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Period: 618 to 1270
Tang & Song Dynasties
In Chinese history, The Tang & Song Dynasties are known as the Golden Ages. In 618 the Tang Dynasty came into power and grew in expansion, prosperity, and innovation while China was prosperous, organized, and efficiently run while under The Song Dynasty. The Tang Dynasty was known to be the greatest imperial government in ancient Chinese history who created a cultural age of reform and advancement. The Song Dynasty introduced gunpowder and the first to introduce banknotes and establish an army. -
Period: 750 to 1258
Abbasid Caliphate
This is considered to be the Golden age of Islam since it was identified as a long period of time in which centers of trade became wealthy centers of learning and innovation. Because of the result of the location of these trade crossroads, cities like Mecca, Baghdad and Cairo, became prosperous cities. These cities attracted merchants and scholars. In 750 CE, Abbasid overthrew the Umayyad caliphate and ruled as the Abbasid caliphate until it was taken over and destroyed by the Mongols in 1258. -
Period: 801 to 1500
Feudalism in Europe
Feudalism developed in Western Europe at around 800 C.E. from the remnants of the Western Roman Empire. As a result of central authority being unable to perform its functions and prevent the rise of local powers, this decentralized organization formed. When the Western Roman Empire fell in 476 C.E., a state of chaos encompassed Western Europe for many centuries. Essentially, the people of Western Europe needed some form of a political system to defend themselves. -
Period: 1206 to 1526
Delhi Sultanate
Founded after Muhammad of Ghor defeated Prithviraj ( Chahamana King) and captured the Delhi, bringing Muslim rule to India. Muslim rule brought cultural diversity which became an invaluable feature. Delhi sultanate refers to the various Muslim dynasties that ruled in India.They brought Islamic law and cultural traditions to India. Scholars and clerics, fleeing the Mongols, came in from Turkish, Persian, and Arab states, whom brought diverse traditions of Islamic art, architecture, and learning. -
Period: 1206 to 1368
Mongol Empire
Founded by Genghis Khan in 1206, it encompassed the majority of the territories from southeast Asia to eastern Europe.The empire unified the nomadic Mongol and Turkic tribes of historical Mongolia while the empire grew rapidly under his rule. The Mongols were able to establish a massive empire due to their unique military tactics, their brutality, and their discipline.The Mongols also acquired new technical knowledge, such as Chinese engineers, and taxes as they expanded their empire. -
Period: 1240 to
Mali Empire
The Empire of Mali was one of the largest empires in West African History. The capital city of the empire was Niani. It influenced the culture of West Africa through the spread of its language, laws and customs. Mansa Musa ruled Mali during the highest point of the empire.West Africa had a great significance of Islam and trade during his ruling. The great wealth of Mali came from gold and salt mines and it controlled important trade routes across the Sahara Desert to Europe and the Middle East. -
Period: 1279 to 1368
Yuan Dynasty
The Yuan Dynasty was the shortest lived of all the major Chinese Dynasties. Yuan Dynasty unified China after a period of more than 300 years. The Yuan Dynasty was also China's first foreign-led dynasty, in between the Chinese Song and Ming dynasties. It was established by Kublai Khan, leader of the vast Mongol Empire, and fell into internal rebellion after it lost touch with its Mongol roots. One big change during Kublai's reign was that foreigners became the rulers and administrators. -
Period: 1299 to
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire was significant because of the fact that it was powerful and Muslim.Formed by muslim Turks who conquered the weakened remnants of the Byzantine empire,the Ottomans became a transcontinental threat when they conquered land in the balkans. The Ottoman Empire had major influence on the civilization of the West. This was during the reign of Suleyman who was known as “The Magnificent”.They impacted the west through the transmission of goods and ideologically through actual warfare. -
Period: 1300 to
European Renaissance
The Renaissance was a fervent period of European cultural, artistic, political and economic “rebirth” following the Middle Ages. The Renaissance promoted the rediscovery of classical philosophy, literature and art.Major causes of the Renaissance in Europe would be the bubonic Plague, Economy, and Ottoman Conquest. The Bubonic Plague had wiped away 1/3 of the population and after the Plague people wanted to enjoy their life, which lead to the spread of ideas and people expressing themselves. -
Period: 1325 to 1521
Aztec Empire
They were located in Mexico and Central America.Their capital was Tenochtitlan and they were known for their agriculture, cultivating land, irrigation, draining swamps, and chinampas. They developed a form of hieroglyphic writing, a complex calendar system, and built famous pyramids and temples. The Huey Tlatoani was the ultimate power in the land and they felt like he was appointed by the gods and had the divine right to rule. They were organized as a hierarchy with the emperor at the top. -
Period: 1347 to 1350
Bubonic Plague
The Black Death was a plague pandemic which devastated Europe, killing an estimated 25-30 million people. The disease, caused by a bacillus bacteria and carried by fleas on rodents, originated in central Asia and was taken from there to the Crimea by Mongol warriors and traders.It is remembered today as one of the most important pandemics in all of human history and for its role in other major events and time periods, such as: the Silk Road, the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. -
