Life in early hunter-gatherer societies
was shaped by their physical
environment.
How did physical geography influence
the lives of early humans?

Homo sapiens emerged in east Africa

between 100,000 and 400,000 years

ago.

Homo sapiens migrated from Africa to
Eurasia, Australia, and the Americas.

Early humans were hunters and
gatherers whose survival depended on
the availability of wild plants and
animals.

Early human societies, through the

development of culture, began the

process of overcoming the limits set by

the physical environment.

What were the characteristics of huntergatherer

societies?

Hunter-gatherer societies during the

Paleolithic Era (Old Stone Age)

• were nomadic, migrating in search of

food, water, shelter

• invented the first tools, including

simple weapons

• learned how to make and use fire

• lived in clans

• developed oral language

• created “cave art.”

The beginning of agriculture, including

permanent settlements, was a major step

in the advance of civilization.

How did the beginning of agriculture

and the domestication of animals

promote the rise of settled

communities?

Societies during the Neolithic Era (New

Stone Age)

• developed agriculture (domesticated

plants)

• domesticated animals

• used advanced tools

• made pottery

• developed weaving skills.

How does archaeology provide

knowledge of early human life and its

changes?

Archaeologists study past cultures by

locating and analyzing human remains,

settlements, fossils, and artifacts.

Archaeologists apply scientific tests,

such as carbon dating, to analyze fossils

and artifacts

What is Stonehenge?

Stonehenge is an example of an

archaeological site in England that was

begun during the Neolithic Age and

completed during the Bronze Age.

What are Aleppo and Jericho?

Aleppo and Jericho are examples of

early cities in the Fertile Crescent

studied by archaeologists.

What is Çatalhöyük?

Çatalhöyük is an example of a Neolithic

settlement currently under excavation in

Anatolia.

Why did ancient civilizations develop in

river valleys?

These river valleys offered rich soil and irrigation water for agriculture, and they tended to be in locations easily protected from invasion by nomadic

peoples.

River valley civilizations (about 3500 to 500 B.C.

[B.C.E.])

Where was the Mesopotamian civilization?

Tigris and Euphrates

River Valleys (Southwest Asia)

Where was Egyptian Civilization located?

Egyptian civilization: Nile River Valley and Nile

Delta (Africa)

Indian civilization: Indus River Valley (South

Asia)

• Chinese civilization: Huang He Valley (East Asia)

Why did ancient civilizations develop in

river valleys?

• These river valleys offered rich soil and irrigation water for agriculture
• They tended to be in locations easily protected from invasion by nomadic peoples.

Hebrews settled between the Mediterranean Sea

and the Jordan River Valley (part of Fertile Crescent in Southwest Asia).

Phoenicians settled along the Mediterranean coast

(part of Fertile Crescent in Southwest Asia).

Nubia was located on the upper (southern) Nile River (Africa).

What were the social characteristics of early civilizations?

Development of social patterns

• Hereditary rulers: Dynasties of

kings, pharaohs

• Rigid class system where slavery

was accepted

What were the politicalcharacteristics of early

civilizations?

Development of political patterns

• World’s first states (i.e., city-states,

kingdoms, empires)

• Centralized government, often based

on religious authority

• Written law codes (e.g., Ten

Commandments, Code of

Hammurabi)

What were the economic characteristics of early civilizations?

Development of economic patterns

• Use of metal (e.g., bronze, iron)

tools and weapons

• Increasing agricultural surplus:

Better tools, plows, irrigation

• Increasing trade along rivers and by

sea (Phoenicians)

• Development of the world’s first

cities

• Development of the practice of

slavery within most cultures in the

ancient world, taking various forms

What religious traditions developed in

ancient civilizations?

Development of religious traditions

• Polytheism was practiced by most

early civilizations.

• Monotheism was practiced by the

Hebrews.

Moses

What were the essential beliefs of

Judaism?

Beliefs, traditions, and customs of

Judaism

• Belief in one God (monotheism)

• Torah, which contains the written

records and beliefs of the Jews

• Ten Commandments, which state

moral and religious conduct

What is this language?

What is this language which developed in Ancient Egypt?

Fairly.

People were able to keep their own customs and religion.

Who was Zoroaster?

He was the founder of the Persian religion of Zoroastrianism.

