Transcript The Age of Faith - White Plains Public Schools

The Age of Faith
In this lesson, students will be able to define
the following terms:
Roman Catholic Church
Tithes
Students will also be able to explain two
reasons for the power of the Roman Catholic
Church during the Middle Ages.
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With the fall
of Rome,
central
government
collapsed
in
western
Europe.
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Unity Through Religion
• Hundreds of little governments replaced
the Roman Empire.
• Western Europeans were not adhering to
one set of laws.
• However, most Medieval Europeans were
Roman Catholics. The Roman Catholic
Church united the people of Western
Europe.
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The Roman
Catholic
Church was
very powerful
in Medieval
times.
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The Power of Heaven or Hell
• Medieval people were very religious.
• They believed that the Roman Catholic
Church had the power to send people to
Heaven or Hell.
• Their intense religious convictions led
many of them to accept Church teachings.
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The Roman Catholic Church was
the largest landowner in Western
Europe.
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The Largest Landowner
• The Roman Catholic Church was the
largest landowner in Western Europe
during the Middle Ages.
• Nobles frequently left land to the Church.
• Nobles hoped to gain entry to Heaven
through such good works.
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The Roman Catholic Church was
the main center of learning in
Medieval times.
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A Center of Learning
• The Roman Catholic Church was the main
center of learning in Medieval times.
• Usually the only people who could read or
write were Church officials.
• It is important to remember that with the
fall of Rome, much secular education
ended.
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The Roman Catholic Church was
a wealthy institution in the Middle
Ages.
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The Wealth of the Church
• The Roman Catholic Church was a
wealthy institution in the Middle Ages.
• People paid tithes or church taxes.
• A tithe was a percentage of a person’s
total income that was paid to the Church.
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Even today, Christians tithe.
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The Roman Catholic Church united the
people of the Middle Ages.
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Questions for Reflection:
• How did the fall of Rome affect the people
of Western Europe?
• What institution united people during the
Middle Ages?
• Why did this institution unite people during
the Middle Ages?
• Why was this institution wealthy and
powerful?
• Define tithe.
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