Question

MEDIEVAL STUDY GUIDE

DIRECTIONS: True/False Indicate whether the statement is true or false.

1. Most land in Europe lies within 300 miles of a seacoast.

2. In the Middle Ages, Scandinavia was filled with fertile farmland.

3. Each feudal territory had at its center a noble’s castle.

4. Knights trained for war by fighting each other in tournaments.

5. Friars spent most of their lives praying and working inside their monasteries.

WORD BANK FOR 6-10 CELTS KING JOHN VASSAL DOMESDAY BOOK KIEVAN RUS

6. census taken in England by William the Conqueror

7. pushed into Ireland, Wales, and Scotland by the Angles and Saxons

8. signed the Magna Carta in 1215

9. noble who served a lord of a higher rank

10. group of small territories that expanded around the Eastern European city of Kiev

DIRECTIONS: Multiple Choice Indicate the answer choice that best completes the statement

or answers the question.

“In the morning of the tenth day of Rajab [3 August], Ibn Barîc and his comrades

[colleagues, associates] returned to the King of England [Richard I] while the Sultan

went off with his bodyguard and his closest friends to the hill that abuts [borders] on

Shefa’Amr . . . Envoys [representatives of governments] did not cease to pass from one

side to the other in the hope of laying the foundation of a firm peace. These

negotiations continued till our men had procured [gotten by eff ort] the money and

the number of prisoners that they were to deliver to the Christians at the end of the

fi rst period in accordance [agreement] with the treaty. The fi rst installment was to

consist of the Holy Cross, 100,000 dinars [gold coins] and 1,600 prisoners.”

—Behâ-ed-Din, as quoted in Eyewitness to History

11. According to the passage, Richard I and Saladin negotiated

12. Refer to the passage. When the author refers to “our men,” to whom does he refer?

13. According to the passage, where did the Sultan go to await the outcome of negotiations?

14. Refer to the passage. Which side can you infer was the winner in this crusade?

15. The medieval state of Kievan Rus gained wealth through river trade with

16. The Russian word czar means

17. Which of the following was one eff ect of the Crusades on Western Europe?

18. Which of the following was an effect of the Black Death in Western Europe?

19. Between A.D. 1000 and 1200, most nuns

20. Peasants’ homes were made of

DIRECTIONS: Short Answer Answer each of the following questions on a separate piece of paper.

Charlemagne Orders That “Carefully Corrected Books” Be Available

“Here let the scribes sit who copy out the words of the Divine Law, and likewise the

hallowed [holy] saying of the holy Fathers. Let them beware of interspersing [adding

here and there] their own frivolities [unimportant ideas] in the words they copy, nor

let a trifl er’s [one who works without seriousness] hand make mistake through haste

[speed]. Let them earnestly seek out for themselves correctly written books to

transcribe [copy], that the fl ying pen may speed along the right path. Let them

distinguish the proper sense [grammar] by colons and commas, and let them set the

points each one in its due place, and let not him who reads the words to them either

read falsely or pause suddenly. It is a noble work to write out holy books, nor shall the

scribe fail of his due reward. Writing books is better than planting vines, for he who

plants a vine serves his belly, but he who writes a book serves his soul.”

—Alcuin, English monk, as quoted in The Discoverers

21. In Charlemagne’s time, how was the copying of holy books viewed?

22. According to the passage, what type of books should a scribe select to copy?

23. What “due reward” does Alcuin suggest scribes will receive for their work?

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24. List two differences between Japanese samurai and European knights.

25. In battle, how were medieval knights and samurai similar?

Answer 1

1. True
2. False
3. True
4. True
5. False

Word bank (6–10)
6. DOMESDAY BOOK
7. CELTS
8. KING JOHN
9. VASSAL
10. KIEVAN RUS

11. They negotiated a peace treaty/truce that included the return of the Holy Cross, payment of money, and exchange/release of prisoners.
12. “Our men” refers to the Sultan’s/Muslim side (Saladin’s men).
13. To the hill that abuts (borders) on Shefa’Amr.
14. The Christians (Richard I’s side) — the treaty provisions described favor the Christians (they were to receive the Holy Cross, money, and prisoners).
15. The Byzantine Empire (trade with Constantinople via river routes).
16. “Czar” comes from Caesar — i.e., emperor.
17. Increased trade and contact with the East, which helped revive towns and commerce in Western Europe.
18. Massive population loss causing labor shortages, rising wages for workers, social upheaval, and weakening of feudal structures.
19. Most nuns came from noble families (and lived in convents devoting themselves to religious life).
20. Wattle-and-daub (wooden frames filled with mud/straw) with thatched roofs — simple wood/mud/straw construction.

Short answer (21–25)
21. Copying holy books was seen as a noble, important, and spiritually rewarding work — serving the soul and deserving of due reward.
22. Scribes should select correctly written holy books — the Divine Law (Scripture) and the sayings of the Church Fathers.
23. A spiritual or moral reward — service to the soul and God’s favor (eternal/holy reward).
24. Two differences: (a) Code and cultural emphasis — samurai followed bushido (honor, loyalty, willingness to commit ritual suicide), while European knights followed chivalry, which mixed martial duties with Christian ideals. (b) Arms and armor/warfare style — samurai used weapons like the katana and yumi and lighter, more flexible armor; knights used lances, heavy swords and mail/plate armor and fought heavy cavalry-style charges.
25. Similarity in battle: both were elite, heavily armed/armored warrior classes who often fought as mounted cavalry, served feudal lords, and trained as professional military retainers.