History
This leader was crowned Holy Roman Emperor in 800 CE and invited scholars to his court to preserve knowledge.
Charlemagne
The large church building with stained glass windows that told Bible stories to people who could not read is called a — what?
Cathedral
What system organized political, social, and economic life with kings, lords, knights, and serfs during the Middle Ages?
Feudalism
What economic system worked alongside feudalism and tried to make a manor self-sufficient?
Manorialism
Most of Europe lies within about 300 miles of what physical feature that encouraged trade?
The seacoast / seas (Mediterranean, Baltic, etc.)
Name the series of wars (1095 CE–1272 CE) where Europeans tried to retake Jerusalem and the Holy Land.
The Crusades
Monks and nuns copied handwritten books and taught religious ideas; where did monks live?
Monastery
The idea that kings received their authority from God is called — what?
Divine Right
Farmers used a system that rotated crops across three fields so soil could rest. What is this called?
Three-field system (crop rotation)
Name one major river that helped connect inland Europe to the seas.
Rhine (or Danube, Seine, Po)
In 1066 CE, this conquest by a group of Norse-descended people changed English history (name the event).
The Norman Conquest (1066 CE)
Gothic cathedrals used a specific architectural style with tall pointed features and stained glass. Name this style.
Gothic Architecture
What group gradually developed from a council of nobles into England’s lawmaking body, helping move England toward a constitutional monarchy?
Parliament
After the Black Death, why were surviving peasants able to demand higher wages?
Because so many people died, there were fewer workers; survivors could ask for and receive higher pay.
Explain why rivers and seas helped Europe trade and grow in the Middle Ages.
Rivers and seas allowed ships to carry people and goods between inland areas and other regions, making trade easier.
This document forced King John of England in 1215 to accept that the king is not above the law.
The Magna Carta
In feudal society, who provided protection and military service in exchange for land from lords?
Knights
Name one right or legal idea the Magna Carta introduced that limited the king.
Right to trial by jury / the law applies to the king / protection from unlawful imprisonment
What were guilds and why did workers form them in medieval towns?
Guilds were groups of craftsmen or merchants that set standards, fixed prices, and protected members’ rights.
How did movement of people and goods help spread the Bubonic Plague to Europe in the 1300s?
Sailors and trading ships carried infected rats and fleas from Asia to European ports, spreading the plague.
The Hundred Years’ War lasted from 1337–1453; name one major effect it had on England or France.
Examples: strengthened national identities in England and France; decline of feudal armies; new weapons and tactics (Joan of Arc helped inspire French victory)
Explain one way the Catholic Church influenced daily life during the Middle Ages.
The Church taught religion, ran schools, provided help for the poor, and used art (stained glass) to teach Bible stories.
Describe how the crown and the Church worked together when the Pope crowned Charlemagne and what that meant for the Church’s power.
The Pope crowned Charlemagne Holy Roman Emperor; this joined church and state power, increasing Church influence and helping spread Christianity.
Explain one long-term economic effect of the Black Death on feudalism and towns.
Labor shortages weakened feudal obligations, peasants gained more freedom and wages; towns and middle class grew.
Describe how Europe's many peninsulas and coastlines affected where people lived and the growth of towns.
The many peninsulas and long coastlines meant towns often grew near coasts and rivers, encouraging trade and making travel by sea important.