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Rome Defeats Carthage in Punic Wars (264 BCE - 146 BCE)

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Rome Defeats Carthage in Punic Wars (264 BCE - 146 BCE)

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The Punic Wars, a series of 3 battles where Rome ultimately defeated Carthage, gaining dominance in the western Mediterranean. In the first Punic War, Rome acquired Sicily. In the second, despite Hannibal's early victories, Rome took the victory. In the third, Rome destroyed Carthage completely.

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Julius Caesar was assassinated in 44 BCE by a group of Roman senators. He was stabbed 23 times in Senate chambers, fearing he was becoming too powerful. His death brought Rome into chaos and civil war, eventually leading to the rise of the Roman Empire under Augustus Caesar.

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Octavian Caesar becomes 1st Emperor (27 BCE)

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Octavian Caesar becomes 1st Emperor (27 BCE)

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Octavian Caesar, later known as Augustus, became the first emperor of Rome after defeating Mark Antony and Cleopatra. The senate gave him the title "Augustus," marking the end of the Roman Republic. His rule brought stability and brought in the Pax Romana of Rome, a long period of peace and prosperity.

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The Pax Romana was a 200 year period of peace and prosperity across the Roman Empire. It began with the reign of Emperor Augustus Caesar. During this period, Rome saw growth in trade, a strong government, and flourishing of arts and culture.

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Collapse of Western Roman Empire  (476 CE)

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Collapse of Western Roman Empire  (476 CE)

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The Western Roman Empire fall was caused by a mix of internal problems, like political corruption, economic troubles, military decline, and civil wars. External pressure like invasions by Germanic tribes also caused the fall of the empire. While the western half fell, the Eastern Roman Empire continued to flourish.

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Justinian I resigned as emperor of the Byzantine Empire. He is best known for expanding the empire, creating the Justinian Code, and projects such as the Hagia Sophia. His reign marked a high point in the Byzantine culture.

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The Great Schism - Divide of Christianity (1054 CE)

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The Great Schism - Divide of Christianity (1054 CE)

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The Great Schism was the official split Western and Eastern of Christianity. The Roman Catholic Church was located in Rome, led by the Pope, and was farther from the seat of power in Constantinople. The Eastern Orthodox Church in the East, was centered in Constantinople and was closer to the seat of power. The emperor claims authority over patriarch and bishops who head the church as a group.

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The fall of Constantinople occurred when the Ottoman Empire captured the capital of the Byzantine Empire. This marked the end of the Byzantine Empire. Constantinople was renamed Istanbul and became the new Ottoman capital.

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The Islamic Schism is a major division in Islam that started from the disagreement over who should lead to Islamic empire after Muhammad's death. The two groups were Sunni and Shi'a. Sunnis believed that the caliph could be anyone and can be voted into office. Shi'a believed that the caliph must be a descendant of Muhammad.

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Three Expansions of the Islamic Empires (622- 750 CE)

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Three Expansions of the Islamic Empires (622- 750 CE)

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The spread of Islam started on the Arabian Peninsula. Despite many physical barriers such as deserts, Islam spread on the trade routes between Mecca and Medina. Trade helps spread the religion into the fertile crescent. This weakened the Byzantine Empire and Islam quickly spread into Asia, Northern Africa, and up into Southern Spain.

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Muslim armies defeated at the Battle of Tours (732 CE)

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Muslim armies defeated at the Battle of Tours (732 CE)

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The Battle of Tours is often known as the turning point that prevented Muslim expansion into Western Europe. This battle was fought between Muslim and Franks troops. The battle ultimately ended in a Frankish victory preventing further expansion from Muslims.

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Fall of Baghdad to the Mongols (1258 CE)

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Fall of Baghdad to the Mongols (1258 CE)

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In February 1258, Baghdad was captured by the Mongols. Mongol invasion destroyed much of the irrigation infrastructure. The fall of Baghdad resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of residents and marked a turning point in Islamic history.

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The Ghana Empire rose in West Africa due to its strategic location and control over the trans-Saharan trade route. The two most important trading goods on the trans-Saharan were gold and salt. The empire's wealth comes from their ability to facilitate trade between the Saharan Desert and gold-rich regions of West Africa.

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The Mali empire was located along the Niger River in West Africa. Like Ghana, the empire became wealthy because of gold. A man named Mansa Musa ruled from 1312 CE to 1337 CE and grew Mali to twice the size of Ghana. The city of Timbuktu became a center of trade and learning because Mansa Musa ordered mosques and universities to be built.

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Reign of Mansa Musa (Musa I) (1312 to 1337 CE)

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Reign of Mansa Musa (Musa I) (1312 to 1337 CE)

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Mansa Musa was the ruler of the Mali Empire. During his region, Mali grew to be twice the size of Ghana and experienced extreme wealth through control of gold and salt on the trans-Saharan trade. His reign is considered a turning point in West African history.

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After the fall of Mali, people broke away and formed a new civilization around the Niger River in West Africa called Songhai. The two rulers of Songhai were Sunni Ali and Askia Muhammad. Sunni Ali captured the city of Timbuktu, located in Mali. Later Songhai was taken over by the Moroccans. Songhai also benefited from its control of the trans-Saharan trade, which brought wealth and power to the empire.