Unit 6 Test Study Guide with answers
Vocabulary to know:
medieval
hippodrome
cathedral
icon
Hagia Sophia
Constantinople
Justinian Code
feudalism
manor system
three-field rotation
monarch
serf
knight
Middle Ages
bubonic plague
epidemic
Crusades
Medieval: of or relating to the Middle Ages ; of or relating to the period of European history from about
A.D. 500 to about 1500
Hippodrome- an ancient Greek stadium used for horse and chariot racing
Cathedral- a large, important Christian church
Icon- a religious image
Hagia Sophia- a great domed cathedral in Constantinople
Constantinople- the capital of the Byzantine Empire
Justinian Code- laws of the ancient Romans collected by Byzantine scholars and organized into a code of
laws for the Byzantine Empire under Emperor Justinian
Feudalism- a social, political, and economic system used in the Middle Ages
Manor system- in the Middle Ages, a way to manage feudal land
Three-field rotation- in the Middle Ages, a system whereby the planting of crops on manor lands
alternates between three fields
Monarch- a king or queen who is supreme leader
Serf- a person who lived on and farmed feudal land
Knight- a feudal warrior trained and prepared to fight on horseback
Middle Ages- a period of European history that lasted from about 500 to 1500
Bubonic Plague- an epidemic spread to humans by fleas from rats
Epidemic- a disease that spreads quickly
Crusades- major military expeditions by Christians to win back control of Palestine
People/Places/Things/Other things to know:
What are the reasons for the fall of the Roman Empire?
 Empire grew too large
 There were not enough soldiers to defend it
 Power struggles between Roman generals
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Growth of Christianity
Wealthy Romans did not want to serve empire.
Invasion by Germanic tribes.
Byzantine Empire
Eastern half of the Roman Empire, part of the Roman empire that succeeded after the western half of Rome fell.
Constantinople
Capital city of the eastern half of the Roman empire
Hagia Sophia
Built by Justinian, great cathedral
Justinian
 Emperor Justinian came into power in 527. He wanted to restore the Roman Empire. During his rule, the
Byzantine Empire reached its height.
Code of Justinian
 a code of laws based on the laws of the Romans. It made laws clearer and allowed the Empire
to operate with an efficient and fair central government. It is the basis for many legal systems
today.
What caused the split of the Christian church?
 the use of icons as part of worship.
Vikings
fierce pirates and warriors from Scandinavia, invaded the empire and continued to launch several invasions
King John
 King John governed in England with more force than earlier kings did. He demanded more military
service and greater amounts of money. He also sold royal positions to the highest bidders.
 English lords were angry with John’s rule. John agreed to the Magna Carta.
Magna Carta
 The Magna Carta contained 63 clauses to help the people, but the greatest value of the Magna Carta
was that it limited royal power. The king had to obey the law.
Accomplishments of Charlemagne
 Promoted learning and culture in his empire.
 Trial by jury
 Standardized money
 United Western Europe
Feudal pyramid and relationships:
What led to the Crusades?
* In the mid-1000s, a group of Muslim Turks from Central Asia rose up and defeated a Byzantine army,
which marked the decline Byzantine control over Asia Minor.
* During this time, the Turks conquered many lands, including Palestine.
* Christians considered Palestine the Holy Land because this is where Jesus lived and preached. But now,
Palestine was under Muslim control.
* In the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions, Islam gradually replaced Christianity.
* Christians wanted to take the holy land back and responded by organizing eight military expeditions
called the Crusades.
What was the effect of the Crusades?
* The Crusades increased contacts between the West and the East. These contacts led to additional trade
and commerce.
Silk Road
* For goods from China and the Far East, European trade routes linked through the Silk Road.
Bubonic Plague
* When medieval culture was at its greatest strength, the Plague hit Europe.
* The Plague was a bubonic plague, a very aggressive epidemic.
* A bubonic plague occurs when fleas infest rodents, and then move to humans.
Effects of the Bubonic Plague
* 25-33% population loss in Europe
* Business go bankrupt
* Deaths cause labor shortages serfs more valuable
* Trade declines and towns disappear
* Construction and building projects stop
* Food supply decreases and people starve
Be sure to know where to label on a map:
Red Sea
Africa
Europe
Atlantic Ocean
Asia
Constantinople
Black Sea
Bosporus
Sea of Marmara