Bettany Hughes visits Spain and explores a time when the Moors ruled Europe.  1492, Isabella and Ferdinand celebrate the reconquest of Spain from the Moors.  Columbus sets off for the New World once the celebrations are finished.  It ended centuries of rule by the Moors in Spain. 

They build the Alhambra Palace, one of the most complete Medieval Palaces in the world.  It was build according to a mathematical formula.  It was based on the laws of proportion.  It was one of the most beautiful palaces in Spain when it was occupied.

Sea travel was the way the ancient people got around, and it wasn't as much of a barrier as much as it was a highway.  The Berbers invaded Europe from Morrocco and swept up the Iberian peninsula but was turned away in Portieres, France.  Hughes demonstrates that the Moorish invasion of Spain isn't as straight forward as it seems.  Archeology is demonstrating that history isn't as it seems.  The Visigoths and Moors made deals during the invasion.  The Visigoths gave their land in exchange for protection.

Hughes, hints at life in the palaces the  Moors built.  Walls covered with tapestries.  Mechanical thrones, mechanical birds.  Pools and spacious courtyards.  Bowls of mercury that when the light hit them, reflected light through the palace.  The European idea of courtly love perhaps found its roots in the culture.

The Moorish rule started to collapse in the 11th Century.  Pope Urban called for Holy War and the Catholics in Northern Spain started banding together in order to reconquer Spain.  At this point, the Moorish kingdom had broken up into city-states and were no longer united under one king.  Now, the Catholics started to conquer each city and expand Spanish control over Iberia. 

If you want to find out more about this forgotten chapter of European History, then continue to watch the documentary.

This is a fantastic documentary from Bettany about when Moors ruled the Spanish peninsula.  It would be good for documentary for a sub to show in the classroom or for a teacher to do research for a lecture.

For use in the classroom, just highlight, copy and paste into a word or google document.  You can format it anyway you want to.  All questions can fit onto one page.

You can access the YouTube video here.

Questions:

1. When was the Alhambra built?
2. How many miles is it between Morroco and Spain?
3. How long did it take for the Moors to colonize Spain?
4. Where were the Moors turned away?
5. How Many Columns were in the Mosque at Cordoba?
6. List Three Things You Learned From When the Moors Ruled Europe:

          a.
          b.
          c.

Answers:

1. When was the Alhambra built? - 14th Century
2. How many miles is it between Morroco and Spain? - Nine Miles
3. How long did it take for the Moors to colonize Spain? - 4 years
4. Where were the Moors turned away? - Poitiers, France
5. How Many Columns were in the Mosque at Cordoba? - 600
6. List Three Things You Learned From When the Moors Ruled Europe:

          a.
          b.
          c.

Bettany Hughes explores the world of Ancient Athens and uncovers the truth about democracy.  She explores the bronze age of Athens and how it lead to the golden age of Athens.  She talks about democracy, warts and all.  Athens was a place that women did not have a voice or identity, where they constantly voted to go to war and where slaves outnumber citizens.

How did democracy operate in Athens?  Hughes explores the interesting machine the helped determined who would serve on the jury.  They pressed forward towards war with every other city-state.  Sparta found themselves as saviors in the Greek World, they were the ones who saved the Greeks from the tyranny of Athens.

She explores the war with Persia and how the Persian Navy was defeated by the Athenian Navy.  The Delian League was formed after the war, with Athens leading the league and providing protection for the rest of the city-states since they had a navy.  The league was found on the island of Delos, since not only was it a sacred territory but also a neutral territory...at least until Athens started thinking empire.  There was evidence of a treasury that was being built but abandoned.  The grain is the oil of the ancient world, and whoever controls it can control the world.  Athens was desperate for grain and received tribute in grain.  They took their tributes and instead of spending them on defense, built the Parthenon.

This enraged the people.  They rebelled and were punished for it.  There was no room for contradictory opinions in Athens.  This attitude towards contrary ideas culminated in the suicide of Socrates.  He was a man who asked uncomfortable questions.  He was the man who questioned everything.  It did not endear him to the people.  He was finally asked to commit suicide.

To learn more continue to watch this documentary.

For use in the classroom, just highlight, copy and paste into a word or google document.  You can format it in any way you want to.  All questions can fit onto one page.

You can access the YouTube video here.

Athens: The Truth About Democracy Questions:

1. How many artifacts were documented in the storerooms?
2. What was the name of the Greek Soldiers?
3. What did tyranos mean?  What is it associated with in the present day?
4. How long did people sit in the Assembly?
5. What did the black and white balls mean?
6. List Three things You’ve Learned About Athens:

          a.
          b.
          c.

Athens: The Truth About Democracy Answers:

1. How many artifacts were documented in the storerooms? - Quarter of a million
2. What was the name of the Greek Soldiers? - Hoplites
3. What did tyranos mean?  What is it associated with in the present day? - Benevolent rules, dictators
4. How long did people sit in the Assembly? - One Month
5. What did the black and white balls mean? - White and Black determined if you were chosen for a jury
6. List Three things You’ve Learned About Athens:

          a.
          b.
          c.

Bettany Hughes explores the island of Crete and the world of the Minoans.  It was a people who navigated nature through negotiation, rather than domination over nature.

Hughes introduces the Minoans by telling the story of the Labyrinth, and how the myths helped them explain their paths.  Crete was home to the Minoans, a civilization just misplaced and not lost.  They were rediscovered and given their name.  Crete was a place of a thousand stories, such as the King, a Wife and a white bull.

Poseidon gave the king a beautiful white bull, expecting the king to sacrifice the bull.  However, rather than sacrifice the bull, the king sacrificed another one.  Poseidon, unhappy with the arrangement, allowed the queen to fall in love with the bull.  The Minotaur was born out of this love and it was placed in the labyrinth.  IT was here that the youths of Athens are sacrificed.  What this born out of history or just fake news, it served to remind the Athenians of their history.

Archeologists slowly started making discoveries on Crete, and discovered Europe's first civilizations.  British archeologist, Arthur Evans made his way to Knossos.  It was a place that begged to be uncover.  They started excavating and kept excavating, kept uncovering more and more fines.  An unknown civilization was brought back to life through the archeology.  Continued discoveries revealed a complex civilization.  They documented everything and lived their lives until something happened.  The contradictions of the civilization have been documented.

What happened, archeologists could only guess.  A human sacrifice was made for some reason, it seems that there was a troubled times and that it was necessary to make the sacrifice.  The sea may have triggered the times of troubles which seems to have made the people abandon their female priestesses.  They were the ones who worked with nature in order to ensure plenty for all.  Their people were heavily invested in their religion, however as the time of troubles continued, the people turned against their religion and attacked the shrines.  Bettany Hughes eulogizes the end of the Minoans beautifully.

For use in the classroom, just highlight, copy and paste into a word or Google Document.  You can format it how you like.  All questions can fit on one page.

You can find the link to the YouTube video here.

Island of the Minotaur Questions:

1. What was the Minotour made up of?
2. Who believed that he discovered Troy?
3. Who came to Crete to explore Knossos?
4. What animal was found in Knossos?
5. What was an activity the Minoans did?
6. List Three Things You’ve Learned About the Minoans

           a.
           b.
           c.

Island of the Minotaur Answers:

1. What was the Minotour made up of? - Body of a man with the head and horns of the bull
2. Who believed that he discovered Troy? - Heinrich Schlimen
3. Who came to Crete to explore Knossos? - Arthur Evans
4. What animal was found in Knossos? - Bulls
5. What was an activity the Minoans did? - Bull Leaping
6. List Three Things You’ve Learned About the Minoans

              a.
              b.
              c.