Untitled Flashcards Set

Medieval Europe Study Guide 2025

Chapter 1: Legacy of Ancient Rome

Which feature of American democracy comes from the Romans?

The idea of justice echoed into the Declaration of Independence
Which traits did the Stoics value most?

“Living rightly” meant living in a way that agreed with nature.
How did Latin most influence modern English? (hint: types of speech, words)

The months are Latin and a lot of words in English have Latin prefixes.
Which languages are most closely related to Latin?

Italian, Spanish, and French.
Which engineering feat connected the city of Rome with territory throughout the empire? 

Roads and bridges.
Why did the Romans build aqueducts?

To carry water over a long distance.
What type of Roman sculpture inspired some American artists? 

Cameos?
What event marked the fall of Rome in 476 C.E.?

In 476 C.E. the last Roman king was driven from the throne by Germanic tribes
Whose action reduced the importance of the city of Rome within the Roman Empire?

Constantine moved the capital 850 miles east.

Constantine moved the capital 850 miles east.

What made the empire harder to defend as it grew?

Sometimes it took weeks for the king to communicate with the generals.

In the later empire, why did large numbers of Roman farmers move to the cities?

To look for work.

Which of the following methods was commonly used to choose a new Roman emperor?

Many times, the Praetorian Guard, the emperor’s private army, chose the new emperor.
What protected the borders of the Roman Empire?

A

Chapter 2: The Development of Feudalism in Western Europe

What were a few results of the fall of Rome? (Hint: Things that happened after Rome fell)

A complex political and economic system (feudalism)  developed that largely shaped people’s lives and it marks the beginning of the medieval times.

The medieval times begin or feudalism starts.
The Franks grew powerful because of their new style of war that used…

troops fighting on horseback.
Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne in return for…

support from the empire.
For which achievement is Charlemagne most remembered?

He unified nearly all the Christian lands of Europe into a single empire.
Which of the following best describes the Vikings? (Hint: be able to describe a Viking)

Fierce warriors who instilled fear in the people of Europe. 

A king gave his most important lords fiefs, which were….(Hint: what is a fief)

Land granted by a lord to a vassal in exchange for loyalty and service.

A king and a lord.

What did William the Conqueror introduce to England? 

He brought feudal institutions from Europe with him.
Social class in the Middle Ages was determined mainly by….

Nobility?

They were part of a castle; they protect.
Which of the following was a main job of medieval ladies? (Hint: what the main job of women)

They were responsible for raising and training their own children and, often, the children of other noble families.
Pages and squires were boys in training to become…

Knights.
Serfs were required to….

Work the farms for the lord and pay rent.
Suppose a knight is known for his chivalry. What does that suggest about him?

They are loyal, just and fair, and protect the helpless.

Chapter 4: Life in Medieval Towns

How did new farming methods contribute to the growth of medieval European towns?

It led into a surplus of crops to sell at the market; not everyone needed to farm for themselves anymore.
In addition to new farming methods, another reason for the growth of towns was the….

revival of trade.
Cities and their trade.
Why did towns buy royal charters?

It granted them the right to govern themselves, make laws, and raise taxes.

merchants and craftspeople
If you were a customer who bought shoes from a cobbler, a guild might help you by making sure that…

your complaints are noticed.
Journeyman
Which occupation was more open to Jews than to Christians?

Bankers and money tellers

Which question would best help you predict the job a medieval boy would do when he grew up?

?
Which of these did a girl’s education most often include? (Hint; what were things that girls learned)

Cooking, cloth making, and other skills necessary to care for a home and family.
One of the biggest causes of disease in medieval towns was….

Rats and fleas. Also, people lived in crowded, dirty apartments and only bathed once a week.
Common law developed out of a growing body of….

 The decisions of royal judges
Which game played today was popular in medieval towns?

Chess and checkers?
Which guild would be most likely to put on a mystery play about the Last Supper, the final meal Jesus ate with his followers?

A biblical guild?

Chapter 5: Decline of Feudalism

Use the timeline for the next 4 questions

Which date goes with an event on the timeline that took place in France?

The battle of crecy
Which of these events took place during the Hundred Years’ War?

?
The event of 1164 led to conflict between King Henry II and…

Thomas Becket
What is one reason why the battle in 1429 had a different outcome from the battle in 1346?
The French started using more modern tactics.

Which of these was a reform made by King Henry II of England?

A jury formally accuses a person of a serious crime.
Why was Thomas Becket killed?

To get the king’s favor from four knights.

What was the purpose of Magna Carta?

To limit the king’s power and strengthen the nobles’ rights
Habeas corpus means that people cannot be held indefinitely in jail unless…

They were charged with a crime.
What action by an English king gave ordinary people a voice in government?

King Edward I’s Model Parliament.
How did political changes in England weaken feudalism?

Magna Carta, diseases, and the Hundred Years’ War.
What was one human activity that contributed to the spread of the bubonic plague?

The dirty conditions they made.
How did the plague make life harder for Jews in Europe?

People kept accusing them of starting it.
How did the plague increase the power of the common people?

There was a desperate need for workers after all of the deaths.
What technological advantage helped the English win many early battles of the Hundred Years’ War?

Light armor, footed soldiers, and long-ranged bows for archers.
Which development in the Hundred Years’ War was partly a response to Joan of Arc?

?