Rome Rise & Fall
What was the name of the long period of relative peace and prosperity in the Roman Empire?
Pax Romana
Which Byzantine emperor is known for organizing Roman laws into a written legal code?
Justinian
What was the main responsibility of knights in the feudal system?
To provide military service and protection.
What was a guild in a medieval town?
An association of merchants or skilled craftspeople.
What deadly disease spread across Europe during the 1300s?
The Black Death (bubonic plague).
Identify TWO ways Roman roads helped the empire.
Roads helped soldiers travel quickly and allowed goods and ideas to move throughout the empire.
What was the main purpose of the Code of Justinian?
To organize laws, establish order, and define justice.
What did peasants or serfs typically provide in exchange for land use and protection?
Labor, farming, and a portion of their crops.
Identify TWO ways medieval markets benefited communities.
Markets gave people access to more goods and created opportunities for merchants and craftspeople to earn money.
What English document signed in 1215 placed limits on the king's authority?
Magna Carta
What major political change happened in western Europe after the Western Roman Empire fell?
Western Europe became divided into smaller kingdoms with different rulers/ fall of rome
Who held most political power in the Byzantine Empire compared with western medieval Europe?
The Byzantine emperor held central authority, while power in western Europe was divided among kings and local nobles.
What does the Pope crowning Charlemagne suggest about the Catholic Church's power?
The Catholic Church had significant influence over political leaders and helped strengthen their authority.
What was the main difference between the Christian and Muslim perspectives on the Crusades in the study guide?
The Christian knight viewed the Crusades as a religious mission, while the Muslim resident viewed them as an invasion that threatened their land and people
How did medieval trade routes contribute to the spread of the Black Death?
Trade routes connected distant regions, allowing infected people, animals, and fleas to carry the disease between communities.
A historian claims that Rome's influence continued after its fall. Give TWO pieces of evidence supporting this claim.
Latin influenced European languages, and Roman laws influenced later legal systems. Christianity and Roman engineering are also acceptable.
Why would a centralized government have an easier time enforcing the same laws across its territory?
A centralized government has one main authority that can establish and enforce common laws instead of relying on different local rulers.
Explain why nobles controlled significant power in feudal society, even when a king ruled the kingdom.
Nobles controlled large areas of land and received labor and military service from people who depended on them. Landownership gave nobles wealth and political power.
How could the growth of medieval towns and markets weaken feudalism?
Towns and markets created opportunities for people to earn money outside of farming. This made people less dependent on local nobles and weakened traditional feudal relationships.
Explain how the Black Death changed the relationship between workers and landowners.
The Black Death caused a labor shortage, making surviving workers more valuable. Workers could sometimes demand higher wages and better conditions, weakening the power of landowners.
Explain how the collapse of the Western Roman Empire helped create the conditions for feudalism.
Without a strong central government, people relied on local nobles for protection. This led to relationships based on land, loyalty, and service.
A historian argues that the Byzantine Empire preserved Roman traditions while western Europe changed politically. Use TWO pieces of evidence to support this claim.
The Byzantine Empire preserved Roman laws through Justinian's Code and maintained a strong emperor. Meanwhile, western Europe became divided into smaller kingdoms and developed feudal relationships.
A peasant says feudalism is unfair, but a lord says it is necessary. Explain BOTH perspectives using historical evidence.
The peasant might argue that peasants performed most of the labor but had little freedom or power. The lord might argue that feudalism provided protection, organized society, and ensured that land was farmed
A historian studies a Crusader's letter and a Muslim resident's account of the same conflict. Why is using BOTH sources stronger than relying on only one?
The sources reveal different perspectives and possible biases. Examining both helps historians develop a more complete understanding of the Crusades.
Compare the effects of the Magna Carta, Hundred Years' War, and Black Death on medieval power structures.
The Magna Carta limited the English king's authority, the Hundred Years' War helped strengthen kings relative to feudal nobles, and the Black Death increased the bargaining power of workers. All three contributed to changes in the traditional medieval power structure.