The Age of Exploration

From around 1400 to 1600, European explorers set out to explore the world and this period was known as the Age of Exploration.  These explorers found out new things about the world, shared their discoveries with others, and changed the way people viewed the world.  Explorers traveled the world for many reasons including fortune, adventure, knowledge, land, and sometimes to promote Christianity.  Spain and Portugal were the first nations to send out explorers.  Eventually England, France, and the Netherlands sent out explorers as well.  Some of the most famous explorers of this time were Hernan Cortes, Christopher Columbus, and Ferdinand Magellan.  Exploration changed the European economy.  Many more goods were available and trade boomed.  The economic system of Europe grew into Capitalism.  Exploration also created some tension between the European nations as they tried to be the first to claim land, resources, and goods.  Eventually a war broke out between England and Spain.  Exploration also affected the Americas greatly.  Many people died in the Americas and the Inca and Aztec Empires were destroyed as European nations set up colonies and took over the land.   This Age of Exploration changed history for better or worse.

Europe Transformed

Many factors contributed to decline of the Western Roman empire.  One of the major factors was German invaders.  As troops were sent to the eastern half of the empire to aid in the constant war with Persia, German tribes and armies from the other side of the Rhine and Danube rivers invaded and conquered large parts of the western empire.  As the Germans lived in this territory, German leaders worked their way up the chain of command to eventually lead the Western Roman empire.  Too much money was being spent on the army and protecting Rome.  Taxes were increased to compensate for the extra spending on the army.  The increased taxes put a burden on the people of the western empire.  The Huns were a another reason for the decline of the Western Roman empire.  The Huns invaded the empire and fought their way to Rome.  While the Huns were camped outside the city, the rulers from inside Rome bribed the Huns with large sums of money to leave the city alone.  Surprisingly, they agreed.  However, this left the government with no money which put more strain on the society.  Some historians believe disease was another reason for the decline of the Western Roman Empire.  Hans Zinsser wrote, "A concentration of large populations in cities, free communication with all other parts of the world..., constant and extensive military activity involving the mobilization of armies in camps, and the movement of large forces back and forth from all corners of the world these alone are conditions which inevitably determine the outbreak of epidemic disease.  And against such outbreaks there was absolutely mo defense available at the time."  All of these factors led to the decline of the Western Roman Empire and changed the way people lived there.  

      One way life was changed in Western Europe was the growth of Christianity.  Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity a week before he died.  Money that could have been spent on temples, shrines, gods, and goddesses was now given to Christians and used for Christian buildings.  Another way life changed in Western Europe was the decline of the economy.  Increased taxes put a burden on the people.  Higher taxes were not enough to help the government so they devalued the currency.  This caused inflation.  The increased prices made it very hard for people to buy neccesary goods to survive.  Also, for many years, Western Europe was ruled by a Roman, but over time, the leaders became German.   As more and more land was conquered by the Germans, Roman culture was lost, and Latin, the language of the Romans, was lost.   Another hardship on the people of Western Europe was the fact that when the Vandals conquered Carthage, a city in North Africa, they stopped supplying grain to the city of Rome.  This caused a problem for the Romans because it was their main supply of food.  People now struggle to find food.  As they empire fell apart, the lives of the Romans deteriorated.

Medieval Middle East Medicinal Contributions

Medieval Middle Eastern Doctors started a lot of the techniques doctors use today.  Muslims created the worlds first hospitals for doctors to treat patients in.  Our doctors today still practice in hospitals.  Doctors would treat ailments through drugs, diet, and exercise similar to doctors today.  Medieval doctors had drugs to dull pain, clean wounds, heal wounds, and put you to sleep like common drugs doctors still use today.  An important discovery during this time by Al - Razi was that infectious diseases are caused by bacteria.  This helped doctors begin to diagnose and treat deadly diseases.

Medieval Middle East Mathematics Contributions

Something a mathematician uses today is algebra.  Algebra helped mathematicians find unknown numbers.  Algebra was created by an Arab named Al - Khwarizmi.  His book on algebra was used in schools all the way up to the 18th century.  Medieval Muslims created the number zero.  Mathematicians needed to know the concept of zero.  This helped them write larger numbers.  The number zero is still used in our daily life.

The Historical Relationship Between Islam, Judaism, and Christianity

Islam, Judaism, and Christianity are all monotheistic religions whose followers worship the same God.  Muhammad founded Islam,  Moses founded Judaism, and Jesus founded Christianity.  Judaism was the first monotheistic religion, then Christianity followed after.  Jesus was a Jew and the people who believed that Jesus was the son of God became the Christians.  Muhammad was the last prophet and created Islam.  Muhammad taught his followers that all people who worshiped one God are equal.  Abraham was the person who started the practice of monotheism.  All three of these religions developed from his idea.

The Importance of the Qur'an

The Qur'an is the holy book of the Muslims.  The poetic beauty of this book helped attract new believers to convert to Islam. The Qur'an tell the stories of Muhammad.

The Life and teachings of Muhammad

Muhammad was born in 570 C.E. in the city of Mekkah.  He was born into a humble family in the Hashim clan.  Before he was born, his father died, and when he was young his mother and grandfather died.  He then lived with his uncle and traveled around on merchant trips with him.  When he was old enough, he became a merchant of his own.  When he was 25 he married Khadijah, a widow.  In 610 C.E., Muhammad started to go to pray in a cave in the mountains.  This is where the angel Gabriel told Muhammad he was the messenger of God.  Muhammad then founded the Islamic religion.  Muhammad's wife was the first to convert to Islam. Islam is a monotheistic religion.  For 22 years, Muhammad received messages from God through the angel Gabriel.  Muhammad soon had a small group of followers called Muslims.  Muhammad began to preach Islam to the other Makkans.  People in his clan and other clans began to become followers.  The leaders of Mekkah did not agree with Muhammad and thought he was gaining too much power, so they started a boycott against Muhammad.  Because of the boycott many of the Muslims began to starve, and his wife died because of this.  After these hard times, Muhammad went on a journey known as The Night Journey to Jerusalem.  There he prayed with other prophets such as Jesus and moses, and then God took him up to Heaven.

Life in Arabia Before Muhammad

A group of families ruled the city of Makkah, a trading and religious center.  These families did not share any of their wealth with the poorer and weaker clans of the city.  The people of Makkah were polytheistic.  That means they worshiped more than one god.  They would worship a box that was created by Abraham for God. Instead of worshiping the one God, the Arabs stored many statues of gods in the box to worship them.  Many people who lived in the desert and farther away came to worship gods at Makkah.  Since there was no central government in Arabia, the Arabs would pledge their loyalty to a local tribe.