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Colonial America Part 2. Europeans Begin to Explore the World. From about the 5 th century B. C. Until the late 400s A. D., the Roman Empire ruled much of Europe, the Mediterranean Sea, North Africa, and the Middle East. The Roman empire.
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Colonial AmericaPart 2 Europeans Begin to Explore the World
From about the 5th century B. C. Until the late 400s A. D., the Roman Empire ruled much of Europe, the Mediterranean Sea, North Africa, and the Middle East. The Roman empire
The Empire eventually split in two, with the Eastern part lasting another 1,000 years.
The empire eventually collapsed after internal strife, and invasions from outside forces such as Northern Germanic tribes. The invaders eventually destroyed many of the Roman trade routes, and Europe broke up into many small kingdoms. With no trade, people stopped using money, and began to pay for things by using things like animals and produce. Other invaders, such as the Vikings also disrupted life in Europe.
Feudalism and the Manor System • To survive tough times, people turned to an idea called FEUDALISM. • It is a political system in which a king allows people called NOBLES or LORDS to use land they own in return for military service. • The MANOR SYSTEM also developed. With this system, lords divided their land into manors or large estates farmed mostly by SERFSwho were landless peasants who the lord promised to protect. Large castles were built for protection.
The Catholic Church The Roman Catholic Church also gained power during uncertain times. The church filled roles such as collecting taxes, aiding the sick, and punishing criminals. It became a powerful, unifying force throughout Europe.
By the 1000s, feudalism had created a more stable society. Merchants eventually felt safe to travel, more food was raised, and the population began to grow. Old trade routes opened up, as more and more people produced goods, and wanted to buy goods from far away places. Money came back into use, and a new middle class of people developed.
Contact With the East Trade not only increased throughout Europe, but spread toward the East. Italian cities especially gained from this trade because of their location on the Mediterranean Sea. Religious wars known as THE CRUSADES also introduced new goods to European people. The Crusades were religious holy wars fought between Christians and Muslims for control of the Holy Land and the city of Jerusalem.
During and after the Crusades were over, Europeans were exposed to new goods, which were brought home with them. Clothing made from silk and cotton was introduced. New food items like oranges, lemons, dates, etc. were introduced. Spices such as pepper and cinnamon, livened up the food Europeans were eating. The desire for products like these and many others, directly led to Europeans traveling and trading more often.
Marco Polo and Family Italian traders often brought products from the east. One of the most famous was a trader from Venice named Marco Polo. His father and uncle journeyed throughout Asia leaving before Marco was actually born. They returned when Marco was about 15. At age 17, Marco, his father, and uncle embarked on a remarkable journey that lasted 24 years. It is estimated they traveled about 15,000 miles.
On the journey, they saw incredible things, and learned about Asian culture. When Marco Polo returned, he found Venice at war with another Italian city, Genoa. While imprisoned for a few months, he dictated his memories to a cell mate. Later, a book containing some of his memories was written. His tales of the riches of the east inspired and excited many Europeans.
Before becoming a united country, Italy was broken up into several city-states. Venice and Genoa were bitter rivals who wanted to control trade in the Mediterranean.
Both Venice and Genoa had established extensive trade networks.
The Decline of Feudalism The growth of trade and towns weakened feudalism as many serfs left the farms and moved to towns to work. A deadly plague known as the “Black Death” that started in 1347, killed about 1/3 of the population, reducing the number of workers. Kings eventually grew to be stronger, and as countries became safer, trade grew.
The Renaissance • After going through the decline of feudalism, and suffering from the Plague, Europeans began to question what life meant. Many people turned to the past for answers. • In the 1300s Europe went through the RENAISSANCE or rebirth of learning and the arts. • The influence of Greek and Roman culture came back. • Writers described human feelings, artists created lifelike paintings and sculptures, and architects designed nonreligious buildings.
The Renaissance started in Italy, and occurred from the 1300s – 1600s.
The Reformation • For nearly a thousand years, the Catholic church had dominated life. • After the invention of the printing press, books became more widely available, and new ideas began to spread. • Some people began to question the power and authority of the Church, and wanted to “reform” it. • Protests against the church, led to PROTESTANT churches beginning to flourish in parts of Europe.
Martin Luther and his 95 Theses, or questions for the Church.
Changes in Trade As the Renaissance continued, Italian trade boomed. Because they had been trading with Muslims in the Middle East for centuries, they had a special relationship. The Italians used military strength to protect their interests on the Mediterranean, and worked to block other Europeans from trading. Many were jealous of Italy’s wealth, and began to look for other ways to get to Asia.
