The Middle Ages and Renaissance: Key Events and Figures
The Middle Ages: A Time of Transformation
The Middle Ages were a time of great change in Europe, much of it inspired by the Christian Church.
The Church’s Influence in the Middle Ages
The Church began to influence politics, art, and the daily lives of people all over the continent.
The Leader of the Church
The most powerful religious leader was the Pope, the head of the Christian Church. The Pope’s decisions had a huge effect on people’s lives.
The Crusades
The Crusades were a series of religious wars against the Church’s enemies in Southwest Asia.
Gothic Architecture
Gothic architecture is a style known for its pointed ceilings, tall towers, and stained glass windows.
The Feudal System
The Feudal System was a system of exchanging land for military service.
The Manor System
The Manor System involved a large estate owned by a noble or knight. A manor was the estate itself.
The Magna Carta
The Magna Carta:
- Limited the power of the monarchy
- Identified people’s rights to property
- Established people’s rights to trial by jury
The Black Death
The Black Death was a series of deadly plagues that hit Europe between 1347 and 1351, killing millions.
The Renaissance: A New Era
The Renaissance was a period of creativity, new ideas, and inspiration.
Humanism
Humanism emphasized the abilities and potential of human beings. It posited that people were capable of great things.
The Reformation
The Reformation was a religious reform movement. Its two biggest moments were:
- The Protestant Reformation
- The Catholic Reformation
The Scientific Revolution
The Scientific Revolution was a series of events that led to the birth of modern science.
Science and Religion
The Church was afraid that science would cause a breakdown in European society. They even had some scientists arrested.
The Caravel
Many of the explorers who set out from Europe in the 1400s and 1500s did so in a new type of ship called a caravel. These ships could sail across huge distances because of some important advances in shipbuilding technology.
Queen Isabella of Spain
Christopher Columbus’s voyage to the Americas would not have been possible without the support of Queen Isabella of Spain. In 1492, Columbus approached the Queen in search of money to pay for his voyage. He had already been turned down by the King of Portugal, who thought Columbus’s plan was foolhardy. Isabella liked this plan, however. She gave Columbus money and ships to help make his voyage. With the support of the Queen and others, he was able to complete his journey. It would change the history of Europe, the Americas, and the world forever.
The Discovery of America
The most important expedition came from Spain. In 1492, Queen Isabella of Spain helped pay for a voyage led by Christopher Columbus, an Italian sailor. Columbus hoped to reach Asia by sailing west across the Atlantic. The voyage was long and difficult, but he finally reached land after several months at sea. He landed on an island in what is now the Bahamas. Columbus had reached a new land. He thought he had found a route to Asia, which Europeans called the Indies. Europeans came to realize that he had reached a land unknown to them. They called this land, which in time came to be known as America, the New World.