Class on 5/28/2014

Yesterday in class we took our final Western Civilization test and honestly I did a lot better then I thought I would. I think this semester has been pretty good for me and the whole year over all was okay. It wasn't my best year but I still enjoyed it. I think that I won't miss this year because it was exhausting and stressful trying to get used to everything. If each year goes by this fast though then High School is going to be over in no time. I am sorry that I forgot to post this yesterday.

5/27/2014

Today in Western Civilization we reviewed for our final test before the exam. I don't really care for what we are learning right now but I am sure that in some way it is important because with out this age we wouldn't be where we are now. This also shapes the way of religions today. Catholicism probably wouldn't be as big now if it wasn't for this age and time. I honestly am so done with school I need summer already.
Notes
Charlamagne

• six foot four
• built the greatest empire since rome
• fought the muslims in spain
• fought Germanic tribes
• kept close watch on his huge estates 
• his son louis the pious- was inffective 
• louis' three sons- Lothair Charles the Bald and Louis the German split up the kingdom at the Treaty of Verdun in 843AD

5/23/2014

Revised notes: -test questions

476-1453AD- the middle ages

-What happened in 476 that ended the empire?

Romulus Agustilus was just told to step down.

New societies characteristics

• Classical heritage of Rome
• beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church
• customs of various Germanic tribes

-Invaders caused(overrun the western half of the Roman Empire

• disruption of trade
• downfall of cities 
• population shifts to rural areas

Germanic Kingdom emerges: AD 400-600

The church was like a theocracy during this time (Christendom)

Charles the Hammer Clovis's descendants 

Important: The Muslims are starting to work there way up through Europe the Battle of Tours in 732 is when Hammer defeated the Muslims. If Hammer had lost everything probably would have been Muslim.

Charles Martel's son is Pepin the short

The pope names him king 

Pepin dies in 768, leaving two sons

1. Carloman- dies in 771

2. Charles- known as Charlemagne, meaning Charles the Great 

six foot four inches an amazing leader 

Treaty of Verdun- the three brothers split up the whole empire 

Today in Western civilization we took notes. (reminder to myself: find all notes on blog)

TEST IS NEXT WEEK

5/20/2014

Essay questions:

1. Describe how Christianity evolve from an upstart group, into an organized religion?
2. other question
3. other question

Notes:
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' reign to the north, south, and east 
• Defeated a Muslim army from Spain at the Battle of Tours in 732- historic battle! (Why?)

Germanic Kingdom Unite Under Charlemagne: 5/19/2014

Germanic Kingdom 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
500-1500AD
medieval Europe is fragmented 

Invasions trigger changes in western Europe:

• Invasion and constant warfare spark 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 comunicate through oral traditions 
• Only priests and church officials could read and write
• Knowledge of Greek (and literature, science, philosophy) is almost lost
• Loss of a common language 
• dialects develop in different regions 
• by the 800s, French, Spanish, other Roman-based languages are evolving from Latin.

Germanic kingdoms emerge 

• 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(the lord's hall)
• During wartime, warriors fought for the lord
• "The King? Who's that? You want to collect taxes from me? Who the heck are you?"
• Franks live in the Roman province of Gaul- their leader is Clovis
• The Franks under Clovis
• Another battlefield conversion (Just like Constantine)
• Clovis and 3000 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'c support and money= a powerful alliance 

Germanic peoples adopt Christianity

• 511AD- Clovis ignites the Franks into one kingdom
• 600AD- Church + Frankish rulers convert many
• fear of Muslims in southern Europe spur many to become Christians 
• Monasteries and convents 
• 520AD- Benedict wrote the ruled for monks and monasteries 
• poverty, chastity, obedience, study
• His sister Scholastica did the same for nuns in convents  
• 731AD- the Venerable Bede wrote a killer history of England 
• Monks opened school, maintained libraries, and copied books (Bibles, Greek texts)
• (Pope) Gregory I expands papal power
• Papacy=pope's office
• Secular Power= worldly 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 money to:
• raise armies 
• repair roads
• help the poor
• Gregory the Great began to act as mayor of Rome and as head of an earthly kingdom(Christendom) 

5/16/2014: The Renaissance

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 us, we can help the rich dudes hold on to their land"
By protecting or getting anything they need
King
The most powerful Vassals(Nobles and Bishops)
Knights- mounted warriors who recieved Fiefs for defending the lord's land
Peasants(Mostly Serfs): Landless, powerless, money-less, rights-less. Just working the land for the man (their lord)

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
Not educated and never go very far from where they grow up.
A stand still: THE DARK AGES 

Peasants are poor AND pay high taxes 

• Tax on grain
• Tax on marriage
• Church tax (tithe= 10% of their income)

5/14/2014

We took a test on Wednesday.