Download What untapped resources did Western Europe possess in the

What untapped resources did Western Europe
possess in the early Middle Ages?
Dense forests, rich soil, rich minerals, seas for
fishing, large rivers, and mountain streams.
How did Clovis increase the power of the
Frankish kingdoms?
He became a Christian and gained the alliance of
the Roman Catholic Church. He ruled the new
lands according to Frankish custom but also
preserved much of the Roman legacy in Gaul.
What steps did Charlemagne take to improve
government and unify his empire? What happened to
his empire after he died?
Charlemagne spread Christianity to the
conquered peoples of his empire, appointed
powerful nobles to rule local regions, and sent
out missi dominici to check on roads, listen to
grievances, and see that justice was done.
Charlemagne’s empire fell apart after he died.
List the accomplishments of
Charlemagne.
Charlemange’s accomplishments included
creating a large empire, centralizing
government, helping Christianity spread, and
promoting education.
Describe three features of feudal
society.
Everyone had duties to each other. Nobles had
responsibilities to both lords and vassals. Lords
granted vassals a fief (land) or estate. Lords
promised to protect the vassal.
Serfs were tied to the land.
What obligations did lords and vassals have
under the feudal system? How did the code of
chivalry affect medieval ideas about women?
The lord promised protection for his vassals.
The vassals pledged loyalty and 40 days a year of
military service, money payments, and advice.
The code of chivalry raised women to a new
status because it called for women to be
protected and cherished.
What responsibilities did the peasants have toward the
lord of the manor? What responsibilities did the lord of
the manor have toward the peasants?
The peasants’ responsibilities included working
several days a week farming the lord’s lands;
repairing the lord’s roads, bridges, and fences;
and paying the lord occasional fees.
The lord had to provide peasants with
protection and with land for them to farm.
How did the breakdown of central
authority in Europe lead to the
development of feudalism?
With no central authority to provide protection,
people developed feudalism as a way to protect
their lives and property.
Describe three ways in which the Church helped
shape medieval life. How did monks and nuns
help build Christian civilization in Europe?
The church administered the sacraments, offered
spiritual guidance, and provided care for the needy.
Daily life revolved around the Christian calendar.
Monks and nuns emphasized the value of hard
work; preserved knowledge by copying and storing
important texts; provided basic social services by
tending the sick, helping the poor, setting up
schools for children, and caring for travelers.
How did the Church increase its secular power?
Feudal rulers often appointed Church officials to
high government positions. The Church tried to
end feudal warfare by declaring periods of truce.
What reforms did Francis and Dominic
promote?
Francis preached living a life of poverty, humility,
and love of God.
Dominic tried to combat heresy by preaching
official Catholic beliefs.
Why were Jewish communities able to
flourish in Spain?
The Muslims who controlled Spain tolerated
both Jews and Christians. Muslim Spain became
a center of Jewish culture and scholarship. Some
Jews even served in Muslim royal courts.
What views did the Church put forth
about women?
The Church taught that men and women were
equal before God. However, the church also
considered women to be weak and needful of
guidance and protection.
What were two effects of the agricultural
revolution that took place during the
Middle Ages?
Farmers were able to produce more food. As a
result of this, the population grew.
What new ways of doing business
evolved in the Middle Ages?
People began using money, banking,
partnerships, insurance, and bills of exchange.
How did a merchant’s guild differ from a
craft guild? How did guilds improve life for
townspeople?
Merchant guilds passed laws, levied taxes, and
made decisions about how to spend funds. Each
craft guild represented workers in one
occupation. Members protected their economic
interests by limiting membership, establishing
quality control, regulating hours of labor, and
setting prices.
Guilds provided schools, hospitals, and support
for their members and widows/orphans.
Compare economic life in the early Middle
Ages to economic life in the High Middle
Ages.
During the early Middle Ages, trade was limited.
The center of the economy was the manor (an
economic unit that depended on farming).
The High Middle Ages brought increased trade,
the growth of towns, and a commercial
revolution.