The Medieval World and Beyond

Camels were first brought to the Sahara

300

Camels were one of the key factors that led to the trans-Saharan trade. The trans-Saharan trade kept wealth running in the empires.

Classic Mayan Civilization began

300

In this time period, the Mayans adapted and developed the Olmecs' ideas. They improved on Olmec building techniques. They did not have wheels or metal tools but they still made stone cities which had decorative temple-pyramids and palaces. they also had observatories for studying the heavens and charting the movements of the moon,stars, and planets. WIth this and mathematics they were able to create highly accurate calendars.

The Fall of Rome

476

The Roman Empire had political instability, economic and social problems, and weakening frontiers. They could never find a way to transfer power peacefully. Their heavy taxes injured the economy, brought poverty, and affected trade. The large size of the empire was hard to defend

The Byzantine Empire Begins

500

It is the eastern half of the empire that still survived. It is also named after Byzantium after the original name of the capital city.

The Ghana empire began

500

This empire has risen in the semidry Sahel and later spanned the valley between the Senegal and Niger rivers. In the south was a forest and in the north was the Sahara desert. By the ninth century, when they started to write about Ghana, it was a flourishing empire. It may have developed into an empire by conquering their neighbors as ghana means "war chief".

Buddhism was introduced to Japan

552

Buddhism came from India and became popular in China as well as Korea. A Korean king sent a statue of Buddha to the Japanese as a recommendation fro a religion. The Japanese accepted and Buddhism thrived.

The Seventeen Article Constitution began

Jan 1, 604

This stated that the emperor was the supreme ruler.

Muhammad became a prophet of Islam

Jan 1, 610

Muhammad had gone to a cave to pray when he recieved the call to be a prophet. He got this message by an angel named Gabriel. He was unsure but his wife convinced him it was true and was the first to convert to Islam.

The first official edition of the Qur’an was written

Jan 1, 651

This edition was written by Caliph Uthman. He destroyed other versions of the Qur'an and declared this the official version. Muslims honor this holy book and do not let it touch the ground or get dirty. Most of them memorize all or parts of the Qur'an.

Traders brought Islam

Jan 1, 700

Because the traders settled in a rich community, the small step led to the rise of the Islamic culture.

Nara became the capital of Japan

Jan 1, 710

Bookmaking began to spread the Qur’an

Jan 1, 750

After learning how to make paper, bound books were being created and bookmaking helped the growth of literature to flourish. Bookmaking became an industry or field. In the Muslim world it was big and became a kind of craft too. Poetry, prose and the Qur'an were sold. More than a million copies of the Qur'an were sold. Storytelling and poetry were favored. A famous collection of stories was called The Arabian Nights in which the wife tells her husband a different tells a different tale every nig

Feudalism Begins

Jan 1, 1000

This system equipped people with protection and safety by establishing a stable order. Loyalty and promises bound them. Feudalism was a type of social system.

The Tale of Genji, the first novel, was written

Jan 1, 1000

Moveable type was invented in China

Jan 1, 1050

Movable type, which are individual characters made of wood or metal that can be arranged to create a job for printing and then used over again, was invented in the eleventh century. Movable type lowered the cost of printing and advances in this field helped the growth of education.

Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches split

Jan 1, 1054

After years of fighting and arguing,the two churches officially seperate.

Song Dynasty began civil service exams

Jan 1, 1065

In this period, the idea of scholar officials reached its height. Neo-Confucianism which blended the teachings of Confucius with the elements of Buddhism and Daoism is what the exams are based on. By this lower classes can become scholar officials. They were set up in a way to prevent cheating. Government officials had certain privileges such as being excused from taxes and military service.

The Reconquista began with Toledo

Jan 1, 1085

In 1002 the Umayyad caliphate in Cordoba broke up inot rival kingdoms. The Christians tried to take advantage of the Muslims' weakness. The captured Toledo which is in central Spain, in the year of 1085. Slowly, the Muslims let go of territory; Portugal became an independent kingdom in 1139 and by 1248 the small kingdom of Granada, on the southern coast of Spain, remained under Muslim control.

The First Crusade begins

Jan 1, 1096

The city of Antioch was under siege in the June of 1098. Nine months later the crusaders were let in. After the city was closed in on by the crusaders in the next June, they surrendered. Muslims and Jews in the city were massacred. Survivors became slaves. With the defeat of Jerusalem, crusaders went away.

The Second Crusade began

Jan 1, 1146

Muslims were having trouble uniting but when they did they fought well. They captured Udessa in 1144. This is what promoted the start of the Second Crusade. The Crusaders were defeated both times once in Anatolia and, more recently, when they were defeated in Jerusalem in 1148. The Second Crusade ended when the French Army went home.

The Heian period ended

Jan 1, 1185

Corruption reigned the land of Japan as the wealthy focused on culture and ignored the problems of the poor leading to economic problems. The rulers soon lost control and bandits roamed the countryside. Warriors were being paid more money than the emperors because of the chaos. The power of some lords rivaled that of the weak government. Fighting began. The head of the military family brought the military leaders to power.

