Developments in Europe
I should not wish to be Aristotle if this were to separate me from Christ.
—Peter Abelard, Letter 17 to Heloise (1141)
Learning Objectives
- K: Explain how the beliefs and practices of the predominant religions in Europe affected European society.
- L: Explain the causes and consequences of political decentralization in Europe from c. 1200 to c. 1450.
- M: Explain the effects of agriculture on social organization in Europe from c. 1200 to c. 1450.
As the Roman Empire declined in power in the 5th and 6th centuries,
Western Europe entered the Middle Ages, sometimes called the medieval period. Throughout Europe, trade declined, intellectual life receded, and the united Roman state was replaced by smaller kingdoms that frequently fought one another for control of territory. In response, European kings, lords, and peasants worked out agreements to provide for common defense. Only the Roman Catholic Church remained powerful in most of Europe from Roman times to the 16th century.
However, between 1000 to 1450, learning and trade began to revive in Europe. This era is called the High Middle Ages. Like many scholars of this period, Peter Abelard studied classical thinkers such as Aristotle and sometimes criticized the Church, but he remained a faithful throughout his life.
Sections
Feudalism: Political and Social Systems
Political Trends in the Later Middle Ages
Roman Catholic Church during the Middle Ages
Christian Crusades
Economic and Social Change
Renaissance
The Origins of Russia
Think As a Historian: THINK AS A HISTORIAN: IDENTIfY HISTORICAL DEvELOPMENTS
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Reflect
REFLECT ON THE TOPIC ESSENTIAL QUESTION
1. In one to three paragraphs, explain how the beliefs and practices of the predominant religions, agricultural practices, and political decentralization affected European society from c. 1200 to c. 1450.
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