The middle ages
By Paul Gantz
Feudalism and Manorialism
Feudalism was the society that knights or vassals worked for lords in exchange for land. Serfs were peasants that worked for vassals. Knights provided I litany service in return for land.
Manorialism is the way of society that everyone lives on a manor. A manor is a society owned by someone and people live on it.
The crusades
The crusades were a series of battles fought by Muslims and Christians to reclaim their holy land. The first crusade was the most successful, but the children's crusade was the least successful. Saladin was the powerful yet merciful leader that led the Muslims and Turks to victory.
The Black Death
The Black Death was a deadly disease during the Middle Ages that spread extremely rapidly. Over 1/3 of Europe's population perished under the Black Death. The symptoms of the Black Death were flesh turning black, very high fever, a painful boiling and singling feeling and red spots that were ringed in white. It came from middle and Eastern Asia on infected fleas on rats.
Popes and monarchies
Pope Gregory the 7th was pope during 1073. He excommunicated king Henry the 4th because he questioned the pope's power and was corrupting bishops. Charlemagne, also known as King Charles the 1st, was the first emperor in Western Europe since the fall of the Roman Empire. He united most of Western Europe, and died in 814.
The Spanish Inquisition
The Spanish Inquisition was started by king Ferdinand and queen Isabelle. The Spanish inquisition's stated purpose was to purify Spain of all heretics. A heretic was anyone who wasn't Christian. They used torture devices such as the rack, and strappdo.
Growth of cities
In Italy, Venice, Florence, Milan and Genoa were the major trading cities. Rome was not because it was separate (farther down the coast). The Medici family created the first banking system. There were many hospitals created in Italy while the Black death was raging.
Christianity
During the Middle ages, religion was a major part of daily life. The church was the schools and hospitals on the manors, so you were involved with the church. Friars were preachers that lived and prayed amongst the people. Monks lived in separate societies, and prayed a lot. During the black death's era, people lost faith in the church because the friars and monks were not able to cure the disease.