The Third Crusade began

Jan 1, 1189

Salah al-Din led the Muslims. He was a great sultan who had formed the largest Muslim empire since the Seljuks. He also continued the fight against Crusaders. He took back most of Palestine and captured Jerusalem(in 1187). This shocked the Europeans who retalliated by starting the 3rd Crusade. Richard I and Salah al-Din fought. They fought for a while with wavering forces. They signed a treaty in the September of 1192 and Muslims agreed to let Christians enter Jerusalem.

The era of the samurai began

Jan 1, 1192

The first shogun came to power

Jan 1, 1192

Minamoto Yoritomo came to power in 1185 in Japan but claimed the title of shogun in 1192.

The Incas first settled in Cuzco

Jan 1, 1200

The Ghana empire ended

Jan 1, 1203

The decline of Ghana was caused by war and loss of natural resources. After Almoravids started to attack Ghana's empire during the second half of the 11th century, they captured the capital city of Kumbi. Even though Ghana's king regained power the empire was broken apart. The growing population stressed the problem of scarce resources. A while later a new empire rose.

Signing of the Magna Carta

Jun 1, 1215

16 yeaers under the rule of King John, there is a meeting with the king and the barons. He was a tyrant and they made him sign the "Great Charter" more commonly known as the Magna Carta. This stated that the king should observe common law and the traditional rights of barons and the church. He also agreed that "no free man" could be jailed except by the lawful judgement of his peers or by the law of the land.This was like a shield protecting the rights and privileges of nobles.

The Mali empire began

Jan 1, 1240

In 1240 the Mande people conquered Kumbi. Before they built the empire of Mali, they took control of the trade routes. Mali also accepted Islam and Mansa Musa became the first West African ruler to practice Islam devoutly.

Aztecs arrived in the Valley of Mexico

Jan 1, 1250

The Mongols destroyed Baghdad

Jan 1, 1258

The Abbasid dynasty ended when the Mongols destroyed Baghdad and killed the caliph. Muslims could hold back the Mongol advance in the west. The Mamluks overthrew Salah al-din's dynasty. They defeated the Mongols in the battle at Palestine in 1260. The Mamluks continued to rule till 1517. The Mongol Empire eventually fell apart by the mid 1300s.

The Mongols Dynasty began

Jan 1, 1279

Kublai Khan claimed himself emperor of China after capturing China's imperial capital. His dynasty is called the Yuan dynasty. He called for Mongols and foreigners to fill in the government positions and the Chinese to fill in the lower positions. Foreigners enjoyed a higher status, foreign merchants had privileges that Chinese merchants didn't. The Mongol Empire made the silk road safe again and trading thrived.

The Mongol empire was weakened

Jan 1, 1300

It was one of the world's largest empires and it stretched through much of Asia. Yet the Muslims repelled against the Mongols

Humanism began in Italy

Jan 1, 1300

Mansa Musa was the first Islamic leader

Jan 1, 1312

Mansa Musa became the new ruler of Mali in 1312. He was the first ruler to truly follow Islam. Mali glorified under his rule. Musa made a hajj to the sacred city of Makkah, like other Muslims. It was a long journey, Musa reached Cairo in July 1324. His caravan displayed his wealth and was told to bow to the sultan and that insulted him. His pilgrimage was very impressive and gained acceptance of Mali. It showed up later on a European map.

Aztecs started building Tenochtitlan

Jan 1, 1325

The Hundred Years’ War begins

Jan 1, 1337

A dispute between land for France and England began, thus a war started. This contributed in the decline of feudalism.

The Bubonic Plague begins in Europe

Jan 1, 1347

This came again every decade into the 15th century. It was also called the Black Death which came from the black and blue spots. It slowed down trade and commerce and helped the peasants rise to power.

The Renaissance began in Italy

Jan 1, 1350

Timbuktu became a center of Arabic learning

Jan 1, 1350

Timbuktu was founded as a settlement for the Tuaregs, it was in a location rich with trade and culture. Since it was a rich location, many people got attracted to the place and those seeking knowledge came. Over the time it became a popular place of learning and knowledge, it also had universities and schools.

The Ming Dynasty began

Jan 1, 1368

The Ming dynasty brought back the use of civil service exams which had both pros and cons. It emphasized good morals and values but did not allow other fields to be looked upon thus stunting progress.

The Mongols Dynasty ended

Jan 1, 1368

Rebels fought against the Mongols, the government became corrupt, and the Mongol leaders fought against each other.

The Inquisition took place

Jan 1, 1400

Queen Iabells and King Ferdinand used the Inquisition to help unite Spain into a Catholic country by getting rid of Muslims and Jews who had converted to Christianity(making sure they were practicing only Christianity). People were sometimes tortured to confess if they were practicing their former religion. Thousands of people were burned at stake.