Practice of Zoroastrianism

– Religion of Persia

– Belief in two opposing forces in

the universe

Why were physical geography and

location important to the

development of Indian

civilization?

• Physical barriers, such as the Himalayas, the Hindu Kush, and the Indian Ocean, made invasion difficult.
• Mountain passes in the Hindu Kush provided migration routes into the Indian subcontinent.
• The Indus and Ganges were the important rivers in the Indian subcontinent.

What impact did the Aryans have

on India?

Aryans (Indo-Aryans)

• Migration, assertion of dominance

• Caste system, which influenced all social

interactions and choices of occupations

Why was the caste system central

to Indian culture?

Caste system, which influenced all social

interactions and choices of occupations

What were the accomplishments of

the Mauryan Empire?

Mauryan Empire - Asoka

• Continued political unification of much of India

• Contributions: Spread of Buddhism, free

hospitals, veterinary clinics, good roads

What were the accomplishments of

the Gupta empire?

Gupta Empire

• Golden Age of classical Indian culture

• Contributions: Mathematics (concept of zero), medical advances (setting bones), astronomy (concept of a round earth), new textiles, literature

What are the beliefs of the Hindu

religion?

Hinduism

• Belief in many forms of one God

• Reincarnation: Rebirth based upon

karma

• Karma: Knowledge that all thoughts

and actions result in future

consequences

• Vedas and Upanishads: Sacred

writings

• Spread along major trade routes

Buddhism

• Founder: Siddhartha Gautama

(Buddha)

• Four Noble Truths

• Eightfold Path to Enlightenment

Asoka’s missionaries and their writings

spread Buddhism from India to China

and other parts of Asia.

Why was the Great Wall of

China built?

Migratory invaders raided Chinese settlements from the north.

Qin Shi Huangdi built the Great Wall as a line of defense

against invasions.

China was governed by a succession of ruling families called dynasties. Chinese rulers were considered divine,

but they served under a Mandate of Heaven only as long as their

rule was just.

The Silk Road facilitated trade and contact between China and

other cultures as far away as Rome.

What were contributions of

classical China to world

civilization?

Contributions of classical China

• Civil service system

• Paper

• Porcelain

• Silk

Why were Confucianism,

important in the formation of

Chinese culture?

Impact of Confucianism in forming the social order in China

• Belief that humans are good, not bad

• Respect for elders

• Code of politeness (still used in Chinese society today)

• Emphasis on education

• Ancestor worship

Why were Taoism important in the formation of

Chinese culture?

Impact of Taoism in forming Chinese culture and values

• Humility

• Simple life and inner peace

• Harmony with nature

What is this symbol? Why was it important?

Yin and yang represented opposites for Confucianism and

Taoism.

Why was Buddhism

important in the formation of

Chinese culture?

How did the mountains, seas, islands,

harbors, peninsulas, and straits of the

Aegean Basin shape Greek economic,

social, and political development and

patterns of trade and colonization?

Economic and social development

• Agriculture (limited arable land)

• Commerce and the spread of Hellenic culture

• Shift from barter to money economy (coins)

Political development

• Mountainous terrain both helped and hindered the development of citystates.

• Greek cities were designed to promote civic and commercial life.

• Colonization was prompted by overpopulation and the search for arable land.

What body of water is represented by the letter E?

What peninsula is Greece a part of?

The city state of Sparta was located on the ______________ peninsula.

Letter D is the city-state of:

Letter J is the city of:

Letter C is the ____________ Sea.

Number 1 is the __________ Strait.

Number 3 is the Peninsula:

How did mythology help the early

Greek civilization explain the natural

world and the human condition?

Greek mythology

• Based on polytheistic religion

• Offered explanations of natural

phenomena, human qualities, and

life events

Greek King of the gods and the god of Thunder.

Greek god of the Sun. He was also the god of the arts.

Greek goddess of the Hunt, she is the twin sister of Apollo.

Greek goddess of wisdom and the patron goddess of the city-state of Athens.

Greek goddess of love and beauty

What impact did Greek mythology have

on later civilizations and the

contemporary world?

Symbols and images in Western

literature, art, and architecture

• Citizens (free adult males) had

political rights and the responsibility

of civic participation in government.

• Women and foreigners had no

political rights.

• Slaves had no political rights.

