During the first millennium CE, two great civilizations, China and Islam, arose. Both of these civilizations had cultural advantages over other peoples and had a great deal of influence on all who they came in contact with. These civilizations were similar in the way they interacted with other civilizations. This interaction took place through trade, religion, and war.

China interacted through trade with Japan, India, Islam, Korea, and Rome. Through trade, not only were products exchanged, but culture and ideas as well. Chinese silk and pottery became popular all over the world. Buddhism spread from it s native India to China and then from China to Japan, Korea, and many other nations in Southeast Asia. Korea became incorporated into China through war, but soon adopted much Chinese culture as it s own. The Chinese and Japanese writing systems are exactly alike due to the Japanese modeling their civilization after the Chinese. Confucianist ideas originated in China, but spread to all parts of the globe because of cultural diffusion. Food from many civilizations became part of the Chinese diet because of their interaction with other peoples.

The Islamic civilization also interacted with other cultures through trade. They traded with China, India, and Persia. They learned rug making from the Persians, gained knowledge of spices and numbers from the Indians, and felt the luxuriousness of silk because of the Chinese. They also gave to other cultures. Through war and conquest, they spread their religion from its birthplace in Saudi Arabia to Spain, Africa, and Malaysia. They gave the world their knowledge of medicine, algebra, and chemistry. Like China, their influence had a great impact on all who knew of their culture.

The Chinese and Islamic civilizations were two of the greatest of their time. They interacted similarly with other cultures through trade, religion, and war. Both gave much to the world and influenced all they came in contact with.