Transcript File - Ms. Rutledge`s Class Social Studies

The Middle Ages
500 – 1450
The Early Middle Ages
I. Geography – Europe!
- Frontier Land – sparsely
populated, undeveloped
land on the outskirts of
civilization (rich and
untapped resources).
II. Germanic Kingdoms
- Between 400 and 700,
Germanic tribes carved
up Western Europe into
small kingdoms.
- Franks – conquest in
Gaul and converted to
Christianity.
- Islamic power in the east
was seen as a threat to
Christian Germanic
leaders.
The Geography of Europe
III. Charlemagne (Charles the
Great)
- Pope Leo III asked him to
end rebellion – Crowned
afterwards and united most
of old Roman Empire
(eastern emperor outraged
– split increased between
east and west).
- Spread Christianity
throughout Europe
(blending Roman, German,
and Christian culture).
- Appointed nobles to govern
local lands – Missi
Dominici – officials to keep
nobles in check by talking to
locals and administer
justice.
III. Charlemagne (Charles the
Great) Cont.
- Learning –Alcuin of York–
created a curriculum
(Latin based focusing on
rhetoric, logic, math,
music, and astronomy).
- In 813, Charlemagne dies.
In 843, Grandson’s create
the Treaty of Verdun
(Empire into 3 regions).
- His rule was a last attempt
to keep the legacy of
Rome alive in Europe.
After the death of
Charlemagne, the Middle
Ages permanently sets in!
Feudalism and the Manor
Economy
I. Emergence of Feudalism
(need for protection) –
from the Vikings!
- Feudalism – powerful lord
divides up land and gives it
to lesser lords (vassals).
The lesser lords, in turn,
gave service and loyalty to
the powerful lord – known as
a feudal contract.
- Land granted – fief (estate),
along with peasants to work
the land.
- Very complex and conflicting
system – multiple vassals
and fiefdoms.
Feudal System
II. Nobles
- Warfare for lords
was a way of life –
trained knights
(mounted
warriors) –
decreased over
time to
tournaments.
- Chivalry – knight’s
code of conduct
(loyal, brave, and
honest).
- Troubadours –
wandering poets –
love songs about
perfection, beauty
of women.
III. Peasants and Manor life
- Manor (with castle) lord’s estate,
surrounding lands, and
serfs (peasants bound
to the land).
- Serfs – farmed lord’s
land and paid tributes
and received several
acres to farm
themselves as well as
protection.
- Manors were selfsufficient – church,
village with one room
huts, water mill, and
land – no need to leave
and most never did.
The Medieval Church
I. The Church and Medieval
Life
- The church was key the
everyday lives of
Europeans – administered
sacraments (sacred rites of
the church-led to salvation),
performed rituals, and
guided people on moral
issues.
- Village Church –social center,
required Christians to tithe
(tax of 10%).
- Women – “daughters of eve”
– sin easily and needed
protection.
II. Monasticism
- Monks lived in
monasteries Benedictine rule –
rules of regulate
monastic life
(obedience to abbot,
poverty, chastity).
They worshipped,
studied, and worked
to sustain the
convent/monastery.
- Performed basic
services to the
community, re-copied
ancient works into
Latin - kept learning
alive in the middle
ages.
III. Church Power Grows
- Church becomes secular – involved in
world affairs (Politics).
- Papal Supremacy under the Pope –
representative of Christ on earth (with
extreme power)
- Canon Law – laws for religious
teachings, clergymen, marriages, and
morals.
- If you broke Canon Law, you could be
excommunicated from the church
(denied sacraments or Xn burial).
- Reform Movements - Monks and
clergy were violating vows – prohibited
marriage of priests, and ended the
selling of church offices (simony).
- Friars – monks that would travel and
preach to the poor.
- Anti-Semitism – prejudice against
Jews – became moneylenders or
moved east.
Economic Expansionism and
Change
I. Agricultural Revolution
and Trade
- Use of iron plows
(moldboard plow) with
horse harness, windmills,
three- field system (one for
grain, two for legumes,
and three rested).
- New trade routes brought
good from Middle East and
goods were sold at trade
fairs (food, drink,
entertainment) – created
first cities (controlled by
merchants).
- With these new
innovations, feudal
systems decline and
merchant cities emerge!
4
Agricultural Revolution
New farming technologies
iron plow harness windmill three-field
system
Increase in food production
Population explosion
Between 1000 and 1300, the population of Europe doubled.
II. Commercial Revolution
- Merchants needed Capital
(money needed for investment)
and partnerships (two or more
working together to fund a
large venture).
- Bill of exchange – paper to
represent coin in foreign land
(traveler’s check).
- Artisans, merchants, and traders
became the first members of
the middle class.
- Guilds – merchants and
artisans formed associations
(like unions). Competitive and
power oriented and based on a
worker’s skill (bakers,
carpenters, weavers guilds,
etc.)
