Geography Is Destiny

Question 0

Name the 3 significant times in history that invaders to the British Isles were thwarted because of the English Channel and state why this was crucial in the development of Europe.

Answer 0

1588 Spanish Armada
1805 Napoleon
1940 Hitler
Crucial - allowed a sub-set of western values and cultures to survive when the rest of Europe seemed to be going the other way.

Question 1

Why were forest people considered as outlaws?

Answer 1

Forest settlements were small and isolated - self sufficiency vital - hunting vital element in lifestyle. But the forests were owned by kings and were set aside for King’s own hunting - therefore the people who lived in forests had to resort to poaching - poaching = hunting = outlaws.

Question 2

What is a peninsula?

Answer 2

Piece of land surrounded by water on 3 sides and connected to the mainland; the.

Question 3

Name 2 significant times when British Isles were invaded because of the English Channel.

Answer 3

1066 French - William the Conqueror.

1688 Dutch - William III

Question 4

Name 3 European Naval Bases that have played a crucial part in European history, particularly during the world wars.

Answer 4

Malta
Crete
Gibraltar - Gateway to the Mediterranean

Question 5

Which river did the Germanic tribes use to penetrate into the Roman Empire?

Answer 5

Danube

Question 6

Which river did the Celts and Anglo Saxons use to penetrate into British Isles?

Answer 6

Thames

Question 7

Which river did the Vikings use to penetrate into Europe?

Answer 7

Rhine

Question 8

Name 3 plains that were significant in Europe.

Answer 8

Eastern plain - from East Germany, through Poland to Russia.
East in France
Midland Plain in England

Question 9

Climate - what makes
Western Europe have a relatively mild climate?
Southern Europe?
What products?

Answer 9

Gulf Stream - never very good but never very bad - grains

Mediterranean - citrus fruits, olive oil, wine making

Question 10

Population of Europe in 
1500
Today
How does that compare to other continents?
What was cause of the difference?

Answer 10

80 million
726 million
Much slower growth rate than any other continent in history of the planet
Black Death (black patches) & Bubonic plague (still being debated) swept through Europe 1347-1350 killing 2/5 to 1/2 of population

Question 11

Why was Black Death so significant in European History?

Answer 11

Population continued to dwindle after 1350 and didn’t begin to grow again until 1450 - 1500.

Question 12

Why did the population in Europe remain so low between 1350 and 1500?
What was life expectancy?

Answer 12

Continuous outbreaks of plague between 1621 and 17..
Sickness and disease - no medicines, no understanding of hygiene
Famine - bad harvests - lowered resistance to disease
Poor housing and clothing
Subject to accidents - fire, drowning (no-one knew how to swim)
Violence, war, assault
Life expectancy 30 years

Question 13

1347-1500: Golden age of bacteria was also the golden age of labour.
Explain

Answer 13

Small population that survived the Black Death were in great demand for agricultural labour - therefore, they were able to make their own demands:
Inter serfdom
To be paid in wages
Lower food prices
Lower rent

Question 14

How did the landowners compensate for their reduced income between 1347 and 1500?

Answer 14

Abandoned farming themselves rented land to peasants and they did the farming
Enclosures - threw peasants off land and turned to sheep farming
Some aristocrats saw wars as opportunity for economic gain - 100yrs war, war of the roses numerous other big and small religious and dynastic wars.

Question 15

Where did people live 1347-1500?

Answer 15

Less than 5% in towns/cities.
Constantinople largest city - only 400,000, Paris 200,000, Nales 150,000, Venuce 100,000,
Smaller - London, Madrid, Rome, 50,000
Smaller Cathedral, County and Market towns like Bruges, Salisbury, Lyons - only few hundred
Majority in small/tiny villages e.g. <50 people - all dependent on trade and so vulnerable to disease, attack and epidemic.

Question 16

What stone buildings found on the landowner’s Manor?

Answer 16

Manor House - could be castle, large half timbered house or similar
Church - most important - hub of everyday life

Question 17

How important was the church?

Answer 17

Very
No competition - only one church per village - only one religion in this period -Roman Catholicism in West, One of the Christian Orthodox in the East.
Every Sunday/holy days/wedding/christening/funeral whole village attends - mass in Latin/Greek, Homily in vernacular

Question 18

Why was homily so important?

Answer 18

95% population illiterate
No books, newspapers, radios
Only religious instruction or news if given by the priest who is selected and paid by the landowner - only hear what he wants them to hear

Question 19

Houses?

Answer 19

Hovels - materials held together with wood and straw - fell apart in heavy rain
Dark, smoky
No such thing as privacy - even the animals were brought into the one living space in winter (some, better off peasants had an extra room for the animals)

Question 20

Work in towns and cities.

Answer 20

Towns - traders - buy and sell goods/services
Merchants = middle men for grain, cloth, wool - blacksmiths shoed horses, millers ground grain
Any merchant/craftsman had to belong to a Guild
.

Question 21

Work in villages?

Answer 21

Most dependent on arable farming. Common land where could grow food and play too. Rented land in strips- so didn’t have to turn the oxen round. Ploughed, sowed, grew and harvested - joined by women and children at peak times. Women normally cooked, made clothes, cheese, bread - children looked after animals
Great pressures. Survival dependent on own labour but not masters of own destiny - dependent on Lord of the Manor

Question 22

What power had by Lord of the Manor?

Answer 22

Demanded high rents.
Had best mills and ovens so charged tenants to grind their grain and bake their bread.
Charged taxes in firm if meat, grain etc
Commanded tenants to build roads/other work
Commanded service as soldiers
Commanded Droits du Seigneur - sexual favours from any young woman living on his land

Question 23

2 things to remember about Europe in 1500?

One question we need to ask?

Answer 23

The most powerful people were those who owned land?
The land was owned by only 10% of the population.
30% of the land owned by 0.5% of population
Why didn’t the other 90%/99.5% rebel?