Question: What do you 'think'? How did people of different classes 'think' differently?

The Middle Ages was a turbulent time of change and conflict. The world has ripped apart after the Roman Empire fell. During this time, the people of Europe were broken down into classes. Each class was different from the next and they all had different rights. The classes that were higher up the social pyramid were more powerful and thought that they were superior to the lower classes.

In the middle ages the knight was one of the top people in society. A knight was trained to fight from a young age and owned land. They had a castle that was built for protection of themselves and the peasants that worked their land. They had a great variety of foods in their diet and had many other goods at there disposal that the lower classes didn't have. The knights and nobility were governed a feudal system (http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/history/middleages/knight.html). This is explained when a source from this period says, ” It is right that those who offer to us unbroken fidelity should be protected by our aid. And since such and such a faithful one of ours, by the favor of God, coming here in our palace with his arms, has seen fit to swear trust and fidelity to us in our hand, therefore we decree and command by the present precept that for the future such and such above mentioned be counted with the number of antrustions. And if anyone perchance should presume to kill him, let him know that he will be judged guilty of his wergild of 600 shillings” (http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/feud-oath1.html). A noble man that wanted to own land had to go to his lord. He would pay homage to that lord and could control the area of land that his lord gave him. The vassal’s land was called a fief. He might have to pay taxes to his lord. If the vassal wants to he can let another man control a part of his land. This would make the vassal the other man’s Lord. This process was known as feudalism. There was no social mobility so you stayed in your class. Each person had a coin value depending on class and if they were murdered that value had to be paid to the family (http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/history/middleages/feudal.html). The Lords and knight were on top and thought of themselves as superior. This type of government was not fair to the lower classes.

The merchants were below the lords and knights. They worked in the town and made or traded goods. The towns were built on the lord’s land. All the people living there had to pay taxes to the Lord. The middle class was created after there was a smaller need for farmers caused by increases in their productivity. The free people formed towns and created a new form of living. There were markets and stores were the middle class worked and sold goods ( http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/history/middleages/town.html). The Canterbury tales tell about a carpenter that was in the merchant class. It says, “A wealthy lout who took in guests to board, And of his craft he was a carpenter. A poor scholar was lodging with him there, Who’d learned the arts, but all his phantasy, Was turned to study of astrology” (http://www.canterburytales.org/canterbury_tales.html). This shows that the merchant class could be wealthy but still couldn't move up in society. The merchants were subject to the laws of their Lord.The feudal system is not fair to the merchants. They were more privileged than the peasants but still didn't have all the rights that they should have received.

During this time the Church was extremely powerful. It was stronger than any Lord. It helped to unify Europe after the Roman Empire fell. The pope led the church and if you didn’t follow him then he could let your soul go to hell. This scared many of the people and they made sure to follow the Church. The people that were devoted to God were nuns and monks. They lived a simple life filled with prayer and obedience(http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/history/middleages/church.html#monks). The Canterbury tales tell what one monk believes. It says,” LUCIFER. With Lucifer, though he was angel fair, And not a man, with him will I begin; For though Fortune may not an angel dare, From high degree yet fell he for his sin, Down into Hell, and he lies yet therein. O Lucifer, brightest of angels all” (http://www.canterburytales.org/canterbury_tales.html). This shows how focused the monks and nuns were on getting to heaven. Nothing other than getting to heaven mattered to them.

The lowest social class was the peasant. The peasants were at the bottom of the social structure and not respected by anyone. He was owned by his lord and could be bought and sold. He had to do what his lord wanted him to do. They were not at all equal to the nobility. They had very little possessions of their own and were treated as property. They were paid for using the land and only could sell the extra crops that they grew. The peasants were usually farmers or craftsmen (http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/history/middleages/peasant.html). According to primary sources from the Middle Ages, the peasants were fined heavily for marriage. The source says, "the payment of merchet was exacted from serfs at marriage. When the serf married a woman from another estate the indemnity was called formariage, but if he neglected to pay, he suffered confiscation of his goods. Serfs under the jurisdiction of unscrupulous bailiffs suffered heavily by these fees" (http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/600Merchet.html). The peasants were treated unfairly and often revolted against the Lord. The peasants were destined for a life of farm work and service to their Lord.

The three social classes are radically different from each other. The Lords and knights were on top. In the middle class were merchants and monks. At the bottom were the peasants. These social classes are extremely unfair. There is no social mobility so the peasants, merchants, and monks can’t move up. Also each person was given a cash value and the lower class people were worth less. The upper class people looked down on the lower class people. The disparities between classes was much greater in the Middle Ages than it is today.

