Assignment 1, Chapter 12 (Practice)
KNCM’s:
Little Ice Age: Page 379
Definition: An account of severe weather defined by large, frequent storms that occurred in the early
14th century.
Importance: Torrential rain ruined crops which led to poor harvest. Poor harvest led to a paucity of
food resulting in malnutrition creating higher rates of disease. In the worst of places 1/3 of the
population died.
Great Famine: Page 380
Definition: (1315-1322) A harsh scarcity of food resulting from Little Ice Age.
Importance: Led to greater susceptibility to disease because of weakened immune systems resulting
from reduced caloric intake. Consequently, an epidemic typhoid fever spread rapidly affecting men and
cattle alike.
Black Death: Page 381
Definition: (1347-onward) Often referred to as the Bubonic Plague, this disease originated in Russia and
spread quickly to all of Europe. Once infected by the bacteria, victims suffer large, swelling bumps
(called bubas), on the skin, that are red and black in color.
Importance: Worsened by the Great Famine, this disease killed millions of people and took
psychological and economical tolls on Europe. It imposed a great fear that spread wide across Europe.
Flagellants: Page 387
Definition: Extremists who believed the Black Plague was God’s punishment for society’s sins. As
repentance for their sins they inflicted pain upon themselves in various forms of self-torture.
Importance: Flagellants personified the psychological fear that dominated all of Europe. They were an
effect of the plague and instilled a sense of horror in Europeans.
Treaty of Paris: Page 388
Definition: (1259) Treaty between England and France in which the English King agreed that he and his
successors would be the vassal to the French Duchy of Aquitaine.
Importance: The violation of this treaty, by the French, sparked the Hundred Years’ War.
Wool Trade: Page 388
Definition: The trade of wool from England to Flanders, a fief of France. Trade occurred primarily
between wealthy merchants in both countries.
Importance: Both countries depended greatly on the wool trade and because French and Flemish
aristocrats depended on the trade of wool it divided their allegiance between crown and business
partner.
Kind Edward III: Page 387
Definition: (1312-1377) Son of King Edward II and Queen Isabella, he became king at age 15 after the
murder of his father and assumed complete control at age 18. Much effort was put forth to ensure that
he didn’t gain control of the French government, which at the time was a likely possibility.
Importance: His initiation of the Hundred Years’ War led way to one of the longest wars in history.
Battle of Crecy: Page 389
Definition: (1346) A battle of the Hundred Years’ War where the British employed uncustomary battle
tactics. The experimental use of longbows proved effective in warfare. Canons were also put to use in
for the first time in western war by the British.
Importance: The new battle strategies used by the British represented a turning point in British warfare.
The battle left the British on top with a heroic victory, though the war was not over.
Joan of Arc: Page 390
Definition: (1412-1431) French girl born of peasants and greatly responsible for France’s victory in the
Hundred Years’ War.
Importance: Her contribution to the war greatly influenced France’s victory, and her death inspired
French Nationalism.
Nationalism: Page 393
Definition: “The feeling of unity and identity that binds together a people” -Textbook
Importance: It builds a sense of patriotism that essentially has a limitless power to change a nation’s
role in history. In context, it inspired the French to continue to drive out the English.
Babylonian Captivity: Page 393
Definition: (1309-1376) A period in the 14th century where the pope resided in Avignon rather than
Rome due to the pressuring of Philip the fair. Philip pressured Clement V, who was very ill with cancer
at the time, to move.
Importance: Lowered faith in the papacy, crushed Italian economy, and eventually led to the great
schism.
The Great Schism: Page 394
Definition: A division in the Catholic Church in which there were multiple popes. Initially, Pope Clement
VII in was Avignon and Urban VI in Rome. Before resolution of the schism, there was a third elected at
Pisa.
Importance: The split greatly damaged the prestige of the Church and ultimately contributed to the
decline of the Church, a process that spanned many years. As an effect of the decline, other faiths
emerged and faith in the Church fell. *you don’t know that yet* The weakness of the Church allowed
the Conciliarist movement to popularize.
The Conciliarist Movement: Page 394
Definition: A movement which supported the belief that reform in the Church could best be achieved by
periodic assemblies of Catholics representing the Church in whole.
Importance: This contradicted the idea that most Catholics help that the pope held ultimate power, for
God ruled through him. The Conciliarists also contributed to the decline of the Church.
John Wyclef: Page 395
Definition: (ca1330-1384) Theologian who believed that the Church had no power, and that man held
ultimate power in accordance to his own religion. He conveyed the idea that the papacy held no power
and scrip
Importance: His ideas were highly influential and caused a large social and economic impact, resulting in
the first English translation of the bible, as well as a further decline in the power of the Church.
