Guided Reading Medieval Europe Lesson 5: The Late Middle Ages
ESSENTIAL QUESTION
- Why do governments change?
Famine and Plague
- Explaining: How did famine affect Europe’s people?
- Famine led to widespread hunger, malnutrition, and death among the population. It also caused social unrest and weakened feudal obligations as the population struggled to survive.
The Black Death
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What is a plague?
- A plague is an infectious disease that spreads rapidly and causes high mortality rates. The Black Death specifically is known for being caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, which manifested in the bubonic, septicemic, and pneumonic forms.
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Where did the plague begin?
- The plague began in Asia, particularly in China, and spread to Europe through trade routes.
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How did the plague spread?
- The plague spread through fleas that lived on rats, as well as through human-to-human contact, and was facilitated by trade and movement of armies.
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How many Europeans died between 1347 and 1351?
- Approximately 25 million Europeans died, which was about one-third of the population at that time.
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What effects did the plague have on the European economy?
- The plague led to labor shortages, which increased wages for workers and decreased the power of landlords. It also caused a decline in trade and economic instability in the short term but ultimately contributed to the rise of a more market-oriented economy.
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Determining Effect: How did the plague weaken the system of feudalism?
- The plague weakened feudalism by reducing the population, which resulted in a shortage of laborers. This allowed serfs to demand higher wages and better working conditions, undermining the traditional feudal hierarchy.
Divisions in Religion and Politics
Describing: As you read the lesson, write what you learn about the events or people listed in the left-hand column.
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The Great Schism
- The Great Schism was a split within the Catholic Church that occurred between 1378 and 1417, during which there were multiple claimants to the papacy. This division weakened the Church’s authority and increased criticism of its practices.
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John Wycliff and Jan Hus
- John Wycliff was an English theologian who criticized the Church and advocated for translations of the Bible into the vernacular. Jan Hus, a Czech reformer influenced by Wycliff, called for Church reforms and was executed for his beliefs. Both figures laid the groundwork for later Protestant movements.
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The Battle of Crécy
- The Battle of Crécy (1346) was a significant battle in the Hundred Years’ War between England and France, where the English longbowmen defeated a much larger French force. This battle demonstrated the effectiveness of new military technology and tactics.
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Joan of Arc
- Joan of Arc was a peasant girl who claimed to have received visions from God, prompting her to lead French forces against the English. Her leadership was pivotal in several victories for France, but she was captured and executed. She became a symbol of French national unity and identity.
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The Reconquista
- The Reconquista was the centuries-long effort to reclaim the Iberian Peninsula from Muslim rule, culminating in 1492 with the capture of Granada. It significantly shaped Spanish culture and politics and led to the eventual unification under Ferdinand and Isabella.
Guided Reading Cont. Medieval Europe
- Finding the Main Idea: What caused the Hundred Years’ War between England and France?
- The Hundred Years’ War was primarily caused by territorial disputes over the French crown and claims to land in France by English kings, stemming from the dynastic struggles between the two nations.
- Assessing: How did victory in the Hundred Years’ War affect the French?
- Victory in the Hundred Years’ War solidified France's national identity and authority, helping to unify the country and strengthen the monarchy while diminishing the power of the nobility.
- Identifying Cause and Effect: How did the desire of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella to unify Spain affect the Jews and Muslims who lived there?
- Their desire to unify Spain under Catholicism led to the expulsion and persecution of Jews and Muslims through the Spanish Inquisition and the Alhambra Decree, which forced many to convert to Christianity or leave the country.
Feel free to ask if you have any further questions or need additional clarification!