May 27, 2014

Today in class, Matt and Phil taught the class. They taught us everything that is going to be on the test tomorrow. We also talked about kangaroos becauze Jess's boyfriend is a kangaroo. It was a very productive class.

Quote of the Day: "Just keep swimming."

May 23, 2014

Today in class, we went over the powerpoint we did yesterday. That was really all we did today. Mr. Schick talked about his trip to the news station yesterday and how much fun he had. He showed us some pictures, but that was really all we did in class. We talked a little bit about Morgan Freeman and some of the celebrities that he has met. It was actually a kinda boring class.

Quote of the Day: "Remind yourself that it's okay not to be perfect."

May 22, 2014

This new society has roots in:

• Classical heritage of Rome
• Beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church
• Customs of various Germanic tribes

5th Century Germanic Invaders

Overrun the western half of the Roman Empire

Causing:

• Disruption of trade
• Downfall of cities
• Population shifts to rural areas

Effects of Invasion

Decline of learning

• tribes had oral tradition and songs - couldn't read Greek or Latin
• Romance languages evolve (French, Spanish, Portuguese)
• Few besides priests were literate

Gregory's spiritual kingdom (Christendom) extends from Italy to England, from Spain to Germany.

Clovis descendants include Charles, Martel, known as Charles the Hammer.
Hammer defeats a Muslim raiding party from Spain at the Battle of Tours in 732.



Quote of the Day: "I myself am made of flaws stitched together with good intentions."

May 21, 2014

D. A European Empire Evolves

• Franks control largest European kingdom
• The Roman province formerly known as Gaul
• Ruled by Clovis - the Merovingian Dynasty

• Major domo - mayor of the palace - ruled the kingdom
• Charles Martel - Charles the Hammer
• extended the Franks' region to the north, south, east
• Defeated a Muslim army from Spain at the Battle of Tours in 732 - historic battle

• Charles the Hammer's son - Pepin the Short
• Possibly named for his unusual short haircut
• Working for and with the Pope, Pepin fought the Lombard
• Pope Stephen II named Pepin "king by the grace of God" - beginning the Carolingian Dynasty 751-987 AD

(So, a Pope can actually name someone "king")

• Pepin the Short had two sons: Carolman and Charles
• Carolman died leaving...

E. Charlemagne takes center stage

• Charlemagne - aka Charles the Great
• Six foot four
• Built the greatest empire since Rome
• Fought the Muslims in Spain
• Fought Germanic tribes
• Spread Christianity
• Reunited Western Europe
• Became the most powerful king in western Europe
• Pope Leo III crowned him emperor in 800 AD after he defended him from an unruly Roman mob
• This signaled the joining of Germanic power, the Church, and the heritage of the Roman Empire

• Charlemagne's Government
• He limited the authority of the nobles
• He regularly visited every part of his kingdom
• Kept close watch on his estates

• Cultural revival
• Encouraged learning
• Ordered monasteries to open schools

• But, his heirs were weenies...
• His son - Louis the Pious - was ineffective
• Louis' three sons - Lothario, Charles the Bald, & Louis the German - split up the kingdom at the Treaty of Verdun in 843 AD 

Germanic Kingdoms Unite Under Charlemagne

Main Idea

• Many Germanic kingdoms that succeeded the Roman Empire were reunited under Charlemagne's empire.

Why It Matters Now

• Charlemagne spread Christian civilization throughout northern Europe, which is where many of us came from.

Setting The Stage

• Middle Ages= medieval period
• 500- 1500 AD
• medieval Europe is fragmented

A. Invasions trigger changes in western Europe.

• Invasions and constant warfare speak new trends
• Disruption of trade
• Europe's cities are no longer economic centers
• Money is scarce

• Downfall of cities
• Cities are no longer centers of administration

• Population shifts
• Nobles retreat to the rural areas
• Cities don't have strong leadership

• Decline of learning
• Germanic invaders are illiterate, but they communicate through oral tradition
• Only priests and church officials could read and write
• Knowledge of Greek is almost lost

B. Germanic kingdoms emerge

1. The concept of government changes

• Roman society: loyal to public gov't

• Germanic society: loyal to family
• Germanic chief led warriors
• During peace, he provided food, weapons, treasure, a place to live
• During wartime, warriors fought for the lord

• Franks live in Roman province of Gaul - their leader is Clovis
• The Franks under Clovis
• Another battlefield conversion, like Constantine
• Clovis and 3k of his warriors are baptized by the bishop
• The Church in Rome approves of this "alliance"
• Clovis and the Church begin to work together

Clovis' military expertise + the Church's support and money = a strategic alliance between two powerful forces.

C. Germanic people's adopt Christianity

• (Pope) Gregory I expands papal power
• Papacy=pope's office
• Secular power = wordy power
• So... under Gregory the Great...

Papal power (power of the pope) is political power, presented from the pope's palace.

• The church can use church honey to:
• Raise armies
• Repair roads
• Help the poor
• Gregory the Great began to act as mayor of Rome, and as heard of an earthly kingdom.

• 511 AD - Clovis unites Franks into one kingdom
• 600 AD - Church and Frankish rulers convert many
• Fear of Muslims in southern Europe spur many to become Christians
• Monasteries and convents
• 520 AD - Benedict wrote the rules for monks and monasteries
• Poverty, chastity, obedience, study
• His sister Scholastics did the same for nuns on convents
• 731 AD - the Venerable Beds wrote a killer history of England
• Monks opened schools, maintained libraries, and copied books (Bibles, Greek texts)

May 16, 2014

Feudalism- a political, military, and economic system based on land-holding and protective alliances

• In other words, the system is based on personal loyalty to people who can help you.

RICH DUDE (LORD): "I own land; I need people to help me work it and defend it."
TOUGH DUDES (VASSALS): "There are a lot of is, we can help the rich duded hold on to their land."

The Feudal Pyramid

• Top: KING
• The most powerful VASSALS (NOBLES and BISHOPS)
• KNIGHTS- mounted warriors who received FIEFS for defending their lord's land
• Bottom: PEASANTS (mostly SERFS) landless, powerless, moneyed, rights-less. Just working the land for "the man" (their lord)

MIND YOUR MANERS

• Manor: the lord's estate
• The lord's manor house
• A church
• Some workshops
• 15-30 families
• All on a few square miles
• Good news: It's a self-sufficient community
• Bad news: it's harsh if you're a peasant

HOW HARSH WAS IT?

• Peasants are poor AND pay high taxes
• Tax on grain
• Tax on marriage
• Church tax (tithe = 10% of their income)
• They live in crowded cottages
• Live with animals and insects (for warmth; they did their business in your house)
• Eat VERY simply
• But don't worry - the Church says this is your lot in life
• God determines your place in society - so chill

Quote of the Day: "Let us all meet each other with a smile, for the smile is the beginning of love." -Mother Teresa

May 14, 2014

Today in class, we took a test that I didn't know about. I don't know if I did well or not but I hope I did!

Quote of the Day: "When something bad happens, you need to just let it go to stay happy. It may take time, but it is worth it."