Sources:

Pope Gregory the Great: Payment of Merchet, C. 600. Web. 14 Apr. 2010. http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/600Merchet.html.

"Chaucer's Canterbury Tales ~ Presented by ELF." Chaucer's Canterbury Tales ~ Presented by The Electronic Literature Foundation. Web. 29 Apr. 2010. http://www.canterburytales.org/canterbury_tales.html.

"The Church." Monks. Web. 29 Apr. 2010. http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/history/middleages/church.html#monks.

"Feudalism." Knights. Web. 29 Apr. 2010. http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/history/middleages/feudal.html.

"Medieval Sourcebook: "Feudal" Oaths of Fidelity." FORDHAM.EDU. Web. 29 Apr. 2010. http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/feud-oath1.html.

"Medieval Towns." Merchants. Web. 29 Apr. 2010. http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/history/middleages/town.html.

"The Peasant's Realm." Web. 29 Apr. 2010. http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/history/middleages/peasant.html.

Picture Source:

"File:Cleric-Knight-Workman.jpg." Wikimedia Commons. Web. 29 Apr. 2010. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cleric-Knight-Workman.jpg.

The fourth daily for this week was done last week

Mr. Wojo
I did 5 blog posts last week. One of those count for this week and I have already done the other 3 posts. Thanks

Notes 4/28/10 west civ proj Important

May be on mid term

• See http://middle-ages.org.uk/middle-ages-timeline.htm for time line
• All in england
• Normans compile Doomsday book in 1087
• william Rufus (willimas son) invades Wales
• Henry I (Rufus' son) rules 1100 - 1135
• first cruisade urged by pope Urban II 1099
• 1118 - kights templar founded (monastic order protected pilgrims in holy land)
• 1147 - second cruisade
• 1154 - 1189 King henry II
• 1156 - Krenlin built
• 1158 - Hanseatic lead founded
• 1184 - Inquesition begins (briutal many tourtured and died)
• 1170 - Thomas Becketis murdered in Canterbery Cathedral
• 1189 - 1199 Richard I (lion hearted/died in cruisades)
• 1190 - third cruisade begins (salidin unites muslins/recapture jerusalim)
• 1199 - 1216 king john startes 4th cruisade (not liked) saked Constantinople
• 1212 - childrens cruisade
• 1215 - magna carta signed (forced king John to fallow law) means great charter
• kings are no longer above the law/begining of constitutional democracy
• 1216-1272 king Herny III (son of John) provisions of oxford/had to make new government
• athorities are distustede
• 1272 - 1327
• 1273 - Holy Roman Empire - Rudulph I elected
• pope in italy / holy roman empire up north/ France/ england/spain most powerful
• 1274 - Thomas Aquines Summa Theologies published
• 1295 - marco polo
• 1297 - william walace - scotish resistence in england
• 1307 nights templar rounded up and killed
• 1311-1315 great famine in europe crops died
• 1337 - King edward the III england and france hundrend years war (valois and Plantagenent)
• england and france more nationalized (become country) and can colect taxes from all the people
• Italy still city states
• england and france stronger than italy (less civil wars)
• pope can unify italy
• hundred yeras war three parts
• edwardian war 1337 - 1360
• caroline war 1369-1389
• lancastrian war 1415 - 1429
• 1346 - battle of Crecy
• 1347 - black death breaks out (20 to 40% died i n 1st year)
• 1356 - battle of Piotiers
• 1377 -1399 Richard II
• canterbaery tailes written 1380 by Chaucer
• 1381 - peasents revult england
• 1382 - bibble in english translation (old french,latin, old english mixed)
• 1399-1314 king henry IV
• 1413 - 1422 King henry V (well regarded and recorded by shakespear)
• henry V defeates french at Agincourt
• 1422 - 1461 Henry VI
• 1429 - joan of Arc
• 1434 - Medici family in florence (influenced culture,art,banking)

How did the relations between Muslims and Europeans affect Philosophy in the Middle Ages?

