G7 - Revision

• The Middle Ages was the period in European history that came between ancient and modern times. It lasted from about 500 to about 1500 ce

• Trade in the Middle Ages brought two main benefits.

• It made people wealthy and spread different cultures. This spread of cultures led to the development of new technology.

  
  

The Middle Ages

• History shows that technology positively affected the world during the Middle Ages.

• It is important to remember that there were adverse effects,too.For Example, the invention of the crossbow made wars more deadly.

• This shows that technology can bring benefits but can also cause harm.

  
  

Technology in the Medieval Age

• During the Han Dynasty of 206 BCE through 220 CE.the Chinese created a magnetic compass, an instrument that finds direction using a needle that always points to magnetic north.

• Explorers discovered that a magnetic metal always points to the north or south poles.

• Being able to determine north helped navigators find the direction in which they wanted to travel.

  
  

Magnetic Compass

• The original spoon-shaped compass design was heavy and difficult for travellers to carry.

• As travellers and traders used these compasses, they improved the technology. Over time,the design became smaller and a better shape for travellers and traders.

• Smaller compasses allowed traders to navigate the oceans more accurately than the original compass technology.

  
  

Smaller Compasse

Multiple Choice

The invention of the crossbow made wars more deadly.

• True

• False

• Some inventions made travel more comfortable and efficient for traders during the Middle Ages. One such invention was the camel saddle.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch app=desktop&v=cLlz2FTkf20

• The camel saddle helped travel by making it more comfortable to ride over long distances and balancing the weight of people and goods so the animals could carry more

  
  

The Camel Saddle

• The use of camel saddles spread through Islamic lands and became a common feature of caravans across trade routes.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sXFYyZA_p0

• Different regions produced different styles and designs of the saddle.For instance, traders from the deserts of the Arabian Peninsula and North Africa Decorated the saddlebags they attached to the saddles.

  
  

Different styles of Camel Saddle

• Medieval shipbuilders wanted fast ships that could hold a lot of goods.To meet this need, Arab sailors created a new kind of ship called a dhow.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUXx7HP6Irg

• They constructed dhows out of wood. Dhows had triangle-shaped lateen sails that could catch wind from all directions, thus making ships move faster.

  
  

Arab Sailing vessel

• Chinese shipbuilders built ships known as junk ships.

• These ships had flexible sails that made them easier to steer and navigate.

• The Chinese shipbuilders adapted Oceania's ships and smaller river boats into junk ships.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-vMC5a9I0Y

  
  

Chinese Sailing Vessel

Woodblock Printing

The Chinese created the first known printed book.

Chinese artisans used a woodblock printing method. This involved several steps.

First,they carved characters onto wooden blocks, a full scroll or page at a time. Then,they inked the blocks and pressed them onto paper.

Movable type printing

During the Song Dynasty (960-1279 CE), Chinese inventors developed a printing method called "movable type printing."

Instead of carving whole pages, they made individual characters that could be rearranged and reused.

This Made printing much faster and more efficient.

The Mongols
In Central Asia, nomadic tribes called Mongols travelled on horseback to different lands.

Genghis Khan

In 1211 CE, Genghis Khan united these tribes as their ruler. He quickly expanded the Mongol Empire to become the largest land-based empire ever.

The Yam system
The Yam system was a route messaging system used frequently and made bigger by Genghis khan.

The Yam system included relay stations every 20 to 30 miles.

These Stations had lodging, food, and rested horses. Riders could hand over the messages they carried to the next rider or they could grab a new horse and food and go.