What Happened to the Muslim Majorities of Spain and Portugal?

During the Spanish Reconquest, they were forced to convert to Christianity or leave. Click.

When Did Recorded History Begin, Taking Over from Pre-History?

Recorded history began with the invention of writing systems, on different continents at very different times, from 3500 BC to the 1400s, when Europeans encountered indigenous Americans, who did not have recorded history. "Protohistory refers to the transition period between prehistory and history, after the advent of literacy in a society but before the writings of the first historians. …

The Medici – Godfathers of the Renaissance

Tsenka Stoycheva: "From a small Italian community in 15th century Florence, the Medici family would rise to rule Europe in many ways. Using charm, patronage, skill, duplicity and ruthlessness, they would amass unparalleled wealth and unprecedented power. They would also ignite the most important cultural and artisitc revolution in Western history- the European Renaissance. But …

How Did Portugal Happen?

Portugal may be one of Europe's most under-rated countries. It has a rich history and culture from its founding during the Christian Reconquest of the Iberian peninsula in the late 1400s. About the size of Indiana, it was once one of the world's most significant maritime powers. During the Age of Discovery (1400s through 1700s), …

Struggle for Autonomy and Nationhood: ‘100 Years War’ Between England and France in the 1300s, 1400s

A series of armed conflicts between the kingdoms of England and France during the Late Middle Ages is generally referred to as the 100 Years War, though it lasted nearly 120 years. Maureen Dowd notes ironically in the NYT that the 100 Years War may not be over, given current tensions between England and France. …

Art History 1: Medieval 500–1400, with Rick Steves

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHU5EPeZLkA&t=13s Rick Steves Travel Talks: "A.D. 500: Rome shatters into a thousand kingdoms. See how Europe pieces itself back together: the castles of the Dark Ages, the grandeur of Romanesque churches, the soaring arches and stained glass of the Gothic style, and the rise of cities and trade that would bring the classical world’s “rebirth” …

The Machine That Made Us (Gutenberg Printing Press Documentary)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQ88yC35NjI&t=119s Timeline - World History Documentaries "Stephen Fry takes a look inside the story of Johann Gutenberg, inventor of the world's first printing press in the 15th century, and an exploration of how and why the machine was invented."

11 Broadway Musicals That Illuminate History

One unusual way to learn history is through music. Broadway musicals illuminate the past in ways that dry textbooks cannot. Examples: "Something's Rotten" -- a musical comedy about the English Renaissance, how Shakespeare stole with impunity from other writers and poets (no copyright laws).  Here are two numbers: "Welcome to the Renaissance" and "Black Death." …

Gutenberg’s Invention of Printing Press in the 1400s Led to Information Revolution and Surveillance Capitalism of the 21st Century

Many observers have compared the Information Revolution now underway to that sparked by Johann Gutenberg's invention of the printing press in the 1400s. "The problem with living through a revolution is that it’s impossible to take the long view of what’s happening. Hindsight is the only exact science in this business, and in that long …

Introducing the Renaissance (1300s-1500s) and Humanism

During the European Renaissance (1300-1600), the intellectual movement of humanism emerged. History teacher Paul Sargent defines the Renaissance, describes the movement of humanism and profiles four major figures of the movement: Petrarch (1304-1374), Lorenzo Valla (1407-1457), Marsilio Ficino (1433-1499), and Pico della Mirandola (1463-1494). Sargent points out that during the Renaissance, citizens renewed their belief …