• Stages in the evolution of Athenian

government: Monarchy, aristocracy,

tyranny, democracy

• Tyrants who worked for reform:

Draco, Solon

• Origin of democratic principles:

Direct democracy, public debate,

duties of the citizen

Sparta

• Oligarchy (rule by a small group)

2 Kings, Ephors, Gerousia, and Assembly

• Rigid social structure

• Militaristic and aggressive society

Why were wars with Persia important to

the development of Greek culture?

Importance of Persian Wars (499–449

B.C. [B.C.E.])

• Persian wars united Athens and

Sparta against the Persian Empire.

• Athenian victories over the Persians

at Marathon and Salamis left Greeks

in control of the Aegean Sea.

• Athens preserved its independence

and continued innovations in

government and culture.

Why was the Peloponnesian War

important to the spread of Greek

culture?

Importance of Peloponnesian War

(431–404 B.C. [B.C.E.])

• Caused in part by competition for

control of the Greek world: Athens

and the Delian League versus Sparta

and the Peloponnesian League

• Resulted in slowing of cultural

advance and the weakening of

political power

Why was the leadership of Pericles

important to the development of

Athenian life and Greek culture?

Golden Age of Pericles (mostly

occurring between the Persian and

the Peloponnesian Wars)

• Pericles extended democracy; most

adult males had an equal voice.

• Pericles had Athens rebuilt after

destruction in the Persian Wars; the

Parthenon is an example of this

reconstruction.

This man was the Greek sculptor who desiged the great statue of Athena inside the Parthenon.

Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian

Greek temple to Athena which includes Doric Columns.

Greek mathematician who came up with this idea.

Socrates

Aristotle. 

How did the empire of Alexander the

Great establish a basis for the spread of

Hellenistic culture?

Alexander the Great

• Established an empire from Greece

to Egypt and the margins of India

• Extended Greek cultural influences

Hellenistic Age

• Blend of Greek and oriental elements

• Spread of Hellenistic culture through trade

Rome was centrally located in this body of water.

Protection and sea borne commerce.

The Greeks and their mythology influenced the development of Roman Mythology.

Roman mythology

• Based on the Greek polytheistic religion

• Explanations of natural phenomena, human qualities, and life events

Apollo

Symbols and images in literature, art, and architecture

Citizenship

• Patrician and plebeian men

• Selected foreigners

• Rights and responsibilities of citizenship (e.g., taxes, military service)

The Senate

The Centuriate Assembly

The Council of the Plebs. 

Three wars resulted in Roman

victory, the destruction of Carthage, and expanded trade and wealth for Rome.

What was the evolution of the Roman Empire and spread of Roman culture

• Mediterranean basin (Africa, Asia, Europe, including the Hellenistic world of the Eastern Mediterranean)

• Western Europe (Gaul, British Isles)

• Spread of slavery in the agricultural system

• Migration of small farmers into cities and unemployment

• Civil war over the power of Julius Caesar

• Devaluation of Roman currency; inflation

Crassus

Pompey

Julius Caesar

Dictator for Life

• Civil war
• defeat of Marc Anthony
• Rome’s first emperor

These events describe the life of what man?

How was the Roman Empire unified and enlarged?

Imperial Authority (Authority of the Emperor) and Military conquest.

The Pax Romana

• Two centuries of peace and prosperity under imperial rule

• Expansion and solidification of the Roman Empire, particularly in the Near East

• Established uniform system of money, which helped to expand trade

• Guaranteed safe travel and trade on Roman roads

• Promoted prosperity and stability

Social impact of the Pax Romana

• Returned stability to social classes

• Increased emphasis on the family

Political impact of the Pax Romana

• Created a civil service

• Developed a uniform rule of law

Origins of Christianity

• Had its roots in Judaism

• Was led by Jesus of Nazareth, who was proclaimed the Messiah

• Conflicted with polytheistic beliefs of Roman Empire

What were the essential beliefs of the early Christian faith?

• Monotheism

•Jesus as both Son and incarnation of God
•Life after death
•New Testament, containing accounts
of the life and teachings of Jesus, as
well as writings of early Christians
•Christian doctrines established by
early church councils such as the Council of Nicaea

• Popularity of the message
• Early martyrs inspired others
• Carried by the Apostles, including Paul, throughout the Roman Empire

What was the impact of the early Church in the late Roman Empire?

Impact of the Church of Rome in the late Roman Empire

• The Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity and made it legal.

