Social Studies “Top Secret Mission” Nicole Period 8

Table of Contents The Byzantine Empire Islamic Civilizations

The Byzantine Empire Emperor Justinian was a strong leader of the Byzantine Empire. Justinian proved to be a good emperor because he controlled the military, made laws, was supreme judge, and his order could not be questioned. He wanted to reunite the Roman Empire. One of his greatest accomplishments was reforming the Byzantine Empire’s law code. Justinian’s wife, Theodora, helped rule the empire.Justinian The Byzantine Empire was the center of trade between Europe and Asia because many different cultures passed through. Even though most citizens of the empire were not merchants, the trade had made the empire rich. Around the year 550 A.D., a major industry of silk weaving had developed. Byzantine travelers smuggled silk worms from China into the empire. They would raise the silk worms so they could produce silk. Constantinople was known for its many churches and palaces. Mosaics were an important part of art. The religion of the Byzantine Empire was Eastern Orthodox, a form of Christianity. The emperor was considered a representation of Jesus on Earth, and icons were very important to the church because they were said to explain Christianity and to represent God’s presence.Mosaics Family was the center of social life in the Byzantine Empire. Women were not encouraged to lead independent lives; they were expected to stay home and take care of their families. Learning was highly respected. Subjects, such as religion, were studied in the schools. Many authors wrote about religion, stressing the need to obey God and to save one’s soul. Table of Contents

Islamic Civilizations Muhammad was accepted as God’s prophet and ruler of Madinah. Islam began when he went to the hills to pray. He was visited by an angel and was told to preach Islam, which means “surrendering to the will of Allah.” Wealthy merchants and religious leaders did not like Muhammad’s message because they thought he was trying to take away their power. Muslims write down the messages that Muhammad brought in a book called the Quran. This book tells the Muslims teachings. They are told that lying, stealing, and murder are forbidden. Many of the rules apply to a Muslim’s daily life. A law code was created to explain how a society should be run. It covers all areas of daily life. Islam was spread by preaching, trading, and through building the Islamic Empire. The Muslim religion was split into two parts after Muhammad’s death: Shiites and Sunnis. The Umayyad dynasty was accepted by the Sunnis. The Abbasid dynasty eventually overthrew the Umayyad. Social groups were based on power and wealth. Government leaders, landowners, and traders were at the top, followed by the artisans, farmers, and workers, and enslaved people were at the bottom. Arabic was the common language. Muslims made advancements in mathematics and science. They invented algebra, and doctors discovered that blood circulates. Scientists also realized that the Earth was round.

Justinian Emperor Justinian ruled the Byzantine Empire from 527 A.D. to 565 A.D. He was a strong ruler because accomplished many things. He also controlled the military, made laws, was supreme judge, and his order could not be questioned. One of his greatest accomplishments was reforming the Byzantine law code. To reform the law code, Justinian ordered a group of legal scholars, headed by Tribonian, to reform the code. The new code became known as the Justinian Code. This code influenced many pf the laws in the surrounding areas. The Justinian Code allowed officials, businesspeople, and individuals to easily understand more of the code. Another one of Justinian’s accomplishments was attempting to reunite the Roman Empire. He hired a general named Belisarius to lead the army. This resulted in most of Italy and northern Africa being conquered, as well as defeating the Persians in the east. Justinian considered his wife, Theodora, as his intellectual equal. He often asked for her advice and she helped him choose government officials. She convinced him to give women more rights; now, Byzantium women could own land. Theodora was a former actress and she was very intelligent and strong-willed.

Mosaics Mosaics were a big part of art in the Byzantine Empire. Unlike the Roman mosaics, which were natural-colored marble pieces, Byzantium mosaics were beautifully colored, irregularly shaped pieces of glass. They were used to decorate the ceilings, domes, and floors of Byzantine churches. The mosaics were created to respect religious or political figures. The images of the mosaics usually showed saints. Mosaics were expensive and they were paid for by the emperors, state officials, or church leaders. Inside churches, monasteries, and museums, many mosaics can still be seen. Many mosaics were placed on the centers of domes. The dome is the highest part of the church. The mosaics that were placed on the domes often had images of Jesus. Because Byzantine’s mosaics commonly showed images of saints, which are Christian holy people, Mary and Jesus were commonly used in the Byzantine mosaics.