In the middle ages the roman empire had recently fell. Europe was constantly invaded by barbarians. The Muslims gained control over the eastern Roman Empire. Along with the land they gained the vast knowledge of the ancients that was stored there. Europe fell into the dark ages. They turned to God and the Church for help. The church would later send crusades to recapture the holy land. They just made enemies of the Muslims and also lost the knowledge that the Muslims could have shared. The people in the middle ages were convinced that the end of days was coming. They were all terrified and created a new form of art and architecture, Romanesque. This form of art showed scenes of judgment day and the Crucifixion of Christ. The church buildings were designed as fortresses to keep the outside would away. Most of the scientific knowledge that the Romans once had was lost and forgotten by Europe. The area was no longer unified by the Roman empire and lost most of its strength.

Source:

Middle Ages. Web. 27 Apr. 2010. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Ages#Religion.

Picture Source:

Karl den store krons av leo III.jpg. Web. 27 Apr. 2010. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Karl_den_store_krons_av_leo_III.jpg

What was the 12th Century Renaissance?

The Renaissance of the 12th century was a rebirth of knowledge that was lost by the Europeans. All the knowledge of the ancients was stored in the western parts of the roman empire. After the empires fall then the Muslims got control over it. The knowledge was lost from Europe and them fell into the Dark Ages. Later during the 12th century after many crusades to the holy land and elsewhere some of the knowledge was brought back. Old texts like the writing of Aristotle were brought back to Europe. Europe was reborn with the gain of its lost knowledge. Also more texts were collected from Spain. The rate at with invention were created in Europe jumped as all the new scientific knowledge came into Europe. All the many fields of science were brought back and logic now helped the Europeans devise solutions to problems.

Source:

Renaissance of the 12th century. Web. 27 Apr. 2010. Http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissance_of_the_12th_century

Picture Source:

God the Geometer.jpg. Web. 27 Apr. 2010.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:God_the_Geometer.jpg.

Find examples of French Gothic influence on British architecture

These two Cathedral both have similar flying buttresses. These were used to hold up the thin walls so more windows could be added. One is the Notre Dame Cathedral in France and the other is the York Minster Cathedral in England.

This is the Notre Dame cathedral.

This is the York Minster Cathedral.

The interior of these cathedrals are very similar. One of them is the Riems Cathedral in France and the other is the Gloucester cathedral in England. Both have high vaulted ceiling and large stained glass windows. They share a very close Gothic design.

This is the Gloucester Cathedral.

This is the Riems Cathedral.

The York Minster cathedral in England is very similar in design to Reims Cathedral in France. These both have the two tall tower and stained glass windows. They also look very similar in there Gothic stone construction.

This is an image of the York Mister cathedral.

This is an image of the Riems cathedral.

Sources:

Cathédrale De Reims Intérieur.jpg. Web. 27 Apr. 2010. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cath%C3%A9drale_de_Reims_int%C3%A9rieur.jpg.

FlyingButtress,Westminister Abbey.jpg. Web. 27 Apr. 2010. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:FlyingButtress,Westminister_Abbey.jpg.

Gloucester Cathedral Interior 013.JPG. Web. 27 Apr. 2010. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Gloucester_cathedral_interior_013.JPG.

Notre Dame Cathedral. Web. 27 Apr. 2010. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:NotreDameFlyingButtress.jpg.

Reims Kathedrale.jpg. Web. 27 Apr. 2010. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Reims_Kathedrale.jpg.

YorkMinsterWest.jpg. Web. 27 Apr. 2010.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:YorkMinsterWest.jpg.

Notes 4/26/10 west civ proj

Cruisades

• during the childrens cruisade many died
• the first cruisade was a disaster
• in the 13th century they were then kicked out of the holy land after occupation
• curing this time France became the kingdo m of france
• france split inot kingdoms
• Capetians unified france
• Capetians have close ties to church
• why cathedral when up in france
• english have many french ties so there artetecture was enfluences

• in england after normans showed up more land was owned
• plantagenes - land owners
• england ruled by them and french people

• Spain was ocuped
• moracu - islamic influence
• mores invade spain in 4th century
• muslims rule for 700 years
• library of alexandria in egypt burned down
• constantinope taken over by muslims and turned into city of istanbull
• all knolegde in constantinope lost
• library of alexandria knoledge lost
• when north africa colonized by muslims then knolegde base on europe shrinks
• mistake made in starting cruisdaes was getting Jerussalum back
• instead they made muslims inot the enamy
• popes and kings of england and france had called for cruisades
• result is europe plunged into dark ages
• muslim world when into new light
• they gained all knoledge from ancient world and became more powerfull
• islamic world became more advance

