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Middle Ages
Origins of the Western Worldview
SS 8: Book 2
NAME: _____________________________
________
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Origins of the Western Worldview
In what ways can
changing social
structures affect a
society’s worldview?
Origins of the Western Worldview
2
Medieval Social/Political Structure
/23
The societies that evolved in Western Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire were suited to
conditions of the time. As people adapted to meet their needs, they developed a worldview
unique to the Middle Ages. The following activities will explore the specific elements of the
medieval worldview and establish the foundation for change in Western Europe.
Using the following article “Living in the Middle Ages”, please answer the following questions.
1. European Society was organized on a system called ____________________________. (1)
2. Were people able to move from class to class? Why or why not? (2)
3. In the feudal system, everyone other than the king was a vassal. What does the term vassal
mean? What does the term lord mean? Write a definition for each term. (2)
4. How was medieval society structured? What were the different social classes? (4)
5. What class had the majority of the population? (1)
6. How much freedom did most peasants have? What were some of the things they were or
weren’t allowed to do? (2)
7. Which classes were educated? (1)
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Origins of the Western Worldview
8. Please fill in the following chart. List the various rights and responsibilities of each class. There
will be more than one for each class. /8
Class
Rights and Responsiblities
King
Nobles
Knights
Peasants
9. Describe how the land was divided and used in a typical manor. How did a manor supply a lord
with an income? /2
Discuss: What position do you think Medieval society would take on the Social Organization
continuum? Why? How about the Human Nature continuum? Explain.
Living in the Middle Ages”
During the Middle Ages, much of European society was organized in a system called FEUDALISM.
Feudalism was a HEIRARCHY. In a hierarchy people are ranked on above another according to
their importance. People were born into a level of feudal society and they expected to stay in that
level for their entire lives.
Origins of the Western Worldview
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Feudalism was a social system where the more powerful—the LORDS—agreed to protect (and
reward) those below them—their VASSALS. In return, the vassals promised to provide service for
their lord, such as farming, laboring, or fighting. This relationship resulted in different levels of rank
in society, with those who controlled land at the top and those who worked the land at the bottom.
The easiest way to describe the different ranks in medieval society is by describing it as a pyramid,
with the lowest peasants at its base and the amount of authority increasing towards the top. Life in
this social pyramid demanded that everyone owed ALLEGIANCE [loyalty] to the King and their
immediate superior. Peasants were expected to serve and obey the King’s representatives (the nobles
and knights.
The top of the feudal order can be easily described through this way:





at the top of the feudal pyramid was the King
the King claimed ownership of the land
the King granted the land to powerful nobles—these nobles then pledged
their loyalty by swearing to serve and protect the King
the king and nobles provided for the training and support of knights,
who fought for their lords
successful knights could be rewarded for their service by being given
control over their own land (and the peasants who went along with it)
Feudalism was based on the belief that the land belonged to God, and Kings, who ruled by the will of
God, managed the land and used it as they wished. The King’s vassals—the nobles and knights who
pledged their loyalty to the King—provided him with food and military support.
In addition to the responsibilities nobles and knights had to the King, they had certain expectations to
the lower classes. Nobles and knights were responsible for taking care of the peasants and serfs that
lived on their estates. They were expected to make sure that the lower classes were protected from
attack and that, during times of famine, the peasants and serfs in their care had something to eat.
The Manorial System
Most people in the Middle Ages were peasants who lived in
rural villages on a manor. The peasants were assigned strips of
land to plant and harvest. Each peasant family had its own strip
of land in various areas of their lord’s manor. Often, the
peasants worked together on tasks such as plowing and haying.
In exchange for the use of the land, the peasants had to turn over
a portion of what they produced to the lord of the manor.
They were also expected to build roads, clear forests, and plant
and harvest crops on the lord’s land for a number of days each
year. The peasants—men, women, and children—worked hard
from sunrise to sunset.
Almost all peasants were illiterate and uneducated. Some peasants were FREEMEN and had no
masters. They often rented land or worked for pay. Most peasants, however, were serfs who were
not allowed to leave the manor or even get married without the lord’s permission. When they did
travel, they rarely went farther than the nearest town.
