What is an Empire? One or more countries or different cultures under the control of a single authority or a more powerful country.

Songhai Empire (at its height) Location: West Africa Religion: Islam Famous city: Timbuktu, major trade center for gold and salt. Timbuktu was also a center for learning. Contributions/inventions/innovations: In the city of Timbuktu, the Songhai built an international university. Established gold and salt trade in west Africa. Famous leaders: Sonni Ali and Askia the Great

Mughal Empire (at its height) Location: India Religion: Islam, but toleration for other religions Famous city: Agra Contributions/inventions/innovations: The Taj Mahal Religious Tolerance Famous leaders: Akbar and Shah Jehan Taj Mahal:

Ottoman Empire Location: Turkey and most land surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. Religion: Islam Famous city: Istanbul Contributions/inventio ns/innovations: Legal code, Islamic art and architecture. Exported coffee, ceramics, and textiles. Famous leaders: Suleyman the Magnificent

Safavid Empire Location: Iran (ancient Persia) and other parts of central Asia. Religion: Islam (Shi’a) Famous city: Istafahan Contributions/inventions/ innovations: Leaders of the Safavid Empire were known as Shahs. Textiles (Persian carpet) Famous leader: Shah Abbas I

Ming Dynasty Location: China Religion: Buddhist Famous city: Nanjing and Beijing Contributions/inventions /innovations: Great Wall was redesigned, the novel, porcelain, and dictionary. Famous leaders: Hong-wu Answer the following questions as you watch China Revealed: The Great Wall. Why did the Chinese build the Great Wall? What is the status of the Wall today? wall.html

Tokugawa Location: Present day Japan Religion: Buddhism Confucianism, Daoism, Shinto Famous city: Edo (Kyoto & Osaka) Contributions/inventions/innovations: “Great Peace”, Closed Country Policy, expelled missionaries, expelled all trade (except Dutch-once per year) unified Japan, ceramics Famous Leader: Shogun Ieyasu Tokugawa As you watch Unsolved Histories: Ninjas and Shoguns, explain how Shogun Tokugawa used the ninjas and what he was able to accomplish as a result.

Maya Empire 300 c.e- 900 c.e Location: Yucatan Peninsula (parts of Mexico and Guatemala) Religion: polytheistic, sacrifices performed Famous city: Tikal and Chichen Itza (location of the famous ball court) Contributions/inventions/innovations: calendar, ball court, writing system based on hieroglyphics The Mayan Empire mysteriously disappeared. Could have been caused by a natural disaster, but historians are still not sure. Maya: Messages in Stone Chichen Itza:

Aztec Empire Location: Mexico Religion: polytheistic, sacrifices performed Famous city: Tenochtitlan, built on an island in the center of Lake Texcoco (Mexico City is located on this spot today) Contributions/inventions/innovations: floating gardens, calendar The Aztec Empire was invaded by the Spanish conquistador, Hernan Cortez in Tenochtitlan: Aztec City

Inca Empire Location: Andes Mountains of western South America Religion: polytheistic, sacrifices performed Famous city: Cuzco, Machu Picchu Contributions/inventions/innovations: Quipu (knotted system of keeping records), large road system, surgery, bridges. The Inca Empire was invaded by the Spanish conquistador, Francisco Pizarro. Peru: Kingdom in the Clouds