Notes for Chapter 9: Middle Ages
Medieval Times (Middle Ages)- between 500-1500 AD, time period between ancient times and modern times
- Feudalism:
-begins with collapse of Roman Empire, needed a way to protect themselves from the Vikings of the North
-developed a way of living, power belonged to those who owned land, way to protect towns and kingdoms
-royalty, nobles, knights, peasants
-landowner called a lord, man who was loyal to the lord was a vassal(main duty of each was to protect the other)
-lady of the household managed the household, supervised serfs, was lord in absence of husband
-Peasants- hard lives, lot of work, small homes, little or no money, simple food (bread), also serfs (peasants who belonged to the land, but not quite slaves)
Manors
-lord ruled over a manor (large estate that included a village and farmland)
-manor was self-sufficient, peasants farmers, carpenter, shoemaker, blacksmith, herbalist, butcher, tailor
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2. Rise of Cities:
-religion was in every part of life, Roman Catholic Church ruled all areas (villages, towns, kingdoms)
-the church was powerful, acted as the gov't (collected taxes, courts)
-by about 1000 A.D., populations grew, manors became crowded (communities, towns, cities- not self-sufficient, used money)
-peasants leave manor (getting crowded) life improves (rise of middle class -merchants, traders)
-guilds(work in a trade) form, which included women and apprentices
-cities very crowded and a lot of disease ("The Black Death" or bubonic plague killed 1/3 of Europe's pop. in 4 years)
-universities and colleges began to grow
- Medieval Knights:
-only boys of noble families
-began around age 7 (page), age 14 (a squire), then a knight
-knights had to follow the code of Chivalry- the noble qualities of a knight
-today being knighted is a reward for service to your country
- The Crusades:
-the Church launched 4 wars to recapture Palestine from the Turks
-Reasons: wanted the holy sites, but also key trade routes, and to protect pilgrims
-1st Crusade consisted of peasants led by Peter the Hermit, once knight got there 1st Crusade captured Jerusalem in 1099 A.D., killed 10,000 Muslim and Jewish people
-Results: the Crusades changed Europe, increased trade and made the use of money more common, helped trade grow in Middle Ages, feudalism weakened and towns, cities grew
- Power of Kings:
-nations begin to be built (feudalism declines, growth of trade and towns inc, kings power increases, nations begin)
-kings and popes struggled for power
-Magna Carta was signed, limiting the powers of a king and helping to lead to the beginning of a new gov't (Parliament)
Hundred Years’ War:
- England and France fought, fought over control of land, trading
-French peasant, Joan of Arc, defeated the English at the battle of Orleans
-She was taken prisoner by England, accused of witchcraft and burned at the stake
6. The Religion of Islam
- basic beliefs are known as the 5 Pillars of Islam
1. Faith- belief in God and prophet Muhammad
- Prayer- pray 5 times a day
- Sharing- give to poor and sick if you can
- Fasting- only occurs during special month (Ramadan)- sunrise to sunset every day
- Haji (Pilgrimage)- a sacred journey to Mecca, at least once in your life
- rules of Islam written in Quran
- Islam regards Noah, Adam, Moses as important people in Islam, but Muhammad was the last of the prophets, all are monotheistic
- Muhammad insisted all people are equal, men and women, but as Islam spread they adopted attitude toward women of conquered land