Renaissance - Humanism

The Renaissance was a period after the Middle Ages, during the 15th and the 16th centuries. During this period new ways of thinking were developed.
Humanism
This was a cultural movement that begun in Italy, 15th century.

• Believed that the human being was very important and the only species with freedom and reason.
• Interest in technological progress and cientific advance based on experiments and observation.
• Appreciation of Latin and Greek cultures. (Texts were translated)
• A commitment to using the languajes of each country.

Humanism was spread by scholars, in schools and universities. The printing presss contributed to the spread of humanists ideas.

Hi again!

I'm here again and i'll post more things ;)

Some photos...

Middle Ages

Al-Andalus
At the beginning of 8th century, Muslims conquered the Iberian Peninsula.
Muslims entered into the Iberian Peninsula in 711 though the Strait of Gibraltar, defeated Visigoths and invaded Guadalete.
They conquered cities as Toledo, the Visigoth capital. Tariq and Muza, muslim military generals took control over almost the hole Peninsula in only seven years.
The only territories Muslims didn't conquered were Asturias and Cantabria so, a few Visigoth nobles and clerymen and a very small part of the general population moved there.
Muslims gave the territories conquered on the Peninsula the name of Al-Andalus. This became a province, or dependent emirate of the Umayyad Caliphate of Damascus and it's capital was Cordoba.
When Abbasids of Badhgad killed the last Umayyadd caliph, Abd ar-Rahman I, refuged in al-Andalus.
He declared himself emir and gained independance from the Caliphate of Baghdad in 756. The Independant Emirate experienced a period of econmic and cultural development.

Middle Ages

Have a look to this web, it great. A bit mire about Muhammad en others  Click here!

This is a video explaining 3 things about Islam which most people don't but, I don't relly agree with the lastest part.  See and comment.

Middle Ages

Islam

Islam was created by Muhammed. Muhammad was a merchant in Mecca, Arabia. He knew Cristianity and Juidism. He moved to Medina because people thought Islam was dangerous so he was persecuted. After six years, he returned with a powerful army. He conquered Arabia and Islam expanded quickly.
Islam had only one god called Allah. Their sacred book was called Koran. There were five obligations which islamic followers had to do, the five pillars:

1. Shahadah:to testify 'there is no other God but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet'.
2. Salah: to pray 5 times a day.
3. Hajj: to go on a pilgramage to Mecca at least once in their lifetime if possible.
4. Sawm: to fast during the month of Rammadan.
5. Zakah: to give alms to the poor.

Islam was extended though jihad or holy war. Nowadays, only extremist groups believe in this idea.

Rome

Rome was a very important civilisation. It existed from 753 BC to 476 AD.
At first, Rome's way of government was Monarchy (753 BC - 509 BC), then the Republic (509 BC - 27 BC) and, finally, the Empire (27 BC - 476 AD).

The Monarchy
During the monarchy, Rome was governed by a king. He was chosen by patricias.
He was helped by the senate, an assembly formed by senators, who where the heads of the most important families.

The Republic
There were 3 main institutons:

• The comitias: assemblies where Roman citizens met to vote for laws and elect magistrates.
• The magistratus: they held political, military and sometimes religious powers. They were elected for a year. The highest magistrates were 2 consuls who controlled politial life and the army.
• The senate: this was the most important institution. It established laws, derected foreign policy and gave instructons to the magistrates.

During the Republic, society was divided into 2:

• Patricians: they were a minority formed by the richest families. They claimed to be the descendants of the founders of Rome. They could own property and had political rights.
• Plebeians (plebs): they were all the other people. Initially, they didn't have rights but they fought for equal rights. In 5th century BC, they had a representative in the senate, the tribune of plebeians. By the 4th century BC the could be magistrates ans senators.

Rome conquered many territories, it extended its power around the Mediterranean.
In the 1st century, they formed triunvirates (alliances of three men who share power):

• The 1st " was formed by Julius Caesar, Crassus and Pompey. But the soon disagreed and a civil war broke out, and Julius Caesar won it. He was prolaimed perpetual dictator, he was assesinated by a group of senators.
• The 2nd " was formed by Lepidus, Octavian and Mark Antony.(Octavian took control after several wars, and in 27 BC the Senate gave him maximum powers)

The Empire
In 27 BC, Octavian became known as Augustus. He eliminated his enemies and pacified the situation. Then, he introduced a new way of government, the Empire.
Augustus was the 1st emperor of Rome. He presided over the senate, he was the head of the army and also the highest religious leader. He directed foreign policy, dictated laws and decided upon taxes.
In 1st and 2nd centuries AD, the Roman world reached its peak. Trade and economy grew. Many buildings and public works were constructed in Rome and other cities.

The Roman Empire's decline
In the 3rd century, the Roman Empire suffered a crisis. Peasants and soldiers revolted and anachy spread. The cities were attacked. The emperors couldn't solve this problems.
Germanic tribes attacked from the north and, Persians from the east.
In the 4th century, the emperors Diocleitan and Constantine came to power they introduced reforms, economy recovered, frontiers were strengthened, tolerated Cristianity, moved the capital to Constaninople and improved bureaucracy.
In 395, the Empire was divided into 2, so it was better defended. The Western Roman Empire's capital was Rome and, the Eastern Roman Empire's capital was Costantinople.
The Western Roman Empire fell in 476 but, the Eastern Roman Empire mantained for another 1.000 years but, known as the Byzantine Empire.