Period: 1368 to
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty ruled China from 1368 to 1644 A.D., during which China's population would double. Known for its trade expansion to the outside world that established cultural ties with the West.The Ming Dynasty is also remembered for its drama, literature and world-renowned porcelain.The Ming Dynasty was one of the prosperous eras in Chinese history due to the invention of woodblock color printing, paper, and the two-color printing process.Their fall was mainly because of the lack of resources. -
Period: 1400 to 1532
Inca Empire
The Incas lived in the Andes mountains in South america and flourished in Peru.Their empire stretched about 2500 miles along the andes and established their capital "Cuzco." The Rise of the Incas happened around the same time the Safavid dynasty. These empires, through their armies expanded and consolidated their empire. One of the Incas greatest features was their road systems.The labor system they used was the Mita with a strong central government that reported back to their emperor. -
Period: 1400 to
Age Of Exploration
The Age of Exploration was a period in which European ships were traveled around the world to search for new trading routes and partners to feed burgeoning capitalism in Europe. This was the beginning to new life. Reasons for doing this were economy, religion and glory. Glory, Gold, and God (3 G's) represented motivation. They wanted to improve their economy by acquiring more spices, gold, and better and faster trading routes. They believed in the need to spread their religion, Christianity. -
Period: Apr 17, 1492 to
Spanish Colonial Empire
The Spanish Empire was one of the largest empires in history, and one of the first global empires. It led European exploration of the world,building the largest colonies in the New World at the time. Spain also created trade routes across the oceans and exploited resources and labor from their newly colonized territories.Southern America was rich in both timber and precious metals. Harvesting gold and silver made the empire very rich. Spreading Catholicism to the area was another important goal. -
Period: 1498 to 1510
Portuguese Trading Post Empire
Instead of to control territory,Trading Post Empires were meant to control trade routes by forcing merchant vessels to pay duties at fortified trading sites.Taking advantage of the rivalries that pitted Hindus against Muslims,Portugal established trading ports at far-flung locations like Goa, Ormuz, Malacca,etc.The Portuguese overseas empire was named as "Estado Da India" and its initial objective was to establish monopoly over trade of Black Pepper and spices of the East. -
Period: 1501 to
Atlantic Slave Trade
Slaves provided the labor power necessary to settle and develop the New World. Slaves also produced the products for the first mass consumer markets: sugar, tobacco, coffee, cocoa, and later cotton. The slave trade played an important role in providing British industry with access to raw materials. This contributed to the increased production of manufactured goods. The slave trade brought about a negative impact on African societies and led to the long-term impoverishment of West Africa. -
Period: 1517 to
The Reformation
The Reformation became the basis for the founding of Protestantism. This led to the reformulation of certain basic tenets of Christian belief and resulted in the division of Western Christendom between Roman Catholicism and the new Protestant traditions.Protestant Reformation led to modern democracy, skepticism, capitalism, individualism, civil rights, and modern values we cherish today. The Protestant Reformation increased literacy throughout Europe and ignited a renewed passion for education. -
Period: 1526 to
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire ruled most of India and Pakistan in the 16th and 17th centuries. The Mughal Empire had a absolute monarchy. They brought with them the religion of Islam, which really influenced the culture of modern day India. It consolidated Islam in South Asia, and spread Muslim arts and culture as well as the faith. The Mughals were Muslims who ruled a country with a large Hindu majority. The Mughal Empire was one of the only empires in India in 1500-1600 to have their hands on gun powder. -
Period: to
Tokugawa Shogunate
The Tokugawa Shogunate (Edo Period) was a time of much peace and cultural growth in Japan from 1603 to 1867. The period began when Tokugawa Ieyasu defeated many of the powerful lords who ruled at that time. His greatest victory was the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600.The Tokugawa Shogunate defined modern Japanese history by centralizing the power of the nation's government and uniting its people.There were only four social classes in the Tokugawa shogunate-warriors, samurai, artisans, farmers. -
Period: to
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the final imperial dynasty in China. It was an era noted for its initial prosperity and tumultuous final years. Many of the non-Chinese minorities within the empire were Sinicized, and an integrated national economy was established.They were responsible for the construction of the Great Wall of China. The Great Wall marked national boundaries and acted as a defensive infrastructure to protect against invading nomadic tribes from the north.(Subdued Tibet & Xinjiang regions) -
Period: to
The Enlightenment
The Enlightenment helped combat the excesses of the church, establish science as a source of knowledge, and defend human rights against tyranny. European politics, philosophy, science and communications were radically reoriented during the course of the “long 18th century” as part of a movement referred to by its participants as the Age of Reason, or simply the Enlightenment. Enlightenment thinkers fought for tolerance, reason, freedom of religious belief and freedom of speech. -
