Unit 5 Study Guide – Middle Ages
1.
What years does the “Middle Ages” refer to? What are considered to be the beginning and ending “events” of the Middle Ages?
2.
Who was Charlemagne and what is he remembered for?
3.
What happened to Western Europe after the Roman Empire fell?
4.
What does the development of various European languages tell us about Europe in the 800s?
5.
Explain Feudalism. Why did it start?
6.
7.
8.
Compare and Contrast Feudalism in Japan and Western Europe.
How did Feudalism make an insecure life more secure for peasants?
What was the Code of Chivalry? How did knights fight?
9.
What was Manorialism and how did it relate to Feudalism?
10. What was the purpose of a castle in the Middle Ages?
11. Who invaded Europe between 800 and 1000? How does this lead to more Feudalism?
12. The Church in the Middle Ages: sacraments, relationship between Popes and Monarchs, role in the life of people (social services, unity,
stability), role of monasteries in Medieval learning, tithing, church law, views on women, Great Schism
13. What was the goal of the Crusades? What were the effects?
14. Describe the agricultural advancement made during the middle ages.
15. What was a guild?
16. How did trade and commerce lead to the growth of towns and cities, and how did this lead to the decline of Feudalism?
17. What were the Reconquista and the Inquisition?
18. What was the Holy Roman Empire?
19. Who was William the Conqueror?
20. What steps toward eventual democracy were made by France and England during the Middle Ages?
21. Cause and effects of the 100 years’ war.
22. Describe the characteristics of Gothic Architecture.
23. Describe the causes and effects of the Black Death.
24. Who was Joan of Arc?
25. What arguments against the church did John Wycliffe and John Hus make?
26. Be able to discuss at least one terrible job of the Middle Ages
The End of the Middle Ages
Growth of towns and villages, breaking up of feudal system, more central power and unified nations (England and France first)
England: Anglo Saxons + Vikings + Rome
1066 William the Bastard: Duke of Normandy (in France). King Edward (England) dies. They are cousins. William claims throne, battles Harold
Godwinson. William wins, becomes William the Conqueror. Takes 1/5 of England’s land for himself, gives more land to 200 Norman lords. Has two
goals: Add to his lands in France, increase his power over church and nobles.
1154 Henry II – descendant of William. King (of England), Vassal (of France – owns Normandy and Aquitane)
Steps toward Democracy (baby steps) – Common Law (jury, precedent, etc.), Magna Carta, Parliament
1215 – John Softsword: lost Normandy, raised taxes, nobles revolted and forced him to sign the Magna Carta (limits king’s power, guaranteed
certain basic legal rights)
1295 – Edward I – gathers knights, burgesses (wealthy merchants), bishops, lords in order to raise taxes. Creates a Parliament made up of House of
Lords and House of Commons.
France: Also centralizing power, gaining land
Estates-General 1st (church) 2nd (lords) 3rd (merchants – commoners). French king wants priests to pay taxes, pope doesn’t want them to. King
includes commoners in Estates General for support. France’s baby steps toward democracy.
Great Schism: 3 popes! Whole debacle makes people lose respect for the papacy.
More conflict b/w kings and popes. Phillip IV of France says “king’s sword is made of steel, pope’s is made of words.” Pope dies, king gets a French
archbishop appointed, moves papacy to France in 1305.
1378 a French pope dies, Italians demand a Roman pope, one is elected. Cardinals don’t like him, elect a different French pope. Popes
excommunicate eachother. Then there is a third pope that is elected by some council.
1414 Council of Constance plus Holy Roman Emperor force all 3 to resign and elect a totally different one. Weakens papacy.
Other threats to Roman Catholic church:
John Wycliffe(England), John Hus (Bohemia) – argue that bible should be the authority, not the pope. Leads to English translation of the bible.
Offended by Church’s worldliness and wealth. Hus is burned at the stake in 1415 for heresy.
Hundred Years’ War:
1337-1453. = nationalism and more power for kings
Edward III (English king) claims right to French throne. He is the grandson of Philip IV, previous French king. War fought on French soil, English win
many battles and destroy much of French countryside. French finally drive England out.
Longbow – End of chivalrous knight to knight battle (chivalry not really about protecting the weak, poor, women – really about code of fighting).
“Common” archers with their new weapon completely changed warfare. Longbow could shoot 12-15 arrows/minute at 100-200 yds. End of
mounted, heavily armed knights.
Joan of Arc: 1429. 13 years old, hears voices of saints, believes she is to save France from an English king. Leads an army to defeat the English at
Orleans, convinces Charles VII to be crowned French king, captured and England hands her over to Church courts. Charles VII does nothing. She is
burned as a heretic.
Bubonic Plague/Black Death:
1/3 of Europe dead (remember what we talked about with averages – did every third person everywhere die?)
Ripped apart the fabric of society – families, religion, social order
Asia - Europe via traders 1347 hits Italy, 4 years of devastation
Economic and Social effects: supply and demand, more resources, peasants revolts, end of serfdom, loss of power for the church, Anti-Semitism