European Culture in the Middle Ages

European Culture in the Middle Ages

• Medieval Europeans grew more confident and secure due to the Crusades and strong governments.
• Trade, banking, and businesses thrived, leading to more money for buildings and learning.
• Architectural styles evolved. Romanesque churches, characterized by thick pillars, heavy walls, and barrel vaults, were common in the 1000s and 1100s.
• Gothic churches (starting around 1150) featured flying buttresses (stone arches), thinner walls, spacious interiors, and large stained glass windows.
• Religious structures were a central focus for medieval societies, with architects building churches and cathedrals.
• Cathedrals were constructed by various figures, including clergy, merchants, and nobles.

Development of Universities

• Medieval universities originated in the Middle Ages, with universities established in Bologna (Italy) and Paris (France).
• Oxford and Cambridge universities emerged later in England.
• By 1500, Europe boasted roughly 80 universities.
• Universities served as centers for education and training.
• Students studied a range of subjects, including grammar, public speaking, logic, arithmetic, geometry, music, and astronomy.
• Educators utilized texts and discussions, where students took notes on small, portable slates.
• Obtaining a degree typically involved oral exams over several years, culminating in a doctorate. Law, medicine, and theology were popular degree options.

Scholasticism

• Scholasticism was a new way of thinking that emerged around 1100.
• Followers of scholasticism aimed to show philosophical ideas, accepted based on faith, were compatible with reason.
• Anselm, serving as the archbishop of Canterbury from 1093 to 1109, was a prominent early scholastic thinker.
• His reasoning was a key aspect of early scholasticism, particularly focused on the existence of God.

Explore the transformations in European culture during the Middle Ages, including the influence of the Crusades and the rise of trade and architecture. Discover the evolution of Romanesque and Gothic architectural styles as well as the development of early universities. This quiz highlights the pivotal changes that shaped medieval society.