The Christian church that traces its history to Jesus Christ and the Apostles and has played a prominent role in the history of Western civilization.

What was the lord’s estate in feudal Europe called?

A system of farming developed in medieval Europe, in which farmland was divided into three fields of equal size and each of these was successively planted with a winter crop, planted with a spring crop, and left unplanted (lay fallow).

One of the first and most famous Europeans to travel to Asia during the Middle Ages; traveled farther than any of his predecessors during his 24-year journey along the Silk Road.

A Chinese dynasty that lasted from A.D. 618 - 907 and brought forth a period of peace and prosperity referred to as a Golden Age. This dynasty restored order to China after the earlier Hun invasions that brought about a collapse. This dynasty was also noted for its expansion into Korea, Manchuria and parts of Central Asia, restoring Confucian texts and civil service exams, establishing a census, and building public works.

Located in China, the longest canal or artificial river in the world.

Travel across the Sahara (north and south) to reach sub-Saharan Africa from the North African coast, Europe to the Levant; peak of trade extended from 8th century until the early 17th century.

The world's largest hot desert, it covers most of Northern Africa and is almost as large as the United States. It would play a critical role throughout history as a challenging geographic barrier between Northern and Sub-Saharan Africa.

A trade network centered in the West African kingdoms of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai where people north of the Sahara traded with people south of the Sahara.

a system of government in which priests rule in the name of God or a god.

Arab prophet who, according to Islam, was the last messenger of Allah (570-632).

"submission to Allah" - a monotheistic religion based upon the teachings of the prophet Mohammed and articulated by the Arabic Qur'an.