Unit 1: Ancient Civ.-Middle Ages

Late Middle Ages,1000 - 1200

CULTURE

• Revival of education/learning

•Establishment of colleges

• Literacy begins to return as more than just clergy can read/write

TECHNOLOGY/ CONTRIBUTIONSImprovements in farming:• iron plow•harness•crop rotation

Results of this:• increased food supply•growth in population• frees up people to pursue other careers

GOVERNMENT

•Birth of 1st nation-states (countries)▫England▫France▫Spain

•Kings becoming more powerful than feudal lords

•Nations provide for citizens' welfare & protection

ECONOMY

•Revival of trade to more distant markets

•Towns/Cities begin to reappear

•Dev. of new social class (merchants, townspeople, or middle-class)

•Money, banks, business becoming impt.

RELIGION

•Catholic Church still most powerful entity in Europe during this time

•Church abusing this power in several ways

DECLINE

•Feudalism starting to break up and decline

•New capitalist economic system (based on ability & profit) replacing

old feudal system(based on family status & land)

•Other Factors: The Crusades, the 100 Years War, the

Black Death

BACK OF MATRIX: DECLINE OF FEUDALISM (CONT.)

•The Crusades▫Series of Holy Wars btwn Christians (Europe)

and Muslims (Middle East); approx. 900-1100 AD▫Introduced Europe to new trade goods/lost

knowledge of Greeks & Romans•The 100 Years War

▫Btwn France & England over English throne▫Increased feeling of nationalism (love for

one’s nation) ▫Led to death of many noblemen (reducing

proportion of nobles to peasants)

The Black Death

•Plague that struck Europe around 1100s•Wiped out 1/3 of population (mostly

peasants), causing a labor shortage•Gave peasants more power to demand

better conditions from nobles•Many left the manor and moved into the

towns/cities that were reviving

Impt. Vocabulary Terms

•Clergy•Crop rotation•Nation-states•Merchant class (townspeople)•Capitalism•The Crusades•The 100 Years War•The Black Death