Alchin, L.K. (2006). “Feudalism Pyramid” from Middle Ages. Retrieved 11 Oct 2008 from http://middle-ages.org.uk/feudalism-pyramid.htm; Fitton, Avis, Donna M. Goodman, and Edward O’Connor. (2007). Worldviews: Contact and Change (18-19, 2223). Toronto: Pearson Education Canada; Gilberts, Rachel. (2001). “The Church” from Minnesota State University. Retrieved 11 Oct 2008 from http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/history/middleages/church.html; Trueman, Chris. (2008). “The Medieval
Church” from History Learning Site. Retrieved 11 Oct 2008 from http://historylearningsite.co.uk/medieval_church.htm; and Woolf, Alex. (2004). Medieval Realms: Education (4-5, 10-14, 21, 25). Farmington Hills, MI: Lucent Books
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Origins of the Western Worldview
8.2.2 demonstrate a willingness to consider differing beliefs, values and worldviews
8.2.3 recognize how beliefs and values are shaped by time, geographic location and societal context
A SNAPSHOT OF MEDIEVAL LIFE
From famine [starvation], pestilence [plague], and war. . . . “Good Lord, deliver us!” So humble
people prayed for protection against their greatest fear, the return of the three evils that regularly
struck down the men and women of the Middle Ages. It was a period filled with uncertainty;
people’s lives were haunted by a thousand fears, scarcely eased by the occasional celebrating at
village festivals. One source of anxiety was the wildness of nature: the great unpopulated areas
of land, the deep forests, and above all the sea brought panic to the bravest heart. The rustling of
leaves and the murmuring waters of a river spoke of the presence of supernatural beings that
could drive human beings mad. As a precaution, until the twelfth century, the homes of both rich
and poor were built with few doors and windows.
As dusk fell, castle drawbridges were raised and the towns closed their heavy gates. People were
sheltered from the fearsome world of darkness, when the Devil and his creatures walked abroad.
At dawn, the terrors of the night fled at the first rooster’s crow. Only the monks, who prayed
through the night, braved the darkness. Thus, medieval men and women lived in perpetual fear
of Satan and his followers, and looked for help to the angels and saints. St. Martin had a
reputation of being the cleverest and most skillful warrior in the battle against Evil. On one side
raged the evil world of demons; on the other the messengers of God fought to free good
Christians from their tormentors. Together they formed an invisible universe that was as real to
believers as the visible world about them.
Little by little the peasants pushed back the bounds of the wild, but they still feared nature.
A slight change in the weather before harvest time could be a disaster. Prayers were said for
rain, since drought, which brought famine in its wake, was seen as punishment from God.
People were fearful and suspicious of others—the neighbour who might have an evil eye, the
soldier out for what he could get, the passing stranger. Lepers [people with leprosy, an infection
that causes damage to the nerves and skin] stirred up special terror, for their diseased bodies
were a clear reminder of the punishment that could be inflicted on sinners. This fear of outsiders
came from hostile neighbours: bands of Normans, Moslems, and Hungarians continued to make
raids until the tenth century, while in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries bandits and
mercenaries were still ravaging the countryside.
In this stressful atmosphere, the Church offered protection, and explained the daily terrors as
traps Satan and his followers set for Christians. And who were considered Satan’s followers?
They were sorcerers, necromancers [people who bring back the dead], heretics [people with
beliefs different from the Roman Catholic Church], and infidels [people who do not
acknowledge God]—and all were shunned by society.
Morgan, Michel Pierre and Antoine Sabbagh. (1988). The Human Story: Europe in the Middle Age (X-X). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Silver Burdett Press Inc.
Based on the reading, what was the main Source of Understanding during the Middle Ages and
what position does this represent?
Does the reading suggest that people are more predetermined or self-determined?
How do you know?
In order to survive the things that medieval people were afraid of, which positions on the
Social Organization and View of the Good Life continuums were followed?
What evidence from the reading supports your choices?
Origins of the Western Worldview
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Town Life
/13
Using your textbook, read pages 22, 23 to understand what life was like in the towns in the Middle Ages.
Please answer the following questions using what you discovered.
1. Describe towns in the Middle Ages. (2)
2. Was there more freedom for peasants living in town than the peasants living on a manor? Give
examples. (3)
3. Could a peasant change their fate or status? If so, how could they? (2)
4. What is a guild and why were they important in the Middle Ages? What was their purpose? (3)
5. What position on the Good Life continuum do guilds represent? How is this different from the
majority of the feudal system? Explain using examples. (3)
Medieval Religion/Beliefs
/27
Using your textbook, pg 31and 33, and the following article, “The Role of the Church”, answer the
following questions.
