Essay ReviewTurning Points!

Components of the Regents Essay

• F – Facts, Evidence & Details (the explanation, specifics and substantiation of the essay)

• O – Organization (Introduction, Body Paragraphs & Conclusion)

• L – Level of Analysis (the long-range or immediate impact of the information on a society or on history)

• D – Development of the Task (the bullets of the task)

The Turning Points Essay!

Task:

Identify two major turning points in Global History and for each:

•Describe the historical circumstances surrounding the turning point.

•Explain how each turning point changed the course of history.

Essential Information for this Essay!

Neolithic Revolution

• Describe:– Prior to the N.R. humans

roamed in small nomadic hunter-gatherer bands

– Around 8,000 BCE, humans began to develop agricultural techniques (ie. simple planting and harvesting), and began to domesticate animals

• Explain the change:– Instead of chasing after food,

humans could now create or raise food

– This allowed humans to settle in communities (which became towns, cities, civilizations…)

– Nutrition improved, life span increased, and population exploded

– Significant social changes including social classes and gender roles

The Encounter (Columbus)

• Describe:– Europeans were seeking

a faster, water route to India and S.E. Asia

– Columbus was convinced that the circumference of the Earth was smaller than it was, and he could reach the East Indies in 6 weeks

– He sailed west, and encountered the Americas

• Explain the Change:– Europeans conquered with

superior weapons and colonized the Americas

– Spread Christianity and European social/cultural customs (including language)

– European disease decimated native populations

– Began importing Africans as a labor source

The Crusades

• Describe:– Seljuk Turks had

conquered the Holy Land (Jerusalem)

– The Byzantine Emperor asked the Pope for help in regaining the territory

– In 1095 Pope Urban II called for the First Crusade

• Explain the Change:– Militarily, the Crusades were

not successful for the West. After 200 years, the Turks continued to possess the Holy Land

– Economically, they ushered in the commercial revolution in Europe, increasing trade and leading to exploration

– Politically, they led to the end of feudalism, and the rise of powerful monarchies

The Protestant Reformation

• Describe:– The Catholic Church

peaked in power during the Middle Ages

– During the Renaissance Era, the Church had become worldly & corrupt

– A series of Popes spent recklessly on art & architecture

– Money was raised through sale of indulgences

• Explain the Change:– German monk Martin Luther

protested abuses of the Church in his 95 Theses

– Luther was excommunicated, and a new sect of Christianity was established in W. Europe

– Ushered in 150 years of religious warfare (Protestant vs. Catholic) in W. Europe as Christian unity was destroyed

– Many European New World settlers sought religious freedom

Gutenberg’s Printing Press

• Describe:– Books were hand-made

(hand-written and assembled) during the Middle Ages

– Written on parchment (animal skin), books were expensive and limited in quantity

– Gutenberg used Chinese inventions (paper & movable type) plus his press to change literary production

• Explain the Change:– Cheap long lasting ink, plus

re-usable metallic type and a cheaper writing surface

– Books, announcements, and newspapers could be mass produced quickly and cheaply

– Cost of books declined and quantity of books increased

– Literacy rate in Europe rose dramatically