AP Euro Summer Assignment

Charles Martel defeats the Muslims

732

Frankish leader Charles Martel defeats the Spanish Moors at the Battle of Tours in Poitiers, France. This halted Muslim advance, and arguably saved western Europe from Islamic rule. Because the Muslims settled down after the defeat, they began to absorb and learn from the cultures around them, leading to great discoveries such as Arabic numerals.

William the Conqueror defeats the English King

1066

Normans led by William the Conqueror cross the English Channel and defeat King Harold in the Battle of Hastings. This was the first time England was successfully invaded in history. As a result, the English nobility became Normans, and modern English is a mix of old German and Romance languages.

The First Crusade

1096

At the Council of Clermont, Pope Urban II urged Christian knights to make a journey to liberate Jerusalem from the Arabs. Thousands of knights went to fulfill their Christian duty, and thousands of serfs went because the Pope promised them freedom. Even though they were not successful because the Arabs reclaimed the Holy Land, the crusaders discovered Arab culture and took it back to Europe. The Crusades also increased trade and cultural diffusion, especially in Italian cities.

King John of England signs the Magna Carta

1215

When Pope Innocent III excommunicated King John of England, his citizens were so angry that they forced him to sign the Magna Carta. This document guaranteed certain rights, like the right to a fair trial and the right to own property, to all citizens. This established the principle that everyone, even the monarch, has to obey the law. The principles in the Magna Carta later influenced the writings in the US Constitution.

The Renaissance

1300

The Renaissance was a cultural movement that started in Florence and gradually spread to the rest of Italy and Europe. It was a time when people were fascinated with ancient Roman and Greek art, literature, and philosophy and many new inventions, such as the mechanical clock, were made. This marked the transition in history from the middle ages to a more modern age of technology and thinking.

Hundred Years War

1337

The Hundred Years War was fought in the late Middle Ages between France and England over succession to the French throne. At first, England made many decisive victories, but in the end, the French gained back much of their land. Both countries suffered from famine, destroyed farms, and the black plague because of the long war. The war started strong nationalistic feelings in both countries, and increased the power of the French monarch significantly.

Invention of the Printing Press

1450

Johannes Gutenberg invented the movable type press in Strasbourg, France. With this invention, books and newspapers could be printed in larger numbers, and could be spread more rapidly. This invention helped speed up the spread of the Renaissance and the Reformation to other parts of Europe.

Columbus lands in America

1492

Christopher Columbus lands in what is now known as the Bahamas, and claims the land for the Spanish crown. Because he thought he was in the West Indies, he called the natives there Indians and forced many of them to work for him. As a result of his voyage, many other conquistadores also made trips to the Americas, bringing back new riches to Europe. This started the growth of the middle class, or burghers, and led to the growth in importance and size of many western ports in Europe.

Martin Luther posts the 95 Theses

1517

Martin Luther posts his 95 theses to the door of a church in Wittenberg, Germany, protesting the sale of indulgences. Shortly after, the Pope excommunicated him, but Luther wouldn’t renounce his ideas. This act started the Reformation, a movement to reform the corrupt Catholic Church, and created a new branch of Christianity known as Protestantism.

King Henry VIII establishes the Church of England

1533

After the Pope refused to grant him a divorce, King Henry VIII separates himself from the Catholic Church and establishes the Church of England, with himself as the leader. Its followers are called Anglicans, and have beliefs in between Protestants and Catholics.