The 10 Most Important Moments and Events in History--2

 

6. World War I

World War One (1914-1918) was once called the Great War. No one during that time could imagine anything worse. That is until they faced themselves with WWII and even more bloodshed. But WWI was not
pushed aside. In fact, historian, George Kennan, said that all roads lead to WWI. In truth, Kennan was right on the money. WWII’s causes can be traced right back to WWI where so much was left undone and so much resentment and hatred brewed below the surface. It was the humiliation of Germany at the end of WWI that began the movement toward WWII. The hatred toward the world that many Germans felt led to the election of Hitler, the creation of concentration camps, and the fall of France, Poland, and many other countries. An unsatisfied closure to the Great War caused it to be the silence before the storm.

7. Gutenberg's Printing Press

There is almost no other event that could be called as influential as the printing press that Gutenberg invented around 1440. Before this monumental creation, books were copied by hand. Laboriously, monks and other men of learning would spend hours and hours through the bright sunlight and the weak light of an oil lamp to make copies of religious texts, literature, and official documents. It could take years just to copy one book. When Gutenberg devised a printing press that could print copy after copy in just a small fraction of the time, the whole world changed dramatically. All of a sudden, everyone could have their own copies of the religious scriptures. They could read them for themselves. Political pamphlets could be made by the thousands and influence the masses like never before. Learning was not limited to a select few. It was available for all. Books were not just for the rich. They could be made for those of lower classes. Gutenberg’s press changed the political world, the religious world, and the everyday life of man. No more would we lean on a select few to direct us. We could take it for ourselves.

8. Life of Muhammad

Just like the life of Jesus, whether you are a follower of Muhammad (570-630) or not, you cannot deny the impact his life has had on history. Before Muhammad rose up as the founder of Islam, the Middle East was full of small tribes that warred against each other continuously. Muhammad brought those tribes together and gave them a purpose and a reason to join forces. Though blood was still shed, it was not against each other. It was against those that threatened the new religion or fought against it.
After Muhammad brought together the Middle East, the region experienced the Islamic Golden Age from 786 to 1258 AD. This time is analogous to Europe's Renaissance (though during this time, Europe was still in the Dark Ages). The region's culture flourished and made many advances in fields including mathematics and science. The world benefited from Muslims' discovery of the immune system, preservation of Roman and Greek texts, and invention of the number zero, the decimal system, and algebra. Even coffee was discovered during the Islamic Golden Age! The stability Muhammad brought to the region was one of the reasons that the culture was able to make such advances.
Since the birth of Islam, it has become one of the largest religions of the world. It covers the globe, and through many of its sects, it has influenced the world. The terrorist branches have reached out and impacted the daily lives of every person through their traveling procedures or just the way they go to work with extra security. Muhammad changed the shape of the Middle East that is still changing today.

9. Pax Romana

This is the period of relative peace in the Roman Empire for about two hundred years. What was so special about this besides the fact that it was peace for an empire that loved to fight and in which bloodshed was part of the daily life was what the peace brought forth. During that time, many innovations were developed that are still used today. Roads of amazing engineering were built and linked the far areas of the vast empire like none other before them. A postal system was refined and utilized like never before. An explosion in the field of engineering gave us the arch, plumbing, and so many more cultural advances that were the basis of many of the things that we use each and every day of our lives. This period of peace allowed the warring empire to settle down and adjust to its new size and all its new family members. It developed a legal system like none other. It created a culture that is envied today in many aspects. This peace helped lay down the foundations of our world today.

10. Renaissance

Nothing can compare to the age of the Renaissance. Ignorance was being pushed aside and the world was beginning to see the mathematics of a falling apple, the sparkle of a dew drop, and the wonder of a distant star. It was during this time that great men and women questioned tradition and standing beliefs. People learned that there was still a lot to learn in this great world. The earth was not the center of the universe. There were planets besides our own. There was a world of mathematics that had functioned just under the surface where no man had yet looked. There was beauty in colors that art began to acknowledge and share with the whole world. The Renaissance gave us new light, pushing aside the Dark Ages when man was directed by superstition and fear. The Renaissance gave the unexplainable a face and a name. There would be no more fear. Curiosity was encouraged despite opposition from those that longed to remain in the past. The Renaissance was an awakening to the world and was the beginning of all our curiosity today.