World Lit Only By Fire: The Medieval Mind
and the Renaissance
William Manchester
 Purchase your own paper back copy
 Read until page 136, the rest of the book we
will read in late September.
There are three parts to the assignment, the first two must be turned in the first day of class, the
essay on the second day of class. Be sure to pace yourself and not procrastinate. Turn your
papers in with a single staple in the upper left-hand corner. Don’t use a folder. Don’t forget your
name. Late assignments will have points deducted. This exercise is worth 100 points!
I
Map
Hand draw a map (you may trace) of Renaissance Europe of approximately 1500 AD. Minimum
size 8 1/2 X 11” Color. Label countries, major cities and regions mentioned in AWLOBF,
oceans and seas.
II
Journal
DIRECTIONS: As you read A World Lit Only by Fire (AWLOBF), you are to keep a journal of
questions you have about the content of the reading, historical figures, definitions of words that
are unfamiliar to you, and personal reactions you have to the reading. You may find it best to
read & note take by the sections below.
Topical Content from Manchester:
The "Dark Ages" - pgs. 3-28
Beware, dragons lurk here – pgs.30-50
Towns, hamlets, and noble manor – pgs.50-71
Private life (sex scenes of the Borgia’s) – pgs. 71-94
Piercing the darkness with the bright shaft of learning – pgs.95-117
Erasmus, Pico, and doctrinal disputes – pgs. 117-136
III
Essay – due on the second day of class
Write a 3 to 5 page typed essay on A World Lit Only by Fire using the outline below to guide
you. You will benefit from looking at more traditional histories of the Middle Ages and
Renaissance to make comparisons. Cite any outside sources you use in your essay.
Paragraph 1
What is the argument over the term Dark Ages vs, Middle Ages? Using examples define each
position. What is your position?
Paragraph 2
What perspective (viewpoint or attitude) does Manchester take in his view of the Middle Ages?
In other words, in what way does Manchester go about his interpretation of the Middle Ages?
How does he make his point in A World Lit Only by Fire? Provide two examples.
Paragraph 3
How does the role of the Catholic Church, especially in Rome, change from the Middle Ages to
the Renaissance? What are the elements that define that role, and how do they function, or not
function well enough? Provide three examples.
Paragraph 4
Is Manchester's style helpful to a reader or misleading? Many historians would describe his style
as popular for the non-historian or lay reader. Explain by referring to and using segments of
Manchester.
Paragraph 5
Ferdinand Magellan is the "hero" of the age, a transitional figure ushering in the new
Renaissance way of thinking, according to William Manchester. Who do you think would be an
alternate or better transitional figure(s)? Explain who your alternate would be and why.
Paragraph 6
What section (or topic) of Manchester's book made the greatest impact on you in teaching you
something about European history that you did not already know before? Maybe there are
several! Explain clearly, and be very specific in your response.