Teotihuacan and the Maya.

1. Civilizations in the Americas rose in apparent isolation from the rest of the world.

The ‘mother’ culture of the Olmec created new social and intellectual contributions which spread to neighboring groups. Highlight the Olmec contribution to American societies and how these factors found expression in the regional powers that followed such as Teotihuacan and the Maya. Compare the contributions of the Mayan civilization with one of the four other civilizations covered in the first part of this course: Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, or Indus.

2. Describe the beliefs, practices, nature of heresies, spread, and impact of Christianity during the Middle Ages, 500-1500 CE.

The crusades symbolize several elements of this European culture and religious identity. Discuss the significant historical characteristics of Western Europe during the Middle Ages that help explain the crusades.

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