- To become a member, start as
an apprentice (trainee) to
journeymen (salaried
workers) to guild masters.
Royal Power in England and
France
I. Strong Monarchs in England
- William of Normandy, France
(descendant of the Vikings)
claimed English throne – fought
the Anglo-Saxons of England won
crown at the Battle of Hastings.
- Called William the Conqueror
blended Norman French and
Anglo-Saxon culture.
- Created the Domesday Book
(census of the kingdom) and
collected more taxes.
- New political traditions evolved,
including common law, the jury
system, and Parliament.
- In 1215, King John signed the
Magna Carta - nobles had certain
rights, the king would not raise
new taxes without first consulting
the lords and clergy (kings must
obey the laws).
II. Successful Monarchs in
France
- Capetians – built effective
bureaucracy (tax
collection, royal law
enforcement).
- Phillip IV and Pope
Boniface VIII argue over
who has more power and
set up the Estates
General – body of
representatives of all
three classes (clergy,
nobles, and townspeople)
– set up to be similar to
British Parliament.
Europe looks Outward
I. The Crusades
- Crusades (Holy War) Byzantine empire asked
for the help of Christian
knights to push the
Muslim Turks out of the
Holy Land.
- Thought it would heal the
schism between the
east and west churches.
- Lasted 200 years – not
very successful Jerusalem was taken by
the Muslims. Also tried
to take other Muslim
lands and were
defeated.
II. Effects of the Crusades
- The Crusades sparked
European interest in a
wider world and
resulted in a revival of
exploration (Marco
Polo – China) and
trade.
- Also reaffirmed the
power of feudal
monarchs and the
papacy (church).
III. The Reconquista in Spain
- During the Reconquista,
Spain expelled the
Muslims from their land
and created a unified
state under King
Ferdinand and Queen
Isabella.
- Ended religious
tolerance and wanted
religious unity - launched
a Spanish Inquisition and
crusade against Jews
and Muslims – victims
burned at the stake and
150k fled.
Learning, Literature, and the Arts
I. Medieval Universities
- Built around cathedrals to
train clergy – evolved into
academic centers.
- Students listened to
lecture, explanations of
Latin texts, and would
memorize them.
- Seven Liberal Arts –
arithmetic, geometry,
astronomy, music,
grammar, rhetoric, and
logic.
- Earned degrees such as
Bachelor of Arts (3-6 yrs)
and Master of Arts (2-4
more).
II. “New” Learning
- Ancient Greek philosophy,
math, and science lost after
the fall of Rome – translated
in the middle east by Muslims
into Arabic, then by Jews into
Latin.
- Greek philosophy and logic
challenged Christian ideas of
faith – created Scholasticism
– reason used to support
Christian beliefs (ex: Thomas
Aquinas).
- Studied Hippocrates
(medicine), Euclid (geometry),
Aristotle (physical world), and
adopted numbers instead of
Roman numerals.
III. Medieval Literature
- Vernacular – everyday
languages of common
people (French, Italian,
German).
- Wrote epics – long
narrative poems (Song
of Roland, Poem of the
Cid, Dante’s Divine
Comedy, and
Canterbury Tales by
Geoffrey Chaucer).
IV. Architecture and Art
- Roman influences –
fortress with thick walls
created a dark and
gloomy feel.
- Used Flying Buttresses
– stone support outside
the church – higher
walls and allows for
stain glass windows –
holy or heavenly feel.
- Stone scene sculptures
from the bible and stain
glass – religious
education.
- Gothic style also
appeared in artistic
decoration in books
(illumination).
“Flying”
Buttresses
Gothic Architecture!
Time of Crisis
I. Black Death
- Epidemic of bubonic
plague – outbreak of
rapid-spreading disease.
- Spread through fleas on
rats. – spread all over
the world (7k a day)!
- 35% to 70% of the
population died!
- Workers died and
production declined –
inflation – pricing rose –
created laws for limiting
wages, hired less
people, guild shrank –
created social unrest.
The Symptoms
Bulbous
Septicemic Form:
almost 100%
mortality rate.
II. Hundred Years’ War (13371453)
- English rulers wanted control over
French land of their Norman
ancestors.
- English win at first – due to the
longbow (3x faster than
crossbows and could cause
more damage).
- In 1429, Joan of Arc told the King
of France that God sent her to
save France – inspired French
soldiers to fight and pushed back
the British.
- The English captured her, accused
her of witchcraft, and burned her
at the stake.
- Effects: French nationalism, end
of a Continental British Empire,
and a need for large, armored
armies due to the use of longbow
and cannons.
Sum it up:
The Middle Ages starts with the devastation
of Rome and enters a time where all
things revolve around survival. However,
slowly through the Catholic Church’s
power and influence, the Middle Ages will
come out of its “trance” to re-unite with its
Greco-Roman roots!