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Study Guide for the Middle Ages Quiz Part II
Master Copy
A Day  Quiz on 11-21-2013
B-Day  Quiz on 11-22-2013
Timeline of Events
Early Middle Ages 476 C.E. – 1000 C.E.
High Middle Ages 1000 – 1300 C.E.
Late Middle Ages 1300 – 1450 C.E.
Year
Event
Explain The Importance
395
Christianity takes
shape and becomes
the recognized
religion of the Roman
Empire
Christians are persecuted throughout the Roman Empire prior
and must practice their faith in hiding. They risk their
belongings and lives to practice their faith.
In 312 Constantine the night before the Battle of Milvian
Bridge, Constantine has a vision to put the first two letters of
Christ’s name (Chi and Rho) on his soldiers’ shields.
Constantine wins the battle and sees this as a sign to convert to
Christianity.
By 395 C.E. Christianity became the recognized religion of the
Roman Empire.
1066
Norman Invasion
William Duke of Normandy meets Harold Godwinson at the
Battle of Hastings. William uses archers to release a flurry of
arrows. William fakes a retreat then attacks Harold to win the
battle. William defeats Harold and becomes king.
Norman Culture changed Saxon tradition. French words blend
with Anglo-Saxon language. Established Feudalism in England.
Ceremonially crowned King by representatives of the Pope.
William keeps the English custom of consulting an advisory
council. William creates the Domesday Book. The Domesday
book was a census that helped William keep track of all people
in England. It also helped settle land disputes among lords
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1215
Magna Carta
At Runnymede England on June 15, 1215 there was a meeting
between King John and the English Nobles. The Nobles came
dressed in their battle gear to show their displeasure to the
king.
The Magna Carta limited the power of the King. No longer
could he simply throw people in jail. There was no recognition
of the “divine right of kings.”
Habeas Corpus: Any person accused of a crime needs to know
what they are going to jail for. The reason needs to be
legitimate.
The Magna Carta also created a council of nobles that the king
could not ignore. Eventually this led to the idea of democracy.
The Magna Carta also establishes the idea of rights and
liberties. It limited the kings powers and strengthened the
rights of the nobles.
It affirmed that monarchs should rule with the advice from the
people being governed.
1346 1352
Black Death
Deadly plague that was caused by bacteria. It could affect your
lungs and your bloodstream. You could also get egg-sized
swells.
It originated in Mongolia and spread to the Black Sea along the
silk road (trade route). It was spread by fleas that lived on
black rats. Italian merchant ships brought the rats to Europe
along with trade goods. It first appeared in Sicily and
eventually spread across Europe.
It killed approximately 1/3 of Europeans or 25 million people.
People could not figure out the cause. Their remedies varied
from using herbs to being a flaggelant.
Forced farmers to diversify their crops (think crop rotation).
Working class people moved to towns and cities to earn better
wages. It reduced the power of feudal lords and led to a decline
in feudalism.
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1338 1453
Hundred Years War
There is a dispute over the French throne between the kings of
England and France.
Charles IV king of France, dies with no sons. His nephew
Phillip of Valois gets the throne.
King of England was Edward III wanted to become king of
France and sent a note to Philip renouncing is allegiance as a
vassal and attacks France.
First 90 years, English armies are victorious. The English
longbow is more effective than the French crossbow because
of the longer range.
The English army recruits soldiers and pays them to fight
instead of the French oaths of loyalty.
Joan of Arc, a peasant woman is inspired by God to save France
and helped push English armies out of central France. She gets
captured and is burned at the stake in 1431 for being a witch.
The war contributes to the end of feudalism. People became
more patriotic about their monarchs than feudal lords.
Monarchs built huge armies with taxes they collected.
1. How did the church use its POWER economically and politically to gain
even more power?
The Church was the largest landholder in Europe. The Church received gifts from
the monarchs and lords. They also added wealth by collecting tithes. People paid the
tithes and gave gifts in an attempt to receive eternal salvation.
Latin is the common language in the church and Europe. Church officials also kept
records for monarchs. Most of the clergy could read but many monarchs could not.
2. Pope Gregory VII made what changes to the Catholic Church that angered
King Henry IV? These changes angered King Henry IV resulting in his
excommunication temporarily. How does this example display the
churches power?
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Forbidding priests to marry
Outlawing the selling of church offices
Kings could no longer appoint priests
Henry IV thought it was his right to appoint church officials and thought Gregory
should no longer be Pope. This led to his excommunication before eventually being
reinstated after begging for his reinstatement.
3. The Catholic Churches attempted to tell stories about using stained glass
because most people were not ______________________ during the Middle Ages.
Stained glass stories were illustrations so anyone could follow the story. This is
another example of how little literacy there was in Western Europe.
4. William the Conqueror brought Feudalism to England. Why was this
important?
Feudalism brings a new way to organize everyone into a society. It brings, safety,
stability, and protection. England was being invaded a lot during this period.
William the Conqueror provides a way to stabilize the country.
He also brought Norman culture which changes Saxon traditions For example,
French words blend with the Anglo-Saxon language.
5. Explain the shift in power during the Middle Ages from lords to the
merchant class. Why is this important? How did this change happen? (You
need to know graphic organizer 55B)
New developments such as crop rotation allowed peasants to build a surplus of
food. The surplus led to job specialization and a growth in trade at local towns,
which were located by rivers.
Medieval town life developed away from lords economically, politically, and socially.
*****Look at your bubble page, 54B******
A new class of people called merchants began to develop. They were wealthy and
powerful. They sat on town councils that governed cities. They also joined guilds
that were comprised of a collection of people that were skilled workers in a specific
job.
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Guild members did not need to rely on the manors since they often owned their own
business. Since they were part often part of town councils they held political power.
