HISTORY STUDY GUIDE- 1st Semester
Greeks, caused by the abduction of Helen by Paris and
Egypt : an ancient empire west of Israel; centered on the
Nile River and ruled by a Pharaoh; figured in many events
described in the Old Testament
Pharaoh: A King of Ancient Egypt.
Ramses II: military victories 1290 B.C., pushed all the way
to Syria and Palestine; Magnificent temples.
Hieroglyphics: early form of picture writing.
Fertile Crescent: A region of the Middle East arching
across the northern part of the Syrian Desert and extending
from the Nile Valley to the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The
civilizations of Egypt, Phoenicia, Assyria, and Babylonia
developed in this area, which was also the site of numerous
migrations and invasions.
Sumer: An ancient country of southern Mesopotamia in
present-day southern Iraq. Archaeological evidence dates
the beginnings of Sumer to the fifth millennium B.C. By
3000 a flourishing civilization existed, which gradually
exerted power over the surrounding area and culminated in
the Akkadian dynasty, founded c. 2340 by Sargon I. Sumer
declined after 2000 and was later absorbed by Babylonia
and Assyria. The Sumerians are believed to have invented
the cuneiform system of writing.
Ziggurats: pyramid-temple dedicated to the chief god or
goddess of an ancient Sumerian city-state.
Cuneiform: Wedge-shaped writing of the ancient Sumerians
and other ancient peoples.
Babylon: The capital of ancient Babylonia in Mesopotamia
on the Euphrates River.
Established as capital c. 1750 B.C. and rebuilt in regal
splendor by Nebuchadnezzar II after its destruction (c. 689
B.C.) by the Assyrians, Babylon was the site of the Hanging
Gardens, one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
Code of Hammurabi: Remarkable set of laws published by
Hammurabi, King of Babylon, he didn't write it but published
it, had criminal laws and civil laws on it; Protected women.
Nebuchadnezzar: Rebuilt canals and stuff, created Hanging
Gardens, forced Hebrews into exile in Babylon, where they
were called Jews.
Israel: An ancient kingdom of Palestine founded by Saul c.
1025 B.C. After 933 it split into the Northern Kingdom, or
kingdom of Israel, and the kingdom of Judah to the south.
Israel was overthrown by the Assyrians in 721.
Nubia: A desert region and ancient kingdom in the Nile
River valley of southern Egypt and northern Sudan. After
the 20th century B.C. it was controlled by the rulers of
Egypt, although in the 8th and 7th centuries an independent
kingdom arose that conquered Egypt and ruled.
Phoenicia: An ancient maritime country of southwest Asia
consisting of city-states along the eastern Mediterranean
Sea. Its people became the foremost navigators and traders
of the Mediterranean by 1250 B.C. and established
Carthage in northern Africa. The Phoenicians traveled and
introduced their alphabet, based on symbols for sounds, to
the Greeks and other early peoples. Phoenicia's culture was
gradually absorbed by Persian and later Hellenistic
civilizations.
Persia: A vast empire of southwest Asia founded by Cyrus II
after 546 B.C. and brought to the height of its power and
glory by Darius I and his son Xerxes. Alexander the Great
conquered it between 333 and 331 B.C.
Trojan War: The ten-year war waged against Troy by the
resulting in the burning and destruction of Troy.
Homer: Greek epic poet. The Iliad and the Odyssey, are
attributed to him.
Greek Dark Age: Mycenean palaces were destroyed, taxes
not collected, Athens having a hard time, not much trade,
not much skill. But, knowledge of Iron tool-making spread.
Polis: City-state in Ancient Greece. (p. 108)
Solon: A wise lawgiver, Athenian lawgiver and poet. His
reforms preserved a class system based on wealth but
ended privilege by birth.
Pericles: Athenian leader noted for advancing democracy
in Athens and for ordering the construction of the
Parthenon.
Democracy: Government in which the people have the
ruling power.
Persian Wars: Persia against Greeks, Greeks won, Athens
united with Sparta to defeat the Persians.
Delian League: City-states that united with Athens to
protect Greece from people like Persia.
Peloponnesian War: a war in which Athens and its allies
were defeated by the league centered on Sparta; 431-404 B
Socrates/Plato/Aristotle: Greek philosophers: rhetoric,
Lovers of Wisdom, physics, mathematics, music, logic..
Herodotus: Greek historian who noted bias and conflicting
views. Stressed importance of research.
Greek playwrights: Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides
wrote tragedies. Aristophanes wrote comedies.
Alexander the Great: (356-323 BC) king of Macedon;
conqueror of Greece and Egypt and Persia; founder of
Alexandria. He succeeded his father Philip, and died at the
age of thirty-two from the effects of intemperance, B.C. 323.
His empire was divided among his four generals.
Hellenistic: Postclassical Greek history and culture from
the death of Alexander the Great to the accession of
Augustus. The style of the Greek art or architecture.
Republic: System of government in which officials are
chosen by the people.
Patricians: A member of one of the noble families of the
ancient Roman Republic, which before the third century
B.C. had exclusive rights to the Senate and the
magistracies.
Plebeians: The common people of ancient Rome
Twelve Tables: Plebeians wanted to know what the laws
were, and couldn't because they weren't written down. They
wrote them down in the 12 Tables and were displayed at
the forum.
Punic Wars: Three wars between Carthage and Rome
resulting in the destruction of
Carthage: 264-241 BC, 218-201 BC, 149-146 BC
Hannibal: Carthaginian general who crossed the Alps in
218 with about 35,000 men and routed Roman armies at
Lake Trasimeno (217) and Cannae (216). He was later
defeated at the Battle of Zama (202).
Gracchi: Roman social reformer. Known with his brother
Gaius Sempronius Gracchus (153-121 B.C. ) as "the
Gracchi," he sought to aid poor farmers through greater
subdivision of land but was killed in a riot. Gaius assumed
his brother's work, initiating several reforms, and met a
similar fate.
Julius Caesar: A Roman general, statesman, and historian
who invaded Britain (55 BC), crushed the army of his
political enemy Pompey (48), pursued other enemies to
Egypt, where he got Cleopatra as queen (47), given a
mandate by the people to rule as dictator for life (45).
Murdered by a group of republicans led by Cassius and
Brutus, who feared he intended to establish a monarchy
ruled by himself.
Cleopatra: Egyptian queen (51-49 and 48-30) noted for her
beauty and charisma. Octavian defeated the forces led by
Cleopatra and Mark Antony at Actium (31 BC).
Augustus Caesar: First emperor of Rome (27 B.C.-A.D.
14) and grandnephew of Julius Caesar. He defeated Mark
Antony and Cleopatra in 31 and subsequently gained
control over the empire. In 29 he was named emperor, and
in 27 he was given the honorary title Augustus.
