The+Post+Classical+Period,+500+to+1450+New+Faith+and+Commerce

__1) Summary of Postclassical Period, pg. 120- 125__
After the decline of the classical period, the post classical period began to fall into history. The post-classical period was all about the spreading of major religions like Christianity, Buddhism, and Islam, as well as new systems of trade were being developed. Since the classical civilizations began to fall religion, began to sweep into new areas and spread across multiple borders. Both Buddhism and Christianity, which were already known about, began to spread further as the classical civilizations began to decline. This happened because as the economics and stability of the governments began to turn into chaos, people turned to a more religious look on life to seek guidance, reassurance, and security. Also with empires collapsing, boundaries began to disappear and the more ambitious people turned their attention to new areas they could now visit. Islam however was the newest religion and it spread the most during the post classical period.

Along with new religious influences occurring, people also began to expand on trade. Trade has previously occurred on established routes, such as the Silk Road. Trade also only occurred with certain areas such as India, Europe, and the Mediterranean. The post classical period promoted new trade routes on the seas and established it with many more places. Inventions such as the compass, helped influence a greater dependence on sea trade, as a compass helped people navigate the waters of the known world. This new trading linked new parts of the world to current parts of the world. This new trade helped establish routes linking sub-Saharan Africa, southeast Asia, Japan, northwestern Europe and Russia. Trade also helped spread new inventions and ideas such as Chinese paper, printing from Europe, and mathematics from India.

Societal changes also began occurring. New ideas of women being equal to men religious began to emerge among the new religions of the world. Islam even allowed for women to own and purchase property. Buddhism in Japan argued for an importance of women. Christianity established religious communities for women, even giving them leadership role. However women were also at the same time still neglected. Islam eventually began to seclude women as time passed.

Overall the post classical period experienced new changes which helped to influence the history of the world, in ways the the classical period could not.