Theme 1: Interaction between Humans and the Environment * Demography & disease * Bubonic Plague Collapse of Feudalism? * Little Ice Age * Migration * Focus on Northern Europe because of barbarians * Feudal system/manorialism vs. Urbanization * Issues: Barbarians & Bubonic Plague & Little Ice Age * Viking raids tapered off safe & reliable travel trade increased towns increased increased agricultural production (technology + warmer temperatures) population increase greater available labor urban growth * Patterns of Settlement * Barbarian Invasions Manorialism vs. Feudalism * Urbanization * Technology * Horse collar, 3 field system, water driven mills, longship, moldboard, stirrups
Theme 2: Development and Interaction of Cultures * Religions * Islam & Christianity * Belief systems, philosophies, and ideologies * Role of the church as a government * Church as “hope” * Robin Hood & King Arthur --- Why? * Catholic vs. “catholic” * Scholasticism (St. Thomas Aquinas) * Iconoclasm * Monasticism * Lay Investiture * Pope Gregory VII vs. Holy Roman Emperor * Superstitions --- Witchcraft * Franciscans, Dominicans, Jesuits * Science & technology * Universities * Growth of towns * Church as preserver of knowledge * Horse collar, 3 field system, water driven mills, longship, moldboard, stirrups * The Arts & Architecture * Romanesque vs. Gothic * Role of Church
Theme 3: State Building, Expansion and Conflict * Political structures & forms of governance * Before 11th century vs. after 11th century * Manorialism vs. feudalism * Magna Carta * Church and state --- Clovis, Charlemagne * Nations & nationalism