Pax Romana: The Roman peace; the long period of peace
enforced on states in the Roman Empire
Marcus Aurelius: His death ended Pax Romana,
Constantine: Talented general granted toleration to
Christians, built a new capital (obviously Constantinople)
that made the Eastern part of the empire the major part
while the Western was declining. 'Pity.
Theodosius: Made Christianity the official religion of the
Roman Empire; approximately 393 A.D.
Byzantium: Renamed Constantinople.
Attila: King of the Huns (433?-453) and the most
successful of the barbarian invaders of the Roman Empire.
Torah/Bible/Koran: Book of Hebrews, first 5 books of Old
Testament/Christian Book, Old and New Testaments/Book
of Muslims, first 5 books of Old Testament
Abraham/Jesus/Muhammad: Hebrew Prophet/Savior-
Redeemer of Mankind by Christians, Kind Rabbi by
Hebrews/Muslim Prophet
Five Pillars: 1. Declaration of Faith / 2. Daily Prayer / 3.
Giving Charity to the Poor / 4. Fasting during Ramadan / 5.
Pilgrimage to Mecca
Monotheistic: Belief in One God only.
Muslim Empire: Where Muslims ruled??
Franks: A member of one of the Germanic tribes of the
Rhine region in the early Christian era, especially one of the
Salian Franks who conquered Gaul about A.D. 500.
Goths: A member of a Germanic people who invaded the
Roman Empire in the early centuries of the Christian era.
Visigoths: A member of the western Goths that invaded the
Roman Empire in the fourth century A.D. and settled in
France and Spain, establishing a monarchy that lasted until
the early eighth century.
Anglo-Saxons: A member of one of the Germanic peoples,
the Angles, the Saxons, and the Jutes, who settled in Britain
in the fifth and sixth centuries.
romance languages: Italian, German, French
Clovis: King of Franks was converted when he beat the
Allemani
Charles Martel: Led Frankish warriors to defeat Muslim
army, which people took as a sign that God was on their
side.
Charlemagne: King of the Franks (768-814) and founder of
the first empire in Western Europe after the fall of Rome.
His court at Aix-la-Chapelle became the center of the
Carolingian Renaissance.
Vikings: A seafaring Scandinavian people who raided the
coasts of northern and western Europe from the eighth
through the tenth century.
Feudalism: loosely organized system of government in
which local land lords governed their own lands but owed
military service and other support to greater lord.
Vassal: Medieval: a lord who was granted land in exchange
for service and loyalty to a greater lord.
Fief: Medieval: in the middle Ages, an estate granted by a
lord to a vassal in exchange for service and loyalty.
Serf : Medieval: peasant bound to the lord's land.
Guilds - Medieval: Association of merchants or artisans
who cooperated to protect their economic interests.
William the Conqueror: King of England (1066-1087) and
duke of Normandy (1035-1087). He led the Norman
invasion of England (1066) after being promised the English
throne by his cousin Edward the Confessor. He defeated
Harold at the Battle of Hastings and as king adopted a
feudal constitution.
common law: System of law based on court decisions that
became accepted legal principles.
Henry II: King of England (1154-1189). He appointed
Thomas à Becket as archbishop of Canterbury. His quarrels
with Becket concerning the authority of the Crown over the
Church led to the murder of the archbishop (1170).
Magna Carta: Long list of rights, made clear that every
monarch must keep the law: The charter of English political
and civil liberties granted by King John at Runnymede in
June 1215.
Parliament: great council of legislative bodies in a state
Philip Augustus: King of France (1180-1223): greater
control over feudal lords and an expansion of royal
territories.
Philip IV: King of France (1285-1314): controversy with the
papacy and expansion of royal right. (taxes)
Estates General: Representatives from clergy, nobles, and
townspeople
Holy Roman Empire: A loosely federated European
political entity that began with the papal coronation of the
German king Otto I as the first emperor in 962 and lasted
until Francis II's renunciation of the title at the instigation of
Napoleon in 1806. The empire was troubled by papal-
secular squabbles over authority and after the 13th century
by the rising ambitions of nationalistic states. By 1273 the
empire consisted primarily of the Hapsburg domains in
Austria and Spain.
Innocent III: Pope (1198-1216): Fourth Crusade and papal
intervention in European politics.
Seljuk Turks: A Turkish dynasty ruling in central and
western Asia from the 11th to the 13th century.
Crusades: A holy war undertaken with papal sanction.
Urban II: Promoted the 1st crusade (he was a Pope)
Ferdinand and Isabella: Joined forces to complete the …
Reconquista: Drive Muslims out of Spain, reconquest it.
Vernacular: French, German, Italian: everyday language.
Dante: Journey through hell
Chaucer: Witty author, narrated story from his point of view.
the Black Death: Everyone dies in 1348, starts
Renaissance in Italy
Hundred Years War: Series of wars fought intermittently
between France and England; 1337-1453
Joan of Arc: French military leader and heroine. Inspired
and directed by religious visions, she organized the French
resistance that forced the English to end their siege of
Orléans (1429). The same year she led an army of 12,000
to Rheims and had the dauphin crowned Charles VII.
Patron: person who provides financial support for the arts.
Humanism: Intellectual movement at the heart of the Italian
Renaissance that focused on worldly subjects rather than
on religious issues.
Medicis: Family of Florence organized banking business,
etc, very rich. Gained control of government, were the
uncrowned rulers of Florence for many years. Patrons.
Leo/Michaelangelo/Raphael: Painters, artists, sculptors,
whatever. Very smart people. How do you not know this?
Machiavelli: Italian political theorist whose book The Prince
(1513) describes the achievement and maintenance of
power by a determined ruler indifferent to moral
considerations.
Petrarch: Italian poet, scholar, and humanist who was
famous for Canzoniere, a collection of love lyrics. SICK.
Erasmus: Dutch Renaissance scholar and Roman Catholic
theologian who sought to revive classical texts from
antiquity, restore simple Christian faith based on
Scripture, and do away with stuff taught in the medieval
Church. His works include a challenge to Luther's views.
Shakespeare: English playwright and poet whose body of
works is considered the greatest in English literature. Too
bad he's way overrated and sucks.
Gutenberg: German who invented the printing press with
moveable type. 1455: Bible made.
Indulgence: In the Roman Catholic church, pardon for sins
committed during a person's lifetime by paying money.
Martin Luther: German theologian and leader of the
Reformation. Opposition to wealth and corruption to
Catholic Church, decided that man will be pardoned from
sins by faith not indulgences; Lutheran Church.
John Calvin: French born Swiss protestant who broke from
the Catholic Church; Presbyterianism.
Counter-Reformation: When the Catholics didn't want the
protestants to be alive, so they counter-reformed.?.
Henry VIII: King of England (1509-1547) Broke from
Catholic Church.
