Introduction Afghanistan’s history, as a formally recognized nation, can only be traced back to 1919 after the end of the Third Anglo-Afghan War with the British, but the land has been settled for more than fifty thousand years (Saboory & Yassari, 2010). This extensive amount of time, coupled with the fact that the area was once crossed by one of the major trade routes in Southeast Asia has created an extensive and diverse cultural background. Art, music, cultural traditions, religion, and political transformation have all occurred in this historic land.
Ancient History The area that is known now as Afghanistan has been occupied by humanity for thousands of years, marking it out as one of the earliest settled lands. Due to its location almost directly in the center of southern Asia, Afghanistan has been a heavily trafficked area for millennia and has seen numerous cultures pass its borders throughout the years (Habibi, n.d.). This constant traffic through the region created a cultural diversity that was rarely seen in the ancient world, and still exists to some extent today. The network of trade routes that crisscrossed Afghanistan, dubbed the Silk Road, was a major part of the economies of Asia and the Middle Eastern lands at the time. It was only natural that settlements in Afghanistan began to spring
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Some of the earliest work that can still be found is of Greco-Buddhist origin as that was an extremely pervasive culture during Afghanistan’s past. The great Buddha’s of Bamiyan which stood up to 50 feet tall and tragically destroyed by the Taliban in 2001, were excellent examples (Levy, 2001). Other art from that era demonstrated the marriage of the Greek pantheon and the teachings of Buddhism as single pieces of artwork. Other statues, coins, and paintings have been uncovered depicting this somewhat unusual combination of belief
The Silk Road is a trading route on the continent of Eurasia that stretches from the vast coast of China all the way to Eastern Europe. The trade route was at its greatest use from 200 B.C.E. to 1450 C.E. The society that began the Silk Road was the Han Dynasty in China in approximately 200 B.C.E. The Han Dynasty facilitated trade in the east, while the Roman Empire facilitated trade in the west and in Europe. The two empires traded many goods, as well as cultural aspects of each society’s way of life. From 200 B.C.E. to 1450 C.E., the Silk Road changed in terms of trade, such as what items were traded, and contact with civilizations, such as what societies made use of the Silk Road. Although these changes affected the efficiency of trade
Have you ever wondered what it was like to travel across the country to get what you want? The Silk Road was a treacherous journey that spanned from Asia all the way to Rome. People carried their countries goods in large caravans to exchange them with other people across the country. The Silk Road helped people get what they want by traveling there. The Silk Road took a huge part in history because it helped a number of cultures get closer to each other and share part of them, for example traditions and beliefs. The Silk Road was a difficult and dangerous trek, eventually traders found out the Silk Road increased the kingdom’s economy and the wealth of an individual. In addition, it spread culture, ideas and goods.
Susan Whitfield writes Life along the Silk Road based on character stories occurring between the eight and tenth century, all living at different times. She writes this history for several reasons. First, she writes it to change the negative perception of the history of Central Asia that we know through the annals of its neighbors. By explaining the history of the region through the eyes of its own occupants, it rids the history of any distorted views from neighboring civilizations. She uses the comparison of trying to examine the life of the Atlantic Ocean by studying the ecology of Europe. Another perception Whitfield attempts to overcome is that of the present day Silk Road. Today, it is largely Islam, and it is occupied by Turkic
A source for queries is the fact that Hazaras are physically distinctive from the other ethnic groups in Afghanistan” (Justin, 159). “This distinctiveness has also had the effect of making it increasingly difficult for Hazaras to assimilate into majority cultures, either voluntarily or by force (Justin, 159).
For over 2 centuries, Afghanistan has known virtually no time without war. Beginning around 326 B.C. with the conquests of Alexander the Great, to the Persians, British, Russians and most recently, America and our NATO allies, Afghanistan has been cultivated into the country that it is today through a trial by fire. Regardless of this relentless onslaught of foreign military power, the Afghan people have tirelessly defended their homeland with no outside power ever being able to subdue them completely. Following the withdrawal of the Soviet Union in 1989, the country fell into civil war, torn even further apart by fiercely dedicated tribal warlords. This power vacuum led to the rise of a group called the Taliban. Led by a one eyed man
Long distance trading had made it possible for people from different cultures to interact. Silk roads were one of the famous trade routes that were used in the ancient time. It stretched from China to central Asia and westward. It merged into one big series of routes. Traders traveled segments of the route, passing their goods on to others who took them further along the road, and in turn, passed them on again. The effect of long-distance exchanges altered the political geography of Afro-Eurasia. The Middle East became a commercial middle ground between the Mediterranean and Indian. The horse-riding nomads of Inner Eurasia made long-distance trade possible. Kushan empire in Afghanistan and the Indus River basin embraced a large and diverse
The exchange between the two sides on Silk Road have contributed profoundly to the development of civilization. Through the duration of the Silk Road, many dynasties, kingdoms and civilizations have contributed immensely to the advancement of civilization, but none have contributed more than the Mongols. The same Mongols that were called the “devils horseman” that swept across Eurasia devastating and crippling civilizations and cultures in its trail. Through it openness to ideas and trade, the Mongols brought unprecedented rise to the exchange of commerce and knowledge that would reshape Eurasia and, ultimately, the world.
