The Ancient World
This region is often called the “Cradle of Civilization” and includes Sumer, Akkad, Babylon, and Assyria.
What is Mesopotamia / The Ancient Near East?
This Frankish ruler was crowned Emperor of the Romans in 800 CE, reviving the idea of a Christian empire.
Who was Charlemagne?
This intellectual movement emphasized classical learning, grammar, rhetoric, and moral philosophy.
What is Humanism?
This German monk sparked the Protestant Reformation with his 95 Theses in 1517.
Who was Martin Luther?
This Spanish monarch sent the Armada to invade England in 1588 but failed.
Who was Philip II?
This Babylonian king is famous for one of the world’s first written law codes.
Who was Hammurabi?
These military expeditions sought to reclaim the Holy Land from Muslim control between 1096–1291 CE.
What were the Crusades?
This artist painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and sculpted David and the Pietà.
Who was Michelangelo?
This belief central to Calvinism taught that God had already chosen who would be saved.
What is predestination?
This war between England and France (1337–1453) introduced the use of longbows and cannons.
What was the Hundred Years’ War?
This city-state was known for its militarism, while its rival was known for democracy and philosophy.
What are Sparta and Athens?
These structures served as centers of learning and prayer, housing monks and nuns under strict rules.
What are monasteries (or convents)?
This Portuguese explorer rounded the Cape of Good Hope, paving the way for sea trade with India.
Who was Vasco da Gama?
This English king broke from the Catholic Church to form the Anglican Church.
Who was Henry VIII?
This French king was known as the “Sun King” and built the palace of Versailles.
Who was Louis XIV?
This Roman period (27 BCE–180 CE) is remembered for peace, prosperity, and stability across the empire.
What is the Pax Romana?
This 14th-century catastrophe killed roughly one-third of Europe’s population.
What was the Black Death?
This 1494 agreement divided the New World between Spain and Portugal.
What is the Treaty of Tordesillas?
This 16th-century council reaffirmed Catholic doctrine and reformed church abuses.
What was the Council of Trent?
This Protestant leader established a strict theocracy in Geneva and wrote Institutes of the Christian Religion.
Who was John Calvin?
This Macedonian leader’s conquests spread Greek culture across Egypt, Persia, and India.
Who was Alexander the Great?
Rival popes in Rome and Avignon divided Europe’s loyalty during this crisis.
What was the Great Schism / Papal Schism?
This Medici family member was known as “Il Magnifico” for his patronage of Renaissance art and scholarship.
Who was Lorenzo de’ Medici?
This religious order, founded by Ignatius Loyola, became known for education and missionary work.
Who were the Jesuits (Society of Jesus)?
This Swiss reformer rejected the Catholic belief in transubstantiation and emphasized Scripture as the sole source of Christian authority.
Who was Ulrich Zwingli?