1. What was the major religion in the Middle Ages? (1)
2. The Church was a __________________ similar to the social/political structure. What were the
different levels? (6)
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Origins of the Western Worldview
3. What were the main roles of the religious leaders? (don’t forget about education) (4)
4. What were the duties of the members of the congregation? (define tithe) (3)
5. How could a medieval person ensure that they would go to heaven? (3)
6. What was ORIGINAL SIN, and how did that cause people to depend on the Church? (2)
7. What were the Keys to Heaven and who controlled them? (2)
8. Who did the Pope answer to? (1)
9. What did it mean to be excommunicated? Why would this be devastating to a person in the
Middle Ages? (think of what you couldn’t do if you were no longer a member of the church) (2)
10. Now that you have read about the roles of the Church, how much control did they have over the
people in the Middle Ages? Give 3 examples of how they controlled much of the feudal
hierarchy. (3)
Origins of the Western Worldview
REMINDER: Fill8in the Medieval Worldview on the Challenges
to the Feudal System Assignment Pg.
THE ROLE OF THE CHURCH
Although there were a number of religions practiced in Europe in the Middle Ages, the “official”*
religion was Christianity. People who were not part of the Roman Catholic Church were not
accepted as part of the feudal order and could not be nobles or knights.
From the very earliest of ages, people were
taught that the only way they could get to
Heaven was if they worked hard, obeyed
their lords and the church, and attended
church and prayed regularly.
People were constantly reminded of the
horrors awaiting for them in Hell. Church
sermons often reminded those in attendance
of the sins of mankind—of the
“ORIGINAL SIN.”
In the Christian faith, this idea of original
sin refers to when Adam’s disobeyed God.
The Church taught that this sin was passed
Part of the scene of the Last Judgment on the front portal of Notre
Dame de Paris. The damned souls are being pulled towards hell.
on to all humans and that, as a result, all of
humanity is sinful. This meant that medieval people generally saw themselves as evil creatures who
needed the Church and God’s blessing in order to enter heaven. Since the only way to get to heaven
was through the Church, it held “THE KEYS TO HEAVEN.”
Latin was the
language of
the Roman
Empire; it
was also the
working
language of
the Roman
Catholic
Church.
The Church also controlled education. Schools were run by members of the clergy, such as bishops
or priests. Few school buildings existed, and most classes took place in monasteries, cathedrals, and
parish churches [local churches]. Children did not study a wide variety of subjects. Everything that
they learned was done from a religious point of view. For example, arithmetic was taught so that
students could calculate the dates of religious festivals. They were given singing lessons so that they
could take part in church services. Most importantly, Latin was taught so that students could take
part in church services and spread the teachings of the Church. Only the children of nobles and
knights received an education.
The Church had more than religious influence over people. The Church had the legal right to collect
a form of tax called a TITHE. People were to pay a percentage of what they earned in a year to the
Church (usually ten percent). Tithes could be paid in either money or in goods produced by the
peasant farmers. As peasants had little money, they almost always had to pay in seeds,
harvested grain, or animals. In years of poor harvests, this could cause serious hardship for peasants.
In addition to collecting taxes, the Church also accepted gifts of all kinds from individuals who
wanted special favours or wanted to make sure they got to heaven. These gifts included land, flocks,
crops, and even serfs. This allowed the Church to become very rich and powerful, and it often used
this power to influence kings to do as it wanted.
Despite a King’s authority, he was still answerable to the Pope. The Pope was God’s representative
on Earth, and had the right to pronounce judgments on anyone, including a King. His greatest threat
was EXCOMMUNICATION. This would cut sinners and disobedient people off from God and keep
them from going to heaven. It also meant that Catholics were to have nothing to do with them.
During the Middle Ages, even the most powerful King was careful when dealing with the Pope and
the Roman Catholic Church.
Alchin, L.K. (2006). “Feudalism Pyramid” from Middle Ages. Retrieved 11 Oct 2008 from http://middle-ages.org.uk/feudalism-pyramid.htm; Fitton, Avis, Donna M. Goodman, and Edward O’Connor. (2007). Worldviews: Contact and Change (18-19,
22-23). Toronto: Pearson Education Canada; Gilberts, Rachel. (2001). “The Church” from Minnesota State University. Retrieved 11 Oct 2008 from http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/history/middleages/church.html; Trueman, Chris. (2008). “The
Medieval Church” from History Learning Site. Retrieved 11 Oct 2008 from http://historylearningsite.co.uk/medieval_church.htm; and Woolf, Alex. (2004). Medieval Realms: Education (4-5, 10-14, 21, 25). Farmington Hills, MI: Lucent Books.
