The Cultural Impact of Western Civilization : (3000 BCE - 1500 CE)

Mesopotamia

3000 BCE

Mesopotamia is regarded as the first “true” civilization. The Mesopotamian culture featured many interesting, and relatively new ideas for the time, that helped created a structure for future cultures and civilizations. The Mesopotamians all worshiped the same group of gods, began processes of education and forms of writing, created new practices of agriculture. Mesopotamia serves as a beginning point in a more civilized type of culture in western civilizations.

The Egyptians

2680 BCE

The Egyptians had an extravagant, dramatic culture. They had access to many precious metals and gems. This made them a very rich society which led to the creation of grand temples and tombs. They also created many important and dynamic pieces of art, pottery, and scriptures, including hieroglyphics. The Egyptians were also impacted by religious and superstitious beliefs. For instance, the Egyptians supposedly put spells on their tombs to ward off intruders.

The Hebrews

1600 BCE

The Hebrews are believed to have had the most vital role in the Bronze and Iron Age. The ancient Hebrews weren’t known for being inventors or conquerers, but for their religious impact. They were the first to introduce the idea of monotheism, the belief that there is only one god. I think they are an important culture because they helped create a new aspect of religious culture.

The Greeks

776 BCE

The Greeks are very well known for their sophisticated, refined culture. The art, architecture, and sculptures of the Greeks made way for the birth of the “Classical Age”. This created a sophisticated society with other unique cultural aspects like the birth of philosophy, mathematics, the Olympics, and many more. The unique culture of the Greeks went on to inspire future events like the Romans and the Renaissance.

The Roman Republic

753 BCE

The Roman Republic was a significant culture because it was the first to introduce the idea of a republic and citizen rights. In my opinion, the culture of the Roman Republic is comparable to that of the Greek society. They shared many cultural aspects like architecture, art, and similar religious ideas. But, the Roman Republic, to me, was much more organized and “equal”. Even though people still faced inequality, the Roman Republic was a step towards a “fair” and “equal” culture.

The Roman Empire

14

Although the Roman Empire shares some similarities to the Roman Republic like art and religion, I feel they had a more “war-like” culture. They even had past times like gladiators fights which show their aggression. The Roman Empire was ruled like a dictatorship and favored the emperor over the overall welfare of the citizens. Their entire society and culture revolved around the ideas of war and aggression and assertiveness in leadership.

Islam

622

Similar to many other cultures, Islam revolves around the importance and value of religious beliefs. I included this event because although it is part of the trio of monotheistic religions, it is the one that is the least mentioned. Islam originated in the Middle East and was associated with the Muslim people. The culture of Islam centered around religion and featured many interesting aspects like prayer several times a day.

The Vikings

700

The Vikings had a very interesting culture and role in Western Civilization. Similar to the Romans, the Vikings were very war-like. However, the Vikings were much more barbaric compared to the organized, sophisticated rule of the Romans. In addition, the Vikings were invaders, they would invade, raid, and eventually settle in places around Europe. They build their society and culture by traveling on longboats and raiding civilizations.

The Reign of Charlemagne

773

Charlemagne was a very prominent figure in the culture of Western Civilization. As a prominent king of Medieval times, he had a great influence on people and culture. His impact on culture was centered around education and learning. He reintroduced the idea of literacy and encouraged the process of learning and education.

The High Middle Ages and the Crusades

1000

The most prominent cultural event from the High Middle Ages was the Crusades. The Crusades were an important cultural event because it was the act of invasion and attacks in the name of Christianity. It helped created an identity for the Christians and how they operated. The Christians often resorted to violence or force to convert people and it would continue for centuries.

The Renaissance

1300

The culture of the Renaissance was heavily influenced by the Classical Age of Greece. The art, architecture, and sculptures were delicate and sophisticated. The Renaissance was also a time of great cultural development in science and technology. In my opinion, the Renaissance was one of the greatest cultural events of all time. It was a time of rebirth for classical ideas, but it also had many original ideas.

European Exploration Begins With Columbus

1492

The idea of European Exploration is an important cultural event because it began the exchange of goods and ideas between the New and Old World. Beginning with Christopher Columbus, the discovery of the Americas began new trade and places to settle for Europeans. This was an important cultural event because it helped the European and Natives cultures and practices to reach new parts of the world for the first time, often violent.

The Reformation

1500

The Reformation was an important cultural event because it completely changed the structure and organization of Christianity. This is important culturally because it created new sets of values and ideas for groups of people that splintered from Christianity. Some of the new Christian denominations included Lutheranism and Calvinism.