[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:01.18,0:00:04.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Hi there my name’s John Green; this is Crash\NCourse World History and today we’re going
Dialogue: 0,0:00:04.37,0:00:08.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to talk about the Dark Ages,\Npossibly the most egregious Eurocentrism in
Dialogue: 0,0:00:08.50,0:00:09.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,all of history,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:09.46,0:00:10.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which is really saying something.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:10.90,0:00:15.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(We’re Europe! The Prime Meridian Runs Through\Nus; We’re in the Middle of Every Map; and
Dialogue: 0,0:00:15.31,0:00:18.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We Get To Be a Continent Even Though Were\NNot a Continent.)
Dialogue: 0,0:00:18.73,0:00:20.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But let’s begin today with a pop quiz:
Dialogue: 0,0:00:20.53,0:00:24.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What was the best year of your life, and what\Nwas the worst year?
Dialogue: 0,0:00:24.24,0:00:27.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Mr. Green, Mr. Green: Best 1994, Worst 1990.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:27.93,0:00:32.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Oh, me from the past. It gets so much better,\Nand also so much worse.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:32.64,0:00:36.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For worst year I’m gonna go with 2001; best\Nyear 2006.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:36.50,0:00:40.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Alright now it’s your turn, dear pupils:\Nshare your best and worst years in comments
Dialogue: 0,0:00:40.64,0:00:41.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,during the intro.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:41.78,0:00:43.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[music intro]
Dialogue: 0,0:00:43.18,0:00:44.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[music intro]
Dialogue: 0,0:00:44.57,0:00:45.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[music intro]
Dialogue: 0,0:00:45.97,0:00:47.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[music intro]
Dialogue: 0,0:00:47.37,0:00:48.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[music intro]
Dialogue: 0,0:00:48.76,0:00:50.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[music intro]
Dialogue: 0,0:00:50.16,0:00:54.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Right, so what you will quickly find is that\Nyour worst year was someone else’s best
Dialogue: 0,0:00:54.12,0:00:54.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,year.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:54.49,0:00:55.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, too, with history.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:55.83,0:01:00.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The period between 600 and 1450 CE is often\Ncalled the Middle Ages in Europe because it
Dialogue: 0,0:01:00.04,0:01:04.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,came between the Roman Empire—assuming you\Nforget the Byzantines—and the beginning
Dialogue: 0,0:01:04.03,0:01:04.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of the Modern Age.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:04.92,0:01:08.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And it’s sometimes called the Dark Ages,\Nbecause it was purportedly unenlightened.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:08.75,0:01:11.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But was the age so dark?
Dialogue: 0,0:01:11.49,0:01:12.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Depends on what you find depressing.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:12.89,0:01:17.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If you like cities and great poetry, then\Nthe Dark Ages were indeed pretty dark in Europe.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:17.34,0:01:22.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But if like me your two favorite things are\NNot Dying From Wars and not dying from anything
Dialogue: 0,0:01:22.66,0:01:22.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,else,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:22.97,0:01:25.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the Dark Ages actually weren’t that bad—
Dialogue: 0,0:01:25.17,0:01:28.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,at least until the plague came in the 14th\Ncentury.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:28.06,0:01:29.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And meanwhile, outside of Europe,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:29.15,0:01:33.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the Dark Ages were truly an Age of Enlightenment.But\Nwe’ll get boring Europe out of the way first.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:33.94,0:01:35.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Let’s go to the Thought Bubble.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:35.26,0:01:39.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Medieval Europe had less trade, fewer cities,\Nand less cultural output than the Original
Dialogue: 0,0:01:39.42,0:01:40.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Roman Empire.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:40.59,0:01:45.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,London and Paris were fetid firetraps with\Nnone of the planning of sewage management
Dialogue: 0,0:01:45.12,0:01:50.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of places 5,000 years older like Mohenjo Daro\Nin the Indus Valley Civilization,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:50.17,0:01:51.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,let alone Rome.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:51.17,0:01:52.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But with fewer powerful governments,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:52.64,0:01:57.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,wars were at least smaller, which is one reason\Nwhy Europeans living in Medieval Times—
Dialogue: 0,0:01:57.51,0:02:00.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Uhh THOUGHT BUBBLE I KNEW YOU WERE GOING TO\NDO THAT.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:00.92,0:02:04.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Anyway, people in Medieval Times lived slightly\Nlonger—
Dialogue: 0,0:02:04.48,0:02:06.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,life expectancy was 30—
Dialogue: 0,0:02:06.04,0:02:08.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,than Europeans during the Roman Empire—
Dialogue: 0,0:02:08.31,0:02:10.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,when life expectancy was 28.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:10.28,0:02:11.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Instead of centralized governments,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:11.54,0:02:15.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Europe in the middle ages had feudalism, a\Npolitical system based on reciprocal relationships
Dialogue: 0,0:02:15.90,0:02:19.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,between lords, who owned lots of land, and\Nvassals,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:19.11,0:02:22.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who protected the land and got to dress up\Nas knights in exchange for pledging loyalty
