The Crusades

This scene shows a giant map of Europe and the Middle East, highlighting three empires present in the year 1095 when the first Crusade begins; the Holy Roman Empire where Christianity was dominant, the Seljuq and Fatimid Empire where Islam was dominant, and finally in the Byzantine Empire where East Orthodox was dominant.

The map shows different routes taken through 300 years of Holy Wars known as Crusades, as well as giving a glimpse of live in England and in the Middle East at the time. The city of Jerusalem is highlighted, as access to religious sites for pilgrimages was a key cause of The Crusades.

# Learning objectives

1: Understand what circumstance caused The Crusades {.info}

2: Understand what happened during The Crusades {.info}

3: Understand how The Crusades changed the Western World{.info}

# What caused The Crusades? {.objective .objective1}

In this section students can learn about the different empires and religions in the year 1095, and how Jerusalem was a significant site for people of different faiths to visit on pilgrimages. Students can explore the large map and consider what life would have been like for soldiers in Northern Europe before they set off on a Crusade.

# What happened during The Crusades? {.objective .objective2}

Here a description is given of key event from the first four Crusades is given, and an explanation that the final five Crusades were a series of smaller conflicts. While the Christian crusaders believed that they were carrying out the will of God, during these years they committed several massacres. In this activity students observe the lines on the map showing different routes taken during the nine Crusades, including journeys over land and by sea. Students are asked to consider which routes they think would have been best, and what that journey would have been like.

# How did The Crusades change the Western World? {.objective .objective3}

Students can learn that The Crusades ultimately failed to take Jerusalem and create a Holy Land that was part of Christendom. In the Middle Ages, Muslim scholars had a more advanced understanding of science and medicine, so crusaders did return with new knowledge and a new number system that is still used today. In this activity students are asked to consider what crusaders experienced when they arrived in the Middle East, and what impact The Crusades had on the Western World.

# Teacher Resources

### Download Teacher Notes

[](https://data.avncloud.com/activities/792930/files/The%20Crusades+Teacher+Notes+1.pdf?date=1676631429&size=1022075&md5=c7e7ccaa05dfba36ce482fee8692135c)

### Student Quiz Answers Document

[](https://data.avncloud.com/activities/792932/files/The%20Crusades+Teacher+Notes+2.pdf?date=1676631621&size=555278&md5=f51b808d647a6d8d8750305191cfe045)

### Download Student Quiz Document

[](https://data.avncloud.com/activities/792934/files/The%20Crusades+Teacher+Notes+3.pdf?date=1676631672&size=96907&md5=f59b12643c138ca9e152f433d94dde7f)