Chapter 1-3 Questions

How did monarchs justify and maintain their power?

Monarchs justified and maintained their power through the idea of divine right of kings. This belief maintained that God gives monarchs the right to rule. Monarchs maintained their power by relying on their vassals to provide knights for protection.

Describe the daily lives and work of monks, nuns, and mendicants.

Monks and nuns took vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. THey spent their lives in prayer, study, and work. They attended up to eight church services a day, acrared for the sick and poor, taught, copied religious texts, and did the work needed to support the monastery or convent. Mendicants did not seclude themselves like monks and nuns, but traveled among ordinary people to preach and to care for the poor and the sick.

How did religious beliefs such as salvation, sacraments, and pilgrimages affect daily life in medieval Europe?

Salvation, sacraments, and pilgrimages affected the daily life in medieval Europe. Salvation: The church taught that in order to gain salvation, people had to follow the church's teachings and live a moral life. Failure to do so would condemn the soul to eternal suffering. Sacraments: The seven sacraments were essential to gaining salvation and marked the most important occasions in a person's life. Pilgrimages: Most Christians hoped to go on a pilgrimage at some point in their lives. Pilgrimages covered long distances and required true dedication because travel was difficult and often dangerous.

Describe the ways in which the Roman Catholic Church influenced art and architecture, education, and philosophy.

The Roman Catholic CHurch influenced art and architecture, education, and philosophy. Art and architecture: Most art was made for religious purposes. Paintings and sculptures were placed in churches to help teach religious stores to people who could not read. Cathedrals were built to inspire awe, with flying buttresses, arches, gargoyles, stained glass windows, and immense interior spaces. Education: The clergy were the pole most likely to be educated, and most schooling took place in monasteries, convents, and cathedrals. Cathedral schools eventually gave rise to universities. Philosophy: THe teachings of Thomas Aquinas brought the reason of ancient philosophy and the faith of Christian theology together in the concept of natural law.

Describe how the Roman Catholic Church was organized. What factors contributed to the increasing power of the Roman Catholic Church? How did the conflict between Pope Gregory VII and Emperor Henry IV reflect the church's increasing authority?

The Roman Catholic Church's organization was modeled on the old Roman government. Each member of the clergy had a rank. The pope was the supreme head of the church. He was assisted by cardinals, who were appointed by the pope. Next, the archbishops oversaw large areas known as archdioceses. Below them were the bishops who governed dioceses. Within each diocese was a parish served by priest. The church's economic and political power increased. THe church was the largest landowner in Europe, and it also collected a tithe, or tax, which added to its wealth. Latin, the language of the church, was the only common language in Europe. Church officials were often the only people who could read, and as a result, they often served as record keepers and advisers for rulers. The conflict between Pope Gregory V11 and Emperor Henry iv reflected the church's increasing power, showing that even the emperor had to recognize the authority of the pope. Pope Gregory made several reforms including outlawing the selling of church positions, prohibiting kings from appointing priests, and excommunicating Holy Roman emperor Henry iv.

Who was Thomas Aquinas? What did he believe about reason and faith? Describe his concept of natural law.

Thomas Aquinas was the Italian scholar of theology and philosophy, He believed reason helped people discover important truths about God's creations while faith revealed truths about GOd. Aquinas tried to bridge the gap between reason and faith. HE believed in natural law, or an order built into nature that ouc guide people's thinking about right and wrong.

How did Christianity begin? How did it develop and spread during the time of the Roman Empire? After the fall of the Roman Empire, how did monasteries help to continue the spread of Christianity?

Christianity began with Jesus Christ. Christians believe that Jesus was the son of God, that God sent him to Earth to save people from their sins, and that he rose from the dead after being crucified. At first Christians were persecuted for their beliefs. In 313 C.E., the Roman emperor Constantine allowed Christians to practice their religion freely, and in 395 Christianity became the recognized religion of the Roman Empire. After the fall of the Roman Empire, monasteries and the monks who lived there copied and preserved old texts , keeping learning alive and allowing for the continued spread of the religion.

How did medieval Christians celebrate important holidays such as Christmas and Easter?

Christians celebrate important holidays by attending church and enjoying feasts, music, dancing, and games. Holidays honored events in the life of Jesus, CHristian saints, and important religious concepts.

How did Clovis and Charlemagne help spread Christianity?