• french lead a cruisade inpot morish spain
• have andvance culture and aristotle
• europeans had los this knolegde
• morrs have rast libreries about this knoledge

Little renosance

• diale tic for of philosophy about logic when aristatle re introduced into thought
• by middle of 12th ce ntury all mojot seceintific disciplen was wound and brought back
• aristotle - everything works in a systamatic way
• logic seperate from religion
• arabs, muslims, and morrs had this knoledge
• cruisades come into spain and they find the knoledge of the anchients
• secret to logic unlocked creating little renesance
• logic defeats superstition
• muslims and europeans fighting so they din't talk baout philosophy
• abalard and heloise - love story

English mix languages with the French

anglo saxaons entroduced to christianity by the normans

british art work - sacred atifacts (religous art)

french art - sacred artifacts (stained glass, sculpture)

A Serf's Life: The Social Orders of the European Middle Ages

In the middle Ages social orders were an important part of life. There were three separate classes. Each class has its own worth and value. You are born into your class and it can never change. During this time the main source of income was agriculture and the church made more power than anyone else (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peasants). The social structure of the middle ages was highly flawed and unfair to the lower class.

The Medieval concept of power and equality was radical different from our contemporary concept. There were three main classes in Europe. They were monks and priests, knights and nobility, and peasants. The peasant was at the bottom of the social structure. He was owned by his lord and could be bought and sold. He had to do what his lord wanted him to do. They were not at all equal to the nobility. They had very little possessions of their own and were treated as property. They were paid for using the land and only could sell the extra crops that they grew. The peasants were usually farmers or craftsmen. If they were craftsmen then they made their goods and paid the lord a tax on what little they made. The only possessions they were allowed to own were tools, utensils, and pots. They kept there valuable things in wooden chests for protection. The peasants usually slept on straw mattresses located on the floor or their small huts (http://library.thinkquest.org/10949/fief/medpeasant.html).

Most peasant farmers had enough surplus crops to survive. They could use the extra money to buy more tools and other objects. A peasant’s life was hard and plagued with hard work and difficulty. The crops were sometimes destroyed by natural disaster like floods and droughts. The livestock sometimes were killed by disease. This caused famine for the farmers. The peasant didn’t fork everyday because they were given many religious holidays (http://library.thinkquest.org/10949/fief/medpeasant.html). According to primary sources from the Middle Ages, the peasants were fined heavily for marriage. The source says "the payment of merchet was exacted from serfs at marriage. When the serf married a woman from another estate the indemnity was called formariage, but if he neglected to pay, he suffered confiscation of his goods. Serfs under the jurisdiction of unscrupulous bailiffs suffered heavily by these fees" (http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/600Merchet.html). In modern times were believe that all people are equal and should be treated the same. In the middle ages this was not the case.

The nobility lived mush better lives compared to the peasants that worked for them. The Lord had complete power and control over the land that he owned and all the people he let live there. At a young age the sons of nobility began their training to become a knight. The girls were not allowed to go to school and were taught by their mother how to do house work. Women had fewer rights than the men did even in the nobility. The castles that the nobility lived in were more comfortable than the small living arrangements that the peasants had. For all classes the church had control over daily life. It was the dominant force in Europe at the time and was more powerful than even the richest Lord (http://medievaleurope.mrdonn.org/nobility.html).

I believe that people do have the innate instinct to be free. In the Middle Ages even though there was no social mobility, the peasant wanted to be free. They were forced to work for the upper classes. The peasants were always trying to become free in the middle ages. If they didn't succeed then they were punished by their masters. The nobility were much more powerful and wealthy than the peasants. A person can never be truly free because of all the laws created now and back then. In the United States we have more rights and freedom than most but we still can’t do what even we want.

Sources:

The Peasant Life. Web. 14 Apr. 2010. http://library.thinkquest.org/10949/fief/medpeasant.html.

Pope Gregory the Great: Payment of Merchet, C. 600. Web. 14 Apr. 2010. http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/600Merchet.html.

Life of the Nobility. Web. 22 Apr. 2010. http://medievaleurope.mrdonn.org/nobility.html.

Peasants' Revolt. Web. 20 Apr. 2010. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peasants.

Picture Source:


Yuriev Day.jpg. Web. 22 Apr. 2010. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Yuriev_day.jpg.

