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 Rivalry
Both 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.