Peasant Revolt of 1381: Page 403
Definition: A largest uprising of the medieval ages. Hundreds of thousands of peasants in England
revolted in an outrage caused by discrepant expectations between social classes. The peasants wanted
higher wages and the nobles were lowering them, on top of this the head tax was applied on all adult
males. This sparked the rebellion.
Importance: This enormous rebellion dissolution of the classes and proved to peasants that no matter
how low a groups social status may be, their power in numbers in fundamentally limitless.
The Vernacular: Page 406
Definition: The local language to an area or country.
Importance: The switch to the vernacular represented a social change. It hurt the Church because Latin,
the language of the Church, became obsolete.
Dante’s Divine Comedy: Page 407
Definition: (1310-1320) Dante Alighieri’s epic that was written in the vernacular, in this case Italian. It
followed a pilgrim who traveled through hell, purgatory, and finally heaven.
Importance: Being the first major work in Italian and subsequently encouraged other authors to follow.
It also criticizes the Church’s authority.
Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales: Page 407
Definition: (1387-1400) A long narrative in English by Geoffrey Chaucer that told stories from thirty
different points of view of characters living in his time.
Importance: It promoted the vernacular, and taught much about the social classes in Geoffrey’s time.
This was one of the first pieces of literature to focus on a more secular than religious idea.
Villon’s Lais: Page 407
Definition: (1461) A series of farcical bequests to friends and enemies written in French.
Importance: It, like the others, supported the vernacular and was insightful upon medieval culture.
Christine de Pisan: Page 407
Definition: (1363?-1434?) Extremely versatile French writer who composed many important historical
works, primarily her works on women.
Importance: She stood as an idol for women chiefly because of her education and success. Because of
her support of women, they took one step up the social ladder.
SHARQ’s:
1. Describe the psychological effects of the plague. How did people explain this disaster?
The ways that Europeans described the plague in its time of prominence show the many
psychological effects that it had. The populace, save those scholarly and medical, believed that
the plague was some vicious property of the air, possibly a curse from god; it was also believed
that the Jews poisoned Christian wells. The chaos induced by this traumatic disease led to
inhibited judgment resulting in the deaths of thousands of “guilty” Jews. Flagellants
deliberately abused themselves as repentance for their sins that they believed brought the
plague. Authors and artists became obsessed with death and it is no surprise based on the
terrifying descriptions given by writers of the time. “’All the matter which exuded from their
bodies let off an unbearable stench; sweat, excrement, spittle, breath, so fetid as to be
overpowering; urine turbid, thick, black or red.’” –P. Ziegler, The Black Death
2. What were the results of the Hundred Years’ War? Who were the winners and losers in both
countries?
The Hundred Years’ War resulted with harsh negative results for both England and France.
Though England didn’t suffer destruction of ports and towns as France did, the English suffered
through the tremendous £5,000,000 war cost. France won the war, but it’s hard to say they
won when they lost thousands of soldiers and blows to the economy. England underwent social
dilemmas when soldiers returned to become beggars and vagabonds. Nationalism in both
countries helped form a new English government and expanded France’s territories.
3. How did the Babylonian Captivity weaken the power and prestige of the Church? Why were
there three popes in 1409?
The Babylonian Captivity weakened the power and prestige of the Roman Catholic Church by
separating the leadership of the Church from its historic roots and authority in Rome. The
popes of Avignon lessened their focus on spiritual matters and focused on bureaucratic issues.
The vast distance between the pope and Rome weakened communication between the pope
and the area of jurisdiction. After Gregory XI died, Urban VI was elected as pope. Due to his
rash and ignorant leadership, a number of cardinals left to elect Clement VII as the French antipope. Later, more cardinals help a conference at Pisa, and elected a third pope, resulting in a
three-way schism.
4. What was the conciliar movement and who were its advocates? Was this a revolutionary
idea?
The conciliar movement promoted the idea that the reform of the Church should be reached
through councils, representing the Christian body, which would relieve absolute authority from
the pope. This movement birthed great supporters, such as John Wycliff, who believed the bible
should be read and followed independently. The conciliar movement was a revolutionary idea
because it led to centuries of change within the Church.
Essay Prompt:
1. Compare and contrast the consequences of the Hundred Years’ War on England and France.
Thesis: The war caused many consequences in both countries; in both England and France, the effect on
the economy was similar, but the effects regarding destruction and governmental affairs were different.
TP1: Even though France and England were quite different, they suffered similar damages to the
economy but also gained massive nationalistic feeling.
TP2: Although both France and England engaged in violent conflict, only France sustained dramatic
destruction to homeland.
TP3: Most people turn to the government after a war, butas part of the aftermath of the Hundred
Year’s War the disruption led to development of improved governmental systems in both countries, in
spite of their differences.