Notes for first midterm - 6th & 5th Centuries BC Xerxes:...

6 th & 5 th Centuries BC
 Xerxes : King of Persia. Promoted religious tolerance despite his own practice of
Zoroastrianism. This practice has been established during the reign of King Cyrus-
Earlier Persian King.
 Cyrus Cylinder: Cyrus (Grandfather of Xerxes) wrote a set of rules on a clay cylinder.
 Leonidas : King of Sparta.
 Movie 300 shows Xerxes as a bisexual type of guy when Spartans were actually more
like that. Film also shows Persia as being tyrants when Sparta was more of a tyrant
empire.
 Athens, Greece. Practicing A type of “democracy.” Property owing Greek Athenian males
had a political voice.
 At the same time that Athens are forming their first democracy, India has 12 kingdoms or
states that have a very similar system to Athens.
 In Athens, Greece, Socrates is teaching democracy.
 In india, Siddartha Guatama (Buddha) is teaching Buddhism.
 In India, the guru Mahavira is also teaching Jainism.
 In China, Confucius is teaching his philosophy.
 5
th
Century, Roman Empire Falls (Middle Ages). Much of West Europe would break up
into smaller kingdoms (Medieval Period).
Republics, democracies and limited monarchies in 5th century BC
This is seen all throughout Asia. Absolute monarchies are ruled by someone who
dictates the life of his citizens. Limited monarchies are similar to today's
constitutional monarchies and republics are what had already existed in Athens.
Athens was established as a democracy during Socrates' time. Some of the
monarchies in India were limited or constitutional monarchies, which predated
Athens.
Animism/spirit worship: ancient, human practice.
Hinduism/Brahmanism: 2000BC
Judaism: 1500BC (mono)
Zoroastrianism: 1500BC (mono)
 Historiography – “The writing of history” This is biased.
 American Exceptionalism: Claimed that due to Anglo-Saxon culture, the US became
“Exceptional.” Championed by Talcott Parsons.
- America is uniquely free and liberty loving.
- American version of the European miracle; mimicked their kind of system
and improved it, thus leading to an economic boom in the future.
- Race plays an important role because those living in America felt superior to
others just like how the Europeans thought they were omnipotent compared to
the rest.

Environmental Reductionism Myths: Environment viewed as chief casual factor of
cultural/social development. 3 Common Myths:::::
MYTH OF ARID, DESPOTIC ASIA: A concept popularized by Carl Wittfogel. Wittfogel argues
that peasants in Asia were heavily oppressed by rulers. This was cuz the rulers had to force the
peasants to maintain agricultural projects, such as aqueducts and reservoirs which were used to
move water around.
MUTH OF NASTRY TROPICAL NASTINESS, AFRICA: Western scholars claimed the climate
was too harsh and disease was too rampant for large civilizations to emerge in Africa.