Act of Supremacy: Took land away from Pope's rule,
made Henry VIII only supreme head on earth.
Elizabeth I: Queen of England and Ireland (1558-1603)
who succeeded the Catholic Mary I (that everyone hated)
and reestablished Protestantism in England.
Inquisition: A tribunal formerly held in the Roman Catholic
Church and directed at the suppression of heresy.
Copernicus: Polish astronomer said things revolve around
the sun in circles, not the Earth.
Galileo: Italian astronomer; invented refracting telescope.
Newton: English mathematician: calculus, laws of motion.
Descartes: French father of geometry. Dang-it I hate you.
Prince Henry the Navigator: Obviously he navigated; um;
don't have more to say on the subject.
Vasco da Gama: Portuguese explorer, 1st to sail to India.
Columbus: Italian explorer (in service of Spain); discovered
America
Magellan: Portuguese navigator: Strait of Magellan
Columbian exchange: Language and food and stuff taken
from the Indians for Spain (not really exchange...)
Inflation: Economic cycle that involved a rise in prices
linked to a sharp increase in the amount of money available.
Commercial Revolution: when the nobility, but mostly the
clergy that was pocketing all the money from the church, did
not want to reform the church, like during the times of
Ignatius of Loyola and the Jesuits.
Capitalism: Economic situation in which the means of
production are privately owned and operated for profit.
Mercantilism: Policy by which a nation sought to export
more than it imported in order to build its supply of silver
and gold.
Absolutism: A political theory holding that all power should
be vested in one ruler or other authority.
Divine right: Belief that a ruler's authority comes directly
from God.
Philip II: Son of Charles V, ambitious to expand Spain and
strengthen Catholic Church, made all parts of government
responsible: absolute monarchy, divine right, against
Protestants.
Spanish Armada: Francis Drake commanded British ships
that successfully defeated the large armada sent from Spain
by Philip II to invade England.
Baroque: style in art and architecture developed in Europe
from the early 17th to mid-18th century, emphasizing
dramatic, often strained effect and typified by bold, curving
forms, elaborate ornamentation, and overall balance of
disparate parts.
Richelieu: French prelate and politician. As chief minister of
Louis XIII he worked to strengthen the authority of the
monarchy and directed France during the Thirty Years' War,
wants to destroy power of nobles + hueggies
Louis XIV: King of France (1643-1715). His reign, the
longest in French history, was characterized by a
magnificent court and the expansion of French influence in
Europe. Louis waged three major wars: including the War of
the Spanish Succession.
Versailles: Palace built by Louis XIV; very magnificent,
gardens, etc.
War of Spanish Succession: They wanted France and
Spain to unite but England didn't want that so they fought
and the English sort of won because F and S didn't unite.
Balance of power: Distribution of power in which no single
nation is able to dominate or interfere with others.
English Civil War: war between the Parliamentarians and
the Royalists under Charles I; 1644-1648 Oliver Cromwell:
English military, political, and religious figure who led the
Parliamentarian victory in the English Civil War (1642-1649)
and called for the execution of Charles I. As lord protector of
England (1653-1658) he ruled as a virtual dictator.
The Commonwealth: A republic under Cromwell, keep the
Sabbath day Holy, very strict, no dancing, etc!
Glorious Revolution: against James II of England; there
was little armed resistance to William and Mary in England
although battles were fought in
Scotland and Ireland (James overthrown by Mary + Bill)
Thirty Years War: A series of wars in central Europe
beginning in 1618 that stemmed from conflict between
Protestants and Catholics and political struggles between
the Holy Roman Empire and other powers.
Peace of Westphalia: Ended TYW, Peace basically in all
Europe.
Hapsburgs: A royal German family that supplied rulers to a
number of European states from the late Middle Ages until
the 20th century. The Hapsburgs reached the height of their
power under Charles V of Spain. When Charles abdicated
(1558), the empire was divided between the Spanish and
Austrian lines. The Spanish branch ceased to rule after
1700 and the Austrian branch after 1918.
Hohenzollerns: German royal family who extended their
control to Prussia (1525). Under Frederick I (ruled 1701-
1713) the family's possessions were unified as the kingdom
of Prussia. From 1871 to 1918 Hohenzollern monarchs
ruled the German Empire.
Maria Theresa: Queen of Hungary and Bohemia, war of
Austrian Succession and Seven Years' War
Frederick the Great: King of Prussia. Successful in the
War of the Austrian Succession and the Seven Years' War,
he brought Prussia great military prestige in Europe.
Seven Years' War: a war of England and Prussia against
France and Austria. Britain and Prussia won the most.
Peter the Great: Romanov who explored cities and learned
for himself; westernization of Russia
Catherine the Great: As Peter's descendants failed, Kati
took over: German who married Russian who died.
Encouraged French culture, got warm-water port city for
Russia from Ottomans. Yay.
Describe the features of civilization
1) cities
2) well-organized central governments
3) complex religions
4) job specialization
5) social classes
6) arts and architecture
7) public works
8) writing
What role did geography play in the development of
ancient and classical
civilizations?
ANCIENT
·Civilization formed and prospered in Egypt and around
Egypt because of the NILE RIVER
·Civilization formed in the Fertile Crescent between the
TIGRIS and the EUPHRATES rivers--dark, rich soils and
golden wheat fields attracted farmers and people could
easily form civilization because Fertile Crescent was
surrounded by few natural barriers
CLASSICAL
·Greece is part of Balkan peninsula, which extends
southward into the eastern Mediterranean Sea
·Mountains divide peninsula into isolated valleys-as a result,
large Greek empire was not formed, but instead small
Greek city states , cut off from each other by land or water,
were formed
·Surrounded by Mediterranean and Aegean seas which
provided vital link to outside world and helped the
population grow
Describe the advances made by the ancient peoples of
Africa and the Middle East and describe the importance
of each.
Contributions of the Fertile Crescent:
·Sumerians- wheeled vehicles, and cuneiform
·Phoenicians- alphabet, contained 22 symbols standing for
consonant sounds, written in vertical columns from right to
left, later people adopted this alphabet to produce our 26-
letter alphabet
·Hittites- ironworking, learned to extract iron from ore and
fashion tools and weapons; today, iron is used to make
steel products
·Babylonians- advanced knowledge of astronomy, used
geometry to predict
eclipses of the sun and moon and the positions of planets in
relation to the
sun; today, astronomers still use geometry in the study f the
moon, stars, and planets
·Lydians, Persians- coins, early coins made of electrum, an
alloy, or natural mix, of gold and silver; coins replaced
barter, leading to the money economy we have today
Analyze the structure and role of religion in the ancient
and classical world.