Notes 4/22/10 west civ proj

write a short horror story about an invisible killer that devastates a community

The year is 2053. A colony was recently started on the planet Mars. This red planet might seem inhospitable but it is actually quite a beautify place. The red dust spreads all the way around the planet and leads to the icy poles. The temperature is -100 F. The primitive site that we have built only containers a few buildings. there are only 10 families that were dropped off for this trip. I am the officer assigned to keep order in this isolated colony. It seems like an easy task but I have been wrong before.

There was a loud ruckus outside and it made me and Jeff jump. It sounded like a strange reptilian growl that made the hair stand up on the pack on my neck. I ran over to the weapons cabinet and grabbed an non lethal stun rifle. Its design was similar to a taser except it could shoot a longer distance and was more powerful. It should stun a man for 20 minuets. I gave another one to Jeff and we put on our suites so we could survive expose to the harsh environment out side. We walked out and were instantly last in a martian sand storm. I threw a rope to Jeff so we wouldn't get separated.

I heard a a strange noise and turned just as Jeff let out a blood curtailing scream. I saw a flaw of scales and a metallic colored tail sweep through the dust. I ran over to Jeff and saw we had three long scratch marks across his shoulder. They didn't look life threatening but they would be difficult to stick up. I took Jeff inside and put him in a chair. I stitched up his wounds and let him rest.

The next morning He had a strange blue colored rash quickly spreading across his chest. I took a closer look and then Jeff coughed blood all over my face. I wiped it off and became very worried about him. The rash spread through his entire body within the next hour and he began to fall into convulsions. He died the next day.

All the families and I had a meeting the next day. I stood up and informed them about what happened. I began to cough and was instantly worried. I didn't want anyone else to catch this lethal virus but it was too late. Are entire community soon was covered in strange blue rashes. They died the next day. I was the only survive of this alien plague. I wish I hadn't because the horrors of living in this hostile new would alone was to much. I am a two year trip from earth but I cant risk it. I could spread this unstoppable virus to earth and we would all be doomed.

Notes 4/21/10 west civ proj

1348-1350

• the black death - desease spread through europe


• killed 20 million in 2 years


• bacillian pestice - in 1338 this bacteria left its natural habitat


• using the blood stream of black rats and its fleas the plague spread


• went from chinna across to europe


• in cathar a was was between muslims and cristians


• in mungle army plague erropted


• the prince who was seiging had catipults leaded with dead infected by plague


• the rats on boats then carried it to italy and europe


• in 1348 europe was over populated


• people turned to priests for comfort


• no one was safe / highly contagious


• some survived


• blisteres and boils grew larde and were very painfull and it only lasted 3 days


• they were dead by the 4th


• believed that it was hell on earth


• hundreds died every day


• hundreds at a time duried in plaque pits


• ships were fastest way the plague spread


• plague stread in all directions fro the traid ruits


• avingyand, France - believed that configuartion of the stars caused this


• philosiphers advised that infected air cleaned with fire


• pope sat between large fires


• pope was protected


• Disheriac recorded his symptoms and tried to help those in the plague


• he found out that there were two times of plague one more infectious


• pope said that there can be disection of bodies


• pope incouraged the flagelents


• they romed country side and flagilated themselves


• jews acused of poisinging water and they were masicured


• flagilents were stomped out and descention was started in the church


• by 1350 the plague was finished and killed 1/3 of europes population


• turning point


• increased faith in god but churches doughted


• cause was mistery intile 19th century


• fleas were the transferes and rats the carriers


• plague haunted europe every few deacades nut not as sevear

Resault

• less faith in the authority and power of the church

Black death (monty python)

• death carts werent through streets calling bring out your dead


• they charges a fee to take the bodies

1066 project (if it didn't upload properly)

Why do you think the Church and the monasteries became the centers of learning?

The Church and the monasteries became the centers of learning because the church was the dominant power during that time. The church was paid taxes and could save the terrified people to going to hell. This was a time of fear because after the roman empire fell then Europe lost its unifying force. The church became this force. In the monasteries the collected knowledge from the roman empire was preserved. They preserved Latin teachings and also the knowledge of writing which was almost lost in Europe. Also the monasteries and churches provided a sanctuary for people during this turbulent time. The church was more powerful than kings and this helped it to gain more and more power.

Source:

Middle Ages. Web. 20 Apr. 2010. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Ages#Church_and_monasticism.

Picture source:

LincolnCathedralWest.jpg. Web. 20 Apr. 2010. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:LincolnCathedralWest.jpg.

Do human beings have an innate instinct to be free?

