Christendom - Birth of a new era

The rise of Christianity stems back to the 4th century during the fall of the Roman empire. New beliefs and views drove this change. This "Christianity" began to spread across the old world, spanning into regions of Anatolia, Egypt, North Africa, Ethiopia, Persia, India, and China. This expansion brought a new European concept of religion to the masses. It reshaped the Mediterranean, divided countries, and created new world powers spanning the globe.

The rise and fall of rulers continued during the rise of a new world order - Christianity (faith) expanded to the masses of Europe. The Roman empire had already begun to collapse and fade into history like sands of time. Christianity, like a Phoenix from ashes, grew in support and believers that spanned the four corners of the world. This new growth under the same faith brought unification of European nations, consolidated and fortified alliances, and whipped out opposing rivals. Like their counterparts to the East - Islamic nations, Christianity began to rewrite the centuries known lines of division, countryside, and countries, into a massive kingdom under one rule.

Under Charlemagne King of the Franks, an even stronger indication would arise, the Holy Roman Empire. The merger of a Monarch and Papistry under one person solidified great wealth, land, and influence in the world. Having now the world divided into larger pieces (Islam, India, China & Europe), trade lines became the new goals and reconquesting former lands were the reason to rewrite the face of the world as we knew it.

Ch 8 - I found it interesting to read that...

China wen through multiple cycles of a "Golden Age". We have read about the rise of man, the age of philosophy, the iron-age of man crafting and shaping tools and weapons and now we read about China's growth in the "Golden Age". This "Golden Age" had many peaks and valleys throughout this period in Chan's expansion. From the Sui dynasty interlinking the nation with an architectural marvel of a cancel system spanning 1,200 miles in length. This canal system became a life-giving fountain for outlying lands to flourish and develop. Though this construction brought ruin to the Sui shortly after. Soon to follow was the time of the Tang dynasty and the Song, together they scribed life patterns of China which lead to a cycle and history of growth that lasted for centuries.

One of the few if not only great civilizations that endured so many ebbs and flow survived, growth, famine, prosperity, failure to reaching an industrial revolution in a span of 7 centuries. China truly has shown the world it's resilience in carving itself into the history books of old and far into the future.

Chapter 7 - I was sad / disappointed / angry to read that ...

life in the age of Commerce and Culture (500 - 1500) which battled disease and famine is being felt the same way today in 2020! To read in chapter 7 that disease transmittal has not changed throughout all of these years, centuries to millennials is a sad story to read. Knowing that we are sharing the same cycle of deprivation, death, and contributing to the collapse of political and governmental institutions across the globe is a frightening aspect. Our textbook speaks of epidemics carried by innocent traders, seaman and artisans from village to village, city to city, nation to nation wiping out huge percentages of the neighbor populations, is scary, to say the least.



In addition to all of the fears that are happening today, to see that plagues and hardship can span the globe faster than a positive world of love and hope is saddening, to say the least. We, too will overcome these present time hardships and hope and pray that a lesson will come from this to avoid for another millennial or two.