Brief History of Western Civilization World Lit II

Classical Age: Ancient Greece Ø 1200 BC-300 BC: l Ø from Kings, to Democracies, to Emperors The Height: Alexander the Great (336 BC 323 BC): l l l Founding of Alexandria and burning of Persepolis Campaign as far as India Rules as a divine, absolute monarch

Classical Age – the Roman Empire Ø 500 BC – 500 AD: l Ø from Kings, to Republics, to Emperors The Height: Emperor Trajan (53 AD-117 AD) l From Brittania to Aegyptus Ø Christianized under Emperor Constantine the Great (272 -337 AD)

Map of the Roman Empire at the Death of the Justinian I

The Middle Ages: Fall of the Roman Empire, Rise of the Roman Catholic Church Ø 500 AD-1500 AD Roman Empire split between East (Byzantine Greek Orthodox) and West (Roman Catholic) beginning 500 AD, officially by 1100 AD. Ø Western part mostly divided into little Christianized kingdoms, with allegiance to Roman Catholic Church. (Exception: Spain conquered by Muslim Moors through Africa, around 800 AD). Ø 1 st crusade (ordered by Pope Urban) to take back Holy Land from the Muslims, 1095 AD. Ø 800 -early 1490’s: Muslim rule of Spain; ends with the “Reconquista”, which also supported Christopher Columbus’ exploration to the New World. Ø

Renaissance and Reformation 1500 s AD-1600 s AD Ø Rediscovering Ancient Greek and Roman science Ø Rising Protestantism, weakening of Roman Church. Ø Rising “democratic” principles. Ø

Enlightenment, Romanticism, and Empire: 1600 -1800 s Increased exploration leads to nationalism, colonialism, and capitalism. Ø Rise of technology, science, individualism, “progress. ” Ø Revolutions leading to more “democratic” forms of government – examples: French republic, British constitutional monarch Ø

The British Empire: Ø Early 1700 s-Early 1900 s

Map of Europe: 1797

Map of Europe: 1900

Modernism & Post-Modernism: The 20 th & early 21 st Centuries Ø Things Fall Apart & Then Come Together l l l World War I 1914 -1918 World War II 1939 -1945 Official end of Empire (1945 -1970): independence, postcolonialism & its aftermath Cold War 1945 -1991 Globalization & World Markets 9/11/2001 & aftermath