I believe that people do have the innate instinct to be free. In the middle ages even though there was no social mobility, the peasant wanted to be free. They were forced to work for the upper classes.The peasants were always trying to become free in the middle ages. If they didn't succeed then they were punished by there masters. An example of a revolt in the Middle Ages is the Peasants' Revolt in 1381. It is one of the most well known rebellion in England during the Middle Ages. A person can never be truly free because of all the laws created now and back then. In the united states we have more rights and freedom than most but we still cant do what even we want. There are always consequences for our actions so we can never be truely free.

Source:

Peasants' Revolt. Web. 20 Apr. 2010. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peasants.

Picture Source:

DeathWatTylerFull.jpg. Web. 20 Apr. 2010. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:DeathWatTylerFull.jpg.

Submission for class blog

Notre Dame de Paris

This is the Front of the Cathedral named Notre Dame do Paris. This translates to "Our Lady."









Inside the Cathedral are large stain glass windows. These represent the new Gothic art and are unlike anything made as part of the Romanesque architecture.










The Cathedral is filled with many intricate stone carvings. Many of these have been restored because of there old age.









The Cathedral also has many flying buttresses as part of its Gothic design.
They stabilize the thin walls so more windows can be added (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notre_Dame_de_Paris).










Picture Source:

Notre Dame De Paris.jpg. Web. 13 Apr. 2010. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Notre_Dame_de_Paris.jpg.


Notre-Dame De Paris.jpg. Web. 13 Apr. 2010. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Notre-Dame_de_Paris.jpg.

Notre-dame De Paris 04.jpg. Web. 14 Apr. 2010. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Notre-dame_de_paris_04.jpg.

Notre-Dame De Paris 041.jpg. Web. 14 Apr. 2010. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Notre-Dame_de_Paris_041.jpg.

Text source:


Notre Dame De Paris. Web. 19 Apr. 2010. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notre_Dame_de_Paris.

Earth Day and Its conection to medieval Britain

Earth day is the modern day of celebration to help save the environment and its rapidly depleting resources. An activist for peace named John McConnell began this tradition in 1969. It has been celebrated in many places all over the globe since then. During this week communities ficus on projects to help improve environmental problems. It is celebrated on April 22. This day was officially founded in 1970 by Gaylord Nelson who was a United States senator (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_Day).

In Early medieval Britain the people had an early form of becoming environmentally responsible. The roman empire had just recently fallen and the people of Europe were becoming desperate. The people in Britain used the thing they savaged from the roman building to survive. When the roman empire was declining they stopped sending shipments of supplies and soldiers to Brittan. The people needed to recycle the the ruins of the roman buildings because after the fall of Rome there economy crashed. Britain was no longer a unified force. The people "raided buildings for quarried stone, iron clamps, and hefty 2-pound nails. They stripped lead pipe from deftly engineered water systems. They robbed graves for pottery and cooking utensils." Quarried stone was very valuable for these people and they could only get it from the roman ruins. The people no longer new how to smelt metal oar. There metal smiths could use the large amount of iron to make tools. There was enough building materials that it took hundreds of years to use most of it up. This was a wealth of material that helped the aria survive with the loss of Roman help (http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2010/04/medieval-recycling/). This was a form of recycling that was forced by necessity and it is similar to our modern earth day activities ti help out the environment.

Sources:

Earth Day. Web. 19 Apr. 2010. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_Day.

Medieval Recycling. Web. 19 Apr. 2010.

http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2010/04/medieval-recycling/.

Picture Source:

Earth Flag PD.jpg. Web. 19 Apr. 2010. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Earth_flag_PD.jpg.

Notes 4/16/10 west civ proj

• In frabce from 1000 to 1400 the Francs were the domonent power
• support of the church is kye to poitical sucess
• Capetians earned there prestige by build for the church
• animal hide books are used in middle ages (manuscript)
• 1095 - pope ordered the first crusade

*remember the three battles in 1066

• The pope descides that they are going to take the muslims out of the holy land
• this was a major bad idea and were bloody and useless
• political and finantual power spreads along the traid routes

French archetecture

• Romenesque - around 1000
• art of period shows emeges of judgement
• churches built like fortresses - hid in cathedral if town attacked
• melenial imagre (year 1000)
• next period around 1200 - Gothic
• opposite of romenesque
• has stained glass - let more light in (not thinking about judgement day but about the light of the world and hope
• theology and archetecture compiment each other
• flying butresses help make walls thinner and make it possible to add more wondows

How was the Medieval concept of power and equality different from our contemporary concept?