The guilds also gained political power.
6. What is the advantage of building a medieval town near a river?
It is easier to trade. Being located along a river makes trade easier because it is
quicker to move goods on water than it is over land.
7. How did job specialization affect cities?
People began to join guilds and become a part of the merchant classes. People
produced items such as shoes, leather, clothing, glass , and furniture. These items
were distributed from shops, fairs, and trade routes.
Also, people joined guilds where other people in the same line of work were
members. This empowered all the people within the guild. Making more money
towns were able to buy their royal charters which allowed them to govern
themselves.
8. What are the events that led to the fall of feudalism?
The Black Death
The Hundred Years War
The Magna Carta
The rise of towns in medieval Europe
9. How did the Bubonic Plague reach Europe? How did it continue to spread
once it reached Europe? Why were Europeans unable to stop the Bubonic
Plague from spreading?
The Bubonic plague spread from Mongolia to Europe through the silk road. Fleas on
rats on Merchant ships landed in Sicily and began spreading the bubonic plague in
Europe.
People could not understand the causes of the bubonic plague. Some people
believed the disease was related to the alignment of the planets or was God’s wrath
aimed at sinful humans. Other people blamed Jews.
The remedies were not viable solutions either. Flaggelants (religious fanatics –
whipped themselves, massacred Jews). Oranges stuck with cloves; Aged molasses
and chopped snake were other remedies.
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10. The Bubonic Plague killed a large percentage of people able to work. How
did the deaths of those workers affect the people that survived?
There was a smaller amount of common people to do all the labor (farming,
craftsmanship for example) so the people that survived the Bubonic Plague became
more valuable. There was a smaller pool so lords had to value the people that were
left even more.
Prices and wages went up for peasants. Peasants began to move from the
countryside to towns for better opportunities.
This empowers the peasants and gives them more independence. They revolt and
demand more independence. This leads to part of the decline of feudalism as people
move into towns and a reduction of the power of the lord.
11. Explain the importance of the Magna Carta. How did the Magna Carta
impact common people?
The Magna Carta limited the power of the King and established the idea of Habeas
Corpus.
It created a council of Nobles that the king could not ignore.
Eventually these ideas lead to the idea of democracy.
People now needed a reason to be thrown in jail that was a reasonable reason. It
established the ideas of rights and liberties. It is the precursor to many of the ideas
in the U.S. Constitution and British law today.
12. The Bubonic Plague and the Hundred Years War had what effect on
Europeans?
First explain the importance of each and then the effects of each.
The Black Death was a deadly plague caused by bacteria that killed 1/3 of all the
population. It forced people to diversify their crops. This reduced the amount of
manpower or labor that was able to support the lords. The lords had to give more
rights to the working class. Feudal lords lost power.
The hundred Years’ war began over a dispute between the kings of England and
France. The French king Charles IV did not have any sons causing Edward III to
desire to become king of France. He attacks France creating a war that would last
over 100 years.
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The nature of warfare changed. English armies recruited soldiers from common
people instead of using the oaths of loyalty to fight. The English also paid soldiers.
People became more patriotic and more devoted to their monarch than their feudal
lord. Monarhs built huge armies with their taxes they collected which reduced their
need to go through the nobles for soliders. That resulted in a reduction of the power
of nobles.
13. What events led to William Duke of Normandy becoming the King of
England?
Edward the Confessor dies without an heir. He promises his thrown to William Duke
of Normandy.
Harold Godwinson is aware of the promise but takes the thrown after being made
king by the Anglo-Saxon Assembly.
Harald Hardrada attempts to take the thrown but dies at the battle of Stamford
Bridge after being defeated by Harold Godwinson.
Harold has to march south (roughly 250 miles) to meet William Duke of Normandy
and dies in battle. Legend says that Harold Godwinson had an arrow go through his
eye resulting in his death.
William Duke of Normandy becomes William the Conqueror and King of England.
14. What is the SIGNIFICANCE or IMPORTANCE of William Duke of Normandy
becoming king of England? What changes happened as a result of him
becoming king?
William becomes King of England. He brings Norman culture and changed Saxon
traditions. French words blend with Anglo-Saxon language. He established
Feudalism in England.
He was ceremonially crowned King by representatives of the Pope. William keeps
the English custom of consulting an advisory council.
William creates the Domesday Book. A Census that helped William keep track of all
people in England. It helps him eventually tax the English people. It also helped
settle land disputes among lords.
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15. What are guilds? What was the purpose of creating guilds? What are the
advantages of guilds?
A guild is an organization of people in the same craft or trade. Guilds managed the
trade and production of goods.
Guilds provide protection for members
Maintained high standards for work
Controlled the hours of work
Set fair prices
Dealt with complaints from the public
Members that cheated their customers were punished.
Guilds also helped with funeral services and health care when their members were
in a time of need.
Guilds helped construct guildhalls, fairs, and festivals so they were contributing to
the public good.
16. What are the steps toward membership in a guild? The process of
becoming a member of a guild is similar to what process today?
1. Apprentice
2. Journeyman/day worker (need to create a masterpiece)
3. Master
As an apprentice you left your house at the age of 12, your apprenticeship lasted 7
years. Rarely were you paid. Your master agreed to house you, feed you, and train
you.
2. Journeyman (creating a masterpiece)
Apprentices had to prove to the guild that they had mastered their trade.
They had to produce a piece of work to show skills
4. Once the guild approved, the apprentice as given the right to set up a
business. It was very expensive to open a business.
If you were unable to become a master you remained a journeyman.
This process is similar to college today. Students go away for at least four years.
They are provided housing and food (However, often the student is responsible for
paying for this). Students often have internships that are rarely paid. They usually
need to produce a project or paper as a culmination of their studies and without that
final work often do not graduate.