MID-TERM: 8th GRADE WORLD HISTORY
Study Guide
The Middle Ages In Europe (Part 1)
Word
Manor
Definition
The lord’s estate which includes the house and the village, it’s self-sufficient and
the heart of the medieval economy
Inquisition
Chivalry
Papal
Supremacy
Lay Investiture
The court where Muslims and Jews would go on trial
Set of rules for the knights, it’s a code of conduct for the knights which stressed
ideals such as courage, loyalty and devotion
The pope has supreme authority over all the kings and emperors
The pope has more power than the king
Appointment of religious officials by kings or nobles or when kings hand pick
religious officials
Guild
a group of people who do the same job and form an organization
its purpose is to protect the workers and their rights
it’s like a union today
Parliament
the law making branch of the English government
Reconquista
the plan to get Muslims and Jews out of Spain
1. What signaled the beginning of the Middle Ages?

The fall or collapse of the Roman Empire
2. What is the feudal system based on?

Mutual obligations
3. Who was the feudal contract between?

A greater lord and his less powerful noble
4. How would you describe a medieval serf?

They were bound to the land but were not slaves as they could not be bought or sold
5. How were feudalism and the manor system related?

Feudalism was a social order, and the manor system was the economic arrangement that
supported it
6. What was the most powerful institution of the Middle Ages?

The Church
7. According to the code of chivalry, who were the three people a knight fought for?
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His lady,
His feudal lord
His heavenly Lord
8. What was the chief goal of the Crusades?

To recover (or take back) Jerusalem( or the Holy Land) from the Muslim (Turks)
9. What did the Magna Carta grant to the nobles?

Basic legal rights
10. What was the major cause of the Great Schism?

Arguments about which man holding the position of pope was the true pope
11. What was the central issue of the Hundred Years War?

The throne of France
12. Why did Science make little real progress in Europe during the Middle Ages?

Most scholars thought that all knowledge must fit with church teachings
13. Describe Gothic cathedral architecture.
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Stained glass – usually more decorative such as the Rose Glass
Light and open
High ceilings
Fancy and decorative
Rib vaults – arched or pointed
Flying buttresses are actually used to hold up the walls
More open / less wall space
Sculpture and statues
14. What did the devastation caused by the bubonic plague lead to?

The disruption and collapse of medieval society
15. What city were they looking to recapture during the Crusades?
 Jerusalem
16. What caused the decline of the Middle Ages?


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A middle class formed bringing an end to feudalism
The Crusades and the Black Death
Education was valued again and the corruption of the Catholic Church
The Byzantine Empire, Russia and Eastern Europe ( Part 2)
Word
Justinian’s Code
Definition
a single set of unified laws based on old Roman laws
Czar
means emperor, Russian version of Caesar
17. What was the capital of New Rome, or the Byzantine Empire?

Constantinople
18. What caused the split between the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church?

The use of icons
19. What helped cause the decline of the Byzantine empire?


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The Mongols and Turks invaded and conquered Constantinople
The disruption and the control of Byzantine trade
Bubonic Plague
20. Describe the Mongol rule of medieval Russia

The Mongols allowed Russians to follow their usual customs as long as they didn’t rebel and
they paid tribute or taxes
21. After the Great Schism, what was the new name given to the Byzantine church?

Eastern Orthodox Church
The Rise of Islam ( Part 3)
Word
Definition
Islam
one who has submitted to the will of God, monotheistic religion based on the
teachings of Muhammad
Sunni
The best Muslim male should be the next ruler, who is the best “fit” for the job and not
necessarily someone who is a descendant of Muhammad
Shiite
Or Shi’a - branch of Islam whose members believe that the blood line or descendants
or Muhammad should rule
22. What are two important teachings that are common to all three faiths?


