The Crusades
By Cole Bennett and Jesus Hernandez Franco
Cause
The Crusades were "Holy Wars" fighting for control the holy city for all three main religions: Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. This war for Jerusalem was mainly fought between Christians and Muslims,
Immediate Effects
Thousands of people died as a result of this war. For a brief term, the Christians retained Jerusalem, but it was quickly taken over by the Muslims yet again. Some nobles also rode into battle without an heir and were killed, so the King took their land. The Europeans learned how to build better ships and how to make a compass from the advanced technologies of the Muslims.
Lasting Effects
While the Crusaders were in Asia, they discovered all kinds of luxuries, such as silk, spices, sugar, and different kinds of art and literature. After the Crusades ended, Europeans continued to trade with the Asian markets, establishing the Silk Road. This eventually led to the discovery of America when Christopher Columbus tried to find a way to India by sailing across the ocean.