European Cultures Flashcards
(26 cards)
When did the Roman political and economic system collapse?
AD 500
Who launched the crusades?
Pope Urban the Second
What was the period lasting from 500-1400 known as?
The Middle Ages
What was feudalism?
A king giving estates to nobles in exchange for their loyalty and military support
When had feudalism spread throughout much of Europe?
1100
Why had many peasants worked for large land owners?
The Fall of the Roman Empire
What was manorialism?
Manorialism describes the economic ties between nobles and peasants. In return for protection, peasants provided various services for the lord.
What were serfs?
Serfs were people who were bound to a lords manor and could not leave it
When did the economy of Europe begin to improve?
1000
What struggled mightily against the social and political fragmentation of Europe that followed the fall of Rome?
The Roman Catholic Church
Describe what would happen if you were disobedient to the church
Disobedience to the church resulted in severe penalties for all people alike, including excommunication, which barred people from participating in church rights. You would also lose political and legal rights.
What was the social order in Europe in the Middle Ages?
There was royalty, peasants, serfs, and nobles. The Roman Catholic Church was struggling
How did the Crusades set by Pope Urban the Second change Western European Society?
It brought Western Europeans into contact with the Muslim and Byzantine civilizations of Eastern Europe and the Middle East.
When was the trade in the eastern Mediterranean controlled, and who controlled it?
It was controlled by 1200 by Italian and Arab Merchants
What led to the rise of an economy based on money?
Arab traders only accepting money in payment
When was the rise of the Mongol Empire?
The 1200s
By when was Europe importing vast quantities of goods from Asia?
The 1300s
Much to the dismay European Merchants, when did the Mongol Empire collapse?
The 1300s
When did Western Europeans begin exploring the world and why?
- Feudalism was in decline
- The Crusades and trade with Asia had weakened the feudalism system
- The rise of towns and merchants and provided kings and queens with a new source of wealth to tax
It happened in the 1300s
Name the four strong states that had emerged in Western Europe
Portugal
Spain
England
France
What was The Renaissance, and what was its time period?
The word “Renaissance” means rebirth, and in this case Renaissance refers to a rebirth in interest to Ancient Greek and Roman culture.
It lasted from around AD 1350 to 1600
What technologies had Europeans discovered by the early 1400s?
Navigational instruments for while at sea, and ships capable of long-distance trips across the ocean.
What was an “Astrolabe?”
An ‘astrolabe’ was a device invented by the ancient Greeks and refined by Arab navigators. It used the position of the sun to determine direction, latitude, and local time.
What was a caravel?
A Caravel was a small vessel capable of carrying one about 130 tons of cargo.
