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Freshman World History Study Guide: Middle Ages to First Global Age

1. The Middle Ages (also called the Medieval Period)

Time: About 500 AD to 1400 AD

• Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire.
  
  

• Life was mostly rural and feudal — kings, lords, knights, and peasants.
  
  

• The Catholic Church was very powerful.
  
  

• Castles, knights, and manors were common.
  
  

Important concepts:

• Feudalism: A system where nobles owned land and gave it to knights in exchange for military service; peasants worked the land.
  
  

• The Church: The Catholic Church controlled many aspects of life, including education and laws.
  
  

• The Black Death: A deadly plague that killed about 1/3 of Europe’s population in the 1300s.
  
  

• The Crusades: Religious wars to take back Jerusalem from Muslim control.
  
  

2. The Renaissance (meaning “rebirth”)

Time: About 1400–1600

• Started in Italy — especially cities like Florence, Venice, and Rome.
  
  

• A time of renewed interest in art, science, and the ideas of Ancient Greece and Rome.
  
  

Key Ideas:

• Focus on humanism — focusing on human potential and achievements.
  
  

• Art became more realistic, showing perspective and emotion.
  
  

• Printing press invented by Johannes Gutenberg, helping spread ideas fast.
  
  

Italian Renaissance Art:

• Famous artists: Leonardo da Vinci (Mona Lisa, The Last Supper), Michelangelo (David, Sistine Chapel ceiling), Raphael (School of Athens).
  
  

• Art showed anatomy, perspective, nature, and classical themes.
  
  

Northern Renaissance:

• Happened in countries like France, Germany, England, and the Netherlands.
  
  

• Artists: Albrecht Dürer (German painter and printmaker), Jan van Eyck (Northern Renaissance painter).
  
  

• More focus on detail and everyday life, and also religious themes.
  
  

3. The Scientific Revolution

Time: 1500s–1600s

• People started using observation, experiments, and reason to understand the world, rather than just trusting old ideas.
  
  

Important figures:

• Nicolaus Copernicus: Proposed the heliocentric model (the sun is at the center, not the Earth).
  
  

• Galileo Galilei: Used the telescope to support Copernicus; faced opposition from the Church.
  
  

• Isaac Newton: Explained gravity and motion with his laws.
  
  

4. The Protestant Reformation

Time: Early 1500s

• A religious movement that challenged the power and practices of the Catholic Church.
  
  

• Started by Martin Luther in 1517 when he wrote the 95 Theses criticizing Church corruption.
  
  

• Led to the creation of Protestant churches.
  
  

Key ideas:

• People could have a direct relationship with God without the Church’s help.
  
  

• Salvation by faith alone, not by good works or paying the Church.
  
  

5. Historical Atlas & African Civilizations

• African kingdoms like Mali, Songhai, and Great Zimbabwe were wealthy and advanced.
  
  

• Important leaders: Mansa Musa of Mali, known for his pilgrimage to Mecca and immense wealth.
  
  

• African trade routes connected with Europe and Asia through the Sahara Desert.