1. Old World Geography (The study of the land’s surface and it’s climate
There are many natural boundaries in the Old World (mountains, deserts, bodies of water).
Conquering armies needed to be close to supplies of water and food so they avoided places where they couldn’t survive.

2. Ports to dock their ships (Trade Centers=$$)
Conquerors wanted:
Fertile land
Fresh water
Ports to dock their ships (Trade Centers=$$)
Control of the Seas
( Trade Routes)
Control of the Rivers
(Traders and armies always
stay close to the supply of
fresh water AND
boats carry more than
horses or camels.)

3. We need to think like Medieval Traders and Conquerors.
Economic Facts: (Economic- How they traded and how they got and spent their $$$.)
Those who control the trade get the most power and money.
They don’t give up this economic superiority easily. (They will fight over it.)
Think of medieval trade routes like the internet. Trade routes were the only way to transfer information from area to area. ( Info: Religion, new technology.)

4. We need to quickly look at the fall of one empire and the rise of another.
Romans Islamic Empire 700 BC- 476 AD 632 AD- 1500s Think of the Mediterranean Sea as the hole in a donut!

5. A Political and Religious Timeline:
Both the Romans and the Islamic leaders (Caliphs) controlled the area around the Mediterranean sea.
Roman Empire Islamic Empire Key
Christianity Begins
Islam Begins
Barbarian Invasions
312
509
Islam->West Africa
< 
1000 I I I I I I I
BCE CE

6. Rome Had A Strong Military BUT THE BARBARIANS CAME IN FOR YEARS AND YEARS. (Page 476)

7. No empire can maintain a strong military for that long without hurting the empire economically.

8. At the same time Rome had all kinds of political problems.
Political: Things that relate to the getting and keeping of power.
They can disagree over territory (borders) or over who should become the next leader. Anything that has to do with the government is put under the category of Political.

9. In the beginning Rome was run by kings. 753 BC (They were a monarchy).
Monarchy: a land ruled by one man.
They can be called Kings
Emperors
Dictators
Monarchs
Caliphs (Islam)

10. 509 BC
They overthrew the kings and began to elect people to represent them. (The Republic)
It was not a perfect system but there was an orderly way to vote leaders in and out of office.
The
Roman
Senate

11. Then came along a head strong guy named Julius Caesar
Then came along a head strong guy named Julius Caesar. He went up and conquered Gaul.

12. The people loved him and let him declare himself dictator for life.

13. His nephew Augustus ruled for a very long time
His nephew Augustus ruled for a very long time . He was an efficient ruler so having a monarch seemed to work.

14. After that, his relatives inherited the right to rule
After that, his relatives inherited the right to rule. Eventually, his last relative committed suicide.(Nero was absolutely crazy.)

15. Different generals/leaders fought to be emperor
Different generals/leaders fought to be emperor. The armies were loyal to their generals. So , one general would wage war against another.(Civil War)

16. Once in awhile, they would get a wiser emperor
Once in awhile, they would get a wiser emperor. There were two emperors in the 300’s who made decisions that kept the Roman ways alive.
Diocletian Constantine

17. Diocletian (293) saw that the empire was too big for one person to run on his own.
He split it in two.
They called it the Western Empire and the Eastern Empire.

18. Constantine saw that A city called Byzantium had a lot of great features: 1. The city was located on a peninsula on the European side of the Bosporus Strait. 2.This made it a perfect trade center for things passing from Asia to Europe.

19. It had natural boundaries to help protect it from invasion
It had natural boundaries to help protect it from invasion. He renamed it “Constantinople”.

20. By the middle of the 300’s Roman power was shifted from Rome to to the East (Constantinople).

21. And most importantly, Constantine declared that Christianity was the official religion of the Roman Empire. This kept the religion alive as the barbarians (Goths)moved in! Only the Eastern portion remained.

22. A Political and Religious Timeline:
Both the Romans and the Islamic leaders (Caliphs) controlled the area around the Mediterranean sea.
Roman Empire Islamic Empire Key
Christianity Begins
Islam Begins
Barbarian Invasions
312
509
Islam->West Africa
< 
1000 I I I I I I I
BCE CE