Middle Ages Flashcards
when did the middle ages begin, and with what event?
476 AD and it began with the event fall of rome
Why did europe become such a violent place during the middle ages?
Europe became a violent place because they had too much land and barbarians started to target them
Who was a key figure who brought stabillity to europe? What event led to the power of this figure? How did he bring stabillity
King William of Normandy, he created Feudalism which was a Hierarchical Social and Economic system
Feudalism involved obligations among various groups within the feudal hierarchy.
Every group had to be loyal to the king, the serfs and peasants had to work, the knights had to protect, the nobles would have land and make it beautiful and the king would “govern” the entire fiefdom.
Why is the feudalism hierarchy often drawn in a pyramid shape.
It is often drawn as a pyramid because there is less people at the top (1 king) and more people at the bottom and it gradually decreases the higher the rank.
What did feudalism provide.
Feudalism provided stability in Europe along with protection.
What did a lord’s strength depend on.
A lords strength depended on the amount of land and serfs they had.
What two things did a lord need to defend his property and people.
He needed serfs and knights
How could a regular serf escape the serfdom.
If a serf escaped for 366 days, they would become free.
How was life as a merchant different from a peasant or lord.
A merchant had more rights then a peasant but less than a lord. Instead of working and farming they would sell goods and resources.
How did a guild control society
Guilds provided all manufactured goods which meant if the fiefdom didn’t have a specialized guild to make a certain good, they wouldn’t have it.
Why was religion so important to people living in the Middle Ages.
People believed life was just a test that decided how good their afterlife would be. The better the normal life and the more faith and devotion to god, the better the afterlife.
Why do you think medieval people accepted what the church was telling them without question.
The church was the only religion in Europe during that time and since no other source was telling them these things, they had to believe it. They also couldn’t read or write so they couldn’t read the Bible and get real proof.
why do you think people would want to become a Monk or Nun.
People might become a Nun or Monk so then they could have a tighter bond with god and have a better afterlife.
Describe three ways in which the church was central to people’s lives.
People had to pay tithes, people had to follow rules and people had to go to church every Sunday.
The Church was the only organization at the time offering education. How did this role give the Church power?
Since it was the only source of education and new knowledge, it wasn’t questioned at all which led all information brought by the Church immediately true according to people.
What were the crusades? who was involved? What were they fighting over? What was the primary purpose of the Crusades?
The crusades were religious missions in the Holy Land (Jerusalem) aimed to take the land from the Muslims. They also wanted to unite the two faiths of the Roman Catholic and the Eastern Orthadox
What did Europeans bring back from War.
The Europeans brought back new knowledge, trade routes and resources from the Crusades.
What two things did the Crusades lead to? Explain them
The Crusades led to a treaty allowing Christians free pilgrimage to Jerusalem, it also lead to a crossroad of ideas between the Christians and Muslims.
What was the Bubonic Plague’s nickname?
The Black Death
One major cause of the plague was what and how did it spread?
Fleas, spread by close human contact, and when fleas went onto humans.
How did the plague reach Europe?
A ship came from Asia to Sicily, Italy
Why were the peasants revolting and in what did it happen?
The peasants revolted because they realized they were getting used and were underpaid.
What was the result of the peasant’s revolt?
The result was, the peasants getting higher wages, and more rights.