• Christianity later became the official state religion.

• The Church became a source of moral authority.

• Loyalty to the Church became more important than loyalty to the Emperor.

• The Church became the main unifying force of Western Europe.

What is this Roman Structure, it was the center of the Roman city?

This Roman building was a temple built by the Emperor Hadrian to honor all of the Roman gods.

This Roman structure was the site of great spectacles for public entertainment.

Roads

These structures brought water into Roman cities. 

This Roman architectural innovation allowed them to span large areas using less building material.

Ptolemy

Emphasis on public health

(public baths, public water systems,

medical schools)

Romance languages.

French, Spanish,  and Italian are examples. 

The Aeneid

Christianity.

Causes for the decline of the Western Roman Empire

• Geographic size: Difficulty of defense and administration

• Economy: The cost of defense, and devaluation of Roman currency

• Military: Army membership started to include non-Romans, resulting in decline of discipline

• Moral decay: People’s loss of faith in Rome and the family

• Political problems: Civil conflict and weak administration

• Invasion: Attacks on borders

Why was Constantinople established as the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire?

Location of Constantinople

• Protection of the eastern frontier

• Distance from Germanic invasions in the western empire

• Crossroads of trade

• Easily fortified site on a peninsula bordered by natural harbors

Role of Constantinople

• Seat of the Byzantine Empire until Ottoman conquest

• Preserved classical Greco-Roman culture

• Center of trade

Byzantine Emperor Justinian

• Codification of Roman law (impact on European legal codes)

• Reconquest of former Roman territories

• Expansion of trade

The Byzantines frequently used this art form to decorate their Churches and buildings.  It is made from small pieces of glass or tile.

This great domed church was built by the Emperor Justinian?

How did Greek and Roman culture survive within the Byzantine Empire?

Byzantine culture

• Continued flourishing of Greco- Roman traditions

• Greek language (as contrasted with Latin in the West)

• Greek Orthodox Christianity

• Greek and Roman knowledge preserved in Byzantine libraries

Eastern Church

• Centered in Constantinople

• Close to seat of power after Constantinople became capital

• Use of Greek language in the liturgy

• Centered in Rome
• Farther from seat of power after Constantinople became capital
• Use of Latin language in the liturgy

What factors produced the division (The Great Schism) within the Christian Church?

Division between Western and Eastern Churches

• Authority of the Pope eventually accepted in the West

• Authority of the Patriarch accepted in the East

• Practices such as celibacy eventually accepted in the West

Why did the Byzantine Empire have so much influence on religion, culture, and trade in Russia and Eastern Europe?

Influence of Byzantine culture on Eastern Europe and Russia

• Trade routes between Black Sea and Baltic Sea

• Adoption of Orthodox Christianity by Russia and much of Eastern Europe

• Adoption of Greek alphabet for the Slavic languages by St. Cyril (Cyrillic alphabet)

• Church architecture and religious art-Use of Icons and Domes

Across Asia and Africa into Spain.

Beliefs, traditions, and customs of Islam

·    Monotheism: Allah (Arabic word for God)

·    Qur’an (Koran): The word of God

·    Five Pillars of Islam

Acceptance of Judeo-Christian prophets, including Moses and Jesus

1. Declaration of Faith
2. Daily Prayer
3. Alms for the Poor
4. Fasting during Ramadan
5. Hajj

These are the:

This building is the focal point of the Hajj.

How did geography influence the rapid expansion of territory under Muslim rule?

Geographic influences on the origin and spread of Islam

·    Diffusion along trade routes from Mecca and Medina

·    Expansion despite great distances, desert environments, and mountain barriers

·    Spread into the Fertile Crescent, Iran, and Central Asia facilitated by weak Byzantine and Persian empires

How did political and cultural geography facilitate trade and cultural activity in the early Islamic lands?

Geographic influences on economic, social, and political development

·    Political unity of the first Muslim empire was short-lived.

·    Arabic language spread with Islam and facilitated trade across Islamic lands.

Slavery was not based on race.

What were some major historical turning points that marked the spread and influence of Islamic civilization?

Historical turning points

·    Death of Ali: Sunni-Shi’a division

·    Muslim conquests of Jerusalem and Damascus

·    Islamic capital moved to Baghdad-Abbasid Dynasty

·    Muslim defeat at the Battle of Tours by the Franks in 732

Fall of Baghdad to the Mongols

How did Islamic civilization preserve and extend ancient Greek, Persian, and Indian learning?

