The invasions of barbarian tribes and fall of the Roman Empire brought about the birth of Medieval society in Europe

Religions of Salvation

State Cults

Jesus of Nazareth

Sermon on the Mount

“The Anointed One”

Paul of Tarsus

Constantine

Theodosius the Great

Nero

Delator

Pax Deorum

Bedouins

Allah

Muhammad ibn Abdullah

Ka’ba

Quran

“Seal of the Prophets”

The Five Pillars of Islam

Silk Road

Tang Dynasty

Mongols

Yin and Yang

The Huns

Charlemagne

“Donation of Constantine”

Feudalism

Pope Urban II

Peter the Hermit

Children’s Crusade

Black Plague

Flagellant Movement

Rattus Rattus

Perspective

“Renaissance Man”

Leonardo Da Vinci

Shakespeare

Vlad Dracula

Zheng He

Spice Trade

Stern-post Rudder

Ottoman Empire

Iberian Connection

Reconquista

Prince Henry “The Navigator”

Cape of Good Hope

Vasco da Gama

Ferdinand and Isabela

Christopher Columbus

San Salvador

The Incas

Cuzco

The Aztecs

Tenochtitlan

Conquistadores

“El Dorado”

Hernan Cortes

Motecuzoma II

Francisco Pizarro

Atahualpa

Smallpox

The Encomienda

Long Essay:

At the time of Jesus of Nazareth, religious prophets were numerous throughout the Roman Empire. What made the teachings of Jesus more appealing than other belief systems? Be sure to describe the basic tenets of Christianity and the reasons for its rapid success. Why were Christians persecuted in the Roman Empire? In answering this part of the question, be sure to consider legal as well as social and political elements.

The emergence of the Islamic religion in the 7^th century AD completed a trident of monotheistic religions that originated in the Middle East that also included Christianity and Judaism. Compare and contrast the belief systems of all three of these religions. What similarities did they share and what differences set them apart? Consider the abstract religious beliefs and the concrete practical applications of each religion.

The invasions of barbarian tribes and fall of the Roman Empire brought about the birth of the Middle Ages in Europe. Describe in detail the nature of medieval society in economic, political, and social terms. What element of late Roman society proved critical to the continued unity of Europe during the Middle Ages?

Apart from the first Crusade, the numerous attempts to remove the Islamic infidel from the Christian Holy Land were all relative failures. Why was Latin Christendom so determined to succeed? Explain the motives behind the Crusades and their impact on European society. Lastly, how did Islamic and Christian conceptions of each other affect their confrontations?

The Black Death claimed somewhere around one third of Europe’s population in a little over two years (between 1348 and 1350). The effects of the plague were similar or worse in Asia, the Middle East, and Northern Africa. Why was this epidemic so devastating? In answering, make sure to describe the origins of the disease and the causes for its expansion throughout most of Eurasia and Africa, as well as the failed attempts to avoid its deadly touch.

The period following the devastating Black Plague saw a renewed interest in classical learning that came to be known as the Renaissance. Why and how was this ‘rebirth’ influential in the resurgence of the Mediterranean basin as a dominant axis of trade in a developing world economy? Be sure to address the movement’s objectives as well as identify some of its main proponents.

Fifteenth century Chinese and Arab societies were both richer and more technologically advanced than those found in Europe. Yet the Europeans were the first to explore the globe, plotting a course around the southern tip of Africa and ‘discovering’ for the Old World the Americas. What technological, economic, political, and social factors made the European age of exploration a reality?

Cumulative Question:

This semester we have followed the rise and fall of various economic, political, and spiritual empires leading up to the year 1500 AD. Discuss along general lines changes experienced during this long 5,000 year period in the following areas of human society: 1) social and political structures, 2) gender roles, and 3) religious beliefs. How did change in one area affect change in the others? In what ways did human society in 1500 AD resemble or differ from its counterpart in the Ancient period?