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Origins of the Western Worldview
Factors of Change
Biographical:
POWERPOINT: Factors of Change NOTES
has to do with __________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
-
Changes occur because _____________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Economic: Has to do with ______________________________________
-
Changes occur because _____________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Technological: Has to do with ___________________________________
-
Changes occur because _____________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Political: Has to do with ______________________________________
-
Changes occur because _____________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Ideological: Has to do with ______________________________________
-
Changes occur because _____________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Environmental: Has to do with
______________________________________
-
Changes occur because _____________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Origins of the Western Worldview
10
IDENTIFYING FACTORS OF CHANGE
/6
The key question to ask yourself in deciding which factor of change is at work is asking WHY something
happened—what was the CAUSE, not the effect.
1. If the WHY something happened was the result of a person causing something to happen, it is
probably BIOGRAPHICAL.
- If you see someone’s name in the question, it is likely that the answer is BIOGRAPHICAL.
- If you ask yourself the question, “WHO caused this?” and the answer is not there, it is NOT going
to be biographical.
e.g.: The statement “Henry Ford developed mass production of automobiles” is biographical. The
cause (why) is a person; the result is related more directly to technology.
2. If the WHY something happened was something that people had little or no control over, the cause is
most likely ENVIRONMENTAL (the effect would be political).
e.g.: “A famine led people to riot against the government.”
3. If the WHY something happened is the result of someone doing something because they BELIEVE
it is true then the cause is IDEOLOGICAL.
e.g.: “The suicide bomber believed that he would go to heaven if he destroyed the enemy of his
faith.”
SOURCE: modified from E.Dick/CHHS 2008-2009
Identify the relevant factor of change for each description. Each factor will only be used once.
1. ________________
In the mid-1600s, smallpox devastated the Kishesipirini Nation, killing almost
half of the population. In their weakened state, they could not defend
themselves against the Haudenosaunee, which forced them to seek a closer
alliance with the French.
2. ________________
Much of the conflict which occurred in eastern North America in the 1600s
was caused by the beaver. Beaver felt hats were making huge amounts of
money for both British and French companies. The desire for furs and control
of the fur trade resulted in conflict between the British and their Native allies
and the French and their Native allies that lasted over 100 years.
3. ________________
The early success of the French in Québec was because of the alliance
between the Anishinabe and Champlain’s settlement. The Native people
helped the French survive the harsh climate and the French aided the
Anishinabe in their battles with the Haudenosaunee.
4. ________________
The Haudenosaunee had a distinct advantage over their Anishinabe enemies.
They had guns, obtained through trade with the English, while many of the
Anishinabe were limited to bows and arrows, spears, knives, and tomahawks.
5. ________________
The Kishesipirini people had to rely on their traditional weapons in war
because they refused to change their religion. The French would only trade
for guns with Catholics and the Kishesipirini were unwilling to give up their
traditional belief systems and practices.
6. ________________
The settlement of North America might have been quite different had it not
been for Samuel de Champlain. Because of his ceaseless work,
determination, and ability to create alliances with the Wendat, the French
gained a foothold in the St. Lawrence region.
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Origins of the Western Worldview
CHALLENGES TO THE FEUDAL SYSTEM
Although the feudal system lasted for many hundreds of years, it eventually began to weaken
and finally disappeared altogether.
Think About It: Whose interested were best served by feudalism? What kinds of pressures do
you think might have caused feudalism to break down?
The Hundred Years War/Peasant Revolts
/11
Using pages 24 and 25 in your textbook, please answer the following questions
1. Identify TWO effects of the Hundred Years’ War on the peasants. (2)
2. Considering these two effects, which factor of change BEST explains the Peasant Revolts? (1)
3. Consider the groups of people on the earthly feudal hierarchy. Who are the ‘gentlemen’ that
being killed by French peasants? (1)
Would the ‘gentlemen’ being killed include priests? Why or why not? (2)
4. What were at least THREE complaints John Ball had about the Feudal System. Look at Exploring
Sources pg 25 (3)
5. Which element of worldview is most related to John Ball’s complaints? (1)
6. What was the outcome of the Peasant Revolts? (1)
Origins of the Western Worldview
12
8.2.2 demonstrate a willingness to consider differing beliefs, values and worldviews
8.2.3 recognize how beliefs and values are shaped by time, geographic location and societal context
POWERPOINT: Population Change in Western Europe
PRESENTATION GUIDE –
Population Change in Western Europe
1. Between 1347 and 1350, what fraction of the population of Western Europe died from the Black
Death?
