Untitled Flashcards Set
🏰 UNIT 9 – The High Middle Ages
1. Consolidation of Monarchies
What: A shift toward centralized power by kings over feudal nobles.
Who: Monarchs like William the Conqueror, Henry II, and Philip II.
Where: France, England, the Holy Roman Empire.
When: 11th–13th centuries.
Significance: Laid the groundwork for modern nation-states with more unified legal and administrative systems.
2. William the Conqueror (d. 1087)
What: Norman duke who became King of England after defeating Harold.
Who: William I of England.
Where: Normandy and England.
When: Reigned 1066–1087.
Significance: Introduced Norman feudalism, reshaped English law, landholding, and language.
3. Battle of Hastings (1066)
What: Decisive battle that led to the Norman conquest of England.
Who: William of Normandy vs. Harold Godwinson.
Where: Hastings, southern England.
When: October 14, 1066.
Significance: Ended Anglo-Saxon rule, initiated centuries of French influence on English culture and politics.
4. Henry II (r. 1154–1189)
What: English king known for legal reforms and conflict with the Church.
Who: Founder of the Plantagenet dynasty.
Where: England and western France.
When: Reigned 1154–1189.
Significance: Developed common law, expanded royal courts, and challenged ecclesiastical power.
5. Thomas Becket
What: Archbishop of Canterbury who opposed Henry II’s attempts to control the Church.
Who: Former friend and political ally of the king.
Where: Canterbury, England.
When: Murdered in 1170.
Significance: Became a martyr and symbol of Church resistance to state interference.
6. Magna Carta
What: Charter of rights forced on the king by his barons.
Who: King John of England and rebellious nobles.
Where: Runnymede, England.
When: 1215.
Significance: First document to limit royal power; basis for constitutional law and due process.
7. Philip II
What: French king who strengthened royal authority and reclaimed lands.
Who: Also known as Philip Augustus.
Where: France.
When: Reigned 1180–1223.
Significance: Defeated English kings in France, built the foundation of a powerful centralized monarchy.
8. Frederick Barbarossa (1152–1190)
What: Holy Roman Emperor who tried to control Italy and strengthen imperial power.
Who: Member of the Hohenstaufen dynasty.
Where: Germany and northern Italy.
When: Reigned 1152–1190.
Significance: His ambitions brought conflict with the papacy and Italian cities; drowned on the Third Crusade.
9. Frederick II (1220–1250)
What: Holy Roman Emperor noted for cultural patronage and conflict with the Pope.
Who: Grandson of Barbarossa.
Where: Sicily, Germany, Italy.
When: Reigned 1220–1250.
Significance: Promoted learning, challenged papal authority, and ruled with tolerance in a multi-ethnic realm.
10. Reconquista
What: Christian efforts to retake the Iberian Peninsula from Muslim rulers.
Who: Spanish Christian kingdoms vs. Muslim states.
Where: Modern Spain and Portugal.
When: c. 718–1492.
Significance: Ended Muslim rule in Western Europe and set the stage for Spanish unification and global empire.
11. Intellectual Revolution
What: Growth of learning and critical thought in Europe.
Who: Clergy, scholars, and students.
Where: Cathedral schools and universities.
When: 11th–13th centuries.
Significance: Revived classical texts, spurred Scholasticism, and led to the rise of universities.
12. Ibn Sina, “Avicenna” (d. 1037)
What: Persian Muslim philosopher and physician.
Who: Author of “Canon of Medicine.”
Where: Islamic world (Persia).
When: Died 1037.
Significance: Influenced European medicine and philosophy through translated works.
13. Cathedral Schools
What: Schools attached to cathedrals to educate clergy.
Who: Run by bishops and clerics.
Where: Major cities like Paris and Chartres.
When: 11th–12th centuries.
Significance: Predecessors to universities; centers for theological and classical education.
Perfect — here’s an in-depth WWWWS breakdown for the two universities your professor emphasized: University of Paris and University of Bologna. These are super important to know clearly and separately, especially for essay or comparison questions.
🎓 University of Paris
What: One of the first and most influential medieval universities, known especially for theology and philosophy.
Who: Founded by scholars, supported by the Catholic Church and kings; famous teachers include Peter Abelard and Thomas Aquinas.
Where: Paris, France.
When: Developed in the mid-to-late 12th century (around 1150).
Significance:
Became the leading center for Scholasticism and Christian theology.
Set the academic model for northern European universities.
Strong ties to the Church made it central to training clergy and church officials.