Many thousands of years ago, upon the earliest creations of civilization, there were two thriving civilizations. Both of which knew little to nothing about each other’s existence. In this ancient world, there was no connection of the two civilizations, no trade in commerce or culture. It was not until the second century BC that Europe and Eastern Asia interacted in a significant way. What is known as “The Silk Road” was established during the Han Dynasty of China, it was a network of trade routes that created a link between these two regions during this ancient world (ancient.eu). Though these routes have history prior to the Han Dynasty, this is when many historians see the routes in full practice. This time during the second century BC was crucial in the connection of these separately thriving civilizations, connecting them through commerce, religion, and exploration.
The reason I chose to study Islamic Feminism and Afghanistan, is that for many people, these words do not belong in the same sentence. Afghanistan has come to be recognized as a country that follows strict and fundamentalist Islam, hindering the lives of women and even damaging their lives. Since I entered high school, Afghanistan has been known to me and my generation as a country
Due to past events, the Afghan government is now struggling to keep up with their citizens’ problems with living there. Bombing, wars, harassment, feminism, and abuse have been some of the main topics of bad events in the last few years in Afghanistan. Dystopia is a society that can be characterized with extreme hunger, poverty, misery, and the imbalance among the people; the Taliban taking over was the cause of how Afghanistan is still dystopian today. When one analyzes Ashraf Ghani’s choice to allow the Taliban to form, and the impacts the Taliban are still having on the people, one can realize how important genres of literature can be to educate the world about this dystopian
Prompt: On balance, did the US policy in Afghanistan from 1979 to 2016 do more harm than good?
The United States didn’t think there was anything imperative about Afghanistan as a country, but their location was perfect and had great surrounding areas. Afghanistan was a significant setting simply because of the ports and sea lines that were along the Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf but other than that there wasn’t much importance. The United States still ended up playing a role in the Afghan-Soviet war. They ended up being an aid for the rebels of Afghanistan. This specific group of people, also known as the Mujahideen, were mountain tribesmen that were led by their Islamic leaders. At the current time, the United States’ initial strategy was “to prevent excessive Soviet influence” (Galster). The United States was worried that Soviet
After the fall of Amanullah Khan, Habibullah Khan Kalakani ruled for a short term and then the Musahiban family ruled over Afghanistan from 1929-1978. The Musahiban family halted the social changes that Amanullah Khan wanted to make which moved it away from developing the economy, state building and modernization. The economy was the same as it was at the turn of the century. The Musahiban family followed the policy of encapsulated modernization. They only focused on the centers the countryside areas remained untouched because of the fear of rising revolts. Under the Musahbian family they did not impose any changes or taxes, especially no taxes in cash which means they made the rural economy remain untouched. This means that there was no
Study of the Silk Road has made it obvious that Eurasian history was more than isolated histories of Mesopotamia, Egypt, Europe, India, Southeast Asia, and China. In reality, for several thousand years, the Silk Road ensured that these regions were never
According to Ahmad Hasan Dani’s Centre of the Study of the Civilization of Central Asia: Roads are by definition channels of communication between one place and another, one region and another, one people and another, and one civilization and another (Sugimura & Umesao 21). They provide a means of connection and while “some roads are transitory, others secure a permanent place in human history” (Sugimura & Umesao 21). One such road, known as the Silk Road, contributed inestimably to the ancient world of Eurasia and played a significant role in both “cultural and commercial advancements” (Sugimura & Umesao i). This route promoted a network of trade of not only goods and merchandise, but also new ideas and techniques all of which were brought to various regions especially during the Tang dynasty. Because of trade and the Silk Road, cultural exchanges were made possible and “western countries shared the learnings and culture that flourished in the Chinese capital” (Sugimura & Umesao i). Although there were disadvantages of the Silk Road because of banditry and spread of disease, this network of trade nevertheless connected the ancient Eastern and Western worlds through the spread of religion, culture and politics.