2. What is the modern name for the Black Death?
3. What actually caused the Black Death?
4. How is the plague transmitted to humans?
5. What are THREE symptoms of the plague?
6. What was the reason why most medieval people thought they became sick?
7. What was a major ideological effect of the plague? How did the Black Death cause people to
question the authority of the Church?
8. How did the plague affect the number of people available to work on manor farms?
9. How did the Black Death challenge the Feudal System? (look at how it affected the
economy/manors)
Think About It:
Read page 34, in your textbook.
Why were the people becoming increasingly upset with the Roman Catholic Church? What
were some of its flaws?
13
Origins of the Western Worldview
8.2.2 demonstrate a willingness to consider differing beliefs, values and worldviews
8.2.3 recognize how beliefs and values are shaped by time, geographic location and societal context
THE EXPANSION OF TRADE
/7
Read this article, and answer the questions on the following page.
The “Silk Road” was the name given to overland routes that connected civilizations from the
Mediterranean Sea in the west to the Asian countries along the Indian and Pacific Oceans in the
east. For centuries, the Silk Road allowed trade between people living in the Roman and
Byzantine Empires, the Middle East, India, and China. More than luxury goods were passed
along these routes—intercultural contact also led to exchanges of ideas and knowledge. When
Muslims conquered the Middle East in the eighth century, they continued to use the Silk Road to
trade with Asia. Europeans, however, were isolated from Asia by Muslim kingdoms in the
Middle East. By the tenth century, knowledge of the Silk Road was nearly lost in Western
Europe.
One of the outcomes of the Crusades was that European trade was restored with the East. Since
goods coming from the Far East were so exotic and in such demand—and since these goods
traveled so far and passed through so many hands—they were very expensive. Despite the price,
Europeans wanted more of the spices and silks that had been brought back by the Crusaders.
Merchants hired adventurers and sailors to open new trade routes to all parts of their known
world, such as North Africa and the Middle East, and across land routes to India and China.
These new trade routes began a revival in business and shipping in the western world that had
not existed since the Roman Empire.
In Europe, the numbers of merchants and traders grew and so did their wealth. They became a
powerful new class outside the hierarchy of the feudal system. Their wealth brought them power
to influence leaders, which meant that a person’s role in the strict social hierarchy of the feudal
system might be able to change. People began to see that it was possible to move out of the class
into which they had been born.
Because of increased trading, cities began to grow. By the middle of the fourteenth century,
Paris, Florence, Venice, and Genoa were the largest cities in Europe, each with populations of at
least 100,000. These larger urban populations increased the demand for foods and other products
and led to changes in the way people lived. Some people started businesses to provide goods for
city residents. Industries began to specialize in goods such as textiles [weaved or knitted
fabrics], furniture, and handicrafts for trade, and more people moved to the cities to work in
these industries. Workers began to find and create jobs that were not part of the feudal system,
and so became less dependent on the nobles. Some communities became so wealthy and
powerful from trade, industry, and banking that they became city-states. Finally, people began to
feel a sense of belonging to their larger communities, not just to their local lord.
Fitton, Avis, Donna M. Goodman, and Edward O’Connor. (2007). Worldviews: Contact and Change (40-43). Toronto: Pearson Education Canada; Levin, Phyllis et. al. (2007). Our Worldviews (29). Toronto, ON: Thomson-Nelson.
Origins of the Western Worldview
14
The Expansion of Trade Follow Up questions.
1. Why did Western Europe lose access to the Silk Road in the eighth century? [1]
2. According to the reading, what was the positive outcome of the Crusades? [1]
3. Consider the hierarchy of the feudal system. Why would wealthy merchants and traders
be considered being “outside the hierarchy of the feudal system”? [1]
4. Which element of worldview is most related to the new status of merchants? [1]
5. Which position on the View of the Good Life continuum is suggested by the actions of
merchants and traders? [1]
6. What were TWO effects of increased trade on cities? [2]
Rise of the Middle Class
/4
Using pages 26, and 27 in your textbook, answer the following questions
1. Why were many people moving from rural areas into towns? How did this weaken the feudal
system? (2)