Helped define the structure of faculties (arts, theology, law, medicine) still used today.
⚖ University of Bologna
What: The oldest university in Europe, especially renowned for law.
Who: Founded by students and legal scholars; emphasized Roman and canon law.
Where: Bologna, Italy.
When: Around 1088 (functioning as a law school even earlier).
Significance:
Known as the first “student-run” university, where students hired and paid professors.
Pioneered the study and revival of Roman law (Justinian’s Code), influencing European legal systems.
Attracted students from across Europe, including future rulers and church officials.
Set the model for southern European universities focused on law and governance.
14. Trivium / Quadrivium
What: The basic liberal arts curriculum.
Who: Taught to elite students in medieval schools.
Where: Europe.
When: High Middle Ages.
Significance: Formed the foundation of medieval education (grammar, logic, rhetoric / arithmetic, geometry, music, astronomy).
15. Scholasticism
What: Method of critical thinking and learning that used reason to understand faith.
Who: Peter Abelard, Thomas Aquinas, and others.
Where: Universities across Europe.
When: 12th–14th centuries.
Significance: Merged classical philosophy with Christian doctrine.
16. Peter Abelard
What: Philosopher and theologian known for logic and love letters.
Who: Author of Sic et Non.
Where: France.
When: 1079–1142.
Significance: Advanced Scholastic method; challenged Church authority with reasoned debate.
17. Paris and Bologna
What: Leading centers of medieval learning.
Who: Home to early universities.
Where: Paris (France), Bologna (Italy).
When: Founded in the 12th century.
Significance: Set the model for modern universities; Paris excelled in theology, Bologna in law.
18. High Middle Ages Culture
What: Flourishing of art, literature, and intellectual life.
Who: Nobles, clergy, and scholars.
Where: Western Europe.
When: c. 1000–1300.
Significance: Saw the rise of Gothic architecture, chivalric ideals, and vernacular literature.
19. Chivalry
What: Code of conduct for medieval knights.
Who: European nobility.
Where: Western Europe.
When: 12th–15th centuries.
Significance: Emphasized bravery, honor, and courtly love; shaped noble behavior.
20. Tournaments
What: Martial contests between knights.
Who: Nobility and spectators.
Where: Castles and open fields.
When: High to Late Middle Ages.
Significance: Trained warriors and showcased chivalric ideals.
21. Falconry
What: Hunting using trained birds of prey.
Who: Practiced by nobility.
Where: Europe and the Islamic world.
When: Middle Ages.
Significance: Elite pastime symbolizing status and refined leisure.
22. Guild
What: Organization of artisans or merchants.
Who: Workers in specific trades.
Where: Medieval towns.
When: 12th–15th centuries.
Significance: Regulated quality, prices, and training; precursor to modern trade unions.
23. Cathedral
What: Large, elaborate churches serving as religious and civic centers.
Who: Built by local communities, sponsored by bishops.
Where: Across Europe (e.g., Chartres, Notre-Dame).
When: 12th–14th centuries.
Significance: Centers of worship and urban identity; showcased Gothic architecture.
✅ That’s Unit 9 complete. Scroll down to continue to Unit 10 →
Great — here is the WWWWS (What, Who, Where, When, Significance) for all of Unit 10 – Late Middle Ages & Global Connections terms:
🌍 UNIT 10 – Connections to the Wider World, War, and Disease
1. The Mongols
What: A nomadic empire that conquered vast areas of Eurasia.
Who: Founded by Genghis Khan, later ruled by his descendants.
Where: From China to Eastern Europe.
When: 1206–1368.
Significance: Created the largest contiguous land empire in history; opened up trade and cultural exchange between East and West.
2. Ögedei Khan
What: Son of Genghis Khan and second Great Khan of the Mongol Empire.
Who: Leader who expanded Mongol conquests into Eastern Europe and the Middle East.
Where: Ruled from Karakorum (Mongolia).
When: Reigned 1229–1241.
Significance: Continued Mongol expansion and administrative structuring; supported infrastructure like postal systems.
3. Ilkhanate
What: Mongol state in Persia.
Who: Ruled by Hulagu Khan, grandson of Genghis Khan.
Where: Modern-day Iran and Iraq.
When: 1256–1335.
Significance: Integrated Islamic and Mongol governance; connected Persia to Mongol world system.
4. Pax Mongolica
What: Period of stability and peace under Mongol rule.
Who: Enforced by Mongol khans.
Where: Across Eurasia, from China to Eastern Europe.
When: 13th–14th centuries.
