Seventh Grade History Review Or, “What You Should Have Learned Last Year”

The Fall of the Roman Empire Rome grew too large, could not effectively manage an empire of its size Ultimately fell to invading Germanic tribes in the year 476 Clovis, ruler of the Franks, would be the first to unite Gaul following the fall of the Empire

Islam Muhammad discovers a Mecca that is dedicated to the worship of multiple gods and unites the Arabs under one God Arabia is an important stop on the trade routes between Asia and Europe Christians and Jews considered “People of the Book” Muslim scholars contribute much to math, medicine, geography, history

Medieval China Great seagoing vessels, technological progress Invention of gunpowder, the compass, and printing Tang and Song Dynasties establish modern Chinese society Irrigation systems and canals support agriculture, especially rice production Under Mongol rule, China experiences great trade and cultural exchange

Medieval China By the 1400s, though, things changed The massive bureaucracy developed in China restrained progress Unable to control the unbelievable growth in commerce, the Chinese bureaucracy decided to simply end it in 1433 Confucian ideals were used to justify the restraint of the merchant class

Ghana, Mali, and Songhai Sub-Saharan Africa is important for its location along trade routes Ghana and Mali become powerful empires by controlling the gold-salt trade Mali becomes a world power after converting to Islam; Timbuktu becomes a major world center

Medieval Japan Many ideas borrowed from nearby China Japan’s isolation fostered political independence Buddhism becomes major religion of Japan Many gifted female authors in Japan; Tale of Genji considered a classic of world literature Medieval society: shogun, daimyo, samurai

Medieval Europe The Church influenced every aspect of life in Medieval Europe St. Francis of Assisi The Crusades Feudalism as an economic and political system Epic poetry such as Beowulf Persecution of the Jewish minority in Europe; Spanish Inquisition

Meso-America and the Andes Maize agriculture helps Mesoamerica to flourish Mayans reached their peak around 500 AD; Incas reach their peak around 1300 AD; Aztecs reach peak around 1500 AD Mayan achievements: architecture, calendar, pictographs, astronomy Incas: engineering, administration Aztecs: massive temples, Aztec calendar

The Renaissance, Reformation, Sci Rev What does the Renaissance mean? Renaissance art and literature Abuses and accusations of the Church People break away from the Catholic Church The split between Germanic Europe and Latin Europe Scientific Revolution: Galileo, Kepler, Newton Telescope, microscope, thermometer, barometer, and printing press

Exploration, Enlightenment, Age of Reason Exploration Magna Carta English Bill of Rights and the Glorious Revolution, 1688 John Locke American Declaration of Independence