2. How did the rise of towns affect the feudal hierarchy? How did it change?
15
(2)
Origins of the Western Worldview
THE CRUSADES AND TRADE
/9
Using pages 40-43 in your textbook, answer the following questions
1. What luxury goods did the Crusaders bring back from the Middle East? (3)
2. What are TWO important (positive) results of the Crusades? (2)
3. Why did trade increase following the Crusades? (1)
4. What were some other advances as a result of interactions with other cultures during this time?
(3)
The Crusades
/5
Using the Zoom In box on pg 41 in your textbook, answer the following questions
1. What did the Muslims control that the Christians wanted? (1)
2. What were the Crusades mainly about? What was the goal or purpose? (1)
3. What significant religious figure encouraged the Crusades? (1)
4. What did the Crusades say about the power of the Catholic Church in peoples’ lives? (1)
5. What motivated Christians to join the Crusades? How would they benefit? (1)
Origins of the Western Worldview
16
8.2.2 demonstrate a willingness to consider differing beliefs, values and worldviews
8.2.3 recognize how beliefs and values are shaped by time, geographic location and societal context
THE CRUSADES
/6
In the late eleventh century, the Christians of Western Europe began to shed their isolation and
started to interact with different cultures in the Middle East. In the process, Europeans learned
new ways of doing things, resulting in changes that challenged the medieval worldview.
FACTORS OF CHANGE: Using what you have learned identify one specific example for each
of the six factors of change. Record your information on the retrieval chart provided.
Note: The focus of this assignment is change. Do not, for example, write down the Roman
Catholic or Islamic religion. Although they are both ideological in nature, they are not examples
of ideological change by themselves Your examples must be linked to some form of change to
be correct. If the reading said that many people converted from tribal religions to Islam, and
then began to force their faith on neighbouring tribes, the factor would then be ideological.
FACTOR
EXAMPLE FROM THE READING
BIOGRAPHICAL
ECONOMIC
ENVIRONMENTAL
IDEOLOGICAL
POLITICAL
TECHNOLOGICAL
17
Origins of the Western Worldview
8.2.3 recognize how beliefs and values are shaped by time, geographic location and societal context
8.2.4.4 how did increased trade lead to the emergence of powerful city-states?
THE ITALIAN CITY-STATES
/17
During the Middle Ages, Italy was different in many ways than the
rest of Western Europe. The mountains to the north (the Alps)
protected Italy from invaders, allowing people to focus on other
things rather than defence. With its short, mild winters and long,
warm summers, northern Italy had a climate that was ideal for
orchards that produced wine, olives, and figs. As these items were
in great demand, Italians were able to sell them for high prices or
trade them for the food they needed. Extra food meant a larger
population, and many of the people living in northern Italy lived in
the cities. Since these cities were close to the rich goods coming
out of the Middle East, many people made large sums of money
through trade. With so many people involved in business or
politics, there were no clear differences in classes like there was in the rest of Europe. People shared
the belief that everyone was equal or at least had equal opportunities to make money. Political power
belonged to bankers, merchants, and businessmen rather than the land-owning nobles of feudal
Europe. Finally, the architectural ruins of ancient Rome reminded Italians of their glorious past.
The result was a feeling that Italians should be independent and in control of their own affairs.
In fact, many Italian cities ruled themselves and had their own armies.
While the rest of Europe north of the Alps (“northern Europe”) was divided into various kingdoms,
Italy became a collection of city-states. A CITY-STATE refers to an independent city and its
surrounding territory. In many cases, city-states would become so powerful that they would control
smaller cities, towns, and the territory all around them.
As the city-states of Italy grew in population and wealth, they began to compete with each other.
Warfare among city-states over territory and trading routes was common. After decades of fighting,
the city-states of Florence, Venice, Milan, and Naples signed a treaty which brought relative stability
to the area for nearly forty years. In this agreement, no city-state was allowed to become powerful
enough to threaten or overthrow any other city-state. Removing the threat of warfare allowed the
city-states to focus on improving their trade and making vast fortunes. By the mid-fifteenth century,
the three wealthiest and most powerful Italian city-states were Florence, Genoa, and Venice.
Fitton, Avis, Donna M. Goodman, and Edward O’Connor. (2007). Worldviews: Contact and Change (47). Toronto: Pearson Education Canada; Gilbert, Bill and Edwyna Condon Gilbert. (1997). “Chapter 3: The Italian City-States of the Renaissance.”
Retrieved 11 Nov 2009 from http://vlib.iue.it/carrie/texts/carrie_books/gilbert/03.html; and Levin, Phyllis et. al. (2007). Our Worldviews (31). Toronto, ON: Thomson-Nelson.
