Full Answer Section

Empire achieved this through its sophisticated legal and administrative systems, the Mali Empire through its control of trade routes and promotion of Islamic scholarship, and the Ming Dynasty through its centralized bureaucracy and focus on agricultural productivity.

II. Research and Analysis

A. The Structure of Complex Societies

   i.   Explain how environmental factors (e.g., fertile river valleys, access to trade routes) influenced the development of complex societies in the Roman Empire (access to the Mediterranean, extensive road network), the Mali Empire (control of gold and salt trade across the Sahara), and the Ming Dynasty (fertile river basins, Grand Canal).

   ii.  Describe the structures that facilitated this organization:

       * **Roman Empire:** Development of Roman law, a professional army, and a complex administrative bureaucracy.
       * **Mali Empire:** Establishment of a centralized administration, the role of griots (oral historians), and the use of the Niger River for transportation and trade.
       * **Ming Dynasty:** Implementation of a centralized bureaucracy through the examination system, the construction of the Forbidden City, and the restoration of the Grand Canal.

   iii. Explain the benefits of this organization:

       * **Roman Empire:** Political stability, economic prosperity through trade, and the spread of Roman culture and technology.
       * **Mali Empire:** Economic wealth from trade, the spread of Islam, and the establishment of centers of learning like Timbuktu.
       * **Ming Dynasty:** Economic growth through agricultural advancements, social stability, and the flourishing of arts and culture.

   iv.  Incorporate evidence:
        * Primary Sources:
            * Roman Law: *The Twelve Tables*, *Justinian's Code*
            * Accounts of Mansa Musa's pilgrimage to Mecca (Mali Empire)
            * Records of Zheng He's voyages (Ming Dynasty)
        * Secondary Sources:
            * Scholarly articles on Roman administration, Malian trade networks, and Ming Dynasty social structure from the Shapiro Library databases.

B. Class and Gender Structures

   i.   Explain the development and organization of class and gender structures:

       * **Roman Empire:** Patricians, plebeians, slaves; patriarchal society with limited rights for women.
       * **Mali Empire:** Nobility, merchants, farmers, slaves; gender roles with women playing a role in agriculture and trade.
       * **Ming Dynasty:** Scholar-gentry, peasants, artisans, merchants; patriarchal society with emphasis on filial piety and women's roles within the family.

   ii.  Analyze the effects of these structures:

       * **Roman Empire:** Social stratification led to conflict (e.g., plebeian struggles), but also provided a stable labor force and social order.
       * **Mali Empire:** Class structure influenced access to wealth and power, while gender roles shaped economic and social activities.
       * **Ming Dynasty:** The examination system created a meritocracy but reinforced social hierarchy; gender roles limited women's participation in public life.

   iii. Analyze the impact on participation:

       * **Roman Empire:** Citizenship and political participation were tied to class; women had limited legal and political rights.
       * **Mali Empire:** Class determined access to political power and economic opportunities; women could hold positions of influence, particularly in trade.
       * **Ming Dynasty:** The examination system allowed for social mobility but favored the wealthy; women's roles were primarily domestic.

   iv.  Incorporate evidence:

       * Primary Sources:
           * Roman legal texts on family and property rights.
           * Accounts of social customs and gender roles in Mali from Arab travelers like Ibn Battuta.
           * Ming Dynasty texts on family structure and women's roles (e.g., *The Classic of Filial Piety for Women*).
       * Secondary Sources:
           * Academic research on Roman social history, gender in African societies, and Ming Dynasty social structures.

C. Intellectual and Religious Structures

   i.   Explain the forces that spurred development:

       * **Roman Empire:** The need for a unifying ideology (Roman state religion, later Christianity), the influence of Greek philosophy, and practical advancements in engineering.
       * **Mali Empire:** The spread of Islam, the establishment of centers of learning, and the preservation of oral traditions.
       * **Ming Dynasty:** Confucianism, the revival of traditional Chinese learning, and technological innovation.

   ii.  Compare and contrast these structures:

       * Differences: Roman polytheism vs. Malian Islam vs. Ming Confucianism; varying degrees of state control over intellectual life.
       * Commonalities: The use of religion to legitimize rule, the importance of education and scholarship, and the development of systems of knowledge.

   iii. Explain the development of tools and machines:
        * **Roman Empire:** Aqueducts, roads, the Colosseum, advanced engineering.
        * **Mali Empire:** Development of trade networks, gold weighing systems, and architecture (influenced by Islamic styles).
        * **Ming Dynasty:** The Grand Canal, the Forbidden City, advancements in printing technology, and naval technology.

   iv.  Incorporate evidence:

       * Primary Sources:
           * Works of Roman philosophers (e.g., Cicero, Seneca).
           * Accounts of Timbuktu as a center of learning.
            * Ming Dynasty encyclopedias and technological treatises.
       * Secondary Sources:
            * Scholarly analyses of Roman intellectual history, the impact of Islam on West Africa, and Ming Dynasty technological advancements.

III. Conclusion

A. Restate your thesis, summarizing how the Roman Empire, the Mali Empire, and the Ming Dynasty illustrate the reasons for the development of societies, states, and empires.

B. Offer concluding thoughts o