Significance: Allowed safe trade and travel along the Silk Road; helped spread goods, ideas, and unfortunately, disease.
5. Silk Road
What: Overland trade routes connecting Asia and Europe.
Who: Used by merchants, including Marco Polo and Muslim traders.
Where: From China to the Mediterranean.
When: Revived under Mongol rule in 13th century.
Significance: Boosted long-distance trade and cultural exchange; conduit for luxury goods and the Black Death.
6. Marco Polo
What: Venetian traveler who journeyed to China.
Who: Served under Kublai Khan in Yuan China.
Where: From Venice to Beijing.
When: Traveled from 1271 to 1295.
Significance: His writings fascinated Europe and spurred interest in Asia and exploration.
7. Ibn Battuta
What: Muslim explorer who traveled across the Islamic world and beyond.
Who: Moroccan scholar and traveler.
Where: From North Africa to China and Mali.
When: 1325–1354.
Significance: His detailed accounts reveal the interconnected Islamic world and cultural diversity.
8. Prester John
What: Mythical Christian king said to rule a powerful kingdom in Asia or Africa.
Who: A fictional figure believed by Europeans.
Where: First thought to be in India, later Africa (Ethiopia).
When: Popular legend from 12th–16th centuries.
Significance: Motivated Christian exploration and crusading fantasies.
9. Canary Islands
What: Atlantic islands used by Europeans for trade and colonization.
Who: Settled by Spanish and Portuguese.
Where: Off the northwest coast of Africa.
When: Explored in the 14th–15th centuries.
Significance: Early example of European overseas conquest; model for later colonization.
10. Sovereignty
What: Concept of supreme authority over a territory.
Who: Claimed by monarchs and states.
Where: Europe.
When: Gained importance during the 13th–15th centuries.
Significance: Defined modern statehood; helped monarchs consolidate power against nobles and popes.
11. Avignon Papacy (1309–1377)
What: Period when the popes resided in Avignon, France.
Who: French-controlled popes, starting with Clement V.
Where: Avignon, not Rome.
When: 1309–1377.
Significance: Undermined papal prestige, increased French influence, and helped spark the Great Schism.
12. Transubstantiation
What: Catholic doctrine that the Eucharist becomes the body and blood of Christ.
Who: Defined at the Fourth Lateran Council (1215).
Where: Universal Church teaching, practiced in Europe.
When: Defined in the early 13th century.
Significance: Became a major theological division between Catholics and reformers.
13. Master Eckhart
What: Christian mystic and philosopher.
Who: German Dominican theologian.
Where: Holy Roman Empire.
When: c. 1260–1328.
Significance: Emphasized inner spirituality and union with God; influenced later mystics and reformers.
14. Louis IX (d. 1270)
What: King of France and canonized saint.
Who: Known as Saint Louis.
Where: France.
When: Reigned 1226–1270.
Significance: Strengthened justice and piety in France; led two failed Crusades.
15. Edward I (Longshanks) (d. 1307)
What: English king known for military campaigns and legal reform.
Who: Called Longshanks for his height.
Where: England and Scotland.
When: Reigned 1272–1307.
Significance: Conquered Wales, fought Scots, and reformed English law.
16. Battle of Stirling Bridge (1297)
What: Key Scottish victory against English forces.
Who: William Wallace vs. English army.
Where: Stirling, Scotland.
When: 1297.
Significance: Boosted Scottish resistance and national identity.
17. Hundred Years’ War (1337–1453)
What: Prolonged conflict over French throne and territory.
Who: Kings of England vs. Kings of France.
Where: Mostly fought in France.
When: 1337–1453.
Significance: Led to new weapons, nationalism, and decline of feudal knights.
18. Battle of Agincourt (1415)
What: English victory in the Hundred Years’ War.
Who: Henry V vs. French knights.
Where: Agincourt, northern France.
When: 1415.
Significance: English longbow devastated French forces; major morale victory.
19. Joan of Arc (d. 1431)
What: French peasant who claimed divine visions.
Who: Led French troops to victory; captured and executed by English.
Where: France.
When: 1429–1431.
Significance: Symbol of French resistance and sainted hero; turned tide of the war.
20. Wars of the Roses (1455–1485)
What: English civil war over royal succession.
Who: House of Lancaster vs. House of York.
Where: England.
When: 1455–1485.
Significance: Ended with rise of Tudor dynasty; weakened feudal nobility.
21. The Great Famine
What: Widespread crop failures and starvation.
Who: Affected peasants across northern Europe.