Dialogue: 0,0:02:22.91,0:02:23.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to the lords.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:23.82,0:02:26.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The lords were also vassals to more important\Nlords,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:26.19,0:02:28.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with the most important of all being the king.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:28.67,0:02:30.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Below the knights were peasants
Dialogue: 0,0:02:30.24,0:02:35.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who did the actual work on the land in exchange\Nfor protection from bandits and other threats.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:35.77,0:02:37.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Feudalism was also an economic system,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:37.88,0:02:41.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with the peasants working the land and keeping\Nsome of their production to feed themselves
Dialogue: 0,0:02:41.97,0:02:44.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,while giving the rest to the landowner whose\Nland they worked.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:44.94,0:02:48.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The small scale, local nature of the feudal\Nsystem was perfect for a time and place where
Dialogue: 0,0:02:48.92,0:02:52.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the threats to peoples’ safety were also\Nsmall scale and local.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:52.36,0:02:53.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But of course,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:53.55,0:02:55.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,this system reinforces the status quo –
Dialogue: 0,0:02:55.58,0:02:59.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,there’s little freedom and absolutely no\Nsocial mobility:
Dialogue: 0,0:02:59.71,0:03:02.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Peasants could never work their way up to\Nlords,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:02.01,0:03:03.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and they almost never left their villages.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:03.52,0:03:04.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Thanks, Thought Bubble.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:04.48,0:03:07.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,One more point that’s very interesting from\Na world history perspective:
Dialogue: 0,0:03:07.22,0:03:12.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,this devolution from empire to localism has\Nhappened in lots of places at lots of different
Dialogue: 0,0:03:12.72,0:03:13.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,times.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:13.06,0:03:14.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And in times of extreme political stress,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:14.82,0:03:17.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,like after the fall of the Han dynasty in\NChina,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:17.62,0:03:22.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,power tends to flow into the hands of local\Nlords who can protect the peasants better
Dialogue: 0,0:03:22.11,0:03:23.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,than the state can.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:23.24,0:03:27.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We hear about this a lot in Chinese history\Nand also in contemporary Afghanistan,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:27.14,0:03:32.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but instead of being called feudal lords,\Nthese landlords are called warlords.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:32.36,0:03:33.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Eurocentrism striking again.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:33.93,0:03:35.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The other reason the Dark Ages are called\NDark
Dialogue: 0,0:03:35.49,0:03:37.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is because Europe was dominated by superstition
Dialogue: 0,0:03:37.79,0:03:42.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and by boring religious debates about like\Nhow many angels can fit on the head of a pin.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:42.31,0:03:43.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And while there’s something to that,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:43.25,0:03:46.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the Middle Ages also saw theologians like\NThomas Aquinas,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:46.18,0:03:48.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who was quite an important philosopher,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:48.63,0:03:49.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And women like Hildegard of Bilgen,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:49.75,0:03:54.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who wrote all this important liturgical music\Nand also basically invented the genre of the
Dialogue: 0,0:03:54.12,0:03:55.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,morality play.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:55.19,0:03:55.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,All that noted,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:55.80,0:03:58.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,things were certainly brighter in the Islamic\Nworld,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:58.18,0:03:59.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or Dar al Islam.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:59.45,0:04:00.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So when we last left the Muslims,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:00.82,0:04:04.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they had expanded out of their homeland in\NArabia and conquered the rich Egyptian provinces
Dialogue: 0,0:04:04.97,0:04:07.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of the Byzantines and the entire Sassanian\Nempire,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:07.80,0:04:09.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,all in the space of about 100 years.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:09.46,0:04:14.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The Umayyad Dynasty then expanded the empire\Nwest to Spain and moved the capital to Damascus,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:14.12,0:04:16.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because it was closer to the action, empire-wise
Dialogue: 0,0:04:16.36,0:04:18.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but still in Arabia.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:18.23,0:04:19.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That was really important to the Umayyads
Dialogue: 0,0:04:19.61,0:04:22.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because they’d established this hierarchy\Nin the empire with Arabs like themselves at
Dialogue: 0,0:04:22.57,0:04:23.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the top and in fact
Dialogue: 0,0:04:23.48,0:04:28.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they tried to keep Arabs from fraternizing\Nwith non-Arab muslims throughout the Empire.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:28.13,0:04:29.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This of course annoyed the non-Arab Muslims,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:29.83,0:04:30.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who were like,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:30.29,0:04:33.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,“I don’t know if you’re reading the\Nsame Quran we are, but this one says that
Dialogue: 0,0:04:33.59,0:04:34.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we’re all supposed to be equal.”