What is the name of this structure?

Many mosques and Muslim buildings are decorated with these types of images. 

What were some contributions of Islamic civilization?

Scientific contributions and achievements

·    Arabic numerals (adapted from India, including zero)

·    Algebra

·    Medicine

Expansion of geographic knowledge

Foundations of early medieval society

·    Classical heritage of Rome

·    Christian beliefs

·    Customs of Germanic tribes

How and why did the Church grow in importance during the Middle Ages?

Influence of the Roman Catholic Church

·    Secular authority declined, while Church authority grew.

·    Monasteries preserved Greco-Roman cultural achievements.

·    Missionaries carried Christianity and Latin alphabet to Germanic tribes.

·    The Pope anointed Charlemagne Emperor in 800 a.d. (c.e.)

Parish priests served religious and social needs of the people.

Rent

Military service

Loyalty

How did the medieval manor function as a social and economic system?

Manorial system during the Middle Ages

• Rigid class structure-Upper class and lower class
• Self-sufficient manors-Made everything they needed for themselves. 

Most of Western Europe.

How did Charlemagne revive the idea of the Roman Empire?

Age of Charlemagne

·    Franks emerged as a force in Western Europe.

·    The Pope crowned the Emperor.

·    Power of the Church was established in political life.

·    Roman culture was reinterpreted.

·    Most of Western Europe was included in the new empire.

Churches, roads, and schools were built to unite the empire.

·    Angles and Saxons migrated from continental Europe to England.

Magyars migrated from Central Asia to Hungary.

Where were the Vikings from?

How did invasions by the Angles, Saxons, Magyars, and Vikings influence the development of Europe?

Influence of the Angles, Saxons, Magyars, and Vikings

·    Manors with castles provided protection from invaders, reinforcing the feudal system.

Invasions disrupted trade, towns declined, and the feudal system was strengthened.

Major trade patterns of the Eastern Hemisphere from 1000 to 1500 a.d. (c.e.)

Silk Routes across Asia to the Mediterranean basin
Maritime routes across the Indian Ocean
Trans-Saharan routes across North Africa
 Northern European links with the Black Sea
Western European sea and river tradeSouth China Sea and lands of Southeast Asia

 India, China, the Middle East, and later Europe

·    Paper came from China through the Muslim world to Byzantium and Western Europe

Navigation: Compass from China, lateen sail from Indian Ocean region

Ideas

·    Spread of religions across the hemisphere

–    Buddhism from China to Korea and Japan

–    Hinduism and Buddhism from India to Southeast Asia

–    Islam into West Africa, Central and Southeast Asia

Printing and paper money came from China

How has Japan’s geography influenced its development?

Location and place

·    Mountainous Japanese archipelago (four main islands)

·    Sea of Japan or East Sea between Japan and Asian mainland

·    Proximity to China and Korea

How did Chinese culture influence Japan?

Influence of Chinese culture

• Writing
• Architecture (Pagodas)
• Buddhism

Why were Shinto and Buddhism important to the development of Japanese culture?

Shinto

·    Ethnic religion unique to Japan

·    Importance of natural features, forces of nature, and ancestors

·    State religion; worship of the emperor

Coexistence with Buddhism

Axum

·    Location relative to the Ethiopian Highlands and the Nile River

·    Christian kingdom

Zimbabwe

·    Location relative to the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers and the Indian Ocean coast.  Was between the Zambezi and Limpopo river.

·    City of “Great Zimbabwe” as capital of a prosperous empire

Timbuktu

What were some characteristics of the Mayan civilization?

Mayan civilization

·    Located in the Mexican and Central American rain forests

·    Represented by Chichén Itzá

·    Groups of city-states ruled by kings

·    Economy based on agriculture and trade

·    Polytheistic religion: Pyramids

What were some features of the Aztec civilization?

Aztec civilization

·    Located in arid valley in central Mexico

·    Represented by Tenochtitlan

·    Ruled by an emperor

·    Economy based on agriculture and tribute from conquered peoples

Polytheistic religion: Pyramids, rituals

Incan civilization

·    Located in the Andes Mountains of South America

·    Represented by Machu Picchu

·    Ruled by an emperor

·    Economy based on high-altitude agriculture

·    Polytheistic religion

·    Road system

What were the achievements of Mayan, Aztec, and Incan civilizations

·    Calendars

·    Mathematics

Writing and other record-keeping systems

This man was leader of the Norman Conquest, united most of England

William of Normanday/William the Conqueror

The Hundred Years War.