Period: to
Industrial Revolution
Historians have identified several causes for the Industrial Revolution, including: the emergence of capitalism, European imperialism,efforts to mine coal,and the effects of the Agricultural Revolution. Capitalism was a central component necessary for the rise of industrialization.Industrial Revolution is the process of change from an agrarian and handicraft economy to one dominated by industry and machine manufacturing. This process began in Britain in the 18th century and then began spreading. -
Period: to
American Revolution
The American Revolution was a time when the British colonists in America rebelled against the rule of Great Britain.The Treaty of Paris was signed in Paris, France on September 3, 1783. This ended the American Revolutionary War, and gave the colonies their independence from Great Britain. The presence of Colonial Legislatures, ideologies presented by philosophers, and the salutary neglect are all causes of Revolution.The legislatures were allowed to charge taxes, assemble armies, and pass laws. -
Period: to
French Revolution
The French Revolution was a period of time in France when the people overthrew the monarchy and took control of the government.This Revolution, established a republic, catalyzed violent periods of political turmoil, and finally culminated in a dictatorship under Napoleon who brought many of its principles to areas he conquered in Western Europe and beyond.It reshaped the border of Europe & led to the rise of nationalism, which would unify Germany and break apart the Austrian Empire. -
Period: to
Haitian Revolutions
The Haitian Revolution is described as the largest and most successful slave rebellion in the Western Hemisphere. Slaves initiated the rebellion in 1791 & by 1803 they had succeeded in ending slavery & French control over the colony. It's significant because Haiti is the only country where slave freedom was taken by force.It was Napoleon's loss of Haiti that convinced the overextended dictator to sell the Louisiana territory to the fledgling US. (Most successful slave revolt in history) -
Period: to
Tanzimat Reforms
The Tanzimat reforms were carried out between 1830 and 1870 in the Ottoman Empire. They were an attempt at modernization to stop the decline of Ottoman power. The reforms drew inspiration from the Enlightenment era. They aimed to remove the capitulations & made several codes based on the French legal system.The reforms included the development of a new secular school system & the reorganization of the army based on the Prussian conscript system. (Educational, political and economic reforms) -
Period: to
Opium Wars
The first Opium War (1839–42) was fought between China and Britain, and the second Opium War (1856–60), also known as the Arrow War or the Anglo-French War in China, was fought by Britain and France against China. The conflicts marked the start of the era of unequal treaties and other inroads on Qing sovereignty that helped weaken and ultimately topple the dynasty in favour of republican China in the early 20th century.The Opium Wars arose from China’s attempts to suppress the opium trade. -
Period: to
Taiping Rebellion
The Taiping Rebellion began in the southern province of Guangxi when local officials launched a campaign of religious persecution against the God Worshipping Society. It lasted for about 14 years , ravaged 17 provinces, took an estimated 20 million lives, and irrevocably altered the Qing dynasty.The Taiping Rebellion was significant because it led to the end of dynastic rule in China. The Taiping goal was simple: destroy the Manchus and restore to China her past greatness. -
Sepoy Mutiny
The Sepoy Mutiny began when Indian soldiers who had been placed in irons for refusing to accept new cartridges were rescued by their comrades.This drove a wedge between the Muslim and Hindu soldiers. It marked India's first attempt to gain independence from Britain which also led to an increase in the power of the East India Company. Some effects of the rebellion was a bitter legacy and a mistrust on both sides while it resulted in the brutal massacre of british men, women, and children. -
Period: to
Meiji Revolution
The Meiji period that followed the Restoration was an era of major political, economic, and social change in Japan. The reforms enacted during the Meiji emperor's rule brought modernization & Westernization of the country & paved way for Japan to become a major international power. This period, which ended with the emperor's death in 1912, left them with significant social, political & economic change including the abolition of the feudal system & the adoption of a cabinet system of government. -
Period: to
Scramble for Africa
The Scramble for Africa was a process of invasion, occupation, colonization and annexation of African territory by European powers during the New Imperialism period, between 1881 and World War I in 1914. The reasons for African colonisation were mainly economic, political and religious. During this time of colonisation, an economic depression was occurring in Europe, and powerful countries such as Germany, France, and Great Britain, were losing money. -
Period: to
Berlin Conference
Rivalry between Great Britain & France led Bismarck to intervene, & in late 1884 he called a meeting of European powers in Berlin. 80% of Africa remained under traditional & local control. During the conference the leaders also agreed to allow free trade among the colonies & established a framework for negotiating future European claims in Africa.The Berlin Conference of 1884-1885, regulated the New Imperialism period & coincided with Germany's sudden emergence as an imperial power.