One God
Life After Death
23. Why was the Hijrah important

It enabled Muhammad to be accepted as a leader leader, gain followers and gain power
Short Answer Section (Part 4)
1. Explain how the church shaped medieval life and society? Provide two examples.
Remember to introduce the feudal system as a time where there was a weak central
government, which gave the church more power
Points that you can include as examples:
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The church was seen as the social center or “town hall” since their entire social life revolved
around the church which was usually in the center of the village
Excommunication as the worst punishment of their life as you’re kicked out of the church
Canon law – the church had its own laws and its own court
Papal Supremacy where the church had power over the kings and the constant fighting back
and forth over who was more powerful.
Church tax – they took the people’s money especially the poor peasants
They built these large gothic cathedrals where they were putting time and money into God
as these took a lot of time and money to build
2. Define feudalism and explain how it helped to create the manor economy.
The Development of Feudalism
Rome fell in
A.D. 476 as a
result of invasion
by the Germanic
tribes
Central
government
broke down and
trade was
disrupted
Cities were
abandoned and
population
centers shifted to
rural areas
Ties of personal
loyalty and
family bound
Germanic
peoples together
The lack of
centralized
government
created the need
for a new social
order.
Christianity
remained a major
unifying force
throughout most
of western
Europe.
Common needs
for economic
self-sufficiency
The manor
became the main
economic unit.
The feudal
system
developed with a
and local
protection led to
a new pattern
based on land
ownership
Church leaders
helped to
integrate
community life.
king at the top
and
Mutual duties
linking local
lords, vassals,
and peasants
Explanation of the Chart
1. The fall of Rome
2. As a result of the fall of Rome, there is no longer any central government so there is no
leadership which causes the cities to fall apart of decline
3. Due to invasions the people bail from the cities to the safety of the rural areas
4. In the rural areas, the people need some protection and a new government structure is formed
5. Groups formed and joined up with a wealthy landlord
6. The manor system grew out of this as a “give and take” type of society where you give me in
service and I’ll give you land
Remember to define feudalism, and then explain how it enabled the creation of the manor
system
Points to include:
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Feudalism is the government or social structure in the medieval society that works on a
system of mutual obligations
Feudalism began because people were looking for protection.
People lost government and needed protection and began to form groups.
These groups joined with up with wealthy land owners and began a give and take
partnership (feudal contract)
The lord needed protection and so he needs knight to fight for him (feudal contract)
Thus creating the Manor system which is based on “I got your back you’ve got mine”
3. Explain the three issues that to the mistrust and desire to reform the Medieval Church.
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Wealthy church tax of 10% was difficult for the poor who had no money
Lay investiture – the king pick church people which can lead to corruption
The buying and selling of forgiveness or indulgences for the your sins
Papal supremacy or the idea of the pope having more power than the king
Religious officials had questionable morals - gambling, drinking marrying
The Plague – the church wouldn’t help the people in fear of getting sick so the people lost
faith in the church
Simony the buying and selling of church jobs or positions
4. Define the Reconquista and Spanish Inquisition? Explain how the two are connected.

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The Reconquista was the organized effort or plan to rid Spain of all the non-Christians (the
Jews and Muslims).
The Spanish Inquisition was the court that let them put non-Christians on trial to get rid of
them.
5. What were three effects of the Black Death?
Remember to tell what the Black Death was and how it came about before you talk
about the effects
Points to include:
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Population declines due to a lot of people dying
People lost faith in the church since they wouldn’t help them
Trade declined so prices increased in an attempt to make up the loss of money
People left the cities to flee the plague and moved to the country which will lead to the end
of the manor system
Decline in the education with all the people now living in the country
Church lost power due to people losing faith in the church
Long Response ( Part 5)
1. Explain how Feudalism developed in Europe starting with the fall of Rome.
 Feudalism was the social and government structure that developed after the fall of Rome.
After Rome fell a series of events occurred that led to the rise of the new social order
Once Rome fell
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No central government
No leadership and cities fell apart
Invasion led people to move from the cities to the rural country
People needed protections and a new government
Groups forced to work together
Developed their own roles and a partnership from which the feudal society and manor
system grew
Concluding paragraph can be based on the last bullet
2. Discuss the main beliefs and concepts connected to the three monotheistic religions: Judaism,
Christianity, and Islam. Explain three similarities and three differences between Judaism,
Christianity, and Islam.
In the world today there are three major religions, Christianity, Judaism and Islam. Although
all three religions has the same origin each one will develop differently
 Mention the three similarities one at a time and then make it a difference for how it religion
uses/names it
 Concluding paragraph example: As you can see though these three religions are very
similar they also have many differences
3.Explain/ Describe the Five Pillars of Islam.
Remember to start this answer by defining what the Five Pillars of Islam are and then
describe each one.
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The Five Pillars of Islam are the major rules by which all Muslims of the Islamic faith live
 The Five Pillars of Islam
Declaration of Faith – “There is no god but God and Muhammad is His Prophet”. By
reciting this one enters the Islamic faith.
Prayer – Muslims are required to pray five times a day, washing themselves before prayers
and facing in the direction of Mecca while praying
Giving Alms or Charity – Muslims are required to give away a percentage of their earnings
to those less fortunate, regardless of their religion
Fasting During the Month of Ramadan – Muslims fast for one lunar month each year, a
period called Ramadan. During this time, Muslims reflect on their behavior and strive to
purify their thoughts. They are required to fast during this time from sun-rise to sun-set
Pilgrimage or Journey to Mecca – If it is physically or financially possible, Muslins are
required to travel to Mecca once in their lifetime