Medieval Period Key Terms

Medieval Period Key Terms

• Byzantine Empire: The eastern part of the Roman Empire.
• Era: A historical period.
• Middle Ages: A European historical period from the 4th century fall of the Roman Empire to the 14th century Renaissance.
• Astrolabe: A compass-like device for measuring star and planet positions.
• Crusade: A military expedition, historically a Christian one to reclaim the Holy Land from Muslims.
• Judaism, Christianity, Islam: Three major religions originating from a shared history.
• Feudal System: A European political-economic-social system with a rigid class structure based on landholding.
• Diplomacy: The skill in handling negotiations, especially in government.
• Alliance: A formal agreement between parties to cooperate.
• Hierarchical: A system based on ranked statuses or authorities.

Medieval Worldview

• The medieval worldview centered on God and the Church.
• The poor believed in rewards after death.
• The rich donated to the poor and churches, expecting heavenly rewards.

Crusades

• The Crusades were religious wars between Christians and Muslims to control the Holy Land.
• The three major religions all originated from the same religious background and all wanted to control the region.

Silk Road

• The Silk Road was a network of trade routes connecting East and West (over 6400 km).
• It facilitated the spread of ideas, knowledge (music, math, religion, science), diseases (like the Black Death), and increased trade and cultural exchange.

Islamic Civilization's Contributions

• Mathematics: Refined understanding of numbers from Indian ideas.
• Astronomy: Advanced understanding of planetary movements, and inventions like the astrolabe.
• Medicine: Studied diseases and the human body, creating widely used medical texts for centuries.

Feudal System Structure

• Kings: Granted land to nobles.
• Higher Clergy (Lords): Owned land, held power above nobles.
• Lower Clergy/Knights/Nobles/Priests: Provided military support and taxes to the monarch.
• Peasants: Worked the land, and provided military service to their lords.

Black Death

• Appeared in Europe in 1347, quickly spreading and killing an estimated half of the population in two centuries.
• Caused by the Bubonic Plague, transmitted from Asia through rodents.
• Believed causes included astrological movements, divine punishment, the Devil, and the fault of other groups like Jews.

Renaissance Overview

• The Renaissance was a period of cultural and intellectual rebirth marked by rediscovering ancient Greek and Roman thought, increased cultural exchange, and the emergence of wealthy Italian city-states.
• The rise of city-states like Florence, Venice, and Genoa led to a new class of powerful merchants and traders.

Renaissance City-States

• Florence: A wealthy banking center, primarily centered on wool/cloth/silk, ruled by the Medici oligarchy. Known for its patronage of the arts and hilly terrain.
• Venice: A republic with a Doge as head of state. Focused on sea trade and book trade. Merchant support of the arts. Located on shallow islands off the Adriatic coast.
• Genoa: A republic governed by rival families. Strong naval presence, shipbuilders, merchants, and banking; known for the Bank of St. George. Located on a narrow strip of land between the sea and mountains of the Tyrrhenian Sea, conducive for trade.

Renaissance Key Terms

• Feudalism: A system where lords granted land for loyalty and service.
• Humanism: A system of thought that focuses on human values and potential.
• Vellum: Fine parchment from calfskin used for writing and art.
• Vernacular: Local languages used instead of Latin.

Spread of Renaissance Ideas

• Slow spread to Western/Northern Europe: Due to the influence of the Catholic Church, rigid feudal systems, and the Hundred Years' War.
• Factors facilitating spread: The end of the Hundred Years' War, decline of feudalism, and the rise of humanism.

Printing Press

• Invention: Johann Gutenberg in the mid-1400s.
• Impact: Increased access to cheaper books, rise in literacy, and dissemination of knowledge.
• Effects on different groups: Rich benefitted from cheaper books but felt the loss of exclusive knowledge; Church and Scribes were unhappy due to job displacement; Scholars gained from knowledge production/spread; Common people were largely unaffected as literacy rates remained low.

Renaissance Key Figures

• Leonardo da Vinci: Painter, scientist, engineer (Mona Lisa, The Last Supper).
• William Shakespeare: Playwright and poet (Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth).
• Francois Viete: Mathematician, contributed to trigonometry, architecture, and shipping.
• Erasmus: Scholar, supported the Church, advocated for vernacular Bible translation.
• Nicolaus Copernicus: Astronomer credited with proving the heliocentric theory.

Renaissance Art

• Shifting focus: Humanism emphasized human life, beauty, and joy, shifting focus from the afterlife.
• Art styles: Artists adapted styles to depict humanist subjects/religious themes humanistically.
• Patronage: Wealthy patrons supported artists.
• Early Renaissance (14th-early 15th centuries): Focused on religious themes, but with more lifelike figures, realistic proportions, and expressions.
• Anatomy's role: Knowledge of human anatomy from dissection contributed to lifelike portrayals.
• Backgrounds: Became increasingly realistic, detailed, and natural.

Renaissance vs. Modern World Comparisons

• Quality of Life: Improved for the middle class in the Renaissance, many in the modern world enjoy a higher quality of life.
• Currency: Bartering was prominent, now a system of money and banking.
• Role of Religion: Christianity was important, but influence has changed. Today society is often more secular, and religion's role in daily life is potentially different.
• Housing: Housing differences based on income prevalent then, continue today, but likely affected by cost of living.
• Marriage and Family: Age at marriage, spousal selection, and familial roles differed from today's standards.
• Education: Differing access and structure of education for boys and girls.
• Leisure: Limited leisure options for most, far more opportunities today, especially with technology like internet.

Age of Exploration

• Motivation: To find new routes to Asia by sailing west across the Atlantic. Seeking riches and power.
• Key Figures:
  • King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella: Sponsored Columbus' voyages, known for religious persecution.
  • Christopher Columbus: Discovered the Caribbean Islands, wrongly believing he had reached Asia.
  • Queen Elizabeth I: Played a significant role in the Age of Exploration.
• Accomplishments:
  • Columbus: Discovered the Caribbean and a passage to the Pacific, named the Americas.
  • Portugal: Found a route to India and China by sailing around Africa.

Navigation and Mapping

• Improved sailing techniques, instruments, sail designs, and mapping: Prompted by Portuguese leaders’ initiatives.
• Latitude: Used in navigation and mapping.
• Logs: Records of exploration journeys used for future plans.
• Interpreters: Used to facilitate communication with indigenous populations.