ANCIENT EGYPT- a variety of religious beliefs were
practiced
· chief god was the sun god Amon-Re, pharaoh was
closely linked to Amon-Re
· religious myth of Osiris and Isis touched human
emotions-Osiris ruled over underworld and was the god of
the Nile, controlled annual flood that made land fertile, Isis
had first taught women to grind corn, spin flax, weave cloth,
and care for children
· belief in afterlife affected all Egyptians--believed each
soul had to pass test to win eternal life, Osiris weighed
soul's heart against the feather of truth, worthy souls
entered Happy Field of Food; as a result, practiced
mummification, preservation of the dead
· 1380 B.C.-young Egyptian pharaoh challenged
powerful priests of Amon-Re and devoted his life to worship
of Aton, a minor god whose symbol as the sun's disk--
radical ideas had little success
SUMER (ancient)
· polytheistic as well-worshiping many gods, gods
though to control every aspect of life, especially forces of
nature
· believed that gods and goddesses behaved like
ordinary people
· highest duty was to keep divine beings happy and
ensure safety of their city-state
· each city-state had own special god/goddess
· believed in afterlife (like Egyptians) and Underworld—
unlike Egyptians, viewed afterlife as gloomy
· religious celebrations
HEBREWS
· Judaism-belief in one true God
· at time, most other people worshiped many gods and
goddesses
· Ten Commandments
· Torah
ROME (classical)
· Roman gods and goddesses resembled those of the
Etruscans and Greeks
· calendar full of feasts and celebrations to honor gods
and to ensure divine favor for the city
· "mystery" religions not associated with state gods
became popular, ex: cult of Isis, which originated in Egypt,
promised life after death and offered women = status with
men
· early in Pax Romana, new religion, Christianity,
sprang up, grew and gained strength, reshaping Roman
beliefs
·early Christian communities began organizing a formal
Church, each community had its own priest, who came
under the authority of a bishop, a Church official who was
responsible for all Christians in an area called a diocese
·Christian Church developed into a hierarchy
Describe the types of government developed by the
Greeks and their influence on
other civilizations.
· Direct democracy-large number of male citizens took
part in the day-to-day affairs of the government
· Plato- rejected Athenian democracy because it had
condemned Socrates, felt state should regulate every
aspect of its citizens' lives in order to provide for their best
interests, divided society into 3 classes-workers, soldiers,
and philosophers to rule (could include women)
· Aristotle-analyzed all kinds of government, suspicious
of democracy, favored rule by a single strong and virtuous
leader
Compare and contrast Athens and Sparta.
Sparta-
· Dorians who conquered Laconia, region that lies in the
Peloponnesus, southern par t of Greece
· strict control-government included 2 kings and council
of elders who advised monarchs, assembly of all citizens
(m, native-born, over age 30) approved major decisions,
assembly elected 5 ephors, officials who held real power
and ran day-to-day affairs
· blend of monarchy and oligarchy
· isolationist
· nation of soldiers
· sickly children abandoned to die
· at age 7, boys began military training-moved into
barracks (coarse diet, hard exercise, rigid discipline,
encouraged to steal food to develop cunning, but beaten if
caught)
· at age 20, man could marry, but lived in barracks for
another 10 years and ate there for another 40 years
· at age 30, took place in assembly
· girls expected to produce healthy sons for army, so
had to exercise and strengthen their bodies (no other Greek
women did), had to obey husbands and fathers, had right to
inherit property
Athens
· located in Africa, north of Peloponnesus
· limited democracy
· celebrated individual
· wide contacts and trade
· government evolved from monarchy into an
aristocracy, under which wealth and power grew
· 700 BC noble landowners held power and chose chief
officials, nobles judged major cases in court and dominated
assembly
· merchants and soldiers resented power of nobles
· no foreigners could become citizens
· as discontent spread, moved slowly toward
democracy, government by the people (limited by modern
standards)
· only male citizens could participate in government and
citizenship was severely restricted
· slaves
· women had no share in public life, Aristotle saw them
as imperfect beings who lacked the ability to reason as well
as men
· girls received little or no formal education
· boys attended school if families could afford it
· learned to read, write, music, memorize poetry, public
speaking, military training, athletic contests
· encouraged young men to explore many areas of
knowledge
Analyze the rise and fall of Athenian power.
· by 500 B.C., Athens had emerged as wealthiest Greek
city-state
· Athens emerged from Persian Wars as the most
powerful city-state in Greece
· organized Delian League to meet continued threats
from Persia-dominated league and used its position to
create an Athenian empire
· years after Persian Wars were Golden Age for Athens,
Age of Pericles 460-429 BC, became more democratic,
cultural center of Greece
· many Greeks resented Athenian domination, Sparta
and other enemies formed Peloponnesian League to
counter Delian league
· Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta broke
out in 431 BC, lasted
27 yrs., Spartans captured Athens, stripped Athenians of
their fleet and empire
· PW ended Athenian greatness
Explain how Alexander's conquests led to the
development of a new culture.
· put on Macedonian throne at age 20
· experienced soldier
· love of learning and interest in the arts
· when Thebes rebelled, ordered city to be burned and
inhabitants to be killed or sold into slavery
· planned to invade Persia (like his father, Philip II),
crossed the Dardanelles (the straight that separates Europe
from Asia Minor) and won first victory against Persians at
the Granicus River, then marched through Asia Minor into
Palestine and south to Egypt, took Babylon in 331 BC, then
seized Persian capitals
· victorious, had much of Persian empire under his
control
· headed further east, crossed Hindu Kush in n. India,
soldiers growing tired of long campaign so turned back at
branch of Indus River
· returned to Babylon, died of sudden fever
· most lasting achievement was spread of Greek culture
· had encouraged blending of eastern and western
cultures by marrying a Persian woman and urging his
soldiers to follow his example, and adopting Persian dress
· Hellenistic civilization emerged-blend of Greek,
Persian, Egyptian, and Indian influences
Analyze the influence of Greek culture on later
civilizations.
· ideas about law, freedom, justice, and government
have influenced political thinking to the present day
· in arts and sciences, works became a standard of
excellence for later people of Europe
· we owe to the Greeks:
Olympic Games, Astronomy, Literature, Architecture, Math
(arithmetic and algebra), Alphabet/language, Court
system/gov't, Theater, Philosophy, Historical method,
Medicine. Science: earth is round
Analyze the rise and fall of Rome as a great power.