Dialogue: 0,0:04:34.83,0:04:37.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And pretty quickly the majority of Muslims\Nweren’t Arabs,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:37.37,0:04:39.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which made it pretty easy for them to overthrow\Nthe Umayyads,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:39.94,0:04:41.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which they did in 750 CE.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:41.67,0:04:43.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Their replacements, the Abb(ah)sids, Abb(uh)sids?
Dialogue: 0,0:04:43.72,0:04:44.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Hold On...
Dialogue: 0,0:04:44.42,0:04:46.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,D’ahh, I’m right twice!
Dialogue: 0,0:04:46.86,0:04:47.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Right,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:47.47,0:04:50.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so the Abbasids were from the Abb(ah)si or\Nthe Abb(uh)-see family
Dialogue: 0,0:04:50.77,0:04:55.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which hailed from the Eastern and therefore\Nmore Persian provinces of the Islamic Empire.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:55.61,0:04:59.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The Abbasids took over in 750 and no one could\Nfully defeat them—
Dialogue: 0,0:04:59.17,0:05:01.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,until 1258, when they were conquered by—
Dialogue: 0,0:05:01.82,0:05:03.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,wait for it—
Dialogue: 0,0:05:03.06,0:05:06.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the Mongols.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:06.56,0:05:08.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The Abbasids kept the idea of a hereditary\Nmonarchy,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:08.68,0:05:11.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but they moved the capital of the empire to\NBaghdad,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:11.11,0:05:15.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and they were much more welcoming of other\Nnon-Arab Muslims into positions of power.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:15.15,0:05:16.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And under the Abbasids,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:16.06,0:05:20.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the Dar al Islam took on a distinctly Persian\Ncast that it never really lost.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:20.23,0:05:22.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The Caliph now styled himself as a king of\Nkings,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:22.39,0:05:23.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,just like the Achaemenids had,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:23.79,0:05:26.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and pretty soon the caliph’s rule was a\Nlot more indirect,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:26.83,0:05:28.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,just like the original Persians’.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:28.41,0:05:30.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This meant that his control was much weaker,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:30.23,0:05:35.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and by about 1000CE , the Islamic Caliphate\Nwhich looks so incredibly impressive on a
Dialogue: 0,0:05:35.03,0:05:38.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,map had really descended into a series of\Nsmaller kingdoms,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:38.62,0:05:41.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,each paying lip-service to the caliph in Baghdad.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:41.26,0:05:44.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This was partly because the Islamic Empire\Nrelied more and more on soldiers from the
Dialogue: 0,0:05:44.88,0:05:45.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,frontier,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:45.38,0:05:46.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in this case Turks,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:46.55,0:05:50.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and also slaves pressed into military service,\Nin order to be the backbone of their army,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:50.77,0:05:56.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a strategy that has been tried over and over\Nagain and has worked exactly zero times.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:56.31,0:05:59.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Which you should remember if you ever become\Nan emperor.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:59.03,0:06:02.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Actually our resident historian points out\Nthat that strategy has worked--
Dialogue: 0,0:06:02.34,0:06:05.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,if you are the Mongols.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:05.75,0:06:08.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,More important than the Persian-style monarchy\Nthat the Abbasids tried to set up was their
Dialogue: 0,0:06:08.69,0:06:11.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,openness to foreigners and their ideas.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:11.43,0:06:15.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That tolerance and curiosity ushered in a\Ngolden age of Islamic learning centered in
Dialogue: 0,0:06:15.60,0:06:16.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Baghdad.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:16.21,0:06:20.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The Abbasids oversaw an efflorescence of culture\Nunlike anything that had been seen since Hellenistic
Dialogue: 0,0:06:20.52,0:06:21.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,times.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:21.27,0:06:24.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Arabic replaced Greek not only as the language\Nof commerce and religion,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:24.23,0:06:25.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but also of culture.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:25.49,0:06:28.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Philosophy, medicine, and poetry were all\Nwritten in Arabic
Dialogue: 0,0:06:28.62,0:06:31.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(although Persian remained an important literary\Nlanguage.)
