Most common empires and famous dudes

1. Most common empires and famous dudes

2. Paleolithic Age=Old Stone Age • People migrate • Nomads who move from place to place • Invent stone tools and oral language • Discover fire

3. Neolithic Age=New Stone Age • Discover agriculture (farming) and domestication (taming animals) • ALLOWS PEOPLE TO SETTLE INTO VILLAGES

4. Sumerian Civilization • 1st civilization • City-states in Mesopotamia • First written code of laws, first organized religion, first organized governments, first empires • First writing- called cuneiform

5. Egyptian Civilization • Nile River • Pyramids, pharaohs (kings) • Influenced by Kush, a kingdom to the south • Hieroglyphics

6. Indus Civilization • Indus River in India • Highly organized, built perfectly planned cities with sewer and water systems • Invaded by Indo-Aryan people

7. Indo-Aryans • Invaded India • Introduced caste system, a social class system that prevents people from increasing their class

8. Chinese Civilization • First on Yellow, then Yangtze River • Created dynasties- kings whose power is based on birth

9. Mauryan Empire • Indian empire • Most famous emperor was Asoka, who converted to Buddhism and worked to spread Buddhism

10. Gupta Empire • “Golden Age” of India • Advances in math, literature, astronomy

11. Hebrew civilization • Abraham father of Judaism • First Monotheistic religion • Moses & Ten Commandments- set of moral laws

12. Phoenicians • Best traders of the ancient world • Trading empire throughout Mediterranean region • Invented the alphabet

13. Persian Empire • Created by Cyrus I • Showed conquered people tolerance • Built roads, esp the Royal Road to help communicate with empire, good for moving armies too • Practice Zoroastrianism religion

14. Greek Civilization • Small city-states develop because they are separated from each other by water and mountains • Athens develops direct democracy (people vote directly on laws) • Athens contributions to “Western” civilization (European) include art, architecture (Parthenon), philosophy, literature (Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey) • Sparta has a militaristic culture

15. Alexander the Great’s Empire • A group of Greek-like people called Macedonians invade Greece under king Philip II • His son, Alexander takes over when Philip dies and builds a huge empire in Europe, Africa, and Asia • Greek culture mixes with Egyptian, Persian, and Indian culture to form Hellenistic Culture

16. Roman Republic • Rome develops a republic, or indirect democracy (people vote for people to vote on laws) • Goes to war with Carthage over control of Western Mediterranean during Punic Wars • Rome wins, builds an empire

17. Roman Empire • Toward end of republic, a general named Julius Caesar takes over Rome and tries to become king, he’s assassinated • His adopted son Augustus avenges him and becomes Rome’s first emperor • This beings 200 years of peace and prosperity called Pax Romana

18. Fall of Rome • Eventually Roman Empire gets too big to defend and control • Germanic people like Attila the Hun invade and eventually conquer the western half of the Roman Empire • Eastern half of empire continues as Byzantine Empire

19. Byzantine Empire • Capital city Constantinople • Protected on 3 sides by water and by massive walls on the other side • Justinian I most powerful emperor • Conquers much of Roman Empire • Creates code of laws called Justinian’s Code (Justice) • Builds Hagia Sophia (big church)

20. Charlemagne’s Empire • Western Europe began Middle Ages after fall of Roman Empire, lots of tiny kingdoms always fighting each other • Charlemagne, a Frankish (French) king, conquers many of these and builds a new empire • He tries to revive (recreate) the Roman Empire (fail) • Allies with the Catholic church and builds schools

21. Muslim Empires • After Muhammad died, Islam expanded rapidly • Under Umayyad Caliphate, conquers central Asia, northern Africa, and Spain. Almost conquered Europe, but stopped by Charles Martel at Battle of Tours • Baghdad becomes capital • Important city for learning (they invent algebra, and preserve Greek/Roman learning)

22. Ghana, Mali, Songhai • West African kingdoms • Animist religions and Islam • Timbuktu an important trade and cultural city • Depend on gold-salt trade

23. Aksum • Christian kingdom • Depended on trade

24. Maya, Aztec, Inca • All polytheistic • All depend on agriculture • Inca build road system to help communicate with empire

25. England • After fall of Roman Empire, England conquered by Anglo-Saxons (Anglo=English) • Then conquered by William the Conqueror and Normans

26. France • After Charlemagne, ruled by Hugh Capet and Capetian Dynasty • Fights England during the 100 Years War • French peasant girl named Joan of Arc rallies French troops and defeat the Brits. • French become nationalistic

27. Spain • Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand unite Spain by kicking out the Moors (Muslims) and Jews

28. Mongol Empire • Ghengis Kahn builds biggest empire ever • Russia, China, Central Asia

29. Russia • Ivan the Great kicks out Mongols • Becomes the first czar • Russia becomes a free country

30. Hammurabi • Sumerian dude • Invented first written code of laws • Very harsh punishments, but kept society in order

31. Abraham • Founder of Judaism, the world’s first monotheistic religion

32. Moses • Jewish dude who led Jews out of slavery in Egypt • God sent him the 10 Commandments, a set of social and religious laws

33. Buddha (Prince Siddhartha Guatama) • Founder of Buddhism • Taught that enlightenment (state of perfect understanding) is possible • People should follow Eightfold Path and Four Noble Truths

34. Confucius • Chinese founder of Confucianism who taught that society should be more ordered • Respect for elders, teachers, rulers

35. Shi Huangdi • Brutal Chinese emperor who unified China • Built the Great Wall of China

36. Pericles • Greek dude from Athens who expanded democracy in Athens • “Golden Age of Pericles” – a highpoint of Greek cultural achievement (built the Parthenon for example)

37. Plato, Socrates, Aristotle • Greek philosophers

38. Julius Caesar • Roman general who overthrew the Roman Republic • Assassinated by Roman Senate

39. Augustus Caesar • 1st Roman Emperor • Began period of Pax Romana- 200 years of peace and prosperity in the Roman Empire

40. Jesus of Nazarath • Founder of Christianity • Taught about a personal relationship with God through prayer and good deeds

41. Apostles Peter and Paul • Early Christians • Peter was the founder of the Church • Paul spread Christianity through the Roman Empire

42. Constantine • Roman Emperor toward the end of the Roman Republic • Legalized Christianity in the Roman Empire • Converted to Christianity on his death bed

43. Justinian • Byzantine Emperor during high point • Reconquered Roman Empire, built Hagia Sophia, created Justinian’s Code of Laws

44. Cyril and Methodius • Byzantine missionaries who created alphabet for Slavic people to read bible • Called Cyrillic alphabet after Cyril

45. Muhammad • Arabian founder of Islam from Mecca

46. Charles Martel • Frankish (French) dude who defeated Muslim invasion at the Battle of Tours • Saved Christian Europe from being conquered by Muslims

47. Charlemagne • Frankish king (grandson of Charles Martel) who conquered much of Western Europe and revived the idea of the Roman Empire • Also opened schools

48. William the Conqueror • Norman (French & Viking) guy who conquered England and centralized the king’s power

49. Joan of Arc • French girl who rallied the French to defeat the English during the 100 Years War

50. Isabella and Ferdinand • Spanish queen and king who kicked the Muslim Moors and Jews out of Spain