· Rome began as small city-state in Italy, but ended up
ruling entire Mediterranean world
· neighboring Etruscans ruled much of central Italy,
including Rome itself
· Romans drove out hated Etruscan king in 509 B.C.-
date marks founding of
Roman state
· set up new gov't called republic, in which officials were
chosen by the people, to keep any individual from gaining
too much power
· armies expanded Roman power across Italy
· gained dominance over neighbors in central Italy, then
conquered Etruscans themselves and began moving
against Greek city-states in south, by 270 B.C., Rome
occupied all of Italy
· to protect its conquests, Rome posted soldiers
throughout the land, built network of military roads
· conquest of Italian peninsula brought it into contact
with new rival, Carthage (city-state on northern coast of
Africa, Tunisia)
· between 264 and 146 B.C., Rome fought 3 wars
against Carthage, called Punic Wars, 1-Rome defeated
Carthage, forcing it to surrender Sicily, Corsica, and
Sardinia, 2-led by Hannibal, Carthage successful in battles,
but never able to capture Rome itself, Romans defeated
them at last and Carthage gave up all lands expect those in
Africa, had to pay huge tribute, tax, to Rome, 3-Rome
attacked and completely destroyed 700 yr. old city of
Carthage, survivors killed or sold into slavery, Carthage and
surrounding region became Roman province of Africa
· Rome brought Macedonia, Greece, and parts of Asia
Minor under its rule, allied with Egypt
· conquering an empire had created strains and
conflicts in Roman society
· in end, Romans tore their state apart as ambitious
generals battled for power, their struggles crashing the
republic
· under Augustus, 500 yr. old republic came to end,
Roman empire began
· Roman Peace-began with Augustus and ended with
Marcus Aurelius
· political turmoil for 100 yrs after death of Emperor
Marcus Aurelius
· high taxes
· as empire declined, forced to give up territories to
invading Germanic people who lived along northern
borders, first surrendered Britain, then France and Spain,
soon foreign invaders marched into Italy and took over
Rome itself
· Huns-Visigoths
· in 476, Odoacer, a Germanic leader, ousted the
emperor in Rome, "fall" of Rome
· CAUSES OF FALL: Germanic invasions, Roman
legions of late empire lacked discipline and training,
mercenaries-foreign soldiers serving for pay, gov't became
oppressive and authoritarian and lost support of the people,
heavy taxes required to support vast gov't bureaucracy and
military establishment, reliance on slave labor, diseases,
decline in values such as patriotism, discipline, and
devotion to duty, upper class devoted itself to luxury and
self-interest
Explain how Roman art and literature blended different
traditions.
· Art: Romans owed a great debt to the Greeks-
sculptors adapted the realism of Hellenistic works, but broke
new ground with portraits in stone or on coins that revealed
an individual's character, some sculpture more idealistic,
like classic Greek statues of gods and athletes
· Architecture: buildings combined Greek and Roman
elements and ideas, used Greek columns, but emphasized
grandeur instead of simple elegance, improve don arch and
dome- Pantheon: temple to all Roman gods
Analyze the institutions of the Roman Republic and
how they influenced later
republics.
In early Roman Republic,
· Most powerful governing body was the senate, 300
members all patricians, members of landholding upper class
· Senators elected 2 consuls each year, whose job was
to supervise business of government and command the
armies, also came from patrician class,
Rome had system of checks by limiting consul's time in
office and making them responsible to the people through
the senate
· In event of war, senate might choose dictator, ruler
who has complete control over government
· Rome adapted its republican form of government to
meet changing needs
· Today, our government has adopted Roman ideas of
a senate, a veto, a system of checks and balances
Outline the strengths and weaknesses of the Roman
Republic and Empire.
Roman Republic
Strengths-
· Common people gained access to power and won
safeguards for their rights without having to resort to war or
revolution
· Senate, veto, and checks on power
Weaknesses-
· plebeians, the farmers, merchants, artisans, and
traders who made up the bulk of the population, had little
influence
· citizens could not know what the laws were because
they were not written down
· government became more corrupted
Roman Empire
Strengths-
- under Augustus, first emperor, foundation for stable
government was laid-efficient civil service charged with
enforcing the laws was created, high-level jobs were open
to men of talent, Roman cities and provinces allowed a
large measure of self-government, census was ordered,
new coins issued
Weaknesses-
* not all emperors were good rulers, ex: Caligula
and Nero-downright evil and insane, Caligula appointed
favorite horse as consul and Nero viciously persecuted
Christians
Analyze the major beliefs of Judaism, Christianity and
Islam.
All are monotheistic, believe in one all-powerful,
compassionate God
Islam-
· People are responsible for their own actions
· Quran, sacred text
· Muhammad was prophet of Islam
· Five basic duties, 5 pillars of Islam (1- declaration of
faith, 2- daily prayer, 3-giving charity to poor, 4- fasting
during Ramadan, 5- hajj, pilgrimage to Mecca)
Christianity-
· Jesus, son of God and redeemer of humankind
· Ten Commandments
Judaism-
· Torah is God's revelation and the plan for proper living
Ten Commandments
Describe the political/cultural changes brought by
Charlemagne.
· Charles the Great, grandson of Charles Martel,
Frankish king built empire reaching across France,
Germany, and part of Italy, crowned emperor of the
Romans by pope
· created a united, Christian Europe/missionaries-
spread Christian teachings
· missi domenici-officials who checked on roads,
listened to grievances and saw that justice was done
· made capital at Aachen a "second Rome"---
promoted education and learning, set up palace school run
by scholar, Alcuin
Describe how invasions affected the peoples of western
Europe.
· after Charlemagne died, heirs battled for power for 30
yrs, in 843, grandsons drew up Treaty of Verdun, split
empire into 3 regions
· Muslim forces kept up their pressure on Europe, in
late 800's, conquered Sicily
· 869, new wave of nomadic people, the Magyars,
overran Eastern Europe. Plundered Germany, parts of
France, and Italy
· most destructive raiders were the Vikings, who
snapped the last threads of unity in Charlemagne's empire,
expert sailors and ferocious fighters who burst out of
Scandinavia
Explain why/how feudalism developed and how it
shaped medieval society. What ended this practice?
· feudalism=loosely organized system of government in
which local lords (vassals) governed their own lands but
owed military service and support to a greater lord
· new system developed in response to basic need for
protection from invasions by Vikings, Muslims, and Magyars
· a lord granted is vassal a fief, or estate, which
included peasants to work the land and any towns or
buildings on the land, lord also promised to protect his
vassal
· in return, vassal pledged loyalty to his lord, and
agreed to provide lord with 40 days of military service each
yr, certain money payments, and advice
· vassal usually had liege lord to whom he owed his first
loyalty
· order in feudal society from highest to lowest- nobles,
monarch, lords, lesser lords, knights, peasants
Describe the influence of the Catholic Church during
the Middle Ages. What led to the eventual erosion of
this influence?