Dialogue: 0,0:06:31.24,0:06:36.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And Baghdad was the world’s center of scholarship\Nwith its House of Wisdom and immense library.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:36.65,0:06:40.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Muslim scholars translated the works of the\NGreek Philosophers including Aristotle and
Dialogue: 0,0:06:40.15,0:06:40.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Plato
Dialogue: 0,0:06:40.52,0:06:43.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as well as scientific works by Hippocrates,\NArchimedes
Dialogue: 0,0:06:43.39,0:06:45.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and especially the physician Galen.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:45.28,0:06:48.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And they translated and preserved Buddhist\Nand Hindu manuscripts that might have otherwise
Dialogue: 0,0:06:48.46,0:06:49.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,been lost.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:49.48,0:06:51.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Muslims made huge strides in medicine as well.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:51.46,0:06:54.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,One Muslim scholar ibn Sina, wrote the Canon\Nof Medicine,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:54.45,0:06:58.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which became the standard medical textbook\Nor centuries in both Europe and the Middle
Dialogue: 0,0:06:58.28,0:06:58.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,East.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:58.84,0:07:01.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And the Islamic empire adopted mathematical\Nconcepts from India
Dialogue: 0,0:07:01.36,0:07:04.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,such as the zero, a number so fascinating\Nand beautiful
Dialogue: 0,0:07:04.28,0:07:06.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that we could write an entire episode about\Nit but instead
Dialogue: 0,0:07:06.79,0:07:08.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I’m just gonna write it a little love poem:
Dialogue: 0,0:07:08.94,0:07:10.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Oh, zero.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:10.04,0:07:11.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Pretty little zero.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:11.25,0:07:14.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They say you’re nothing but you mean everything\Nto mathematical history
Dialogue: 0,0:07:14.78,0:07:15.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,....and me.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:15.89,0:07:17.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Oh it’s time for the Open Letter?
Dialogue: 0,0:07:17.92,0:07:21.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[Scoots to chartreuse throne of pure velvety\Nawesomeness]
Dialogue: 0,0:07:21.78,0:07:23.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,An Open Letter to Science and Religion:
Dialogue: 0,0:07:23.71,0:07:26.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But first lets see what’s in the Secret\NCompartment.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:26.10,0:07:27.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Oh, champagne poppers?
Dialogue: 0,0:07:27.62,0:07:30.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Stan, what am I supposed to do with these?
Dialogue: 0,0:07:30.41,0:07:31.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Dear Science and Religion,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:31.61,0:07:33.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You’re supposed to be so irreconcilable\Nand everything,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:33.88,0:07:35.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but not so much in the Abbasid Empire.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:35.36,0:07:36.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I mean,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:36.06,0:07:38.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Muslim mathematicians expanded math to such\Na degree
Dialogue: 0,0:07:38.10,0:07:40.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that we now call the base ten number system
Dialogue: 0,0:07:40.47,0:07:43.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the symbols we use to denote it “Arabic\Nnumerals.”
