- I. WESTERN EUROPE IN THE MIDDLE AGES
- A. After the fall of Rome, Western Europe went through political fragmentation; Medieval kingdoms lacked trade, a common language, and cultural diffusion
- B. Because life in the Middle Ages was so dangerous, people had to find ways to survive
1. Feudalism offered protection when land-owning lords gave fiefs to knights who swore to protect the manor
2. Castles were built to protect the lord and his peasants
3. Medieval Europeans lived on self-sufficient manors; the manorial system allowed peasants to work the lord’s land in exchange for part of the food harvested
- II. THE ROLE OF THE MEDIEVAL CHURCH
- A. Feudalism and the manorial system divided people, but the shared faith in Christianity united Medieval era Europeans
- B. Roman Catholicism was the dominant religion in Western Europe during the Middle Ages; without a common government to hold everyone together, the Catholic Church filled an important role in peoples’ lives, giving them a sense of security and the goal of reaching salvation
1. The Catholic Church had a hierarchy (power structure), with local priests answering to bishops, who all answer to the Pope
2. The Catholic Pope became the strongest political authority in Western Europe, not just a religious leader
3. THE POWER OF THE CHURCH: The Catholic Church conducted spiritual rituals (called sacraments) and created a system of rules called Canon Law that all Christians had to follow
a. The Pope has ways of exerting his authority over the people and rulers of Europe; Christians who violated Canon Law could be excommunicated (formally expelled from the Church); kings and lords were subject to Canon Law, as well, not just peasants
b. Kings or lords who violated Canon Law could also face interdict (ban on religious services in a king’s lands); the people ruled by an interdicted king would think that they were spiritually condemned without Church services
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of crusades worksheet.