· after fall of Rome, Christian Church split into eastern
and western churches
· western church, headed by pope, became known as
Roman Catholic Church--grew stronger and wealthier
during Middle Ages--controlled spiritual life of Christians and
was the most powerful secular, or worldly, force in Western
Europe
· Church decided who could participate in the
sacraments, and the only way to achieve salvation was
through faith in Christ and participation in the sacraments
· Church had own body of laws, canon law, and own
courts--anyone who refused to obey Church laws faced
penalties, excommunication-could not receive sacraments,
interdict-excluded entire town, region, or kingdom from
participating in the sacraments and from receiving Christian
burial
· all Christians had to pay a tithe, tax equal to a tenth of
their incomes, used to help poor and support itself
· Church taught that men and women = before God, but
women inferior to men on Earth, tried to protect women
· success of medieval Church brought serious problems
leading to the eventual erosion of its influence-discipline
weakened, clergy tended to be worldly and many lived in
luxury, monks and nuns ignored their vows, growing
corruption and moral decay
Describe how monarchs in England and France
increased royal power.
· during High Middle Ages, feudal monarchs started to
increase their power
· in med. Europe, kings stood at head of society, but
nobles and Church had as much, or more power than them
· ambitious rulers centralized power by expanding the
royal domain and setting up a system of royal justice that
undermined feudal or Church courts
· organized a government of bureaucracy, developed a
system of taxes, and built a standing army, strengthened
ties with the middle class,
· in England--Anglo-Saxon king Edward died without an
heir, Duke William of Normandy claimed English throne,
granted fiefs to Church and Norman lords, or barons, but
kept large amount of land for himself, monitored who built
castles and where, required every vassal to swear first
allegiance to him rather than to any other feudal lord
· complete census taken in 1086-Domesday Book,
helped William and successors build efficient system of tax
collecting
· W's successors strengthened two key areas of
government, finances and law, created royal exchequer, or
treasury, to collect taxes
· Henry II inherited English throne, broadened system
of royal justice,developed early jury system, decisions of
royal courts became basis for English common law, law that
was the same for all ppl, so in time, ppl chose royal courts
over those of Church
· in France, monarchs, successors of Charlemagne,
had little power over a patchwork of territories ruled by great
feudal nobles
· 987, feudal nobles elected Hugh Carpet, count of
Paris, to fill vacant throne--him and heirs slowly increased
royal power, made throne hereditary, won support of the
Church, built an effective bureaucracy--by establishing
order, added to their prestige
· Philip II-outstanding French king of period, Philip
Augustus, strengthened royal government by paying
middle-class officials who would owe
their loyalty to him to fill government positions (instead of
appointed nobles),granted charters to many new towns,
organized standing army, introduced new national tax
· Louis IX, grandson of Philip Augustus, ascended
French throne in 1226, ideal, declared saint, deeply
religious, did much to improve royal government--sent out
roving officials to check on local officials, expanded royal
courts, outlawed private wars, and ended serfdom in his
lands, heard cases himself under a tree in royal park of
Vincennes,
· by the time of Louis IX's death in 1270, France was an
efficient, centralized monarchy
Summarize the ideas about government and law that
developed in medieval England.
Government-
· English rulers moved to strengthen royal
power/authority
· Parliament developed-during 1200's English rulers
often called on Great Council for advice, this body evolved
into Parliament, developed into 2 house body, House of
Lords with nobles and high clergy and the House of
Commons with knights and middle-class citizens, won right
to approve any new taxes, therefore it could insist that the
monarch met its demands before voting for taxes, and in
this way it could check or limit the power of the monarch
Law-
· early jury system developed
· common law
· strengthened royal courts
Summarize the causes and effects of the Crusades.
· Cause and Effects: they failed for their number one
goal of conquest of the Holy Land
· Positive effects quickened the pace of changes
underway such as the trade. Increased it greatly
· Enthusiasm for the Crusades brought papal power to
its greatest height
· They also helped to increase the power of feudal
monarchs along with further encouraging the growth of a
money economy.
Identify the styles of architecture that developed during
the High Middle Ages.
Romanesque: Churches built, Roman influences
· Roofs were so heavy builders cut only tiny slits of
windows
Gothic: builders developed flying buttresses or stones
supports that stood outside
· Support allowed them to construct higher walls and
leave space for stained glass windows
· Soared heights
· Became popular in cathedrals
Analyze the effects of the catastrophic events of the
14th century.
· Black Death- killed population...
· Failure of the crusades-didn't capture Holy Land
· Struggle between Popes and Emperors
· Hundred Years' War- economic decline
Compare/contrast the values of the Renaissance and
the Middle Ages.
- The middle ages: A time in western Europe when they had
secured its borders against invaders and planted seeds of
economic growth, Feudal monarchs like
Henry II increased power over nobles and Church, steps to
building the Modern nation state. Struggles between popes
and emperors along with the Crusades. They had literature
advances, Black Death and Hundred Years' War
- The Renaissance: Time of creativity and change in many
areas, political, social and economical and cultural. Very
important. Produced new aptitudes toward culture and
learning, thinkers were eager to explore the richness and
variety of human experience and individual achievement.
Supported adventure and wide ranging curiosity led to new
worlds. Effect from Humanism, arts, writing, printing,
reforms, English and Catholic reformation and Scientific
Revolution
Analyze the necessary conditions for the Renaissance.
· Education
· Printing press
· Money patronage for artist, musicians from wealthy
people
· People starting to see the world differently
· Appreciating things such as art more closely
How were the ideals of the Renaissance exemplified by
the art of the time?
· Public art
· Statures, sculptures, different perspectives
· Men and women artists
· Great impact of the time
Explain how the printing press transformed Europe.
· Brought immense changes, books were printed with
movable type of rag paper, more people learned to read
and write, gained access to broad range of knowledge as
presses churned out the books on topic from medicine to
law to astrology and much more. Influenced both religious
and secular thought. Contributed to the religious turmoil in
Europe. The ideas of religious reformers spread faster to a
larger audience.
Analyze the causes and effects of the Reformation.
· Causes: Roman Catholic Church became worldlier,
humanist urge return to simple religion, Strong National
monarchs emerged. Martin Luther posted 95 theses,
Printing press allowed spread of reform ideas, reformers
preach against Roman Catholic traditions.
· Effects: peasants' revolt, founding of Lutheran,
Calvinist, Anglican and other Protestant churches,
Weakening of Hold Roman emperor, Religious wars in
Europe, Catholic Reformation, Strengthening of Inquisition
and increased anti-Semitism.
Explain the discoveries and advances made during the
Scientific Revolution.
· Revolutionary theory, Heliocentric or sun-centered
model of the universe, the new scientific method. Newton
and discovery of gravity, Chemistry and medicine. Bacon
and Descartes connection to the new method.
Explain why European nations sent explorers across
the oceans. What developments
allowed this 'age of exploration'?
· Europe had traded with Asia before the Renaissance
and the Crusades had introduced the luxury of goods. The
developments that allowed this was the astrolabe- angles
measurement of sun and starts the caravel-combined
square sails of European ships with Arab lateen sails
Analyze the effects of the voyages of "discovery."
