Years That Changed HistoryYears That Changed History

The year 1215 was a major turning point in world history. Although the drafting of the Magna Carta is perhaps the most well-known event of 1215, anyone in Europe at the time would have said that the meeting of the Church's Fourth Lateran Council was much more significant. Meanwhile, in Asia, a Mongol ruffian named Genghis Khan was embarking on a mission for world domination, beginning with his success at the Battle of Beijing, while Islam was experiencing a Golden Age centered around Baghdad's House of Wisdom. Other cultures and societies around the globe were also experiencing pivotal moments in their development from the Americas to Africa and Asia and beyond. These seismic events were only possible thanks to a confluence of global conditions, starting with the climate. Although we might not be familiar with the specifics, the ripple effect from these events can still be felt all over the world today.