Understanding the Big Picture: 600 to 1500 CE

Classical Era

(600 BCE - 600 CE) A period of history that highlights enduring traditions that have lasted into modern times and persist in the 21st century.

Postclassical Era

(ca. 600 - ca. 1500 CE) The period of time between the end of the classical era and before the Renaissance. This period was characterized by the growth of new civilizations, religion, and communication throughout the world.

Timeline of the Fall of the Roman Empire: What Events Lead to the Collapse of Rome?

117: During the first century, the Roman Empire expanded to cover an incredible amount of space, from the British Isles to North Africa, from Spain to the Middle East. Oversight of this massive empire became problematic, leading to the eventual split of the empire into eastern and western halves. 285: Facing military threats on many sides, Emperor Diocletian divided the empire in half — into the Western Roman Empire and the Eastern Roman Empire. Diocletian appointed two equal emperors who frequently struggled for power over the empire. 330: In 300, Emperor Constantine I shifted the political center of the empire from Rome to Constantinople, which is in present-day Turkey. The Eastern Roman Empire came to be called the Byzantine Empire. 600: By 600, the borders of the Roman Empire, which had controlled parts of Europe, Asia, North Africa, and the Middle East during the classical era, had shrunk considerably. The Western Roman Empire held very little power at this point, marking the beginning of the postclassical era.

Which of these empires had control over a large portion of the former Roman Empire?

Byzantine Empire

How did government and religion interact to provide order and structure in medieval Europe?

Christianity united Europe's many kingdoms through a shared religion. Feudalism protected peasants from the chaos created from the political vacuum left after Rome's collapse.

In the Byzantine Empire, the religion that flourished was ___________, whereas in the Middle East a powerful empire was founded on the religion of _____________.

Christianity, Islam

Does the pattern of growth among civilizations in the classical and postclassical eras represent continuity or change over time?

Civilizations grew larger during the classical era. This pattern of growth continued during the postclassical era. This is a pattern of continuity.

Which of these factors had a direct influence on the spread of postclassical empires?

Expansion of transcontinental trade routes

How Did the Islamic Empire Influence the Postclassical World?

Islam played a central role in establishing a new, powerful civilization with roots in the Middle East. During the postclassical era, the Islamic Empire was at the center of revolutionary advances in science, art, and technology. While Europe experienced a decline in civilization, the Islamic world experienced a Golden Age.

Why does using the fall of the Western Roman Empire as the start date of the postclassical era reflect a bias?

It only recognizes the end of classical civilization in Western Europe and ignores other civilizations.

Compared with the size of civilizations from earlier periods, the empires of the period of 600 to 1500 were ____________.

Larger

The region of modern-day Mexico called __________________ was dominated by _________________by the second half of the 15th century.

Mesoamerica, The Aztec Empire

Which of these terms is often used to describe Europe during the postclassical period?

Middle Ages

What Defined the Political Systems of Postclassical Europe?

Military conflicts between European kingdoms were very threatening to the common people. As a result, new political systems developed. Instead of working on their own land, peasants swore loyalty to wealthy lords and farmed land for them. In exchange, wealthy landowners provided military protection for the peasants. This political system, called feudalism, defined life in Europe throughout the postclassical era.

Genghis Khan, the leader of the __________________, conquered much of ______________ during the 13th century.

Mongols, Asia

How Did Postclassical Civilizations Compare in Size?

Persian Empire Approximate Year of Largest Size: 500 BCE Roman Empire Approximate Year of Largest Size: 100 CE Islamic Empire Approximate Year of Largest Size: 750 CE Song dynasty Approximate Year of Largest Size: 1000 CE Mongol Empire Approximate Year of Largest Size: 1250 CE Inca Empire Approximate Year of Largest Size: 1500 CE

Most historians identify the years between 600 and 1500 as the _________________________________.

Postclassical Era

The western highlands and coastal areas of ___________________ were dominated by ____________________.

South America, The Inca Empire

What Other Empires, besides the Islamic Empire, Flourished During the Postclassical Era?

The Islamic Empire was not the only civilization to flourish in Eurasia during the postclassical era. Another group, the Mongols, built a massive empire that stretched from China to Eastern Europe. The descendants of classical era African, Mesoamerican, and South American civilizations also developed and flourished during this period.

Why Is The Fall of the Western Roman Empire Significant in World History?

The Western Roman Empire's collapse ended the dominance of a classical era culture that had spread across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. After it fell, cultures from the east, including the religion of Islam, began to fill the cultural void it left behind.

How Did Christianity Grow and Change in the Postclassical Era?

The collapse of the Roman Empire led to widespread instability in its former territories. Without Rome to serve as a unifying force for people living in Europe, the religion of Christianity became the new stabilizing force. Christianity had become the state religion of the Roman Empire in 380, but Christian traditions split along with the Roman Empire. In the east, the Eastern Orthodox Church emerged as the dominant cultural leader. In Western Europe, the Roman Catholic Church provided political organization and spiritual guidance to its followers. Despite having their origins in the Roman Empire, these two branches of Christianity gradually developed unique characteristics that often put them at odds with each other.

Which of these statements accurately describes the difference between the classical and postclassical periods?

The postclassical period saw empires control larger territories than during the classical period.

What do you think might happen when a powerful empire loses influence over a territory?

The territory's native culture might see a reemergence after the fall of an occupying empire. New foreign cultures might also see more influence in the area.

The powerful African kingdoms and empires that rose to power during the postclassical era depended on ________________ to accumulate great wealth.

Trade

Economic, Cultural, and Political Developments in the Postclassical Era

Trade expanded: Regional trade routes grew into networks that crossed continents. Cultures interacted: Trade, conquest, and the movement of people linked civilizations that were more distant from one another than civilizations of the classical era. Political systems grew: Empires expanded to cover more territory than ever before.