Today in Western Civiliation Class we took notes on two different Power Points called Germanic kingdoms Unite Under Charlemagne and The Crusades.

AD 476 – AD 1453

(from the end of the Roman Empire to the conquest of Constantinople by the Turks)

medieval Europe is fragmented= medieval period

AD 476 – AD 1453

(from the end of the Roman Empire to the conquest of Constantinople by the Turks)

medieval Europe is fragmented

This new society has roots in:

• classical heritage of Rome
• beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church
• customs of various Germanic tribes

Germanic Invaders overrun the western half of the Roman Empire

causing:

• disruption of trade
• downfall of cities
• population shifts to rural areas

Church + Frankish rulers = rise in Christianity

In 520, Benedict writes rules for monks:

• vows of poverty (live simply in monasteries) 
• chastity (no marital relations)
• obedience (listen to church superiors)

His sister Scholastica writes similar rules for nuns

they operate schools, maintain libraries, copy books

Today in Western Civilization class we learned about how Christianity grew and how the roman emperor fell.
Christianity grew because it:
Embraced all people, Gave hope to the powerless, Appealed to those who were disgusted by the imperial Rome's decadence, offered a personal relationship with God, and promised eternal life after death.
The conversion of Constantine AD 312
Roman emperor Constantine had a vision before a key battle
Saw an image of a cross with the Words: "In this sign, Conquer"
Orders troops to put a cross on their shields, and they win the battle.
Edict of Milan in AD 313
Christianity become a religion that you can practice without being prosecuted.
Continues to strengthen, but as Christianity grows, Rome becomes weaker. By 380 Christianity is the Empire's Religion
Decline of Roman Empire.
Military- too weak to protect a huge area, Economy- Taxes are too high, keeps separating rich and poor.
Social- nobody cared about public affairs, disloyalty and population decline.
Political- division of the empire, Western and eastern, Western- Roman empire falls, but the eastern- Byzantine Empire does very well and lasts for a long time.
Last True Roman Emperor was a fourteen year old boy named Romulus Augustulus.

Today in Western Civilization class we read pages 358-363 and took notes and wrote down the terms and names for pages 363+357.
From 800-1000, invasions destroyed the Carolingian Empire.  Muslim invaders from the south seized Sicily and raided Italy.  In 846, they sacked Rome.  Magyar invaders struck from the east.  The Vikings invaded from the north.  They set sail from Scandinavia a wintry, wooded region in Northern Europe.  They were a Germanic people, they worshiped war-like gods.  Magyars and Muslims attacked from the east and South after Viking invasions declined, and Europe became the new target of new assaults.  Feudalism, In 911, two former enemies faced each other in a peace ceremony.  The manor was the lord's estaste.  During the middle ages the manor system was the basic economic arrangement.
Terms and names pg. 357-
1. Middle Ages- The gradual decline of the roman Empire ushered in an era of European history, or the medieval period.
2. Franks- Germanic people from what is now France and Switzerland.
3. Monastery-  The Church built religious communities, to adapt to rural conditions.
4. Secular-  The papacy became a worldly power involved in politics.
5.  Carolingian Dynasty-  The family rule after Pepin the Short died.
6. Charlemagne-  Ruled after Pepin the Short died, and spread the empire after conquering many people.
Terms and Names on page 363-
1. lord- In exchange for military protection a landowner owner called a lord could appoint land.
2. Fief- The land someone received from a lord.
3. vassal- The people who received a fief from a lord
4. Knight- Mounted horsemen who pledged to defen their lord's lands in exchange for fiefs.
5. Serf- People who could not lawfully leave the place where they were born.
6. Manor- The manor was the lord's estate.
7. Tithe-  After all the payments were made to the lord, peasent families owed money to the village priest, a tithe is a church tax.

Today in Western civilization class we started the Power Point on the Middle Ages and learned about the backstory of Jesus, and what he actually looked like.  I was very shocked at what he looked like but it makes because of where he was born and where he lived.  I wonder what Mary really looked like since Europeans probably made her look like them as well.  Christianity in the Pax Romana- it all started with Jesus.  Most of what we know about Jesus comes from the gospels- Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John,  Gospel means Good news.  He wasn't world famous when he lived his life, he became very famous after his death.  his followers believed he was the "Messiah" who had come to end the world and bring the faithful to the Kingdom of God.  He was deemed a threat by Roman Rule and was crucified, and resurrected three days later and then ascended into Heaven.  Paul of Tarsus was a Jew who became a follower of Jesus after a miraculous conversion on the road to Damascus.

Today in Western Civilization class we went over our Rome test, and you handed them back.  I got a 93 on the test.  I was very surprised that I got an A because I didn't study at all and completely forgot we had the test on Monday.  I was very tired an didn't even believe that I actually got a 93.

Today in Western Civilization class we took our Rome test which wasn't that hard even though i didn't study and then we took notes on and read pages 350-357.
Germanic invasions in the fifth century eventually overran Rome and disrupted their way of life.
Disruption of trade, Downfall of Rome, and populations shifts.
The Germanic invaders could not read or write, among Romans themselves the level of learning sank when people left for rural areas.  When German speaking people mixed with Romans, Latin changed as a language.  The development of various languages helped in breaking up a once unified empire.
The concepts of government changed and germanic people had small communities that had unwritten rules and traditions.
After the Roman empire dissolved small kingdoms rose up all over Europe.  England split up into seven tiny kingdoms.  The Franks controlled the largest and strongest of Europe's kingdoms.  Charles Martel became the most powerful person in the Frankish kingdom.  He was the mayor of the palace in 719, he extended their kingdom to the north, south, and east.  After his death he passed his power on to his son, Pepin the Short.  He cooperated with the Pope and fought off the Lombards who were threatening Rome, and was named "king by the grace of God"
Pepin the Short died in 1768, and left the Frankish kingdom to his two sons Carloman and Charles.  When Carloman died a few years later, Charlemagne or Charles the Great became king.

Today in Western Civilization class we learned about the punic wars  and the Roman people.  The Punic Wars were fought between Rome and Carthage during the years 264-146 BC.  The First War was a naval war.    Fought for control over Sicily and Corsica.  Rome won.  The second war was Hannibal trying to take on Rome.  He attacks from the North instead of from the sea where Rome was expecting them to come from.  He wins many battles in Ital but never got through Rome.  Rome won again.  The third war was when Rome just absolutely destroyed Carthage so they would never have to worry about them again.  Slaves poured into Italy- 50,000 Carthaginians, 150,000 Greeks, Over 1 million slaves in Italy.  To keep Plebeians happy, the government gave people bread and entertainment for free.