Lasting Impact on Society Today

From what we studied, some quick notes on what effect ancient societies had on our life today

Mesopotamia- Called the Cradle of Civilization. Often given credit for where an agrarian lifestyle started. First place to use writing, the wheel, and irrigation. Also where cities started and laws were first written down.

Ancient Egypt-A very early civilization that lasted for 3,000 years. As evidenced in their massive structures and preservation of the dead, they had great knowledge in building, mathematics, astronomy, and medicine. A big influence at the time on the surrounding areas and Ancient Egypt continues today to fascinate people.

Ancient Greece- With their philosophers and practice of democracy, Ancient Greece has had a large impact on our perception  how people should live together and what is right and wrong. Their mathematicians and scientists made great discoveries, and Greek plays, sporting traditions (Olympics), and architecture still influences us today.

Ancient Rome-Besides keeping much of the contributions of Ancient Greece alive, see above, Ancient Rome has heavily influenced our system of government, system of law, how we organize our armies, and made large advances in architecture (arches, cement). Many languages came from or where influenced by Latin and the Romans made Christianity the dominant religion of the Western World.

Medieval Times-Refined how we do banking, setup up principals of grammar and writing conventions, and is when Universities first started in the Western World. Also the time that chivalry and romantic love started, is when we first saw mechanical clocks and corrective glasses. It is when compasses first appeared in the Western World, along with the printing press. Also saw the Magna Carter, which limited the power of the king, and the rise of urban culture. 

Medieval Project

Project List

Medieval Manor
Medieval Castle
Gothic Cathedral
City of Constantinople
Illuminated  Manuscripts
Medieval Musical Instruments/music
Hagia Sophia
Vikings/Viking Ship
Medieval Tapestry
Clothing
Medieval Games & Entertainment
Medieval Justice/Trial by Ordeal
Court Jesters
Crafts ( candle making etc…)
Fashion for Men and Women
Medieval Feasts/Banquets
Food
The Knights Templar
Jousting/Tournaments
Joan of Arc
Black Death/Plague
Military Tactics and weapons and body armor
William the Conqueror
Nursery Rhymes
Norman Invasion
Medieval Calendar
Battle of Hastings
Life in a Monastery
Justinian/Justinian Code of Law
Feudal System
King John I-Magna Carta
Archery, Hunting, Falconry
Christianity and Rome
Crusades
King Arthur and the Round Table
Medieval Church
Guilds
Charlemagne
Eleanor of Aquitaine
Chivalry
People’s Crusade
Children’s Crusade
Courtly Love
Domesday Book
Hundred Years War
Marco Polo
Daily Life in the Middle Ages
Richard Lionheart
Robin Hood
Medicine
Religions during M.A. (Muslim, Christian, Jewish)

Content

______ Title (name of event/person/activity,and your name) 1mark-Keep focused on the topic

_______Who (describe major people/groups involved) 1-See above-Focus!

 ______ What (description of event/action/activity) 1-Focus

 ______ When (period it took place)1-Focus

 ______ Where (global, regional & social location)1-Focus

_______How (How it worked, happened, was created, changed society)Multiple Marks

 ______ Why (purpose/significance of event/action/activity)Multiple Marks

 ______ Impact/Change (immediate consequences and/or lasting changes b/c of the event/person/action/activity)Multiple Marks

Should have at least 20 Marks. Hand in to the teacher in any fashion you see fit. Include your sources, see below.  Sources can be found in the links provided above and here 

Cite your sources!!!!!!!

Presentation

Share your knowledge with the class. Below are some suggestions on how to do that.

-Create a news cast. A news anchor that outlines the information, and then a reporter or two reporting from the scene(s). 

-Create your object of study. Such as making a Cathedral, Castle or a Medieval feast.

-Create a board game. You could make a medieval version of snakes and ladders or some other game.

-Create a slideshow using Keynote or PowerPoint or Prezi or . . . Be sure to include multimedia and your own words in the slideshow

-Create an essay on your topic. Good practice for later grades. Have a introductory paragraph, several body paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph. 

Black Death

How would the world's most deadly pandemic lead to an improved lifestyle? Read this link and this link to get a better understanding of  the Pestilence. Some more reading here and also here

1. From your reading, why is the term Black Death now used for the Bubonic Plague?
2. Describe how years of good crops and population growth followed by two years of dismal crops would be a good condition for the plague to attack.
3. How did increased trade lead to the spread of the plague?
4. IMPORTANT-What happened to the worth of the Serfs after the plague decimated much of the population in the country side.
5. How was urine and manure used in efforts to stop the plague
6. How did the above method actually probably help with the spread of the plague?
7. Why would people confess to causing the plague by poisoning wells and what punishment did the Christian majority bestow upon many of the Jewish faith?
8. Give a name that the plague was called during the Middle Ages.
9. How were those that died used as weapons by the Tartars?
10.What percentage died from the Black Death and why would that number be hard to verify?
11.Why did people think changing clothes would make you more likely to get the plague?
12.The plague had 3 forms, depending on how it is caught. If you had to have the plague back in the Middle Ages, which form would you prefer and why?


