World History

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When and where were the first Homosapien found?

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In Africa near modern day Ethiopia. Dated from about 160,000 years ago

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4 major river valley civilizations in the Middle East and Asia from 3500-2000 B.C.E. (before the common era)

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1. In the middle east in the region of Mesopotamia, near present day Iraq. Located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers and extending down along the Nile.

2. In the Middle East, also, an agricultural settlement along the Nile in Egypt. Led to the creation of a major civilization in 3100 B.C.E. (the ancient Egyptians) that lasted until the 300s B.C.E.

3. The Indus River Civilization developed around 2600 B.C.E. on the coast of the Arabian Sea in present day Pakistan. Little is known about them because their written language has yet to be deciphered.

4. In China along the Yellow River. They discovered bronze working by 2000 B.C.E. and were making tools and weapons from iron by 600 B.C.E.

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The Fertile Crescent

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Located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

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Rosetta Stone

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Discovered in 1799, and carved in 196 B.C.E., contains texts written by priests to honor Ptolemy, a pharaoh, and explain some governmental decrees. The same text was carved in two languages- Egyptian and Greek, and used 3 scripts- hieroglyphic, demotic, and Greek. It's existence is the reason we can read ancient hieroglyphics.

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When, and by whom, was monotheism brought to the world?

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Around 2000 B.C.E., in what is now labeled the Middle East, the Hebrews (later known as the Israelites and Jews).

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Athens

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The largest of the Greek city-states formed between 800-500 B.C.E. They formed a new type of governmental system in which its citizens (all free men) decided their laws.

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Polis

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Greek word for city-state. Origin of the word politics.

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Direct Democracy

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Rule by the people. First established in Athens, Greece.

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Greeks

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Formed dozens of independent city-states, rather than a single nation, between 800-500 B.C.E. They are considered to have laid the foundation of Western Civilization

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Socrates

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Greek writer and philosopher. 384-322 B.C.E. Influential in Western thought.

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Plato

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Greek writer and philosopher. 428-347 B.C.E. Very influential in Western thought.

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Aristotle

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Greek writer and philosopher, 384-322 B.C.E. Very influential in Western thought.

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Alexander the Great

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From Macedonia, north of Athens, 356-323 B.C.E. Conquered much of the land from Eastern Europe through much of India. His influence spread Greek ideas, including democracy, throughout his empire.

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Rome

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Arose in the Mediterranean region as the Greek civilization declined. As Rome expanded, internal struggles began. The Republic started to fail and political power began to concentrate in a single ruler (a dictatorship).

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Republic

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Representative government.

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Julius Caesar

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The most famous Roman ruler.

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Augustus

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Followed Julius Caesar's rule, the first true dictator of the Roman Empire.

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Roman Empire

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Lasted from 31 B.C.E. to 476 C.E. At times it stretched north to Britain, west to Spain, south to Egypt, and covered much of the middle east.

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Fall of the Roman Empire

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In 476 C.E., most often accredited to overextention, the decay of values and morals, corruption in government, over taxation, and sacking by different Germanic barbarian tribes.

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Emperor Constantine

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Made Christianity the official religion of Rome in 380 C.E.

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The Golden Age of China

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Began in 600 B.C.E. and lasted almost 1000 years. Marked by modern paper making, development of the compass, paper money, gunpowder, and the teachings of Confucius and Buddha and others who established the literary, moral, and religious traditions of Chinese society that would remain for centuries.

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China's 5 imperial dynasties

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1. Qin (ch'in) dynasty

2. Han dynasty

3. Sui

4. Tang

5. Song

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Qin dynasty

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First dynasty, beginning about 200 B.C.E. Great Wall was completed.

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Han dynasty

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Second dynasty. One of the most prosperous, the strongest, and longest lasting of the dynasties. During this one, the Silk Road caravan trade route to the west first opened due to the western expansion of the empire.

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Sui, Tang, and Song dynasties

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Followed the Han dynasty. The Tang dynasty is often considered the high point in China's Golden Age. Peasant rebellions and military disasters destroyed the final dynasty in 906 C.E.

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Genghis Khan and Kublai Khan

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China split into several independent states after the fall of the last dynasty in 906 C.E. They were united in the 1200s by Genghis, and later Kublai.

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Islam

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A new faith that emerged in the Middle East in the 600s C.E. Founded by a wealthy merchant from Mecca, Mohammed. Was monotheistic, the word Islam means 'to submit to God'

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Mohammed

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A wealthy merchant from Mecca, founded the Islam religion following a holy vision. Spent his life spreading the message he received in the vision.

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Muslims

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Followers of Islam. Muslim means 'servant of God'.

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Koran

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Holy book of teachings in the Islamic faith.

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Medieval period

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Means middle ages in Latin. After the fall of the Roman Empire, Europe began a period of decline from 500-1500 C.E.

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Dark Ages

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The beginning of the Medieval period, from 476-1000 C.E. A time when much ancient wisdom was lost, that little headway was made in civilization, and that it was "dark" because few written accounts survived (or were written) to enlighten us about these years.

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Medieval Europe

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No centralized government, a system of small states with kingships ruled, allowing little mobility for serfs who were tied to the land. Feudalism ruled.

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Feudalism

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System where wealthy landowners gave peasants protection in exchange for the serfs working the land and giving most of the products of their labor to the owners.

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The Crusades

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Between 1095-1270 approximately 8 crusades were led by Christian kings and Popes against those (mostly Muslim) who held the Holy Land. Termed to "take the Cross", influenced from religious beliefs to retake the Holy Land and gain salvation, overpopulation in areas of Europe, to gain riches or nobility, desire to see military action, etc.

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Knights Templar

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Warrior priests who were one group to fight in the Crusades.

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Magna Carter

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Imposed on England's King John by his barons, it provided the first checks on the power of the king. Considered the forerunner of constitutional law and our own Bill of Rights.

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Marco Polo

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One of the first Europeans to travel through Asia on the Silk Road. Lived for many years in China under the rule of Kublai Khan during the 1200s. The descriptions and maps of his travels spurred other voyages and eventual discoveries like that of Christopher Columbus.

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Renaissance

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"Rebirth" of classical ideas that occurred toward the end of the middle ages. A revival of culture and intellect that began in southern Europe, especially on the Italian peninsula, and eventually spread across Europe. Lasted from 1300-1600.

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Well known Renaissance thinkers

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Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Copernicus, Newton - led the way to new knowledge and enlightenment.

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Protestant Reformation

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Began in 1517 when a monk named Martin Luther protested against the many abuses of the Catholic Church. He founded the Lutheran Church, the first of the Protestant denominations.

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Martin Luther

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Protested against the Catholic Church, was excommunicated and founded the Lutheran Church in 1517.

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Policy of plantation

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The act of several British kings in an attempt to subdue the Irish population in which the lands of rebellious families were taken away and given to British settlers.

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Home Rule Movement

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Giving the government back to Ireland.

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The Troubles

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When the Irish Republican Army of the north sought to unite Ireland into one country. The northern Protestants did not want to join with the southern Catholics. Ireland is still divided today.

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IRA

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Ireland Republican Army, an underground group of pro-Catholic dissenters.