Medieval Europe & Feudalism
What was the main economic unit of medieval society?
The manor (manorial system)
Name one Italian city‑state famous for trade.
Venice or Genoa
What does the scientific method begin with?
Observation and asking questions
State one motivation for European explorers.
Trade for spices/gold; religious conversion; national prestige
What legendary sign marked Tenochtitlan’s site?
Eagle on a cactus eating a snake
Name one effect of the Black Death on serfdom.
Serfs gained bargaining power and could demand wages, leading many to leave manors
What banking family dominated Florence?
The Medici family
Name one scientist and their contribution (astronomy, anatomy, or math).
Galileo (telescopic astronomy); Vesalius (anatomy); Fibonacci (mathematics)
Name one explorer and their discovery.
Columbus (Americas); da Gama (sea route to India); Magellan (circumnavigation)
How did chinampas solve farming challenges?
Floating gardens provided fertile land on lake
List two rights commoners lacked under feudalism.
Freedom to move, choose occupation; legal rights; own land; marry without lord’s permission
Define humanism in one sentence.
Emphasis on human potential and achievements, inspired by classical antiquity
Why did people criticize the Church before the Reformation?
Corruption, sale of indulgences, political power
Define imperialism.
Policy of extending power through colonization, economic control, or military force
What was the purpose of tribute in Aztec society?
To extract resources and labour from conquered peoples
How did town life differ from manor life for peasants?
Towns offered freedom of trade, guilds, cash economy vs. forced labour and in-kind rents
How did portrait painting reflect humanist values?
Focus on individual personality, realistic detail, secular subjects
What role did printed pamphlets play in religious debates?
They circulated reform ideas rapidly and widely
List one positive and one negative effect of Spanish expansion.
Positive: exchange of crops; Negative: indigenous exploitation and disease
Name two major Aztec gods and their domains.
Huitzilopochtli (sun/war); Tlaloc (rain); Quetzalcoatl (wisdom); Tezcatlipoca (night)
What challenge led to the decline of feudal bonds?
Labour shortages from the Black Death and peasant revolts
Give two reasons the printing press was revolutionary.
Spread ideas quickly; standardized texts; increased literacy; supported Reformation
Compare the impact of the printing press then to the internet today.
Both democratized information but internet is faster and global
How did disease affect indigenous populations?
Smallpox and measles caused high mortality and social collapse
Describe one way Aztec worldviews blended religion and politics.
Rulers claimed divine descent; temples at political centers