Chapter 1
What was the Black Death?
A plague that killed about half of Europe's population between 1350 and 1450.
Who was the Medici family?
A wealthy banking and merchant family that supported artists and influenced politics in Italy.
What was humanism?
A philosophy that emphasized human potential, achievement, education, and critical thinking.
What was the printing press?
An invention that allowed books to be printed quickly and cheaply.
What were the main reasons for exploration?
To find trade routes, spices, wealth, gold, silver, and new opportunities.
What was the feudal system?
A social hierarchy based on land, loyalty, and duty.
Why did Europeans trade with Asia and the Middle East?
To obtain spices, silk, jewels, wealth, and new knowledge.
What inspired humanist thinkers?
The ideas and achievements of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome.
What is the scientific method?
A process involving observation, experimentation, evidence, and conclusions.
Who was Christopher Columbus?
An explorer who sailed west in 1492 looking for a route to Asia and reached the Americas.
Describe the life of a serf.
Serfs worked the land for nobles, had few rights, and were expected to remain in their social class.
Why was Italy an important center of trade?
Its location on Mediterranean trade routes connected Europe with Asia and the Middle East.
Why did portraits become popular during the Renaissance?
Humanists valued individuals and wanted to celebrate personal achievements and identity.
What discovery did Copernicus make?
He proposed that the Sun, not Earth, was the center of the universe.
What is imperialism?
Extending a country's power and influence over other lands and peoples.
What role did the Catholic Church play during the Middle Ages?
It controlled much of education, religion, and influenced government and daily life.
Why were some city-states more successful than others?
They had better trade locations, stronger economies, and wealthy merchant families.
How did Renaissance art differ from Medieval art?
Renaissance art was more realistic, natural, detailed, and three-dimensional.
How did Galileo support Copernicus's ideas?
He used observations and evidence to support the heliocentric theory.
What resources were explorers seeking in the New World?
Gold, silver, and other valuable resources.
How did the Black Death weaken the feudal system?
It reduced the population, created labor shortages, and weakened traditional feudal relationships.
Why would Vancouver be an important trading city today?
It has a major Pacific port and access to international trade routes.
How does the Mona Lisa reflect humanist ideas?
It focuses on an individual person and shows realistic human features and emotions.
How did the printing press change society, and how is it similar to the internet?
Both spread information quickly, increased access to knowledge, and improved education.
Does whether explorers were heroes depend on perspective? Explain(Think European and indigenous)
Yes. Europeans often saw exploration positively, while Indigenous peoples often experienced negative effects such as loss of land, culture, and freedom.