1. Unit 1.4 Europe

2. I. European Life leading up to 1492
A. Life in Middle Ages (1000AD) in West. Europe
1. Feudalism- system of interlocking loyalties in
Medieval Society

3. Roman Catholic Church
most powerful governing
body
b. Kings & Queens divided
kingdoms into smaller
units run by Nobles or
Lords
c. Lords protected by lesser
nobles (knights)
d. Most of population in
low class

4. 2. Villages (Manors) lived like separate islands
a. Manors completely self-sufficient
b. No connections between manors
c. All land owned by lord or noble
d. Manor dwellers (low class) called serfs

5. 1) Farmed land & maintained roads
2) Bound to land
3) Not allowed to leave land w/out lord’s
permission
4) Simple homes & furnishings
5) Food & clothing had little variety

6. B. Why life in Western Europe began to change?
1. Due to wars
a. Muslims (followers of Islam) invade Europe
1) Islam grew out of Middle East in mid 600’s

7. 2) Mohammad -prophet who began spreading
word
3) Spread from ME thru North Africa & up into
Spain
b. Christians angered by Muslims
1) Muslims had captured Holy Land (Jerusalem)
2) Christianity banded manors & people together

8. c. 1095 Pope called for WAR against Muslims to regain lost land
d. Wars became known as “The Crusades”
1) Christians & Muslims fought for 200 yrs
2) Crusades helped increase trade

9. 2. Knights learned new more
comfortable ways of life
a. Spices (pepper, nutmeg,
cloves, cinnamon, &
ginger)
b. Soap & to bathe more
often
c. New medicines & dyes
d. New fabrics & silks

10. 3. Italian Merchants carry Eastern goods to
Europe
a. Increased demand for goods & improved
trade made road improvement necessary
b. Towns would eventually develop around
marketplaces

11. 4. Travelers’ tales awaken
European interest in Asia
- Marco Polo tells about
the wonders of Asia
1) 17 yrs old from Venice
Italy
2) Gone for 24 years
( )
3) Stories fueled interest

12. 5. The Middle Class Develops
a. Increased trade & travel gave people
opportunity
b. Became merchants, moneychangers, &
artisans- skilled workers (shoemakers,
weavers, bakers etc)
c. Gave them more power & a voice in how they
were governed
d. Feudalism was weakened- alliance to
monarchy remained
e. Nationalism- love for & loyalty for one’s
country developed

13. 6. A New Age ( )
a. Great changes caused people to question old
thinking
b. Renaissance (rebirth)- Period in Europe when
people began to explore new ideas & make
important scientific discoveries
c. Art & Literature also greatly affected by new
way of thinking

14. 7. Inventions & Improvement Make long ocean
voyages possible
a. Before Crusades people barely traveled
b. Reading & writing mainly done by priests (latin)
- W/ more interaction & exchange of ideas the
need for reading & writing increased

15. c. New instruments aid
Sailors
1) Compass developed
for direction
2) Latitude &
Longitude
system was
developed for
location

16. d. New Method of Printing invented
1) (1440’s) - movable type made printing quicker & easier (300 pgs per day) Johann Gutenberg
2) Helped spread ideas & document travels for others to follow & build upon
a) st printed book = The Bible

17. 8. Power of the Church Threatened
a. Accessibility of the Bible showed that
Christianity simple
b. Made people see that Church had become too
big & rich- began to break away
c. Further strengthening each Nation’s Monarchy