"The word 'bank' is derived from the Italian word 'banco' signifying a bench, which was erected in the market-place, where it was customary to exchange money. The Lombard Jews were the first to practise this exchange business, the first bench having been established in Italy a.d. 808." - http://chestofbooks.com/finance/banking/English-Manual/Chapt...
In 867, the Macedonian dynasty took over Byzantium and started its golden age.
The 860s was the start of the First Bulgarian Empire. Bulgaria became Christian (864). The Cyrillic alphabet was developed shortly afterwards as a written script for church books.
The Muslims conquest of Sicily started in 827. They conquered Crete in 820.
Leo VI formally abolished the Roman consular dating system in 888. The 800s is when we started to use Anno Domini widely. (BTW, Leo VI also composed hymns which are still sung in the Eastern Orthodox Church.)
The Great Anti-Buddhist Persecution started in China in 845, in part to get the money needed to pay off the 843 victory against the Uyghurs. The fall of the Uyghur Khaganate caused the Uyghurs to migrate eastwards.
Judaization of the Khazars mostly took place in the 800s.
The 800s is the Pueblo I Era, when the Ancient Pueblo population (the Anasazi) constructed and lived in pueblos. 850 is the start of a major drought in the area, which lasted for 50 years.
It was also the terminal classic period of Mesoamerica. The oldest date found at Chichen Itza is equivalent to 832 AD.
FWIW, the world population then was about 225 million. It's about 7 billion now. That's a 28x difference, which surely affects how much change can occur.
The question was "name a generation over the last few centuries which hasn't seen the birth of a dozen groundbreaking technologies."
Notice the part about "last few centuries"?
12 is more than a few. If you're going to bend the rules then so will I. :)
The development of adobe building technology is both literally and metaphorically groundbreaking. These are still known as the pueblo dwellers because of that technology.
A new writing system and a new banking system are also technological developments.
My thesis is that social impact of the technological developments in the 50 years around 1900 was more than the development of the last 50 years. As supporting evidence, I propose that return0's statement "how often can one live through the birth of a groundbreaking technology" reveals that there are not that many new groundbreaking technologies these days. Someone from 100 years ago could name a dozen such changes.
In 867, the Macedonian dynasty took over Byzantium and started its golden age.
The 860s was the start of the First Bulgarian Empire. Bulgaria became Christian (864). The Cyrillic alphabet was developed shortly afterwards as a written script for church books.
The Muslims conquest of Sicily started in 827. They conquered Crete in 820.
Leo VI formally abolished the Roman consular dating system in 888. The 800s is when we started to use Anno Domini widely. (BTW, Leo VI also composed hymns which are still sung in the Eastern Orthodox Church.)
The Great Anti-Buddhist Persecution started in China in 845, in part to get the money needed to pay off the 843 victory against the Uyghurs. The fall of the Uyghur Khaganate caused the Uyghurs to migrate eastwards.
Judaization of the Khazars mostly took place in the 800s.
The 800s is the Pueblo I Era, when the Ancient Pueblo population (the Anasazi) constructed and lived in pueblos. 850 is the start of a major drought in the area, which lasted for 50 years.
It was also the terminal classic period of Mesoamerica. The oldest date found at Chichen Itza is equivalent to 832 AD.
FWIW, the world population then was about 225 million. It's about 7 billion now. That's a 28x difference, which surely affects how much change can occur.