Aim: What was the Byzantine Empire

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Aim What was the Byzantine Empire?
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I. Rise of the Byzantine Empire

• A. Roman Empire divided into 2 parts
• 1. West governed by Rome
• 2. East governed by Constantinople
• ?East became the Byzantine Empire

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• B. prospered in trade industry
• C. had paved roads, beautiful architecture
• D. culture spread all the way to Russia ? intro.
  the Cyrillic alphabet, Eastern Orthodox Religion,
  est. trade routes

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E. preserved Greek and Roman learning F.
protected W. Europe from invasions ? invaders
attacked the Byzantines before W. Europe
Hence indirectly protected Europe from
invaders Turks
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• G. developed the Orthodox Christian Religion
• H. cont. Roman laws and legal system
  Justinian Code of laws
• I. Justinian built the Hagia Sophia Cathedral

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• J. autocracy rule absolute rule will
  influence monarchies
• K. eventually defeated by the Islamic Turks
• L. controlled strategic waterways
• Bosporus Dardanelles Straits, and the Black
  Sea