Who's That Fella?
In the year 1492, this Italian sailed the ocean blue
Who is Christopher Columbus?
It's hard to fight back against the Spanish conquistadors when this tiny but mighty disease kills an estimated 90% of the population.
What is smallpox?
Meaning "the way," this universal guiding force is best followed by living in harmony with nature and going with the flow of life
The desire to destroy "heresy and witchcraft" were the primary stated reasons for this continued violent campaign against religious minorities and political rivals
What is the inquisition?
This chain of mountains provided a defensible location to build the Inca Empire and help defend from local threats.
What are the Andes Mountains?
The world didn't revolve around this French king, but his nickname certainly implies that it did
Who is Louis XIV/The Sun King?
This religious leader was able to gather a massive army through promises of salvation for those who fought for control of Jerusalem
Who is the pope? (Pope Urban II)
Martin Luther had 95 reasons to be upset with the Catholic Church, especially the sale of these that helped sinners pay their way to Heaven.
What are indulgences?
These three dominant civilizations earned an explosive nickname through their superior military technology and successful conquests in the Middle East, India, and around the Mediterranean Sea.
What are Gunpowder Empires?
This harsh landscape was used by the Mali Empire for critical trade routes where salt and gold were exchanged in Northern Africa
What is the Sahara Desert?
This Aztec emperor should have made Hernan Cortes an addition to his latest skull tower, but he believed the Spanish visitor to be a messenger from a god.
Who is Montezuma II?
Fear of becoming the next addition in a skull fence or tower kept this Mesoamerican empire in power and able to demand tribute from their conquered people.
Who are the Aztecs?
This group lands at the top of the caste system and includes occupations such as priests and teachers.
What are Brahman?
Under threat of civil war, unpopular King John signed this document in 1215 which limited his power over his subjects
What are monsoons?
This man's a lot less famous than his son-in-law Muhammed, but he did get to become the first caliph after the prophet's passing.
Who is Abu Bakr?
Belief that the emperor had approval from the divine helped keep dynasties on the imperial throne, but this approval could be questioned if natural disasters or other struggles started to affect their subjects.
What is the Mandate of Heaven?
This isn't just any kind of agreement, but a more serious pact between two parties that sometimes includes pacts between God and his followers.
What is a covenant?
This Italian thinker was persecuted by the Catholic Church for seventeen years and was finally placed under house arrest for his assertion of heliocentric theory
Who is Galileo Galilei?
These two fresh waterways created the ideal conditions for early settlements in what would eventually become modern China.
What are the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers?
After witnessing human suffering for the first time in his princely life, this man meditated under a tree until he became the first Buddha.
Who is Siddhartha Gautama?
This man believed that the power of the government was freely given by its subjects and could be revoked if such power was used to threaten natural rights
Who is John Locke?
Whether or not this man should have been the next caliph created the schism between Sunni and Shia Muslims which persists today.
Who is Ali?
These two Byzantine rulers were generally liked by their people, but the Empress was accused by a former advisor to the Emperor of having an affair with a swan
Who are Justinian and Theodora?
These man-made floating islands were used to farm crops efficiently on fresh bodies of water and were essential to feeding a massive urban population living in a city constructed on swampland.
What are Chinampas?