Late Classical Era...Chap. 9,11,12

Unfamiliar with Islam, I found chapter 9 interesting and informative.  Key aspects that I found especially interesting were the Bedouins and their recognition of their ancestors, a variety of gods and nature spirits and their "highly expressive oral poetry." There value of personal bravery and group loyalty is also fascinating to me.  These aspects were basically the glue that held their community together.  A second aspect of Islam that I am unfamiliar is that of the just and moral side of Islam or "umma."  I had never heard of umma before and did not realize that it was a community of all believers "replacing tribal, ethnic, or racial identities." A third aspect is that of the Jihad.  Hearing this term used in the news I now understand that the Jihad is "an internal personal effort of each believer against greed and selfishness, a spiritual striving toward living a God-conscious life.

In reading about Pastoral societies characteristics of this society and the role of women are two aspects that I found interesting.  As a pastoral society the economy was generally less productive because they supported smaller populations. This also makes sense because they were a people of mobility and constantly moving so settling down and forming a more productive foundation would be wasteful in a sense.  Unlike other societies, women in the pastoral society were offered a higher status, had a greater role in public life, and fewer restrictions.  They were also more involved in the production of everyday activities and children. An observed equality is a nice aspect of this society.

Another area that I have not been familiar with except in middle school that caught my interest is that of the Aztec Empire.   I did not realize how unstable the empire was or the fact that "conquered cities or peoples were required to deliver textiles, clothing, food, jewelry and supplies to the rulers.  In comparison, the Inca demands on their conquests were based more on labor or "mita" everyone had to work for the state.  Specialists or "chosen women" "were removed from their homes as young girls and trained in inca ideology.  In return elaborate feasts were pisrovided.

All in all it is fascinating to see how different societies and Empires find and develop the glue that holds them together.