Where: Northern Europe.
When: 1315–1322.
Significance: Led to social unrest, weakened health before the Black Death.
22. Black Death
What: Bubonic plague pandemic that devastated Europe.
Who: Spread via fleas on rats through trade routes.
Where: From Asia to Europe.
When: 1347–1351.
Significance: Killed 1/3 of Europe’s population; transformed labor and society.
23. Flagellant Movement
What: Radical religious group that performed public penance.
Who: Lay Christians seeking to atone for sin.
Where: Central and Western Europe.
When: Peaked during the Black Death (1348–1350).
Significance: Reflected panic and religious anxiety; challenged Church authority.
✅ That’s Unit 10 complete — now you have a full WWWWS review of both Units 9 and 10. Let me know if you want a practice test or flashcards next!
Great! Since your instructor tends to ask essay questions about places, battles, or broader historical events — not individual people — here’s a list of the most likely Unit 9 & 10 topics they might choose for a “What, Who, Where, When, and Significance” style essay.
📘 Unit 9 – High Middle Ages (Likely Essay Topics)
🏰 1. Battle of Hastings (1066)
What: A decisive battle where William the Conqueror of Normandy defeated Harold Godwinson, leading to the Norman conquest of England.
Who: William of Normandy (Normans) vs. Harold Godwinson (Anglo-Saxons)
Where: Near Hastings, southern England
When: 1066 CE
Significance: Changed English culture, language, and governance. Introduced feudalism, centralized monarchy, and linked England to continental Europe.
⚔ 2. Reconquista
What: Centuries-long series of wars to reclaim the Iberian Peninsula from Muslim rule.
Who: Christian kingdoms (like Castile, Aragon) vs. Muslim caliphates
Where: Modern-day Spain and Portugal
When: From 711 (start of Muslim rule) to 1492 (fall of Granada)
Significance: Ended Islamic rule in Western Europe, helped consolidate Christian monarchies, and fueled a Crusading mindset that extended overseas.
🎓 3. Paris and Bologna (Centers of Medieval Education)
What: Two major centers of learning during the Intellectual Revolution
Who: Scholars, monks, students from across Europe
Where: Paris, France and Bologna, Italy
When: Became prominent in the 12th–13th centuries
Significance: Birthplaces of the university system, central to Scholasticism, helped preserve classical texts and shaped Western thought.
📕 Unit 10 – Later Middle Ages (Likely Essay Topics)
🛡 4. Battle of Agincourt (1415)
What: Major English victory in the Hundred Years’ War
Who: Henry V of England vs. French forces
Where: Agincourt, northern France
When: 1415
Significance: Showed the power of the English longbow, led to English dominance in France (temporarily), boosted English nationalism.
⚔ 5. Battle of Stirling Bridge (1297)
What: Scottish victory led by William Wallace against the English
Who: Scots vs. English forces under Edward I
Where: Near Stirling, central Scotland
When: 1297
Significance: Sparked Scottish resistance, became a symbol of Scottish independence, key event in Anglo-Scottish conflict.
🌍 6. Pax Mongolica
What: Period of Mongol-imposed peace and stability across Eurasia
Who: Ruled by Mongol khans like Ögedei, included traders like Marco Polo
Where: Across the Silk Road and Mongol Empire (from China to Eastern Europe)
When: 13th–14th centuries
Significance: Encouraged trade, cultural exchange, spread of ideas and diseases (e.g., Black Death), connected East and West like never before.
☠ 7. Black Death
What: Devastating plague pandemic that swept through Europe
Who: Affected all social classes; spread via Mongol trade routes
Where: Began in Asia, reached Europe via trade ports
When: 1347–1351 (main outbreak)
Significance: Killed up to 1/3 of Europe’s population, shattered feudal systems, led to religious anxiety and economic shifts.
📝 TL;DR — Top Likely Essay Topics (Pick to Focus On):
Want a full paragraph or W/W/W/W/S outline for any of these to prep?
The Black Death, which swept through Europe in the mid-14th century, is considered one of the most catastrophic and transformative events in history. It resulted in the deaths of approximately one-third of Europe's population, leading to a dramatic shift in social, economic, and cultural dynamics. The aftermath saw labor shortages that empowered the peasantry, leading to improved working conditions and wages. Furthermore, the resultant decline in the population transformed people's perceptions of health and hygiene, ultimately fueling advancements in medicine and public health policies. The Black Death's legacy also influenced art and literature, as themes of mortality and existential contemplation became prevalent in the works of the time.