AP European History Task #1

How were the education, learning and knowledge of Europe preserved during the lowest point of the Middle Ages, the so-called "Dark Ages"?

Roman Catholic monasteries preserved many ancient writings from Greece and Rome to allow availability of their advanced knowledge for future generations.

What was the dominant philosophy of the Middle Ages called? Who was its most outstanding spokesman? What were its basic beliefs, and how did that philosophy view life and learning?

Scholasticism was the dominant philosophy of the Middle Ages and it's most outstanding spokesman was St. Thomas Aquinas. The merging between both Christian religion and science was attempted; but when it called for a reigning decision, science was overruled by religion.

Why was the re-establishment of trade so important to the transformation of Europe?

Bringing back trade to Europe helped to transform and modernize Europe. Trade allowed a strong central government to form.

What was the importance of "the Church" and the Christian religion in the lives Europeans in the Middle Ages?

Albeit education or any type of higher learning had reached a standstill, the Church was the center of knowledge. Nearly everything in feudal Europe seemed to be religiously centered. This is seen through the art (music and architecture) as well as the literature of those times.However what came to be in the middle ages allowed reason to be conquered by religion. This was shown in "scholasticism".

How did the Church use the powers of excommunication and interdiction in maintaining its power?

Excommunication; being cut off from the Church; meant the person could not receive the sacraments. And interdiction;which prohibited the sacrament itself from being performed; helped to control immoral, rebellious, and independent people or rulers. If they were not allowed to observe the sacraments, they wouldn't be able to go to heaven.

Define feudalism and describe the characteristics of its organization.

Feudalism is a kind of political organization where estates are ruled independently by strong nobles or lords. Due to the constant warfare between the lords for power, land, and wealth, these systems had to be self-sufficient. There was a decline of travel, communication, and trade because of the constant warfare. At this time, the state had more power than the national government.

How did the Crusades help to begin the change from Medieval society into modern?

The Crusades led to an increase in trade which completely transformed Europe. It had to rid itself of the feudal system and create port cities in order to adjust to the trade growth.

Why were strong kings rare and central government generally missing under the feudal system?

Since the kings were at the top of chain of command, the work was self-obtained and completed by those under them. The estates were ruled independently albeit the king owned the estates.

Why are the crusades sometimes called "successful failures"?

The Crusades were seen as successful because they caused positive economic, social, and political changes. However some of those positive changes was a result of having less in people in Europe since such a large amount of people died during the Crusades; these deaths made them be seen simultaneously as failures.

What were the benefits supposedly derived from the feudal system? Who benefited the most?

The benefits that supposedly derived from feudalism is protection and self-sufficiency. The system was also based of any reciprocating actions. The king benefited the most as he would have sold the land and started the cycle of work as compensation and business proceeded throughout as well.

Who were the bourgeoisie, burgesses, or burghers? Why did they not fit in the traditional class structure of the Middle Ages?

The bourgeoisie, burgesses, or burghers were merchants and craftsmen. They didn't fit into the traditional class structure due to the fact they were neither nobles or peasants. Their placement created a new middle-class.

What were the connections between "The Holy Roman Empire" and "The Church"?

The connections between the Holy Roman Empire and the Church was simply that the empire was named for the Pope at that time. Charlemagne brought Pope Leo III to Rome after having left due to an invasion. Afterwards, the State and the Church dominated Europe.

What is the difference between the Roman Empire and the Holy Roman Empire? Explain.

The difference between the Roman Empire and the Holy Roman Empire is that the Roman Empire lasted from 200 B.C. to what is set as 476 A.D. after it was seized by a German chieftain. Europe's unity fell alongside it. However when the Holy Roman Empire was created around 800 A.D., it was said that the empire was neither "holy" nor "Roman" as it was a Frankish Kingdom, not a Roman one. Not only that but it was seen as more of an alliance than an actual empire as compared to the empire from centuries prior.

Who was the first "Holy Roman Emperor" and how did he get the title?

The first "Holy Roman Emperor" was Charlemagne who ruled from 768-814 A.D.. During his rule, he united Western Europe and the Frankish Kingdom, this lasted from 800-860 A.D.; these united locations became The Holy Roman Empire. The Pope crowned Charlemagne "the Emperor of the Romans" because of this unity.

Who belonged to each of the three estates of medieval European society and what was the primary duty of a member of each estate? How was this different from the social classes in modern society?

The first estate was composed of the ordained officers of the Church (varying from Pope to parish priest to monks) which was a separate class that claimed authority from God. The second estate consisted of the nobility, whose primary function was being a warrior. This came from the right to bear arms and their land ownership. The third estate was the remaining population who were mostly peasants and had no power.

Describe the guilds. Who made up their membership and what was their influence on the business practices of the late Middle Ages.

The guild system allowed merchants and craftsmen to have control over their practice. Townsman were forbidden to trade or enter a business without having been approved of the guild membership by a master craftsmen. This caused their craft to be of higher quality.

How did the guilds improve the lot of freemen? How did they help business and trade? How did they restrict its growth?

The guilds helped control wages and prices meaning that the craftsmen would earn an equal amount of money as their work and their profit wouldn't be dependent on fluctuating costs. The guild system set quality standards helping the business and trade which allowed a monopolization of the trade. Once the master craftsmen decided there were enough people that practiced their trade, they could restrict others from beginning to do so as well.

How did the ritual and sacraments of the Church establish a constant, ongoing relationship with its individual members?

The ritual and the sacraments made sure that everybody had a constant connection to God no matter their position in life. Whether it be their baptism at birth or their last rites near death. They always lived in the name of God.

Why was the social structure of Europe challenged by the growing number of free townspeople and the changing economy?

The social structure couldn't keep up with economic changes. Trade was increasing, there were more merchants and craftsmen, cities were becoming port cities and feudalism was no longer necessary.

Why and in what ways did kings and central governments grow stronger at the end of the Middle Ages?

Towns now paid taxes to the kings which gave the kings more control over unjust lords. Merchants also paid kings as they wanted protection and structured laws. This extra income for the kings gave them the opportunity for strong modern armies.

Why did trade and travel decline after the fall of Rome?

Trade and travel declined after the fall of Rome due to a lack of government. They couldn't provide nor keep roads and/or bridges safe and repaired. This caused travel to become difficult and dangerous.

What obstacles stood in the way of the creation of strong central governments?

Weak monarchs and insufficient funds prohibited some parts of Europe from creating a strong central government.