Chapter 6 Christian Societies in Europe and Middle East: pp. 159-180 AP World History: An Essential
Coursebook
1. Why is it difficult for historians to categorize the time period 500 to 1500 C.E. as the “middle” or “dark”
ages?
2. The Middle Ages in Europe are categorized into two eras. Briefly explain or define the time periods.
a. Early Middle (500-1000CE):
b. High Middle (1000-1500CE):
3. What provided an infrastructure for Europe during the lack of political centralization?
4. Explain early political development in Germanic Kingdoms after the fall of the Roman Empire.
5. Define feudalism and manorialism.
6. How did Clovis win the favor of the Pope?
7. Who are the missi dominci?
8. Briefly, explain the political split of authority in the Roman Empire, and it created two diverse cultures
(West and East).
9. List three new developments in agricultural techniques that prompted a revival of civilization and
explain how they aided agricultural production.
10. How did Viking activity reinforce the feudal system in Europe?
11. Define:
a. Cannon law:
b. Excommunication:
c. Interdict:
12. Explain why Europe was never able to develop a centralized political power at this time (1000C.E.),
forcing kingdoms to remain feudalistic.
13. What is the Magna Carta and what impact does it have on Western politics?
14. Explain the Norman invasion of England and the political and cultural results.
15. Briefly analyze motivations of the Crusades:
a. Pope’s perspective:
b. Knight’s perspective:
16. List positive and negative impacts of the crusades on the t-chart below.
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17. Why did the Italian city-states of Venice and Genoa flourish as a result of the Crusades?
18. Define:
a. Hanseatic League:
b. Guilds:
c. Usury:
19. How did trade and banking during Middle Ages lend itself to modern capitalism?
20. How did European Christians demonstrate religious intolerance of both Jews and Muslims at this time?
21. How did the role of women change during the Middle Ages? Give two specific examples from the
reading.
22. How did Thomas Aquinas explain and justify truths of the Christian faith?
23. Explain the difference between Romanesque and Gothic architecture pictured on page 174.
Byzantine
24. Which empire was a major political threat to the Byzantine empire, until it was conqueror by Arab
Muslims in the 7th century?
25. Explain the concept of caesaropapism.
26. Who is Justinian and what impact has he had on western civilization?
27. What geographic and economic advantages did Constantinople have over other major trade cities?
28. Write a thesis comparing merchant status in China, Byzantine and Western Europe from 1000-1450 CE.
29. Explain the development and adoption of Cyrillic.
30. Explain the reasoning behind Russia’s adoption of Eastern Orthodox religion.