Unit 3
Rising out of the ashes of the Black Death and the turmoil of the middle ages Europe sought a long forgotten connection to the classical age that would ultimately give rise to the Renaissance. This rebirth of classical Greek and Roman culture began in Italy and swept north bringing changes in art, literature, politics, society, as well as economic growth. By the early 1500s another burgeoning reformation was about to occur in the Holy Roman Empire centered around a single monk named Martin Luther. Across Asia new empires emerged in the wake of the Mongol retreat. In the Middle East the Ottoman and Safavid empires built Islamic states. In South Asia the Mughals built an Islamic empire that encompassed most of the Indian subcontinent. These three new Islamic states would become known as the Gunpowder Empires. In China a new dynasty, the Ming, arose to defeat the Mongol occupiers. The Ming dynasty would transform China into a global power that was able to extend its influence far beyond its own borders. This period in history witnessed many changes that would come to shape the modern world.
Lecture/Notes (PowerPoints) |
Unit Handouts |