The Medieval concept of power and equality was radical different from our contemporary concept. There were three main classes in Europe. they were monks and priests, knights and nobility, and peasants. The peasant was at the bottom. He was owned by his lord and could be bought and sold. He had to do what his lord wanted him to do. They were not at all equal to the nobility. They had very little possessions of there own and were treated as property (http://library.thinkquest.org/10949/fief/medpeasant.html).

According to primary sources from the Middle Ages, the peasants were fined heavily for marriage. The source says "the payment of merchet was exacted from serfs at marriage. When the serf married a woman from another estate the indemnity was called formariage, but if he neglected to pay, he suffered confiscation of his goods. Serfs under the jurisdiction of unscrupulous bailiffs suffered heavily by these fees"
(http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/600Merchet.html). In modern times were believe that all people are equal and should be treated the same. In the middle ages this was not the case.

Sources:

The Peasant Life. Web. 14 Apr. 2010. http://library.thinkquest.org/10949/fief/medpeasant.html.

Pope Gregory the Great: Payment of Merchet, C. 600. Web. 14 Apr. 2010. http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/600Merchet.html.

Picture Source:

Peasants Breaking Bread.jpg. Web. 14 Apr. 2010. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Peasants_breaking_bread.jpg.

Notes 4/14/10 west civ proj

• Church is focusing of the last judgment (year 1000 end of the world)
• most people illiterate and employed as farmers
• aristacrat owns land and he has serfs to work on it
• pirates descended on the coast of england
• people sold there children into slavery
• much inequality and could move up in society
• 90% were serf who worked for eristocracy, clergy, and king
• every live had an exact price which depended on status
• cow worth 5 shilling and pesent worth 200 and nobles worth 1,200 shillings
• three fixed order, 5% monks/preast and 5% nobles and knights, and those who worked on the bottom
• gentilmen was something in you genes
• serf chouldn't be married without lords permission/ they can be owned,sold, and punished
• runaway pesents were put in stocks

Use public domain photographs to build a visitor's tour of one of the following cathedrals or churches: Chartres, Reims, Notre Dame de Paris, Saint-

Notre Dame de Paris

This is the Front of the Cathedral.









Inside the Cathedral are large stain glass windows










The Cathedral is filled with many intricate stone carvings.









The Cathedral also has many flying buttresses as part of its Gothic design.











Picture Source:

Notre Dame De Paris.jpg. Web. 13 Apr. 2010. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Notre_Dame_de_Paris.jpg.


Notre-Dame De Paris.jpg. Web. 13 Apr. 2010. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Notre-Dame_de_Paris.jpg.

Notre-dame De Paris 04.jpg. Web. 14 Apr. 2010. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Notre-dame_de_paris_04.jpg.

Notre-Dame De Paris 041.jpg. Web. 14 Apr. 2010. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Notre-Dame_de_Paris_041.jpg.

What would St. Benedict have thought of the monasteries that followed his rules by 800 AD?

St. Benadict was trying to found a new rule of Christian ideas in Europe. He was trying to stabilize the area after the fall of the Roman Empire. He wrote a book of rules on how to humble and obedient. He also wrote rules about how to be a good member of a community and also how to run a ministry correctly. He would have thought that the ministries that fallowed his rule were trying to fallow his ideas. The church was corrupted by the Lords who owned its land. The reform was stared so that the laws created by Benadict could still be enforced. He would have supported this peace loving movement.

Source:

Benedict of Nursia. Web. 13 Apr. 2010. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Benedict.

Picture Source:

Fra Angelico 031.jpg. Web. 13 Apr. 2010. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Fra_Angelico_031.jpg.

How did the Cluniac reforms express themselves in architecture?

The cunaic reforms changed the traditions of monastery life. They encourage art and tried to reform the Church. This reform changed the way the Cunaic churches were designed. They were created with stained glass window, fine tapestries, and even gold vessels. These were all put i not a Romanesque church. The design later influenced some of the Gothic designs fro churches. The Churches were built like this because of an increase in demand. The Churches were designed in part for the Pilgrims were were encouraged to travel to the holy land.

Source:

Cluniac Reforms. Web. 13 Apr. 2010. http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Cluniac_Reforms.

Picture Source:

Salisbury Cathedral.jpg. Web. 13 Apr. 2010.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Salisbury_Cathedral.jpg.