last posting

I just took a test about Germanic thing and it was difficult for me. I studied but it was not enough.  This is last time to post. I liked this class and it was fun class. especially, the Chi-Cago's song was really good. We only have a few days until the exam and i have to study

5/27 class

Today, Kappel became teacher and went over the test that we are going to have tomorrow. actually he did really good job. It is out last test of the class and i'm gonna miss this class and Mr.Schick. Mr.Schick hit the bell so many times while Kapple is reading the powerpoint and Arri got mad about that. Arri has surgery for his broken leg tomorrow and i hope good luck. i have to study for the test now

5/23

what happened in 476?(exam question)
Romlulus  Augustus is disposed as the emperor

The new society has roots in
- classical heritage of Rome
- beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church
- customs of various Germanic tribes

5th Century Germanic invaders

overrun the western half of the Roman Empire
causing
- distruption of trade
- downfall of cities
- population shifts to rural areas

5/20

exam essay question:describe how Christianity evolved from a "cult" into the full huge biggest religion in the world. 

- a European Empire Evolves

        -Franks control largest European kingdom

                   -the Roman province formerly known as Gaul

                   -Ruled by Clovis - the Merovingian Dynasty

        -Major domo - mayor of the palace - ruled the kingdom

        -Charles Martel - Charles the Hamme

                   -extended the Franks' reign to the north, south, and east.

                   -defeated a Muslim army from Spain at the Battle of Tours in 732 - historic battle!

5/19

Germanic Kingdoms Unite Under Charlemagne

Main idea: many Germanic kingdoms that succeeded the Roman Empire were reunited under Charlemagne's empire

Why it matters now!: Charlemagne spread Christian civilization throughout northern Europe, which is where many of us came from.

Middle Ages = medieval period
500 - 1500 AD

medieval Europe is fragmented
1. invasions and constant warfare spark trends
        a. disruption of trade
          i. Europe's cities are no longer economic centers
          ii. money is scarce
        b. downfall of cities
          i. cities are no longer centers of administration
        c. population shifts
          i. nobles retreat to the rural areas
          ii. cities don't have strong leadership
2.invasions trigger changes in western Europe (cont.)
        a. decline of learning
             i. Germanic invaders are illiterate, but they communicate through oral tradition
             ii. only priests and church officials could read and write
             iii. Knowledge of Greek (and literature, science, philosophy) is almost lost
        b. loss of a common language
          i. dialects develop...
3. Germanic kingdoms emerge
        a. the concept of govt. changes
             i. Roman society: loyal to public govt.
             ii. Germanic society: loyal to family
               1. Germanic chief led warriors
               2. during peace, he provided food, weapons, treasure, a place to live (the lord's hall)
               3. During wartime, warriors fought for the lord
          iii. "the king? who's that? you want to collect taxes from me? who the hech are you?"
          IV. franks live in the Roman province of Gaul - their leader is Clovis
     b. the Franks under Clovis
             i. another battlefield conversion! (just like Constantine!)
             ii. Clovis and 3000 of his warriors are baptized by the bishop
             iii. the church in Rome approves of this "alliance"
             IV. Clovis and the church begin to work together
4. Germanic peoples adopt Christianity
        a. 511 AD - Clovis unites Franks into one kingdom
        b. 600 AD - church + Frankish rulers convert many
        c. fear of Muslims in southern Europe spur many to become Christians
           4. Monasteries and convents
             i. 520 AD - Benedict wrote the rules for monks and monasteries
                  1. poverty, chastity, obedience, study
             ii. his sister Scholastica did the same for nuns...
     5. (pope) Gregory 1 expands papal power
             a. papacy=pope's office
             b. secular power=worldly power
             c. so... under Gregory the great...
papal power (power of the pope) is political power.
presented from the pope's palace
          d. the church can use church money to:
               raise armies
               repair roads
               help the poor
          e. Gregory the Great began to act as mayor of Rome, and as head of an earthly kingdom (Christendom)

5/13

Since we are done with Rome, Mr shick gave us free time to study. I studied Rome for the test tomorrow

Rome fades away 5/12

Two Emperors

Diocletian

- he rules from 284 - 303

- it's cool to persecute Christians

- Rome needs a big army (400,000 strong)

- Rome needs a big government (20,000 officials)

Constattine

- rules from 306-337

- it's cool to BE a Christian
- conversion to Christianity

via a cross in the sky (conquer by this!)

- 313- his Edict of Milan proclaims freedom of worship

- built a new capital in the East 

    - Byzantium, soom to be know as Constantinople

The struggle of the peasatns
life in the Fourth Century
- country dwellers are getting bankrupted by endless tax collection
- new farming system: peasants work for elite landlords on large farms
- peasants can avoid paying taxes, but they are getting hit just as hard by the landlords
- paying off debts and being "allowed" to live on the and, in exchange for endless back-breaking work(suc a deal!)
- landowners hold local power as counts and bishops, wielding more real power than the faraway empire
- foreshadowing feudalism

The western Empire crumbles
Rome's power is dereasng, while nomadic barbarians gain power
Western Empire is too poor, begins to be neglected
Huns migrate from China to eastern Europe
Visigoths take over Spain, and actually capture and loot Rome itself in 410
Vandals control Carthage and the western Mediterranean
other barbarian tribes: Ostrogoths in Italy, Franks in Gaul, Angles and Saxons in Britain

End of an era
from the beginnings...
    500 BC - the monarchy is abolished
    450 BC  - the Twelve Tables are established

...through the glory days
     44BC- end of the line for Julius Caesar
     27BC- 180 AD- the Roman Peace (Pax Roman)

to the bitter end...
   constant fifth century invasions by barbarian tribes left the western Roman Empire shattered and crumbling

   the last emperor was a teenage boy installed in 475 by his father
   barbarians deposed Romulus Augustulus without bothering to kill him