Medieval Europe

Unit Highlights

In this unit, students will analyze primary and secondary sources to understand the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of the civilizations of Medieval Europe. Students will be able to:

  • Describe the geography of Europe and its effects on the medieval way of life.

  • Explain the causes of the spread of Christianity and the role of the Church after the fall of the Roman Empire.

  • Explain the rise of European Feudalism and compare and contrast feudalism's role in Medieval European society and Medieval Japanese society

  • Classify the conflicts and cooperation of the European Kings and the Pope.

  • Explain the rise of modern democratic thought and its effects on representational institutions.

  • Explain the causes of the Crusades and their effects on the population of Europe.

  • Explain the impact of the Black Death on the global population

  • Explain the important effects of the Church in European Society

  • Explain the causes and effects of the Reconquista of Spain and Portugal

Flocabulary

Unit Vocabulary

  • The Black Death

  • Cathedral

  • The Catholic Church

  • Charlemagne

  • Chivalry

  • Christendom

  • Clergy

  • Constitution

  • Constitutional democracy

  • The Crusades

  • Emperor Henry IV

  • Excommunicate

  • Ferdinand & Isabella

  • Feudalism

  • Fief

  • Gothic

  • Habeas corpus

  • Holy Roman Empire

  • Inquisition

  • Knight

  • The Magna Carta

  • Manor

  • Mendicant order

  • The Middle Ages/ The Dark Ages

  • Monastery

  • Natural Law

  • Pagan

  • Parliament

  • Pope Gregory I

  • The Reconquista

  • Serf

  • St. Benedict

  • St. Boniface

  • St. Francis of Assisi

  • St. Patrick

  • St. Thomas Aquinas

Activity 1: Medieval Europe Pre-Test

Using your prior knowledge, brainstorm, list, and/or draw what you know about Medieval Europe in a thinking map. Complete this assignment on the Thinking Maps Learning Community or on paper. You may include:

  • Information you know or kind of know about Medieval Europe.

  • Guesses about Medieval Europe.

  • Questions you have about Medieval Europe.

  • Information you would like to know about Medieval Europe.

  • What comes to mind when you think of Medieval Europe.