1. What is a city-state? [1]
2. Provide an example of how each of the following factors of change are used in the reading:
 economic [1]

political [1]

ideological [1]
Origins of the Western Worldview
18
3. Five key characteristics contribute to the economic success of a region: geographic location,
climate, leadership, social organization, and population distribution. Using your textbook, pg
48-49 and the reading “The Italian City-States,” complete the following chart by pasting in
examples for each characteristic of economic success. [10]
CHARACTERISTIC
GEOGRAPHIC
LOCATION
CLIMATE
LEADERSHIP
SOCIAL
ORGANIZATION
POPULATION
DISTRIBUTION
NORTHERN EUROPE
ITALIAN CITY-STATES
This region has most of the
continent’s farm land and
has access to wool
production.
This region is close to
Mediterranean port cities
that trade in spices and
other luxury goods.
Cold winter weather and
short growing season.
Mild weather and
long growing season.
Independent cities with
Ruled by kings and queens
their own governments and
who often followed their
armies and in control of
own self-interests.
their own affairs.
A class hierarchy
based on feudalism.
No clear class distinctions;
all classes involved in
business and politics.
Most people lived in and
worked in the countryside.
Most people were
urbanized—they lived and
worked in the cities.
3. Which characteristic (geographic location, climate, leadership, social organization, and
population distribution) is the most important for economic success? Explain your choice.
[1]
4. Which region would you consider to be more successful: Western Europe or Northern Italy?
Provide TWO reasons for your choice. [2]
19
Origins of the Western Worldview
Making Money with Money
/6
Using pages 52 and 53 in your textbook, answer the following questions
1. What is usury and how did it help the city-states to become more wealthy? (2)
2. What was the Church’s original view on usury? Why did their opinion change? (2)
3. How did the changing economy affect politics in northern Italy? [1]
4. How would banking and trade in Italy affect the rest of Western Europe? [1]
Origins of the Western Worldview
20
8.2.2 demonstrate a willingness to consider differing beliefs, values and worldviews
8.2.3 recognize how beliefs and values are shaped by time, geographic location and societal context
CHALLENGES TO THE FEUDAL SYSTEM
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For nearly a thousand years, society in Western Europe was based on an exchange of service for
protection. Although this feudal system lasted for such a long time, it eventually faced a number of
challenges and began to weaken. As a result, the worldview of the Middle Ages began to evolve.
PART A: Determining the Effects of Change
/10 marks
On the table below are six significant events or situations that challenged the feudal system. Refer to
information learned in the web quest, complete the table by identifying the factor(s) of change
associated with the event and briefly describing how this affected the feudal system.
EVENT/
SITUATION
RELATED
FACTOR(S)
OF CHANGE
e.g.:
ADVANCES IN
MEDIEVAL
TECHNOLOGY
EFFECTS OF CHANGE


technological

people living by clocks rather than position of the sun
technological advances in agriculture, construction,
metallurgy led to new developments in other areas and
generally made life easier
increased food production meant growing population
THE CRUSADES
EXPANSION
OF TRADE
BLACK DEATH
HUNDRED
YEARS’ WAR/
PEASANT
REVOLTS
WESTERN
SCHISM
21
Origins of the Western Worldview
PART B: Predicting Changes in Worldview
/26 marks
The next portion of this assignment requires you to determine how the Middle Ages is changing.
1. On the four worldview element continuums provided, put an “M” to clearly identify the medieval
position. Refer to the “Exploring Medieval Worldview” continuums in this booklet to guide you.
2. In the space provided in the box below the continuum, explain (or give a reason) why you put
your mark where you did.
3. After considering the information you provided in Part A, decide where the position on the
continuum should be now. Mark this with a “C” (for change); if there is no change, write the
“C” above or beside the “M.”
4. Using evidence from Section A and your notes, explain why the position changed (or why you
think it did not change) in the space provided.
5. Once you have finished with the continuums, complete the follow-up questions given on the
bottom of the page.
