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During the late 300s A.D. all the way to the late 400s A.D., Rome was plagued by Germic barbarian attacks, which led to a Germanic soldier becoming ruler in 476 A.D. marking the end of the Western Empire.The groups were the Ostrogoths, Visigoths, Vandals, Franks, Angles and Saxons. Another group, from Asia, were the Huns who fought against Rome and the Visgoths in mid 400 A.D.
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The Roman Empire was divided in 395 A.D. The Eastern half became the Byzantine Empire. In the 500s A.D., it included most of the Balkan Peninsula, Italy, Southern Spain, Asia Minor, Syria, and North Africa. The Empire developed a distinct form of Christianity: Eastern Othordoxy. From 500-1200 A.D. the Empire was one of the most advanced cultures in the world.
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Muhammad was born in the city of Makkah around 570 A.D. In his early life, he was a caravan leader. When he was about 25, he was troubled by the greed of the city's wealthy citizens and sought guidance by praying and fasting alone. In 610 A.D., he had a vision from Allah, who would become the God of Muslim. He began sharing his visions and his followers became the first Muslims.
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The Jihads were a series of conquests by the Arabs to spread Islam.
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Charlemagne became the Frakish King in 768. A.D. He nearly doubled the borders of the kingdom to include Germany, France, northern Spain, plus much of Italy. It became known as the Frankish Empire. It was the first time that most Western Europeans were ruled by one ruler since Rome's fall.
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Vikings were fierce warriors who mostly came from Iceland and Scandinavia. They traveled in long ships propelled by oars. They were strong enough to travel through the Atlantic, shallow enough to travel through rivers, and light enough to be carried.
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The Holy Roman Empire was an empire that consisted of small political entities. It was a confederation. It's kings were chosen by election, which was done by seven princes of the various provinces.
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During the Middle Ages, money exchange was introduced, making trade easier and introducing banking. A new, more effective plow that could be used on horses was invented. Sea and land trade routes brought in silk, porcelain, spices, etc. to Europe. Artisians and skilled workers formed guilds, groups that taught and set standerds for each craft. This made products more streamlined and prevented shady items from being sold. Prices were more standardized and people had access to a variety of goods.
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The Crudaes were a series of battles in an effort to regain Christian control of Jueruselum, a holy city for the Jews, Christains, and Muslims. Each Crusade, except the first one, was unsuccessful. Some results of the Crusades, however, were beneficial to the development of the time. Western Europe came into more contact with Byzantine and Muslim culture, broadening their views and demand for Eastern goods, increasing trade. Crusaders learned how to build better ships and make better maps.
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Under Khan, the Mogols attacked China, and in spite of his death in 1227, they continued. By 1279, all of China was conquered.
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During Henry III's rule, population increased and towns grew and a new social class, the middle class, emerged. Their income came from trade and business, not from land and farming. Henry saw their growing power and added knights and burgesses, important townspeople, to parliament. By 1400, parliament was two chambers: House of Lords and House of Commons, as we know it today.
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"The Renaissance [was a period] during which Western Europeans experiences a profound cultural awakening . . . it also signaled the beginning of Modern times." (WH) Humanism, a belief that valued humans and individuals over religious matters, emerged during this time. Humanists opened schools and replaced clergy teachers. Instead of feudalism, Italy consisted of independent city-states. The Mona Lisa was painted during this time.
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Leonardo Da Vinci was born during the Renaissance on April 15, 1452, and died on May 2, 1519. He was an Italian painter, sculptor, architect, and engineer whose most famous works are the Last Supper, Mona Lisa, and the Vitruvian Man. Da Vinci was a pronounced humanist and perhaps one of the most famous Renaissance artists—if not artists—of all time. With brilliance, skill, and creativity, Da Vinci applied himself to his works to produce wonders of not only his age, but of today’s age.
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With the fall of Constantinople in 1453 A.D., leadership of the Eastern Orthodox world passed to the Slavs from the Byzantines. They built a new civilization on Byzantine roots, using their religion, law, and culture. -
The Reformation was a religious movement that took place during the Renaissance in the 16th century. It was a time when many people broke apart from the Roman Catholic Church and became protestants. During this time, Pope Leo X was gathering funding by selling indulgences and positions in the church.
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The Reformation started with Martin Luther, who was a German Monk born in 1493. The Roman Catholic Church's sale of indulgences caused much upheaval. Luther and other reformers spoke out against them. And in 1517, Luther wrote a list of 95 declarations of disapproval of Church administration and actions, especially the sales of indulgences. His list was copied and was spread all over Germany.
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Mercantilism is the belief that a nation's power was dictated by its wealth. Every nation wanted to be as wealthy as possible. "Europeans believed that the measure of a nation's wealth was the amount of bullion, or gold or silver, it owned." (WH, 448) Countries wanted to balance imports and exports, and have more of the latter. -
The French and Indian War was a war fought between the countries of Britain and France. Britain won, and as a result, gained France's territory in the New World. However, Britain felt the cost of the war, and turned to taxing their colonists after. This then resulted in the American Revolution.
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During the 18th century, Britain had 13 colonies in the New World. They produced raw materials for the mother country, This improved Britan’s trade and increased her wealth. After the French and Indian War, Britan’s strength was diminished, and they felt that the colonists should pay for the protection they had received. Heavy taxes were levied on the colonists.The colonists resented this act, among others, and the relationship between Britan and her colonies began to deteriorate.
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One of Paine's most famous writings was Common Sense, which was published in 1776. In it, he supported the Revolution and listed his reasons for doing so. He laid out the facts and gave the American people common sense so that they could make their decision, for people at the time were conflicted. The Pamphlet sold half a million copies, and some of his ideas found their way into the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. (Kiger, 2021)