· Raw materials brought back to Europe
· Gold and Silver made Europe wealthy
· Colonization
· Named the "New World"
· Line of Demarcation
· Increased contacts
Describe absolutism and analyze the theory and
practice of absolutism in the
1500s-1800s.
· Absolute monarchy- a ruler with complete authority
over the government and lives of people. Louis XIV built up
his state bureaucracies and equipped powerful army. Him
and other European monarchs created even more powerful
nations of 1500s and 1600s. Ensured loyalty of the crown
and used growing resources for bold ventures at home and
overseas. Spain, Portugal and Netherlands quickly took
lead in acquiring overseas empire; France and Britain
surpassed them in 1600s and 1700s centering civilization to
Europe.
Describe the concept of the "balance of power" and the
methods countries utilized to maintain it.
· Balance of power- a distribution of military and
economic power that would prevent any one nation from
dominating Europe. Methods: Stuarts and Tudors
in Parliament, English Civil war, Kingless Decade,
commonwealth, Glorious Revolution.
· Methods: Stuarts and Tudors in Parliament, English
Civil war, Kingless Decade, commonwealth, Glorious
Revolution.
Describe the territorial ambitions of the European
powers in the 1600s-1800s.
* England- East coast North America
* Spain- Mexico and South America
* Portugal- Brazil
* France- Central North America and Canada
History:

I. Eat Breakfast At Bill’s - Pittsburgh’s Greatest Restaurant

A. (Sumer), Egypt, Babylon, Assyrian, Neo-Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Romans
1.1st civilization (written language: cuneiform, wheeled vehicles)
2. Stable, lasting monuments (pyramid architecture, 24-hour day, biblical significance)
3. Hammurabi’s Code, Fertile Crescent
4. Libraries, fierce warriors, biblical significance
5. Hanging gardens, astronomy, biblical significance
6. Zoroastrianism (monotheism), federalism, agriculture and trade, coin system, class tensions
(slaves), roads, capital
B. Other civilizations
1. Phoenicians- “carriers of civilization,” alphabet
2. Hittites- ironworking
3. Lydians, Persians- coins

II. Geography

Renaissance/Reformation/Scientific Revolution/Age of Exploration

Read Chapter 14, Chapter 15 section 1, and Chapter 16 section 5

Petrarch
An early Renaissance humanist in Florence, revived Greek and Roman knowledge
Sonnets influenced writers of his time
Humanism
Intellectual movement based on study of classical culture, used wisdom of the ancients
Focused on worldly subjects rather than religious issues
Education should stimulate creativity
Renaissance – what is it and how did it come about?
The Renaissance was a time of creativity and change in political, social, economic, and cultural areas,
means “rebirth,” focus on individual achievement
People were curious about the world- explorers, scientists, writers, and artists
Pope Julius II
 Patron of art and literature (St. Peter's Basilica), friend and patron of Bramante, Raphael, and
Michelangelo (painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel)
Medici family
Powerful merchant family in Italy, money = cultural and political power
Patrons of the arts (poets, philosophers, artists- Michelangelo)
The artists from our APPARTS jigsaw (may have to go back and look them up!)
Durer- German artist (paintings, engravings, prints), spread Italian Renaissance ideas
Leonardo- art (Mona Lisa), inventions, anatomy, nature
Michelangelo- sculptor (David), engineer, painter, architect (St. Peter’s church), poet
Breugel- portrayed peasant life
Raphael- painter (School of Athens, portrayals of the Madonna)
Titian- Ventian painter (portraits, landscapes, mythological and religious subjects)
Artistic terms from Renaissance
Patron- financial supporter
Perspective- made things more realistic, point of view
Florence – the “Renaissance City”
The Renaissance started in Italy
Reawakened interest in the culture of ancient Rome
Italian city-states had survived the Middle Ages
High Renaissance – 1490-1520
Gutenberg
German, invented the printing press
Cheaper books (higher literacy, access to more knowledge), spreads religious ideas
Johann Hus
Led reforms in Bohemia, tried for heresy and burned at the stake
Jean Wycliffe
1300s- Bible, not Church, is source of truth (translated Bible into English), persecuted
Martin Luther and beliefs
German monk and professor of theology (powerful religious experience)
Excommunicated for his ideas, made an outlaw
Wanted to return to simple ways of the early Church (Bible study, no pomp and ceremony)
Salvation can be achieved through faith alone (good deeds necessary)
Bible is the sole source of religious truth
Priests and the church hierarchy don’t have special powers
Rejected 5 of 7 sacraments (indulgences, confession, pilgrimages, prayers to saints),
sermon instead of mass, clergy allowed to marry
Indulgences
Pardons for sins committed during a person’s lifetime
Sold to make money for the Church
95 Theses
List of arguments against indulgences
John Calvin and predestination
French priest and lawyer
Same ideas as Luther (Protestantism), but God is all powerful and humans are sinful
God had long ago determined who would gain salvation (saints vs. sinners)
Henry VIII
Wanted to end papal control over the English church
Wanted to have his marriage annulled (no male heir)- request denied
Leaned toward Protestantism (would turn people against the Pope and take over)
New Anglican Church (son Edward VI pushed for Calvinist reforms)
Philip II
Copernicus
Heliocentric universe (contradicted Ptolemy and the Church)
Galileo
 First telescope (observed mountains on moon, sunspots, 4 moons of Jupiter)
Tried for heresy, his discoveries suggested that the heavens weren’t unmoving/perfect
Newton
Laws of motion, mathematics, linked physics and astronomy
Bacon
Rejected Aristotle/Church, experiment and observation, wanted to improve life w/ technology
Niccolo Machiavelli
The Prince- discusses politics (how to gain and maintain power), controversial
Rulers should uses whatever means necessary to achieve goals
No honesty in government- results more important than promises
Castiglione
The Book of the Courtier- “how-to” book, good courtier has mastered many fields
Shakespeare
Wrote 37 plays- comedy, history, tragedy
Enriched English language
Age of Exploration – reasons for and results
Prince Henry of Portugal (Henry the Navigator)
Explored coast of West Africa
Heard about riches in Africa, wanted to find gold and form an alliance against Muslims
Magellan
Portuguese, wanted to find a route through the Americas to the Indies, 1st man to circumnavigate the
world (his crew made it, but he died in the Philippines)
Columbus
Italian (supported by Spain), sailed to America (thought it was the Indies)
Da Gama
Portuguese, went around the tip of Africa and to India (Europe in on Indian Ocean trade)
Scurvy
Disease caught by sailors, caused by lack of vitamin C
Mercantilism
Policy adopted by European monarchs to strengthen their national economies (colonies, taxes)
The spice trade
Commercial revolution = inflation
Capitalism- investment of money to make a profit and entrepreneurs- enterprising merchants
Joint stock company- allowed people to pool money for overseas ventures

Medieval Lit Study Guide

Canterbury Tales
Geoffrey Chaucer
Born into middle class family
Served in royal households (exposed to aristocracy)
Topic: economic, political, and social issues of 14th c. England
Wrote Canterbury Tales 1386-1400
Brought respectability back to English language
Consider the talent of man (intended to have 120 tales)
Used poetic vocabulary and meter
1st to do a 7-line verse in pentameter
1st to do a heroic couplet
English Homer/father of English poetry
NO SILENT E’S IS CHARACTERISTIC!
