Download Middle Ages (ch.8) - Goshen Central School District

Pax Romana
The “Middle” Ages??? (500-1400’s)
Medieval times…a thousand years of slow change
I. EARLY Middle Ages = a time of CHAOS (aka – the “DARK” AGES)
With the fall of Rome (476 AD), there were many PROBLEMS:
A. Western Europe was “cut-off” from the rest of the world
B. There was NO STRONG CENTRAL GOVERNMENT
therefore
-lawlessness (people did whatever they wanted)
-lack of any FORMAL learning like universities (what would you
do if there were NO MORE SCHOOLING
-TRADE almost ended, as people were too afraid to travel
POINT #1 = EUROPE TURNS INWARD…socially (spiritually),
politically (local,strong rulers), and economically (self-sufficient
agriculture and barter)
II. The OUTSIDERS = Germanic tribes, invaders such as the
VIKINGS, MUSLIMS and MAGYARS…they were warriors, farmers, and
herders who did NOT live in cities and had no use for written laws,,,they
relied on customs.
**The years between 400 and 800 were frightening and unstable
Charlemagne the Unifier
From his position in northern Italy, Charlemagne was able to help out the Popes,
who could no longer count on getting help from the Roman Empire. In exchange,
Charlemagne got Pope Leo III in Rome to name him Holy Roman Emperor.
Right at that moment (in 800 AD) the Roman Emperor in Constantinople was a
woman named Irene, and the Franks refused to recognize Irene as Emperor
because she was a woman. Charlemagne had offered to marry Irene, to put a man
back on the throne. But Irene refused, thinking that Charlemagne was some
barbarian nobody from northern Europe. So it may have seemed sensible for
Charlemagne to become the Emperor.
Along with his new identity as Emperor, Charlemagne built up a real court at his
palace in Aachen, with a palace school, and new buildings being built everywhere,
and books being written, including a biography of Charlemagne by Einhard which
is modeled on the Roman biographer Suetonius. Charlemagne sent ambassadors
back and forth to the Abbasid caliph (Muslim ruler), Harun al-Rashid, who sent
him an Indian elephant as a present.
Charlemagne the Unifier
•During his 43-year reign, Charlemagne proved himself a brilliant
military strategist and administrator, promoting art and education
while waging war from Saxony to the Mediterranean.
•Known for his piety (religiousness) as well as his brutality (he once
beheaded more than 4,000 Saxons in one day), Charlemagne united
most of Europe and created a period of relative order during the
otherwise tumultuous Middle Ages.
The “Middle” Ages??? (500-1400’s)
Medieval times…a thousand years of slow change
III.
CHARLEMAGNE = the “UNIFIER” of Europe
The strongest of the Germanic tribes, the FRANKS united with the ROMAN
CATHOLIC CHURCH (whose place in people’s lives had grown incredibly in the
absence of the Roman Empire).
***800 AD = Charlemagne becomes the 1st HOLY ROMAN EMPEROR
He was able to build a large EMPIRE…He dreamed of creating a
capital city like ROME…He encouraged Latin learning and set up schools by
inviting scholars and issuing rules for education…He helped spread
CHRISTIANITY, but preserved his GERMANIC customs (like fierce loyalty).
POINT #2 = For a brief time, Charlemagne provided STABILITY and
PEACE to an otherwise chaotic Europe.
POINT #3 = Charlemagne strengthened the foundations of a NEW
“MEDIEVAL” civilization based on the possession and control of LAND.
This is FEUDALISM
However, the next couple of centuries, EUROPE is plagued by INVASIONS
from the NORSEMEN (men from the North) and others…
Feudalism, the Manor and the Church
(mutual obligations, self-sufficiency, and an Age of Faith)
I. Feudal Society = a well defined, new system of rule
*In the face of invasions kings were too weak to maintain law and order:
A. Feudalism was a loosely organized system of rule in which powerful local lords divided
their large land-holdings (FIEFS) among lesser lords
B. Lords, Vassals and Knights – a world of warriors -castles and chivalry became
prominent features of society
King
*Lords = POWER
Lesser lords (Vassels)
Knights
Peasants
POINT #4 = Under Feudalism, everyone had a well-defined place in society.
•At the head of society was the monarch.
•However, powerful land-holding nobles were the real power.
•Peasants (90%) were at the bottom.
II. The MANOR System – the heart of the medieval economy
**most manors included one or more villages and the surrounding lands
A. Peasants and lords – bound by mutual obligations and responsibilities
B. Manors were small, self-sufficient worlds (no knowledge of larger world)
C. Daily life of peasants – harsh, seasonal and religious
POINT #5 = The Manor system and the Christian Church allowed people in Western
Europe to survive in an otherwise dark time. Consider how this will allow Europe to
recover and re-emerge in the second millennium (1000 – 1200’s)
BONUS – What are these
defensive structures of a
castle called?
Hint- It’s not the tower,
Rapunzel…
Feudalism, the Manor and the Church
(mutual obligations, self-sufficiency, and an Age of Faith)
III.
The Medieval Church -The Middle Ages has been called the
Age of Faith. The commanding force behind that faith was the
Christian Church.
A. Hierarchy – From the Pope down to local priest
B. Authority of the Church - The Church gained absolute
power of the religious life of Christians at this time. This power will
COLLIDE in the High Middle Ages with the power of Kings.
excommunication & interdiction = political
tithe (almsgiving; ≈10% of your wealth) = economic
sacraments (7 “steps” to salvation) = social
C. Monks and nuns provided society with spiritual, social economic
and cultural benefits. (However, abuses within the church will eventually
lead to reform)
POINT #5 (repeat) = The Manor system and the Christian
Church allowed people in Western Europe to survive in an otherwise
dark time. Consider how this will allow Europe to recover and reemerge in the second millennium (1000 – 1200’s)
The 15th century church of Rodel on the
Isle of Lewis, built for the war-like
chiefs of the Macleods, towers over the
sea lochs of Scotland’s Outer Hebrides.
Nothing in early modern Britain, from
its cities to its remotest corners, was
more political than religion. The church
in every parish – nearly always the most
imposing building – was as much a
symbol of worldly (secular) control as a
shrine to God.
New technologies and
changes in agriculture
1.
2.
3.
Leads to
Leads to
4.
So what?
5.
Growing demand
for goods
RESULTS
IN
Name_________________________
New technologies and
changes in agriculture
1. Iron plows (sturdier)
2. Harness for horses
3. Windmills (irrigation)
Leads to
More food Leads to
Population
Growth
4. Clearing/draining land
5. 3-field rotation system
Growing demand
for goods
Growth of towns – the creation
of merchant and craft guilds
Business changes – new methods of
doing business = partnerships,
insurance and bills of exchange
Social changes – feudalism
ending and middle class forms
RESULTS
IN
Increased
Trade
TEST:
“Early” Middle Ages
Chapter 8
TUESDAY FEB. 5
Which King of England’s bones were just discovered (unearthed/dug
up from a parking lot). He ruled England between 1483-85 and was
immortalized in a play by William Shakespeare
REVIEW – “Early Middle Ages”
1st place = +5
2nd place = +3
TEAM 1:
TEAM 2:
3rd Place = +1 pt.
TEAM 3:
Middle Ages (Chapter 8 & 9) – vocabulary
*For Thursday – define each word below
(include how the term is relevant to the Middle Ages…aka SO WHAT?)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Middle Ages
“Dark” Ages
trade
Charlemagne
Vikings
fief (land grant)
feudalism
The manor
9. King
10. knights
11. lords
12. peasants/serfs
13. Pope
14. excommunicate
15. tithe
16. sacrament