Bubonic Plague-Most common, often from the bite of fleas or other infected animals. Often thought to be the version of the plague that decimated Europe in the Middle ages that we call The Black Death. Plague enters lymph nodes. Gangrene can set in on the extremities. Not as deadly as the other two versions.  

Septicaemia Plague-The infection enters the blood stream. Loss of clotting leads to black splotches on the skin. Death can be within a day.

Pneumonic Plague- The plague enters the lungs. The patients cough up blood. Very deadly, even today. Because this can easily transmit from person to person some argue this was version of the plague we call  the Black Death. Read here more about that research on the spread of the Black Death. 

Some claim that this nursery rhyme is from the Black Death. The claim doesn't stand up to scrutiny, but it does make a good story.

Your Gothic Cathedral

From studying the features in the blog posting below, you will create your own Gothic Church. The actual churches often took a 100 years to build, generations of workers. Yours will be done within this class, using yourself, your group members, and whatever else your imagination can come up with. Be prepared to assemble the structure for the class.

Your Castles

Fling the Teacher

When done your questions, you will have the opportunity to fling the teacher by putting your knowledge of castles to good use Click here and good luck(to me)!

Gothic Cathedrals

When done the previous assignment, go on a tour of some of the beautiful Medieval churches, but around a 1000 years ago.  For your own tour, here is a link to a virtual tour of Paris's Notre Dame Cathedral, a Gothic church built in the Middle ages, about a thousand years ago.  Here is link to the outside. Here is a another Notre Dame Cathedral in France, a little newer, but still very old.  This church, Sainte-Chapelle, is older than the two Notre Dame churches. Here is a link to multiple pictures of multiple Gothic Churches from the Middle Ages.

Note  the pointed arches

and the ribbed vaults.


the huge doors



 the flying buttresses






all the windows


 the grotesques






and gargoyles




Gargoyles doing their work while the teacher was caught in the rain.



And inside be prepared to see some Relics



Information here and here and here on the role of relics and what some of them were/are.




Take some time with the above links and enjoy the virtual field trip. You might find it a little cool in the churches, and remember, no matter how hot outside, shoes, covered shoulders and covered knees inside the church, and a uncovered head for men. 

Friday Review

Religion

From what we talked about and saw in class, and from this reading here and here and here and here and here and here! Answer the following questions,  after doing the readings.

1. What is a Tithe?

2. What is a pilgrimage?

3. At the start of the Middle Ages, how many versions of Christianity were there?

4. How did The Church treat other religions/ways of worshipping? Give an example for your answer

5. How did The Church in the Middle Ages treat christians who tried a new way to worship God? Give an example for your answer

6. What is the difference between a cathedral and a church?

7. Give two uses for the huge stain glass windows

8. Explain how hope would draw people to the church in the Middle Ages

9. Explain how fear would draw people to the church in the Middle Ages

10. During the Middle Ages, which religion was known for its scientists?

11. Though not always followed, the law in much of the Middle ages forbid or discouraged Christians from lending money for a profit. Which religion allowed its members to provide the service of lending money for a profit (usury)?

12. Name some essential services that the church took upon themselves in the Middle Ages, services that they still do to this day.

More review here of the contributions of Islam.

Food in the Middle Ages

Read this link here and be prepared to answer questions from your reading.



1. List at leasts 2 ways that travel (in particular, the Crusades) change meal time during the Middle Ages.
2. Who would eat rye bread?
3. Who would eat raw vegetables?
4. Would being rich lead to a healthier diet? Explain.
5. Many of our foods were developed as a result of preservation practices during the Middle Ages. In the days before fridges and canning, foods were prepared in various ways so that they would last longer. These various methods of preparation gave the foods a distinctive taste. Read the article here and tell us what you last ate that would have been preserved in a Medieval style. Some more information can be found here
6. A ploughman is a field worker from the Middle Ages and a ploughman's lunch is a common menu item today, such as at this local restaurant. What would you get if you ordered a ploughman's lunch? Bonus Question-What is ironic about a fancy restaurant offering a ploughman's lunch?

If you are done your reading early, research for our medieval feast, from recipes here. If you are making Tartee, get busy catching the humming birds.