Social Studies - 2019-20
WHI.8a - Establishment of Constantinople
The student will apply social science skills to understand the Byzantine Empire and Eastern Europe from about 300 to 1000 A.D. (C.E.) by
a) explaining the influence of geography on the establishment of Constantinople as the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire and describing the Byzantine Empire in time and place;
BIG IDEAS
UNDERSTANDING THE STANDARD
The capital of the Eastern Roman Empire was established at Constantinople to provide political, economic, and military advantages
ESSENTIALS
Location of Constantinople
Protection of the eastern frontier
Distance from Germanic invasions in the western empire
Crossroads of trade
Easily fortified site on a peninsula bordered by natural harbors
Role of Constantinople
Seat of the Byzantine Empire until Ottoman conquest
Preserved classical Greco-Roman culture
Center of trade
KEY VOCABULARY
Terms
Byzantine Empire (7a-e)
Justinian (7b)
Greek Orthodox Christianity (7c)
Imperial patronage (7c)
Icons (7c)
Mosaics (7c)
Western Christian Church (7d)
Eastern Christian Church (7d)
Liturgy (7d)
Pope (7d)
Patriarch (7d)
Celibacy (7d)
Slavic language (7e)
Cyrillic alphabet (7e)
Russian Orthodox Christianity (7e)
Ottoman Turks (7e)
Tsar (Czar) (7e)
People
Justinian (7b)
St. Cyril (7e)
Places
Constantinople (7a,d)
Byzantium (7c)
Hagia Sophia (7c)
Russia (7e)
Baltic Sea (7e)
Black Sea (7e)