Study Guide
THE EVOLUTION OF WESTERN IDEAS AND INSTITUTIONS BEFORE THE 17TH CENTURY
HIST 101
Final Exam Questions
Below are eight (8) potential questions for your final exam. Remember, this exam includes all of the material that we have covered since the first exam, with the exception of Peasant Fires. As a result, I have divided the questions into two sections. On the day of the exam, I will choose two questions from each section and you will answer one for each section.
As for the first exam, I will not ask you anything not on this list. Your answers should be as complete as possible and include material from class and from all applicable readings assigned for discussion.
SECTION ONE
(1) Persecution is more than a policy; it is a mentality. Why did Romans persecute Christians? How did Christians behave towards pagans once Theodosius made Christianity the exclusive religion of the Roman world?
(2) Ignatius of Antioch and Polycarp of Smyrna lived in very different early Christian communities. Explain each.
What were the differences? Were there any similarities?
(3) “For it is in the nature of the world to fall into ruin even though it is daily restored.” This statement reveals much about the mentality of the medieval world. Starting with the Life of Boniface, explain how this was so. How did this view of the world affect the lives of ordinary Christians?
(4) The Seafarer, The Wanderer and The Ruin can be read as metaphors for specific aspects of the Christian mentality in 9th and 10th century Anglo-Saxon England. Interpret each in light of this statement.
SECTION TWO
(5) Why, according to Moore, were heretics, lepers and Jews singled out for persecution in the twelfth century? Make sure that you address both the similarities of and the differences between the experiences of these groups. How do the Crusades fit into Moore’s description of the persecuting society?
(6) Describe the experience of living through the Black Death. How did people attempt to
HIST 101
Final Exam Questions
Below are eight (8) potential questions for your final exam. Remember, this exam includes all of the material that we have covered since the first exam, with the exception of Peasant Fires. As a result, I have divided the questions into two sections. On the day of the exam, I will choose two questions from each section and you will answer one for each section.
As for the first exam, I will not ask you anything not on this list. Your answers should be as complete as possible and include material from class and from all applicable readings assigned for discussion.
SECTION ONE
(1) Persecution is more than a policy; it is a mentality. Why did Romans persecute Christians? How did Christians behave towards pagans once Theodosius made Christianity the exclusive religion of the Roman world?
(2) Ignatius of Antioch and Polycarp of Smyrna lived in very different early Christian communities. Explain each.
What were the differences? Were there any similarities?
(3) “For it is in the nature of the world to fall into ruin even though it is daily restored.” This statement reveals much about the mentality of the medieval world. Starting with the Life of Boniface, explain how this was so. How did this view of the world affect the lives of ordinary Christians?
(4) The Seafarer, The Wanderer and The Ruin can be read as metaphors for specific aspects of the Christian mentality in 9th and 10th century Anglo-Saxon England. Interpret each in light of this statement.
SECTION TWO
(5) Why, according to Moore, were heretics, lepers and Jews singled out for persecution in the twelfth century? Make sure that you address both the similarities of and the differences between the experiences of these groups. How do the Crusades fit into Moore’s description of the persecuting society?
(6) Describe the experience of living through the Black Death. How did people attempt to