Explains His Views on Faith and the Clergy
JOHN CALVIN, From Instruction in Faith (1537)
COMPARATIVE QUESTIONS
Chapter 16: The Acceleration of Global Contact, 1450–1600
16-1 The World as Europeans Knew it in 1502
World Map (1502)
Viewpoints: The Motives of Columbus and His Patrons
16-2 Columbus Defends His Accomplishments
CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS, Letter from the Third Voyage (1493)
16-3 Spanish Ambitions in the New World
THEODORE DE BRY, Columbus at Hispaniola (ca. 1590)
16-4 Spanish Conquest of the Aztecs
BERNARDINO DE SAHAGÚN, From General History of the Things of New Spain (ca. 1545-1578)
16-5 Blending Indigenous and European Style
ANDRÉS SÁNCHEZ GALLQUE, The Mulatto Gentlemen of Esmeraldas (1599)
COMPARATIVE QUESTIONS