Dialogue: 0,0:07:43.63,0:07:46.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And religion was at least part of what pushed\Nall that learning forward.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:46.59,0:07:48.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Like the great philosopher Ibn Rushd argued\Nthat
Dialogue: 0,0:07:48.45,0:07:52.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the only path to religious enlightenment was\Nthrough Aristotelian reasoning.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:52.38,0:07:54.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And Muslim mathematicians and astronomers\Ndeveloped algebra
Dialogue: 0,0:07:54.68,0:07:57.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,partly so they could simplify Islamic inheritance\Nlaw.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:57.45,0:07:59.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Plus they made important strides in trigonometry
Dialogue: 0,0:07:59.40,0:08:01.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so that people understand where to turn
Dialogue: 0,0:08:01.33,0:08:03.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,when trying to turn toward Mecca.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:03.17,0:08:05.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You were working so well together, science\Nand religion,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:05.46,0:08:10.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but then like Al and Tipper Gore, just couldn’t\Nlast forever.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:10.06,0:08:13.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Nothing gold can stay in this world, nothing\Ngold can stay.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:13.86,0:08:15.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Best wishes,\NJohn Green
Dialogue: 0,0:08:15.21,0:08:17.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Baghdad wasn’t the only center of learning\Nin the Islamic world.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:17.74,0:08:20.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In Spain, Islamic Cordoba became a center\Nfor the arts,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:20.86,0:08:22.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,especially architecture.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:22.05,0:08:24.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is perhaps best exemplified by the Great\NMosque at Cordoba,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:24.93,0:08:29.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,built by the Umayyad ruler Abd al-Rahman I\NIn 785-786 CE.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:29.59,0:08:31.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That’s right, this building,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:31.43,0:08:34.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,still standing today and one of the most amazing\Nmosques in the world,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:34.87,0:08:36.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,was built in a year,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:36.39,0:08:38.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,whereas medieval cathedrals typically took,\Nlike,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:38.28,0:08:39.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a million years to finish.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:39.70,0:08:42.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The Muslims of Spain were also engineers who\Nrivaled the Romans.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:42.62,0:08:45.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Aqueducts in Cordoba brought drinkable water\Ninto the city,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:45.95,0:08:49.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and Muslim scholars took the lead in agricultural\Nscience,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:49.07,0:08:51.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,improving yields on all kinds of new crops,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:51.59,0:08:54.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,allowing Spanish lives to be longer and less\Nhungry.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:54.88,0:08:56.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Everybody wanted to live in Spain,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:56.22,0:08:58.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,even the greatest Jewish philosopher, Maimonides,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:58.62,0:09:01.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,wanted to live in Spain, but sadly he was\Nexpelled
Dialogue: 0,0:09:01.16,0:09:03.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and ended up in Alexandria Egypt.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:03.41,0:09:05.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There he wrote his awesomely titled defense\Nof rationality,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:05.78,0:09:07.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A Guide for the Perplexed.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:07.24,0:09:10.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I’m translating the title, of course, because\Nthe original text was written
Dialogue: 0,0:09:10.98,0:09:12.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,…in Arabic.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:12.20,0:09:14.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Meanwhile, China was having a Golden Age of\Nits own:
Dialogue: 0,0:09:14.63,0:09:18.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The Tang Dynasty made China’s government\Nmore of a meritocracy,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:18.11,0:09:22.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and ruled over 80 million people across four\Nmillion square miles.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:22.49,0:09:24.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And they might’ve conquered all of Central\NAsia
Dialogue: 0,0:09:24.36,0:09:26.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,had it not been for the Abbasids, whom they\Nfought at
Dialogue: 0,0:09:26.61,0:09:28.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the most important Battle You’ve Never Heard\NOf,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:28.47,0:09:29.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the Battle of the Talas River.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:29.90,0:09:32.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This was the Ali-Frasier of the 8th century.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:32.25,0:09:36.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The Abbasids won, which ended up defining\Nwho had influence where with the --
Dialogue: 0,0:09:36.84,0:09:41.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with the Abbasids dominating to the west of\Nthe river and China dominating to the east.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:41.35,0:09:45.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The Tang also produced incredible art that\Nwas traded all throughout Asia.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:45.02,0:09:48.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Many of the more famous sculptures from the\NTang Dynasty feature figures who are distinctly
Dialogue: 0,0:09:48.63,0:09:50.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,not-Chinese,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:50.03,0:09:52.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which again demonstrates the diversity of\Nthe empire.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:52.52,0:09:54.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The Tang was also a golden age for Chinese\Npoetry
Dialogue: 0,0:09:54.90,0:09:58.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with notables like Du Fu and Li Bo plying\Ntheir craft,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:58.28,0:09:59.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,encouraged by the official government.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:59.96,0:10:02.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And the Song Dynasty, which lasted from 960\Nto 1258,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:02.98,0:10:05.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,kicked even more ass-it’s-not-cursing-if-you’re-talking-about-donkeys.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:05.90,0:10:07.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,By the 11th century,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:07.17,0:10:09.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Chinese metalworkers were producing as much\Niron
Dialogue: 0,0:10:09.19,0:10:11.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as Europe would be able to produce in the\N18th century.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:11.70,0:10:14.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Some of this iron was put to use in new plows,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:14.06,0:10:15.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which enabled agriculture to boom,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:15.66,0:10:17.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,thereby supporting population growth.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:17.37,0:10:20.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Porcelain was of such high quality that it\Nwas shipped throughout the world,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:20.28,0:10:22.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which is why we call it “china.”
