The Impact of Economy on World History in the Post-Classical Era

  • 340

    Byzantine Imperial Government Moves

    Description: Constantine, the Roman emperor, moved the new imperial capital to Byzantine, and named it Constantinople. With the governement moving there as well, it grew into a metropolitan city.
    Significance: With the capitol at Constantinople, it became the center of trade in Byzantium, and as it was next to a few trading routes, it also was the main clearing house for trade.
  • Period: 340 to Oct 5, 1300

    Thesis

    In European and Asian socities in the post-classical era, economies of many places flourished, while new crops and new technologies were developed.
  • 360

    Axum Invades Kush

    Description: Axum, a strong political and economical socety, invaded Kush.
    Significance: Axum had started as a small kingdom with some trade, and it eventually grew into Egypt's principal link to southern lands.
  • 500

    Bezant

    Description: From the 6th-12th century, the Bezant, the gold coin of Byzantium became the standard currency in the Mediterranean basin.
    Significance: The Byzantine coin as the standard currency shows the importance of trade in Byzantine and how actively they participated in trade. This active trading led to the growth of the Byzantine economy.
  • Oct 5, 604

    Construction of the Grand Canal

    Description: Sui Yangdi (reigned 604-618) was the second emperor of the Sui dynsaty, and took on the project of the construction of the Grand Canal.
    Significance: The Grand Canal created an easy pathway between Northern and Southern China, and gave an economic way to transport large amounts of crops by water.
  • Oct 5, 700

    Heavy Plows

    Description: After the 8th century, a better plow for the land in the more northern lands of the Frankish kingdom and Caroligians empire was made avaliable.
    Significance: This heavier plow allowed for increased agricultural economy as it was able to turn the soil more effectivley.
  • Oct 5, 751

    Battle of Talas River

    Description: In 751, the Arab forces won in the Battle of Talas River against a Chinese army. With this win, they took prisoners who were skilled in paper productionn.
    Significance: The increase of paper production helped the economy because it was cheaper than other materials and was used in records and other things.
  • Oct 5, 1000

    New Food Crops in Mediteraanean Europe

    Description: Around 1000, new food crops started to make their way around Mediterranean Europe as a result of trade.
    Significance: Trade had allowed new food crops to spread throughout the Mediterranean region, which encouraged the production of these new crops.
  • Oct 5, 1300

    Urbanization in India

    Description: The 14th century was a high point for the sultanate of Delhi, which gave its capitol city a large population. Other cities, especially trading centers also had large populations.
    Significance: The large populations of trading centers and other cities showed the sucessfulness of trade and how the economy was able to support a large populaiton.
  • al-Marwani makes hajj

    Description: Although al-Andalus had mostly seperated themselves politically from the Abbasid dynasty, al-Marwani of Corodoba, still made his hajj, then he continued to travel to Iraq and India for commercial ventures.
    Significance: Even though there were tensions with al-Andalus and the Abassid, the al-Andalus people continued to participate in the commericial world of Islam. This commercial world was highly profitable with much production and trading of crops.
  • Chinas's Population Rebounded from its Low Point

    Description: In 600, China's population reached a low point of 45 million, but by 800, it had rebounded to 50 million.
    Significance: This population rebound was due to the productivity of Chinese agriculture production, which boosted the economy, and the organized distribution of that food.