Canterbury Tales
Frame story, story within a story
30 pilgrims (29 + narrator)
Each supposed to tell 4 stories
Completed 24, 2 are fragmented tales
Unfinished = questionable order of tales
 Focuses on thematic subjects: romance, religion (corruption), fabliau, role of God, morality, and appearance vs.
reality
Information from narrator (reliable?)
Class structure
People didn’t always stay in their class
Individuals represent groups of people
Identify who’s in what group
Chaucer is one of pilgrims, narrator (Going on a pilgrimage)
General Prologue
Narrator- wants redemption, to repent, to be saved/cured (we are at his mercy)
Knight- loved chivalry, won most of 15 battles, “perfect, gentle knight” = modest, meek, quiet, humble, successful
knight, member of aristocracy, not happy
*As close to perfection as you can get, no such thing as a perfect person
Appearance vs. reality
The Knight’s Tale
Latin = educated, love story (reflects the Knight’s personality)
characters= Palamon, Arcita, Emily, Theseus
Balance of love and war, warning for Squire?
Pilgrimage for forgiveness, distraction (good knights can’t be distracted)
Squire- son of Knight, respectful, lusty bachelor, ladies’ man, courteous, humble, willing, able, composed, well-
educated, following in father’s footsteps, living up to image
Yeoman- servant to Knight, Squire, seems to be good at his job, well-armed/prepared (Knight has won many
battles), sun-browned face, a forester (narrator is skeptical)
Prioress- nun (modest, charitable), seems to be ladylike, proper (puts up fake front of propriety), emotional, pitying
(quick to upset), trying to please everyone = insecure, been sheltered = weak, romantic (contradiction, should love
Church), fat (vs. vow of poverty, not fulfilling duties/living up to vow), “counterfeit the look” (author is critical)
Monk- strong, large man, serves wealthy (cosmopolitan, worldly), parallel for prioress, an OK guy, not monk (that’s
the way he is, not fake), 0 for 4: poverty, chastity, stability, obedience, made for mastery (not a follower), liked to
leave monastery
Friar- poor, looked for charity, happy (well-liked by rich)
Merchant- pompous, good at trading/bargaining, narrator can’t remember his name (ambiguous or deceitful?)
Clerk- scholar/philosopher from Oxford, spoke w/ reverence, moral virtue, care (nothing more than was necessary)
Lawyer- discreet, seemed wise, rich (liked to spend money – fancy wardrobe, classy), served royalty, spoke well
Franklin- old (white beard), wanted delightful living (lots of food, son of Epicurus, silk = rich), lord, sire = acted like
a knight, sheriff, auditor
Weaver, Dyer, and Arras-Maker- artisans (guildsmen, cloth workers), have good wives; go to church, lived well
(had good gear and rent)
Cook- good cook (good at what he does), narrator is suspicious of deadly sore on shin (pilgrimage to be healed vs.
was hired?), sore = ability to make white sauce = ew!
*APPEARANCE DOESN’T MATCH SKILL (vs. Knight)
Sailor- pirate = no morals, steals, murders; sad, good fellow (drank stolen wine), knew a lot of places, common,
expert seaman (skilled, sailing based on astronomy, skies)
Physician- astronomy = astrology, used magic for cures, knew every malady (primitive science), well read in a
variety of authors, but not Bible, loved money more than any other thing, skilled doctor (medicine tied to nature),
clear he’s working w/ apothecaries
*FOCUSED ON PROFIT (flaw = greed, like Esculapius)
Wife of Bath- respectable (5 husbands), 3 pilgrimages to Jerusalem, learned old, old dance (uses sex as a tool),
exhibits 7 deadly sins, lady of the night?, negative image of women, killed husbands? Gap-toothed, deaf
The Wife of Bath’s Prologue- first 3 husbands were “good” (rich and old), last two were different (one had
a mistress, one beat her), she wants power
The Wife of Bath’s Tale- Knight has to search for the thing women want most: control over their husbands
and their own lives.
Parson- man of religion, holy, virtuous, reproved sinners (piteous towards sinners), a shepard, patient, appears
pure, simple, pious, practices what he preaches
* CAN’T DO HIS JOB BECAUSE OF HIS MORALITY (doesn’t fulfill role/responsibility because he wouldn’t
excommunicate people)
Plowman- brother of parson, hard toiler, loved God, would work w/o pay, dung-covered farmer, doesn’t pretend to
be what he isn’t
Miller- big, wrestling, chunky, broad (physical presence), wart w/ red hairs, red beard, large nose and mouth, stole
corn, thumb of gold
The Miller’s Prologue- The Miller cuts in front of the Friar.
The Miller’s Tale- Nicholas is a young student boarding w/ John, a carpenter, and his wife Alison. He tricks
John and Absalem, and all 3 men are punished.
A poke at class, true love, education, not supposed to be high-level comedy (DOES CHAUCER
RISK HIS GOAL to beautify English language)
 Manciple- obtained food w/ or w/o paying, no physical description (based entirely on skill), gentle person (sarcastic,
ironic), smart w/ money and law (manages inn’s accounts), financially adept
Reeve- slender, choleric, lean, long, young (20), cunning, deceitful, wanted to please lord (manages accounts in a
large house)
Summoner- children feared his face, scanty beard, loved garlic + wine, good comrade, appearance matches
behavior, lacking morality (uses office for profit), sexual exploitations, hideous appearance (boils, scabs, eczema –
sexually-transmitted diseases), lies, but is honest about lying (he is what he is), nothing will clean him up
Pardoner- out for profit, selling religious relics/indulgences (bones of Mary are pig bones), homosexual (gelding or
a mare, odd relationship w/ Summoner), pretty boy, clean-shaven (evil, devil), unashamed to sell fake relics to
pardon people of their sins
Medieval Lit Notes
Latin official language, Christianity official religion
Chaucer and Dante wrote in common man’s language
Chaucer wrote in English, “crude man’s language”
Dante completes in Italian (goes against what is accepted at the time)
Latin is for people who are educated (royalty, upper class, church), creates divide
People were still expected to attend church when mass was in Latin
Dante- people don’t understand sins/what’s in Bible