Zheng He made his first voyage

Jan 1, 1405

Zheng He "Admiral of the Western Seas' went on a voyage to express china's power and collect tribute. He set off with a fleet of 300 ships and they carried 27,000 men. In them were sailors, soldiers, officials, translators, merchants, and doctors. Loads of rice and much more food were provided for the crew, and there fresh fish too. The largest ship has 4 decks, 9 masts with 12 sails and 12 watertight compartments.

Incas began to create roads

Jun 4, 1438

Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press

Jan 1, 1450

The Byzantine Empire ends

Jan 1, 1453

The Byzantine Empire ended when the Ottoman Turks attacked them.

The Hundred Years' War ends

Jan 1, 1453

This happens 22 years after Joan of Arc's death. This helped shift power from feudal lords to monarchs and common people. Large professional armies were the result of collects taxes. Improvements in military technology make knights and castles less needed.

The Songhai empire began

Jan 1, 1460

When Sunni Ali became the new ruler of Songhai in 1460, he built a powerful army that broke away and eventually conquered Mali. Since Songhai did not seriosly practice Islam, he got replaced with a devout Muslim after Muslims rebelled.

The Medici family began to rule Florence

Jan 1, 1469

Bartolomeu Dias began to sail around the tip of Africa

Jan 1, 1488

The Spanish conquer Granada

Jan 1, 1492

Granada was taken by the muslim hands, and it was the last place to be reclaimed a part of Spain which is why it is so important.

Isabella sent Christopher Columbus to find a sea route to Asia

Jan 1, 1492

Vasco da Gama began to sail to India

Jan 1, 1497

John Cabot landed in Canada

Jan 1, 1497

Post-classic mayan civilization ended

Jan 1, 1500

Pedro Cabral began to sail to Brazil

Jan 1, 1500

Michelangelo completed his statue of David

Jan 1, 1504

Copernicus stated that the earth revolves around the sun

Jan 1, 1514

Martin Luther posted his Ninety-Five Theses

Jan 1, 1517

The Aztec Empire ended

Jan 1, 1519

Ferdinand Magellan began to sail around the world

Jan 1, 1519

Hernan Cortes destroyed the Aztecs

Jan 1, 1519

Giovanni da Verrazano landed in North America

Jan 1, 1524

William Tyndale translated the Bible into English

Jan 1, 1525

The Inca Empire ended

Jan 1, 1532

Francisco Pizarro destroyed the Incas

Jan 1, 1532

King Henry VIII created Anglicanism

Jan 1, 1534

John Calvin created Calvinism

Jan 1, 1541

Copernicus stated his theory of the heliocentric universe

Jan 1, 1543

The Council of Trent was formed

Jan 1, 1545

The microscope was invented

Jan 1, 1580

The Songhai empire ended

Jan 1, 1591

The Songhai empire ended because of ineffective rulers, invaders from other kingdoms, and political struggles.

Henry Hudson began to try to find the Northwest Passage

Jan 1, 1609

Galileo decided to build a telescope

Jan 1, 1609

The Mali empire ended

Jan 1, 1610

The Songhai people were a group within Mali's empire. When Sunni Ali became the new ruler of Songhai in the 1460s, he built a powerful army that broke away from Mali and eventually conquered it.

The Thirty Years’ War began

Jan 1, 1618

The Ming Dynasty ended

Jan 1, 1644

Its inability to adapt brought the Ming dynasty to its fall.

Peace of Westphalia was signed

Jan 1, 1648

The Thirty Years’ War ended

Jan 1, 1648

Newton published a book about gravity

Jan 1, 1687

The era of the samurai ended

Jan 1, 1868

In 1868, political upheavals restored the power of the emperor.

Charlemagne’s Christian Empire

Mar 2, 2022

He was the most important leader of the Franks. He unified nearly all of the Christian lands into one empire.

Prince Shotoku came to power

Mar 2, 2022

Heian-kyo became the capital of Japan

Mar 2, 2022

The Tang Dynasty began

Mar 2, 2022

Li Yuan, a general, declared himself emperor and formed and established the Tang dynasty. Its accomplishments were built on those of the Sui.

Tang Dynasty recorded a formula for gunpowder

Mar 2, 2022

Gunpowder is an explosive powder made of saltpeter and other materials. It is assumed that alchemists thought saltpeter could extend life but found out it was an explosive powder. In 850 A.D. they recorded the formula for gunpowder. Gunpowder made the development of many powerful weapons possible.

The Tang Dynasty ended

Mar 2, 2022

In 907, the Tang dynasty ended by peasant rebellions and battles between generals.

Buddhism religion expanded in the Tang Dynasty

Mar 2, 2022

Buddhism was a religion originated from India and brought by a Chinese monk, Xuan Zang, to China in the form of scrolls. Buddhism became very popular in China and played a major role in society. Buddhists monks didn't have to pay taxes and were wealthy, they were also very prosperous. This made the Chinese jealous and they started to have feelings against Buddhism. Now buddhism was being attacked as a foreign religion. In 843, the government became corrupt- they started harassing Buddhists.

The Japanese invented kana

Mar 2, 2022

The Heian period began

Mar 2, 2022

Post-Classic Mayan Civilization ended

Mar 2, 2022