Suggested Small Group Discussion Topics
1. Evaluate the significance of the Byzantine Empire to the civilization of Europe.
2. Compare the development of civilization in eastern and western Europe.
3. Compare Orthodox Christianity to Roman Catholicism.
4. Compare Byzantine and Chinese political organization. (This is huge!)
5. Evaluate the reasons for the decline of the Byzantine Empire.
6. Describe the influence of the Byzantines on the development of Russia.
7. How did eastern Europe fall behind western Europe in terms of political development?
8. Describe the Byzantine political organization and culture and how they affected the development of
eastern Europe.
9. Compare the effect of Byzantium on eastern Europe with the effect of the Islamic core on Africa and
southern Asia. (This is huge!)
10. Discuss the importance of Justinian, and especially Theodora's role in his emperorship.
11. In AbD format, discuss the conflict betwen Arab incursions, Catholicism, and Orthodoxy.
12. Anaylize the problem of boundaries between Eastern adn Western Europe.
13. Define the postclassical period in western Europe.
14. Identifty the signs of vitality in western Europe.
15. Define manorialism and feudalism.
16. Trace the developments in 9th and 10th century western Europe that pointed the way to political and
economic recovery.
17. Describe the political units of western Europe between 1000 and 1400 C.E.
18. Identify the link of theology to classical realism during the Middle Ages.
19. Describe the signs of economic prosperity in the west after 1000 C.E.
20. Define the political values of the Middle Ages.
21. Identify the crises of the later Middle Ages.
22. Evaluate the ways in which the Middle Ages caried on the culture of ancient Mediterranean civilization
and added its own innovations.
23. Compare the medieval West from 1000 to 15000 with Islamic civilization during the same period.
24. Assess the importance of Charlemagne's leadership.
25. Assess the importance of the Black Death and the Crusades.
26. Compare the Early Middle Ages to the Higher Middle Ages, and (ultimately) the decline of medieval
society.
27. Analyze the changing roles for wome