World History
Chapter 7
This chapter explores various significant occurrences in Western Europe during the period between 500 to 1000 CE. In the process of analyzing the chapter, I identified seven items that I consider to be the most important areas in the reading. The first essential item is the collection of the Visigoths, Vandals, and the Ostrogoth. These groups are important as they formed the kingdoms that came after the disintegration of the Western Roman Empire. While these groups from Germany sometimes get shed in a negative light for the destruction and conquest of Rome, they are also respected for the preservation of the Roman culture. Some of these groups actually assimilated into the culture of Rome. Secondly, the Justinian Empire is a vital component of the history of Western Europe as some of its achievements were not only significant in the management of their societal structures but have also remained relevant throughout history. For instance, the empire developed and applied the Justinian code in its legal institutions. The Justinian Code, which is also known as the Body of Civil Law, served the empire effectively. Centuries later, the principles of the Body of Civil Law have created the foundation for the laws that are getting practiced in most parts of the modern world (Berger et al. 273).
The third critical item is the conquest of the Anglo-Saxons in Britain as the community aided in the coining of the name England after, among other significant influences. The Anglo-Saxons were Germanic peoples who moved from the forests found in the Central part of Europe into the island. This group managed to settle and conquer a huge part of the southeastern part of Britain in the years from 410 to 600. The Anglo-Saxons generally lacked sophistication, but they managed to replace the Celtic peoples along with their language.
The fourth essential item in the chapter is the Iconoclast Controversy. While the Byzantine Empire faced a crisis for three years, the Iconoclast Controversy was the worst crisis that the empire had to endure. This controversy the utilization of religious icons or imagery. There were several imperials and religious authorities who strongly opposed the use, which led to severe tensions in Europe. The history of Western Europe is outlined by the growth of the Franks, which makes the Merovingians important. The Merovingians are the Frankish Kings who formed the first dynasties.
The Carolingian Renaissance is another major period in the development of Western Europe. This is because the Carolingian language birthed Spanish, French, Portuguese, and Italian languages, which are commonly known as Romance (Berger et al. 284). The period was also characterized by the efforts made by the Carolingians to ensure rapid developments in education. The church was also a significant part of the ancient western European society. However, the church during the tenth century was immensely affected by the period of invasions. The chaos resulted in fights over papacy and assassinations.
Chapter 8
The eighth chapter of the book majorly handles the development of Islam and Mamluks during the ancient years. The first essential item in the chapter is to the role that the geographical setting of the Middle East played in the establishment and the expansion of Islam. The Middle East is strategically placed neighboring three continents which facilitated the spread of ideas through the maritime, trade as well as land routes.
Secondly, I think that Mohammed’s marriage was important as it played a major role in the development of the Islamic religion. This is because Mohammed’s marriage granted him financial security. Since he did not have to work for long hours, Mohammed had sufficient time to indulge in thoughts on various religious abstracts (Berger et al. 302). In my opinion, by being the first person to convert to Islam, Mohammed’s wife motivated him to continue spreading the teachings of Islam across the Middle East. I also believe that the expansion and factors that promoted the rise of Islam are essential. I think that this item enables the reader or scholar to appreciate the origins and the development of Islam and the reasons behind its top position among religious institutions in the world.
In my opinion, the Hadith is a significant item as it contributed to the development of the five pillars which promote unity among Muslims. These pillars have managed to unify Muslims for many centuries. The fifth essential item in this chapter is the Battle of Manzikert, which is among the battles that outlined the crusades (Berger et al. 328). This battle aided in clearing the course of Islam in history. Also, learning about the Shia and the Sunni is important as these two groups make up the major divisions in the Islamic community. These divisions were born due to the disputes on matters of the succession of Prophet Muhammad. Lastly, I believe that the caliphates are essential to the understanding of Islam. Understanding the caliphates is important as they aid in the simplification of the history of Islam, and they put one in a better position to comprehend the significant events that occurred in an Islamic state.
Works Cited
Berger, Eugene et al. World History: Cultures, States and Societies to 1500, Atlanta, University of North Georgia, 2016, pp. 267-334.