A World Lit only by Fire Study Guide Questions
World Lit Only By Fire: The Medieval Mind and the Renaissance
William Manchester
Purchase your own paper back copy
Read until page 136, the rest of the book we will read in late September.
There are three parts to the assignment, the first two must be turned in the first day of class, the essay on the second day of class. Be sure to pace yourself and not procrastinate. Turn your papers in with a single staple in the upper left-hand corner. Don’t use a folder. Don’t forget your name. Late assignments will have points deducted. This exercise is worth 100 points!
I Map
Hand draw a map (you may trace) of Renaissance Europe of approximately 1500 AD. Minimum size 8 1/2 X 11” Color. Label countries, major cities and regions mentioned in AWLOBF, oceans and seas.
II Journal
DIRECTIONS: As you read A World Lit Only by Fire (AWLOBF), you are to keep a journal of questions you have about the content of the reading, historical figures, definitions of words that are unfamiliar to you, and personal reactions you have to the reading. You may find it best to read & note take by the sections below.
Topical Content from Manchester:
The "Dark Ages" - pgs. 3-28
Beware, dragons lurk here – pgs.30-50
Towns, hamlets, and noble manor – pgs.50-71
Private life (sex scenes of the Borgia’s) – pgs. 71-94
Piercing the darkness with the bright shaft of learning – pgs.95-117
Erasmus, Pico, and doctrinal disputes – pgs. 117-136
III Essay – due on the second day of class
Write a 3 to 5 page typed essay on A World Lit Only by Fire using the outline below to guide you. You will benefit from looking at more traditional histories of the Middle Ages and Renaissance to make comparisons. Cite any outside sources you use in your essay.
Paragraph 1
What is the argument over the term Dark Ages vs, Middle Ages? Using examples define each position. What is your position?
Paragraph 2
What perspective (viewpoint or attitude) does Manchester take in his view of the Middle
William Manchester
Purchase your own paper back copy
Read until page 136, the rest of the book we will read in late September.
There are three parts to the assignment, the first two must be turned in the first day of class, the essay on the second day of class. Be sure to pace yourself and not procrastinate. Turn your papers in with a single staple in the upper left-hand corner. Don’t use a folder. Don’t forget your name. Late assignments will have points deducted. This exercise is worth 100 points!
I Map
Hand draw a map (you may trace) of Renaissance Europe of approximately 1500 AD. Minimum size 8 1/2 X 11” Color. Label countries, major cities and regions mentioned in AWLOBF, oceans and seas.
II Journal
DIRECTIONS: As you read A World Lit Only by Fire (AWLOBF), you are to keep a journal of questions you have about the content of the reading, historical figures, definitions of words that are unfamiliar to you, and personal reactions you have to the reading. You may find it best to read & note take by the sections below.
Topical Content from Manchester:
The "Dark Ages" - pgs. 3-28
Beware, dragons lurk here – pgs.30-50
Towns, hamlets, and noble manor – pgs.50-71
Private life (sex scenes of the Borgia’s) – pgs. 71-94
Piercing the darkness with the bright shaft of learning – pgs.95-117
Erasmus, Pico, and doctrinal disputes – pgs. 117-136
III Essay – due on the second day of class
Write a 3 to 5 page typed essay on A World Lit Only by Fire using the outline below to guide you. You will benefit from looking at more traditional histories of the Middle Ages and Renaissance to make comparisons. Cite any outside sources you use in your essay.
Paragraph 1
What is the argument over the term Dark Ages vs, Middle Ages? Using examples define each position. What is your position?
Paragraph 2
What perspective (viewpoint or attitude) does Manchester take in his view of the Middle