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Period: 600 to 1450
Postclassical Era
A deepening and widening of networks of human interaction within and across regions contributed to cultural, technological, and biological diffusion within and between various societies. -
622
The Hijra
The migration of Muhammed from Mecca to Medina in order to escape persecution. Built the first umma (Islamic community) there. -
632
The death of Muhammad
Muhammad's death resulted in rivalry between supporters of Ali (Muhammad’s family) vs. supporters of Umayyad Mu’awiya. An Umayyad victory resulted in the Umayyad Dynasty. Marked the division of Sunni and Shi’a. -
661
Beginning of the Umayyad Dynasty
Description under the Umayyad Dynasty. -
Period: 661 to 750
The Umayyad Dynasty
Ruled through regional warrior elite, utilized the jizya (tax) on non-believers and new converts (mawali) with most believers being dhimmi (people of the book). Spread to Spain through the Battle of Tours. Become more aloof and the Abbasids gain power with a victory at Battle on the River Zab and murder the Umayyad family. -
750
Beginning of the Abbasid Dynasty
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Period: 750 to 1258
The Abbasid Dynasty
Known as the "golden age of Islamic culture" with the House of Wisdom in Baghdad and were quite secular, allowing even for the consumption of alcohol. Contained many prominent figures such as Harun al-Rashid and Ibn Sina. Used a Turkic slave force, the Mamluks, to protect the throne. Overrun in 1055 by Seljuk Turks and Baghdad sacked in 1258 by the Mongols, marking the end. -
1258
Mongol destruction of Baghdad
Ended the Abbasid Dynasty, destroyed numerous pieces of text. -
Period: 1299 to
Ottoman Empire
Established by Ottoman Turks who emerged from Asia Minor in the 1200's, conquered the Balkans by the 1300's and threatened eastern Europe. Were religiously tolerant through the millet system, used janissaries who were Christians who were converted to Islam and educated in the devshirme. Janissaries at first only used as warriors but eventually became prominent in the political system. Contained an expansive imperial harem, composed of women educated through the devshirme. Ended after WWI. -
Period: 1450 to
Early Modern Era
The interconnection of the Eastern and Western Hemispheres, made possible by transoceanic voyaging, transformed trade and had a significant social impact on the world. -
1453
Fall of Constantinople
Ended the Byzantine Empire, conquered by Ottoman Turks with massive cannons. Ottomans lead by Mehmed II. -
1500
Rule of Suleiman/Abbas/Akbar
Suleiman the Magnificent ruled the Ottoman Empire from 1520-1566, had the Suleymaniye Mosque built and made laws. Abbas ruled the Safavids from 1587-1629, created a system similar to the janissaries and modernized their military. Akbar ruled the Mughals from 1556-1605 after his father Humayun died, modernized military, used zamindars to collect taxes and most importantly, was very religiously tolerant through ending the jizya, encouraging intermarriage and allowing Hindus in government. -
1571
Battle of Lepanto
The Ottomans lost to the Spanish and Venetians and with that their dominance of the Eastern Mediterranean. Ottomans later took back Cyprus. -
Period: to
“The Sick Man of Europe”/Ottoman decline
Began to bleed territory after the Siege of Vienna, lost most European possessions by 1870. Major losses of territory in the Balkans occurred during the early 1800's, with Greece in 1822. Balkan nationalism intensified. -
Siege of Vienna
The Ottomans first attempted a siege in 1529 of Vienna against the Habsburg Austrian Empire with little success. Attempted again in 1683 with another failure against Habsburg Holy Roman emperor Leopold I, marked the end of Ottoman expansion in Europe. -
Period: to
Modern Era
The development of industrial capitalism led to increased standards of living for some, and to continued improvement in manufacturing methods that increased the availability, affordability, and variety of consumer goods. -
Period: to
Contemporary Era
Rapid advances in science and technology altered the understanding of the universe and the natural world and led to advances in communication, transportation, industry, agriculture, and medicine. -
Beginning of WWI
Description under the war, added to have an indicator and picture. -
Period: to
World War I
Began after the Serbian Black Hand assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand during Austria-Hungary’s domination of Serbia. Russia supported Serbia and Germany supported Austria (blank check). France, Russia, Britain, Italy and later the US (Allies) against Germany, Austria-Hungary and the Ottomans (Central Powers). Trench warfare used, Battle of Verdun in 1916 was the longest battle: 700,000 dead in 10 months. Led to the collapse of the Ottomans, women were able to work during the war. -
Armenian Genocide
Took place between 1915 and 1916 under the Young Turks. As many as 1.2 million Armenians were killed through massacres or systemic ill-treatment. -
TE Lawrence
Convinced Arabs to rise up and overpower the Ottomans, weakening them. -
Fall of the Ottoman Empire
Young Turks replaced Abdul Hamid in 1908, officially collapsed in 1922 when the title of sultan was eliminated. Led to the emergence of new nations and a westernized Turkey under Ataturk. -
Ataturk
Mustafa Kamal drove out sultans to create the modern Republic of Turkey. Westernized Turkey, enforced more secular policies and changed the Turkish language to be written in the Roman alphabet. -
Period: to
Great Depression
Affected to a great extent, with agricultural prices collapsing across the Middle East. In Turkey, these dropped as much as 50%. Began with the stock market crash on October 24, 1929, known as Black Thursday. -
Period: to
Years of of the Cold War
Soviets occupied Afghanistan, fought in the 1980s with Soviet troops pulling out afterward. Following WWII, decolonization movements occurred. -
Israel created
Following World War II, the UN created a Jewish state of Israel in Palestine after many had already migrated there in the 20s and 30s. -
Nasser takes power in Egypt
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Period: to
Nasser takes power in Egypt
Brought reform to Egypt with the nationalization of the Suez Canal and building of the Aswan High Dam. Had strong Arab unity, supporting the notion of pan-Arabism, attempted to create a UAR, which occurred in the form of a political union with Syria from 1958-1961. -
OPEC Created
Created at the Baghdad Conference on September 10–14, 1960, by Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. Collaborated to control oil prices. -
Period: to
decades of three Arab-Israeli Wars
Six-Day War in 1967- Israel took Golan Heights, Sinai Peninsula and conducted airstrikes and invasions of Egypt, Jordan, and Syria; Yom Kippur War in 1973- Egyptian, Syrian attacks on held territory, returned the Sinai and Golan Heights shortly after. After this Palestinian resistance increased with the PLO and intifada. -
Islamic Revolution
Resulted in the rise of power of Shiite Cleric Ayatollah Khomeini and the elimination of the shah. Instituted strict Islamic law, with the US being portrayed as a “Great Satan.” Hostage crisis at embassy from November 4, 1979 – January 20, 1981. -
Persian Gulf War
Fought Iraq after their annexation of Kuwait, a ceasefire was established 100 hours after the ground campaign started.