Early Christianity
Why did roman authorities kill Jesus?
They saw him as a threat because he was gaining too much influence.
What is a vassal?
A person who receives land from the king or a lord.
What would the church do to anyone who went against their religious views?
Excommunicate them
Which geographic area were the Christians and Muslims fighting over in the crusades?
Palestine
What was one thing the church did with their money?
Build larger and more churches.
Which roman emperor made Christianity the official religion of the roman empire in 380 ce?
Theodosius
What was the relationship between seigneurs and peasants?
Peasants had to pay dues and give free labour to the seigneur in order to keep living there. The seigneur had to provide peasants with safety, a place to live, and public services.
Why was the church so influential in peoples' lives?
Life events were marked by christian milestones, the calendar was organized by christian holidays.
What is a crusade?
Crusades were military expeditions of European Christians with the goal of taking back holy land from Muslims in Palestine.
What are the characteristics of romanesque architecture?
These are low buildings with thick walls. They have a few small windows, and round arches.
Why did the Romans persecute the Christians?
They believed that the Roman gods were angry at the Christians for abandoning them so they were punishing all the romans.
Explain the relationship between the church and the monarchy.
Symbiotic, the king would benefit from the support of the church, and the church gained power from their connection to the monarchy.
How did the church influence art?
All art work had religious themes to teach people about christianity, even those who couldn't read.
Who went and fought on these crusades?
Lords and knights
How did the church get money?
Tithes (everyone had to pay a tax to the church)
Donations from people, some would give money in exchange for saving their soul (indulgences)
Which roman emperor was the first to convert to Christianity, and end the persecution of the Christians?
Constantine
Why did kings divide and give their land to lords?
Because it was too big for one person to control, so the lords would govern parts of the land on the king's behalf.
What was the new style of architecture the church influenced (think of the notre dame cathedral)
Gothic
Explain the Islamization of the east.
Created by Mohamed in the 7th century, he was gaining too much influence so the authorities banished him. After his death, his followers spread Islam in the east, and they eventually claimed Palestine as a holy site.
Explain how peasants in feudal society lived.
Farmers, built their own houses, very poor, had to pay rent to seigneur
Why did new Germanic kingdoms adopt Christianity after the fall of the Western Roman empire?
Because it united the new independent kingdoms of Europe.
What is feudalism?
A political and land ownership system that is based on ties of dependence between suzerain and vassals.
What is a pilgrimage?
a long journey to a holy place to pray, spread christianity, atone for their sins, etc.
What were some consequences of the crusades?
Increase in trade with the east, and exchanging of culture and knowledge
What are monastic orders?
A community of monks (men) or nuns (women) who renounce earthly pleasures and dedicate their lives to prayer, religious study, and spreading Christianity in remote areas.