This Spanish King and Queen unified the country and expelled Jews and Moors.

Ferdinand and Isabella

The Reconqista

Spanish Empire in the Western Hemisphere expanded under:

This man threw off the rule of the Mongols, centralized power in Moscow, and expanded the Russian nation.

Ivan III (Ivan the Great)

Tsar

The Orthodox Church

Key events of the Crusades

·    Pope Urban’s speech

·    The capture of Jerusalem

·    Founding of Crusader states

·    Loss of Jerusalem to Saladin

·    Sack of Constantinople by western Crusaders

Effects of the Crusades

·    Weakened the Pope and nobles; strengthened monarchs

·    Stimulated trade throughout the Mediterranean area and the Middle East

·    Left a legacy of bitterness among Christians, Jews, and Muslims

·    Weakened the Byzantine Empire

What were the effects of the Mongol invasions?

Mongol armies

·    Invaded Russia, China, and Muslim states in Southwest Asia, destroying cities and countryside

·    Created an empire

What were the effects of the Ottoman invasions of Europe?

Constantinople

·    Fell to the Ottoman Turks in 1453, ending the Byzantine Empire

Became capital of the Ottoman Empire

How did the Black Death (Bubonic plague) alter economic and social institutions in much of Asia and then in Europe?

Impact of the Black Death (Bubonic plague)

·    Decline in population

·    Scarcity of labor

·    Towns freed from feudal obligations

·    Decline of Church influence

Disruption of trade

How did European scholars begin to interpret and value ancient learning?

Church scholars

·    Were among the very few who could read and write

·    Worked in monasteries

·    Translated Greek and Arabic works into Latin

·    Made new knowledge in philosophy, medicine, and science available in Europe

Laid the foundations for the rise of universities in Europe

How did the Crusades stimulate trade between Europe and the Muslim Empire?

Economic effects of the Crusades

·    Increased demand for Middle Eastern products

·    Stimulated production of goods to trade in Middle Eastern markets

·    Encouraged the use of credit and banking

What were the economic foundations of the Italian Renaissance?

Important economic concepts

·    Church rule against usury and the banks’ practice of charging interest helped to secularize northern Italy.

·    Letters of credit served to expand the supply of money and expedite trade.

New accounting and bookkeeping practices (use of Arabic numerals) were introduced.

How did northern Italian cities benefit from their geographic location?

How did Italian city-states achieve importance and develop politically?

Florence, Venice, and Genoa

·    Had access to trade routes connecting Europe with Middle Eastern markets

·    Served as trading centers for the distribution of goods to northern Europe

·    Were initially independent city-states governed as republics

What were Machiavelli’s ideas about power?

Machiavelli’s The Prince

·    An early modern treatise on government

·    Supports absolute power of the ruler

·    Maintains that the end justifies the means

Advises that one should not only do good if possible, but do evil when necessary

How did the arts and literature of the Renaissance differ from those of the Middle Ages?

Medieval art and literature focused on the Church and salvation, while Renaissance art and literature focused on individuals and worldly matters, along with Christianity.

Who painted this work?

Who painted this work?

Michelangelo

The Sistine Chapel

The Creation of Man

Who painted this work?

Michelangelo

The David

Humanist scholarship

Researched Greek and Roman Writings

Wrote, Sonnets to Laura in the vernacular.

How did knowledge of the classical Greeks and Romans foster humanism in the Italian Renaissance?

Humanism

·    Celebrated the individual

·    Stimulated the study of classical Greek and Roman literature and culture

-Supported by wealthy patrons

How did ideas of the Italian Renaissance change as they were adopted in northern Europe?

Northern Renaissance

·    Growing wealth in Northern Europe supported Renaissance ideas.

·    Northern Renaissance thinkers merged humanist ideas with Christianity.

The Gutenberg printing press: 

·    The movable type printing press and the production and sale of books (e.g., Gutenberg Bible) helped disseminate ideas.

·    Erasmus: The Praise of Folly (1511)

He criticized the Church through the use of satire. 

Who was Sir Thomas More?