Medieval and Early Modern European Civilizations

Question 1

What happened after the collapse of the western Roman Empire?

Answer 1

European society became fragmented and broken up into small regions ruled by lords and the knights who served those lords.

Question 2

What was Manorialism?

Answer 2

economic system where you gave land to the people who would work for that land, payback a tax to the person who’s giving them the land. NOT FEUDALISM WHERE IT IS A MILITARY SERVICE FOR LAND

Question 3

info on European society after 400AD

Answer 3

• population was low because of disease, famine, war, low birth rate.
• Average age of death = 30
• growing food was how one survived.

Question 4

Fief

Answer 4

Feudalism was based on a VASSAL’s (knights) pledge to serve a lord in exchange for a fief (land/estate). All based on Feudalism. If someone attacked a lord, the vassal would fight them. If the lord was kidnapped, the vassal would pay ransom even. Ultimate protection.

Question 5

Homage

Answer 5

a lord and vassal would pledge their fealty in a ceremony called “Homage”
-parallel with the Daimyo and Samurai- (all part of the Feudal system :) )

Question 6

Primogeniture

Answer 6

when a vassal (knight) died, his fief would typically pass to his elder son, a system called Primogeniture. Important because they only gave it to one child even if they had more, they didn’t want to split up that land. But only if the son could provide military service.

Question 7

Charlemagne

Answer 7

A king, The Franks. Later conquered and united much of Medieval Europe

• Europe was small subdivided regions until Franks/Charlemagne came in
• Most of what becomes modern day Europe was conquered by the Charlemagne empire.

Question 8

Holy Roman Empire

Answer 8

• Not directly the Roman Empire, more about the region governed by a Germanic Ruler.
• The pope crowned Otto the Emperor.
• Otto I of Germany

Question 9

What WAR occurred during the 1300-1400 A.D.?

Answer 9

-French and English Kings fought for control of Europe in the Hundred Years War (this war devastated both France and English regions. They were already poor, but now even poorer.)

Question 10

Aside from the Hundred years war, what else happened during 1300-1400AD in Europe?

Answer 10

Bubonic Plague or Black Death swept through Europe (the plague that decimated Europe, over a quarter of the population died)

Question 11

What was the official religion of the Roman Empire in 380 AD? (and would continue to be the religion of the Eastern Roman Empire/Byzantine Empire)

Answer 11

Christianity

Question 12

What were the crusades?

Answer 12

• Conducted in the Middle ages, their goal was of capturing Jerusalem. then later changed it to other goals (unable to successfully capture Jerusalem)
• There were many different crusades with many different purposes some were to get people to convert, others were to seek Holy Relics, like search for the Holy Grail. Or for trade-based reasons. Most were done in Europe and influenced by Christianity.

Question 13

What was Catholicism?

Answer 13

• had a great influence on European culture and EDUCATION
• people would come to catholic seminaries to study theology, but then it grew to studying all kinds of things there.
• gave birth to “university” system. How we have universities today, school systems is through Catholicism!