For example:
SOURCES OF UNDERSTANDING
John at 13
divine
1
2
John at 12
3
4
5
human
EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT CHANGES IN WORLDVIEW:
When John was 12:
 John felt that church was a waste of time and felt that people could answer their own questions
about life
When John was 13:
 John and his family were in a serious car accident and should not have survived
 John believed that only an Act of God saved their lives
PART C: Follow-Up Questions
[2 marks]
1. Considering the effects of change you recorded in Part A, what was the MOST IMPORTANT
factor of change in the medieval period? [1]
2. In your opinion, which event (from the list of events given on the chart in Part A) had the
GREATEST impact on ending the Middle Ages? [1]
Origins of the Western Worldview
22
SOURCES OF UNDERSTANDING
divine
1
2
3
4
5
human
5
self-determination
EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT WORLDVIEW ANALYSIS:
Medieval Position (M):


Changed Position (C):


HUMAN NATURE
predetermination
1
2
3
4
EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT WORLDVIEW ANALYSIS:
Medieval Position (M):


Changed Position (C):


23
Origins of the Western Worldview
THE GOOD LIFE
group interest
1
2
3
4
5
self-interest
5
hierarchy
EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT WORLDVIEW ANALYSIS:
Medieval Position (M):


Changed Position (C):


SOCIAL ORGANIZATION
equality
1
2
3
4
EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT WORLDVIEW ANALYSIS:
Medieval Position (M):


Changed Position (C):


Origins of the Western Worldview
24
REVIEW: The Middle Ages
J
M
M
T
V
B
H
K
A
F
U
R
C
E
E
W
M
G
S
L
F
P
L
F
P
D
K
T
ACROSS
DOWN
1.
2.
4.
6.
9.
11.
13.
18.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
The capture of this city in the Middle East led Pope
Urban II to call a Crusade.
The “tax” that people paid to the Church.
Swearing loyalty to a lord. (allegiance)
Another term for swearing loyalty.
The name of the religious wars in the Middle East.
The term medieval people used for the interest
bankers charged on loans.
A medieval unit of land; a farm run by a lord.
The wealthiest and one of the most important Italian
city-states.
The concept of “original sin” relates to which
position on the human nature continuum?
(predetermination)
In order to provide people with their basic needs, the
feudal system was based on this important resource.
One of the two basic needs met by the feudal system.
Another basic need met by the feudal system.
The most important position on the source of
understanding continuum during the Middle Ages.
The highest rank on the earthly feudal hierarchy.
The factor of change that explains new weapons and
farming tools.
3.
5.
7.
8.
10.
12.
14.
15.
16.
17.
19.
20.
23.
25.
25
This group of people created an Asian empire that promoted
trade and defended the Silk Road. (mongols)
The group of people that Christians fought in the Middle East.
The position on the social organization continuum that best
describes medieval society.
The common name of the disease that killed one-third of
Europe’s population. [2 words]
The “slang” term for the Church’s power to help people reach
the afterlife. [3 words]
The system of government and economics that evolved to
meet the needs of people after the fall of the Roman Empire.
The factor of change that explains the immediate cause
behind the Peasants’ Revolt.
The key religion in Europe during the Middle Ages. [2 words]
The term used when the Church “cuts off” a person from God.
The split in the Church where there was more than one pope.
[2 words]
A group of skilled workers that set prices and control quality
of goods.
The trade route that connects Europe to Asia. [2 words]
The term for a person who is a above a vassal.
The official language of the Church and education. (latin)
The highest rank on the spiritual feudal hierarchy.
Origins of the Western Worldview
CONCEPT MAPPING: The Medieval World
/19
The Middle Ages lasted in some parts of Western Europe for more than one thousand years.
Whether it was the intercultural contact experienced during the Crusades; changes in wealth as
trade expanded, or the effects of the plague, the feudal system had slowly become unraveled.
The following activity makes a visual connection between the millennium-old feudal system and
the challenges that brought change to and the eventual end of the medieval world.
The concept map on the handout features three symbols to represent information:
 shaded rectangles
 squares
 lines
represent categories
(called concept boxes) represent concepts
(between squares) describe relationships between different concepts
PART A: Working with Concept Maps [15 marks]
After reviewing some of the knowledge and understandings from the Middle Ages portion of the
unit, complete the concept map provided by correctly adding the following missing information
to the relevant concept boxes:
Black Death
Crusades
Food
Great Schism
Growth of Trade
Italian City-States
“Keys to Heaven”
Kings
Knights
Peasant Revolt
Peasants/Serfs
Pope
Protection
Roman Catholic Church
Technology
PART B: Follow-Up Questions [4 marks]
1. In your opinion, which challenge to the feudal system was the MOST IMPORTANT for
weakening the authority of the Roman Catholic Church? Explain your choice. [2]
2. As a result of all of the challenges to the feudal system, which element of the medieval
worldview experienced the GREATEST change? Include the element of worldview and
change in positions in your explanation. [2]
Origins of the Western Worldview
26