Clovis helped to spread Christianity by marrying a Christian woman and being baptized into the Catholic Church. Many of his followers also became Christians. Charlemagne, who ruled the Franks between 768 to 814 C.E., unified nearly all the Christian lands of Europe into a single empire. Pope Leo 111 supported Charlemagne and crowned him Holy Roman Empire

Why and how did feudalism develop in western Europe? What two challenges did people face after the collapse of the Roman Empire?

Feudalism developed out of a need for protection against invaders. Europe was threatened by Muslims, Magyars, and Vikings. After the collapse of the Roman Empire and without a central government in place, people were in need of protection and had to work hard simply to survive and have enough food.

How did Feudalism work?

Feudalism was based on a system of loyalty. Monarchs gave up land to lords, who became their vassals. In return, the lord's promised to supply the monarchs with knights for use in war. These lords then enlisted lesser lords to be their own vassals. Peasants were at the bottom of the system. They worked the land and produced nearly everything needed by the manor, or estate of the lord, in return for protection.

What problems contributed to the decline of the Roman Empire?

The Roman Empire began to decline due to political instability, economic and social problems, and weakening frontiers. Political instability: The transfer of power to a new leader was difficulty. Independent armies would often fight each other for the emperor's crown. Economic nad social problems: Rome needed to heavily tax its citizens to finance huge armie.s Many people lived in poverty and there was a lack of employment oppurtunities.Trade declined, crime and corruption continued to grow, and the spirit of citizenship declined. Weakening frontiers: The huge size of the empire made it hard to defend.

At the height of the Roman Empire in 117 C.E., what areas were included within its borders?

The Roman Empire spanned the whole of the Mediterranean world, from North Africa to the Scottish border and from Spain to Syria.

How and why did the Roman Empire ultimately fall? What happened to the eastern and western halves of the empire following the fall of Rome?

The Roman Empire ultimately fell to invading Germanic tribes. Many people drafted into the army had little loyalty to Rome. Germanic tribes attacked and defeated the last western emperor of Rome in 476 C.E.. The western Roman Empire dissolve into separate kingdoms ruled by different tribes. The eastern Roman became the bYzantine Empire.

How did Roman ideas about citizenship influence modern times?

The Roman idea of law is the basis for modern legal codes in many countries. The Romans also believed there was a natural law that gave every person rights. The idea of natural law and natural rights can be seen in the Declaration of Independence. The roman idea of citizenship as both a privilege and a responsibility has descended from Roman times to modern times. All citizens have the same responsibilities and enjoy the same basic rights.

What contributions did the Roman Empire make in the following areas: art, architecture and engineering, language and writing, philosophy, and law?

The contributions of the Roman Empire include: Art: realistic sculpture, mosaics, frescoes, gem cutting, metalwork, blown glass. Architecture and engineering: arches, vaults, domes, roads, bridges, aqueducts. Language and writing: Latin letters, latin roots and prefixes ( still used in modern times) Roman numerals. Philosophy: Stoicism ( stoics believed that we all have a spark of godly intelligence and importance of developing good character) Law: legal codes, natural law (everyone has certain rights).

What were the Crusades? What led Christians to participate in the Crusades?

The crusades were military expeditions to the land where Jesus had lived, which Christians called the Holy Land, to recover Jerusalem and other holy sites from the Muslims. People went on crusades to seek wealth or adventure, to guarantee their salvation, or to satisfy a deep religious feeling.

Describe the differences in the daily lives and responsibilities of lords and ladies, knights, and peasants.

The following are some of differences between the daily lives of different classes: Lords were responsible for managing and defending their manors and the people working on them. They acted as judges, held posts in the monarchs government, and supported the monarch in times of war. Ladies would sometimes have the same duties as lords, in addition to running their extensive households. Lords and ladies lived in manor houses or castles and amused themselves with hunting, feasting, dancing. Playing board games, and reading. Knights were expected to be loyal to their lord and to behave chivalrously. They participated in jousts and tournaments. It took many years to become a Knight. They used military technology such as armor. Free phesants owed rent to the lord for the land they farmed. Unfree phesants, or serfs, owed the lord their labor as well as various taxes. Pheasants lives revolved around work. They lived in small houses with few possessions.

What social classes existed within the feudal system? What were the defining characteristics of each class?

The following social classes existed within the feudal system: Monarchs: nobility, ruler of the kingdom, believed God had given them the right to rule Lords: nobility, supplied the monarch with protection. Lived on manors Knights: mounted soldiers, vassals to lords, most important training was to fight Peasants: worked the land or at skilled trades, could be free or unfree (serfs)