Dialogue: 0,0:10:22.06,0:10:25.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And there was so much trade going on that\Nthe Chinese ran out of metal for coins,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:25.72,0:10:27.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,leading to another innovation–
Dialogue: 0,0:10:27.27,0:10:28.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,paper money.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:28.04,0:10:30.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And by the 11th century, the Chinese were\Nwriting down recipes for
Dialogue: 0,0:10:30.75,0:10:33.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a mixture of saltpeter, sulfur and charcoal,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:33.62,0:10:34.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that we now know as gunpowder.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:34.96,0:10:36.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That becomes kind of a big deal in history,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:36.69,0:10:38.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,paving the way, as it does,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:38.08,0:10:41.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for modern warfare and arena rock pyrotechnics,\Nand—
Dialogue: 0,0:10:41.81,0:10:43.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,ohhhh, THAT’S WHY.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:43.28,0:10:49.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[Pulls Champagne popper along with a mysterious\Nlady hand from behind chalkboard.]
Dialogue: 0,0:10:49.16,0:10:50.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Not so dark after all.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:50.28,0:10:53.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Thanks for watching. We’ll see you next\Nweek.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:53.16,0:10:55.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Crash Course is produced and directed by Stan\NMuller,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:55.24,0:10:57.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,our script supervisor is Danica Johnson. [bazinga!]
Dialogue: 0,0:10:57.02,0:10:58.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The graphics team is ThoughtBubble,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:58.68,0:11:02.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and show is written by my high school history\Nteacher Raoul Meyer and myself.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:02.47,0:11:04.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Last week’s Phrase of the Week\Nwas also good advice:
Dialogue: 0,0:11:04.16,0:11:04.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Quit Smoking!
Dialogue: 0,0:11:04.94,0:11:08.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If you want to suggest future Phrases of the\NWeek or guess at this week’s, you can do
Dialogue: 0,0:11:08.12,0:11:08.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so in comments
Dialogue: 0,0:11:08.86,0:11:12.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,where you can also ask questions about today’s\Nvideo that will be answered by our team of
Dialogue: 0,0:11:12.53,0:11:13.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,historians.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:13.03,0:11:13.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If you liked today’s video
Dialogue: 0,0:11:13.69,0:11:14.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,please click the thumb’s up button.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:14.78,0:11:18.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You can also follow us on Twitter @thecrashcourse\Nor on Facebook.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:18.14,0:11:20.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There are links in the video info.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:20.21,0:11:21.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Our writer and historian, Raoul Mayer,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:21.45,0:11:25.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,also tweets awesome Crash Course pop quizzes,\Nso there’s a link to follow him as well,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:25.83,0:11:27.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and me, you know,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:27.43,0:11:29.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because I’m a narcissist.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:29.40,0:11:30.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[music outro]
Dialogue: 0,0:11:30.39,0:11:40.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We get to be a continent,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:40.85,0:11:54.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,even though we're not a continent...
Dialogue: 0,0:11:54.01,0:11:54.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[music outro]
Dialogue: 0,0:11:54.53,0:11:56.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We get to be a continent,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:56.08,0:11:57.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,even though we're not a continent...
Dialogue: 0,0:11:57.63,0:11:58.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[music outro]
Dialogue: 0,0:11:58.15,0:11:59.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We get to be a continent,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:59.70,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,even though we're not a continent...