The Gupta Empire in India saw a cultural flowering, particularly in art and literature. One of India’s greatest literary minds, Kalidasa (ca. 380-450), wrote both plays and poetry (much like William Shakespeare more than a thousand years later). His most famous work was a play called which is considered among India’s greatest cultural works.

Bernardino de Sahagún’s work, , compiled around 1557-1580, was criticized by Sahagún’s superiors in the Catholic Church for its sympathetic portrayal of the Aztecs. It was shelved and only rediscovered 200 years after it was lost. It represents an important piece of history in terms of documenting early European contact with Native Americans. It contains passages in the Nahuatl language (sometimes with Spanish translations), as well as illustrations of contact between the cultures made by Native American artists. One image from the work shows the moment that Moctezuma II was taken captive by the Spanish.

Alessandro Botticelli’s master work, , is an example of the Platonic Neo-Classical style common to the Italian Renaissance. The painting represents a quantum leap in quality over prior medieval works with its ability to incorporate a sense of depth, focal points, and a proportionate figure. It also stands as an example of private patronage (rather than church patronage) with its classical, mythical theme. The perfection exhibited by the central figure embodied the Renaissance’s positive view of human qualities (as being nearly divine) rather than the humble medieval view that human beings were lacking in dignity and nearly worthless.

While it was not the first known written law, of ca. 1755 B.C.E. is the oldest nearly complete system of laws known to historians. It was adopted by a Babylonian king of Ancient Mesopotamia, and gave great insight into daily life in Babylonia (for instance, most of the laws relate to marriage, family, agriculture, and lineage, suggesting what was important in this society). Legal penalties varied depending on one’s class and gender; however, those of the same station were famously promised “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” It provided Babylonia with a more uniform system of laws and served as a way for the king to justify his rule.

were part of the religious violence that developed in the context of the Protestant Reformation, when Europe experienced a heightened sense of God’s power and divine wrath, as well as the diabolical powers of the Devil. They first began in Switzerland and southern Germany in the late fifteenth century, became less numerous during the early decades of the Reformation, and then picked up significantly around 1560. They spread throughout much of western Europe and the European colonies in the Americas, and between 100,000-200,000 people were criminally accused and between 40,000-60,000 were executed. By around 1660, these proceedings had become less common.

was an extremely harsh legal system adopted in Athens in 621 B.C.E. This legal policy was adopted after Athenian small landowners pressured an aristocrat to form a new legal system. From this change, Athenians developed the ideal that the law belonged to all citizens.

In 1427-1428, the Mexica ruler, waged war against the Tepanec Alliance and defeated them. This effectively established the Aztec Empire.

One of the great advancements of Muslim intellectual life was the introduction of , or schools for the study of Muslim law and religion.

Part 3 Essay Question (40%): Your essay should have an introduction with a clear and specific thesis, a body with evidence, and a conclusion that reinforces your central argument. Select the option you feel the most comfortable with and answer it to the best of your ability. You may find it helpful to write out a brief outline of the essay before you begin writing.Choose ONE (1):Trace the rise and fall of the Tawantinsuyu Empire. What family was associated with the ruling class of this empire? Where did this empire settle and what allowed them to thrive in the area? Describe the social organizations of this empire and the methods its rulers used to enact effective rule. What helped to facilitate imperial expansion? Ultimately, what explains the decline and fall of the Tawantinsuyu civilization?When was the Medieval Chinese Economic Revolution and what allowed it to occur? What developments catalyzed the Medieval Chinese Economic Revolution and helped China develop into a dominant economic force? What was the Theory of the Dynastic Cycle and how did the Tang Dynasty defy this trend? Who dominated the ruling class during the Tang Dynasty and Song Dynasty and why was this group of people an effective class of rulers?List and examine the causes of the Crusades. Who originally called for a Crusade and what were this person’s motivations? How did this person attract volunteers and what types of people engaged in the Crusades? In which Crusades were Europeans successful? Why? What Muslim figure reversed Christians’ fortunes during the Crusades and pushed Europeans out of the Holy Land? Which Crusades, in particular, were spectacular failures and why? Ultimately, did European Christians achieve the goals they set forth to accomplish during the crusades?

Key Term Bank​The 12th Century Renaissance​The Basin of Cuzco​Blood Sacrifices​Bushido Code​Chinese Paper Money​Christian Curses​The Code of Chivalry​Crusader States​Easter Island​Emperor Taizu of Song​Fief​Figure of a Lohan​Human Sacrifice​Itzcoatl​Jizya​The Kamasutra​Khubilai Khan​Lake Texcoco​Lake Titicaca​Marco Polo​Moctezuma II​Peasants​The Pillow Book​Popol Vuh​Serfs​Shakuntala​Sic et Non​The Troyes Fair​The Valley of Mexico​Zakariya Al-Qazwini