Study Guide Units 5-8

500 CE: Fall of Western Roman Empire (start of the Middle Ages). The Byzantine Empire preserves Roman law, art, and Christianity.
600-700 CE: Germanic kingdoms convert to Christianity; manorialism and feudalism develop.
800 CE: Charlemagne crowned the Holy Roman Emperor, temporarily unifying parts of Europe.
Late 800 CE: Viking, Magyar, and Moore invasions disturb Europe.
1095-1099 CE: First Crusade results in temporary Christian control of Jerusalem and deepens the East-West Christian divide.
1360-1500 CE: Crisis and Renaissance.
- 1347-1351: Black Death kills 50% of Europe's population, leading to social upheaval and loss of church authority.
- 1378 CE: Papal Schism weakens the Catholic Church’s influence.
- 1400s-1500s: Renaissance begins in Italian city-states like Florence, marked by a revival of Greek & Roman knowledge and new ideas of individualism, secularism, and humanism. Artists like Da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Botticelli emerge.

570 CE: Birth of Muhammad in Mecca.
610 CE: Muhammad receives revelations, marking the start of the Islamic religion.
622 CE: Hijra (migration) to Medina; the start of the Islamic calendar.
632 CE: Muhammad dies; the Sunni/Shiite split begins.
700-750 CE: Islam spreads rapidly through trade across North Africa and Asia.
700-1300 CE: Islam’s Golden Age, with major achievements in math, medicine, science, literature, hospitals, algebra, and law. Trade spreads Islamic ideas across the known world.
Middle East & Africa: The Islamic world continues to influence science and trade. Swahili cities thrive with Indian Ocean trade.

600-1860 CE: Swahili city-states begin trade along East Africa, connecting with Indian Ocean trade routes.
500-1000 CE: Rise of the Ghana Empire, involved in the gold and salt trade.
1250-1450 CE: Mali Empire dominates West Africa. Timbuktu becomes an Islamic learning center, controlling the gold and salt trade.

618-907 CE: Tang Dynasty characterized by a Confucian bureaucracy with civil service exams and innovations such as gunpowder, the Grand Canal, and poetry.
960-1279 CE: Song Dynasty experiences an economic boom with advancements in agriculture, iron, and printing. Urbanization, paper money, and Neo-Confucianism flourish.
1279-1368 CE: Yuan Dynasty (Mongol rule in China) welcomes foreigners like Marco Polo.

794-1185 CE: Heian Period features the rise of local clans, literature, and court culture.
604 CE: Seventeen Article Constitution by Prince Shotoku combines Buddhist and Confucian principles.
1185-1573 CE: Rule of the Shogunate, a feudal system where the Emperor is a figurehead, the Shogun holds power, and the Samurai class dominates.

1206 CE: Genghis Khan unites the Mongols.
1206-1279 CE: Mongol Conquest of Eurasia creates a massive empire stretching from China to Europe. Pax Mongolica enables safe trade on the Silk Road.

500-1500s CE: Maya Civilization develops a complex calendar, temples, and advancements in astronomy.
1200s-1533 CE: Inca Empire utilizes terrace farming, maintains a militaristic society, and becomes the largest empire in pre-Columbian America, conquered through force.
1325-1521 CE: Aztec Empire practices human sacrifice, utilizes chinampas (floating gardens), and establishes Tenochtitlan as its capital.

Growth of the Silk Road, Indian Ocean Trade, & Trans-Saharan trade routes.
Spread of Islam, technologies (compass, dhows), luxury goods, and the Black Death facilitated by these networks.
Cities like Baghdad thrived as trade hubs.

Tang and Song Dynasties Achievements:
- Tang Dynasty: Gunpowder and woodblock printing, effective government systems.
- Song Dynasty: Compass and fostering civil service exam and vibrant art scene.
Why the Roman Empire Split:
- Vast size and differing views on cultural, political, and social changes led to the split into Western and Eastern empires.
Were the Dark Ages Really Dark?:
- The term "Dark Ages" is subjective; the era involved restructuring and flourishing, particularly in the Byzantine Empire.
Key Differences Between Sunni and Shi’ite Islam:
- Sunni: Believed council leadership should be determined through election.
- Shi’ite: Believed leadership should be determined through family and bloodline of Muhammad.
- The split occurred after Muhammad’s death.

Significance of Monsoons in Indian Ocean Trade:
Impacts of the Indian Ocean Trade:
- Spread of Islam to Indonesia.
- Establishment of trade cities.
- Entire economies & wealth for the world.
- Creation of Swahili language & culture.
How the Silk Road Facilitated Spread of Religion and Disease:
Role of Swahili Language in East Africa Trade:

What Made Mongol Rule Effective:
Prince Shokotu’s 17 Point Constitution:
- Reflected both Buddhist and Confucian ideals.
Emperor Direct Descendant of Sun Goddess:
- Helped him maintain power.
What was Bushido?:
Teotihuacan’s Influence on Mesoamerica:
Significance of Chinampas:
- Significant irrigation system made by the Aztec.
How Did the Aztecs Conquer?:
Japan's Geographic Features:
- Impact on development (isolation, mountainous terrain, and coastline).
Aztec Origin Myth:
- Eagle, cactus, and snake.
Geography Impacted Inca and Aztec?:

Renaissance as Rebirth:
- Represented a “rebirth” of classical learning and values.
How Black Death Changed Europe:
- Bubonic Plague change European society.
Papal Schism Challenged Catholic Authority?:
Global Trade Made Renaissance Possible?:
Importance of Challenging Renaissance as Only European Achievement?:

Beliefs of the Quran:
- Central to Islamic faith; foundation of a righteous life.
Most Significant Contribution of Golden Age of Islam:
- Preservation of knowledge. Significant scientific, mathematical, and artistic innovations.
Crusades Impact on Relations Between Roman Catholic and Orthodox Church:
- Damaged faith and their relationship.
Significance of Timbuktu under Mali Empire:

East Asian governments' use of philosophy and religion to acquire, reinforce, and maintain power.
The Mongol Empire's negative or positive impact on Eurasia.
Analyze similarities and differences in TWO of the following trade networks in the period 600 C.E to 1450 C.E. Your response may include comparisons of biological, commercial, or cultural exchange.
- Indian Ocean
- Silk Road
- Trans - Saharan
In this period before circa 1500, states in the Americas used a variety of institutions, polices, and practices to consolidate and expand their scope and reach. Develop an argument that evaluates the extent to which ONE pre - Columbian state in the Americas was successful in consolidating and centralized its authority during this period. (Do not need a thesis for this one).