Middle Ages 500-1350

The Middle Ages (500-1350 is sometimes called The Dark Ages. Life was stagnant, unchanged for hundreds of years with few

technological advances.

Growth of Islam

Historians proclaim Islam starts in Medina, Saudi Arabia in 622 by The Prophet Mohammed.

Conquest of Jerusalem

As the religion spread, Muslims conquered lands across Africa and the Middle East, which included Jerusalem, a holy city for

the Christians.

Christian Reaction

In 1095, Pope Urban II called on Christians to re-capture the Holy Land

The Crusades

Thousands of men from across Europe answered the call of Urban II. Their attempts to re-capture the Holy Land became

known as The Crusades.

Returning Crusaders

Returning Crusaders brought with them goods that Europeans were unaware of. Fine silks, bright colors, and spices to greatly

enhance and preserve food.

Creating a Demand & Monopoly

Europeans liked what the crusaders brought back and it created a demand for products.

Merchants from Venice, Italy had a monopoly with the

Middle East traders.

All-Water Route to Asia

The demand for far eastern goods and the Venetian’s monopoly on trade, forced European nations to send explorers out seeking

an all-water route to Asia.

Portuguese Explorations

Prince Henry, named “The Navigator”, founded a school

for navigation.

Bartholomew Dias sailed to the tip of Africa in 1787 and Vasco da Gama became the first European to sail to the far east reaching India in 1498.

Spanish Explorers

In 1492 Christopher Columbus sailed on the first of four

voyages to the western hemisphere. He spotted land

on October 12.

Ferdinand Magellan became the first to

circumnavigate the earth.

French Explorers

Jacques Cartier discovered the St. Lawrence river in 1534 which led to explorations by

Champlain, LaSalle, Marquette, and Joliet.

Their explorations focus on the Great Lakes and Ohio country.

British Explorations

John Cabot, an Italian, was hired by the British in 1497. He journeys took him to what

is today Newfoundland.

Henry Hudson later followed exploring North America

looking for “The Northwest Passage”.

Land Claims/Establishing Colonies

British claims & colonies. French claims & colonies.

British/French RivalryBoth sides wanted control of North America for the vast unknown wealth that existed. From 1689 to

1814 Great Britain fought a series of wars to determine who would control Europe and North America.