From klpomera@uci.edu Sat Dec 19 10:01:51 1998
Date: Thu, 3 Dec 1998 14:23:36 -0800
From: Ken Pomeranz 
Reply-To: H-NET List for World History 
To: H-WORLD@H-NET.MSU.EDU
Subject: Periodization

>From : Alex Zukas
National University
San Diego, CA


I think that theorizing the break between ancient and modern history with
the rise of Islam is an excellent idea.  I must admit that it never
occurred to me before (I must lead a sheltered life) but it makes perfect
sense for all of the reasons outlined briefly by Stan Shadle.  It would
also help eliminate that awkward convention, derived from the European
Enlightenment and applied to European history, of a "Middle Age" or "Dark
Age" between classical and modern history which is even more inappropriate
when applied to places like India and Japan (as it often is).  I'll have to
look into this idea of "southernization" more and how Islam contributed to
an emerging world system after 650 C.E.

Alex Zukas
National University
San Diego, CA


>I would take back the date for a major historical break to the founding and
>expansion of Islam rather than 1500.  My reasoning for this follows Shaffer's
>concept of "southernization."  Thru the expansion of Islam Europe was
>introduced to Asian-derived concepts, tools, plants, and diseases that allowed
>the Europeans to sail across the Atlantic and incorporate the Americas into
>the  preexisting Islamic- and Asian- formed world system.  Sugarcane is one of
>the most important examples of how Europeans used Asian-derived material in
>colonizing and profiting from the Americas (coffee another).   So turn the
>clock back and mark the real rupture from the ancient to the modern periods to
>the rise of Islam.  Europeans merely brought the Afro-Eurasian world system to
>the Americas in 1500, the real turning point goes back to the rise of Islam.
>
>Stan Shadle
>Ashland, Oregon

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