Blog #58

R.J.
5/28/14
Blog

       Today in Mr. Schick's class, we took a test on Ancient Rome and Charlemagne, who was six foot four inches of rocking rolling warrior greatness. I don't think that I would want to mess with him in a battle. I don't think that he ever lost a battle that he fought in. He even beat the Muslims who were evading from Spain. I was happy with my grade. Well, that is all that we did in Mr. Schick's class yesterday. I will see you all tomorrow.

Blog #57

R.J.
5/27/14
Blog

        Today in Mr. Schick's class, Kapple got to run class......... it was the most boring thing ever. He had absolutely no enthusiasm to him at all. He sounded like his cat or dog had just died. Anyway the Middle Ages Ran from AD 476- AD 1453. That is a very long time. Well, at least it wasn't like the Dark Ages where it seemed that everyone fell of the side of the Earth and nothing happened. Germanic Kingdoms Emerge: AD 400- 600. The Kingdoms were ruled by Lords, who were the owners of the land. The Germanic Warriors were very loyal to him as well. Clovis rules the Germanic people of Gaul. In 496 he has a battlefield conversion. Led 3000 of his warriors become Christians. Also, as usual, Laura and Mr. Schick were picking on Arri, but there was nothing new there. Mr. Schick," Ding...... Ding.....Ding.......Ding.......Ding," Arri," Will you please STOP RINGING THAT STUPID BELL!!!!!!!," Mr. Schick," What like This? DING." That was classic. Well, that is all that we did in Mr. Schick's class yesterday. I will see you all tomorrow.

Blog #56

R.J.
5/23/14
Blog

       Today we basically looked over the same PowerPoint that we have been looking over for the past couple of days, but it was the one that he used for last years freshman. To me, it looked the exact same, but who knows. After that, we basically chilled for the rest of class. Well, that is what we did in Mr. Schick's class today. I will see you all on Tuesday.

Blog #55

R.J.
5/20/14
Blog

       Today in Mr. Schick's class, we pretty much chilled, which is very nice because we took a lot of notes yesterday in class. Although, we did take some notes.  It was also nice because I got to work on my huge brain flex. But the notes that I did take, here they are:

1. A European Empire Evolves
2. Franks control largest European kingdom
3. The Roman province formerly known as Gaul
4. Ruled by Clovis- the Merovingian Dynasty
5. Major Domo-  mayor of the palace- ruled the kingdom

 

Well, that is all that we did in Mr. Schick's class today. I will see you all tomorrow.

Blog #54

R.J.
5/19/14
Blog

       

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

  Setting the Stage: Middle Ages= medieval period; 500-1500 A.D.; medieval Europe  is fragmented

 

1. Invasions Trigger changes in western Europe
2. Invasions and warfare spark new trends
3. Disruption of Trade
4. Europe's cities are no longer economic centers
5. Money is scarce
6.  Downfall of cities
7. Cities are no longer centers of administration
8. Population Shifts
9. Nobles retreated to the rural areas
10. Cities don't have strong leadership
11. Decline of learning
12. Germanic invaders are illiterate, but they communicate through oral tradition
13. Only priests and church officials could read and write
14. Knowledge of Greek (and literature, science, philosophy) is almost lost
15. Loss of a common language
16. Dialects develop in different regions
17. By the 800s, French, Spanish, other Roman-based languages are evolving from Latin
18. Germanic kingdoms emerge
19. The concept of government changes
20. Roman society: loyal to public gov't
21. Germanic Societies: loyal to family
22. Germanic chief led warriors
23. During peace, he provided food, weapons, treasure, a place to live
24. During wartime, knights fought for the Lord
25. Franks live in the Roman province of Gaul- their leader is Clovis
26. The Franks Under Clovis
27. Another battlefield conversion (Just like Constantine)
28. Clovis and 3000 of his warriors are baptized by the bishop
29. The Church in Rome approves of this "alliance"
30. Clovis and the Church begin to work together
31. The alliance was a strategic one
32. 511 AD- Clovis unites Franks into one kingdom
33. 600 AD- Church + Frankish rulers convert many
34. Fear of Muslims in Southern Europe spur many to become Christians
35. Monasteries and Convents
36. 520 AD- Benedict wrote the rules for monks and monasteries
37. Poverty, chastity, obedience, study
38. His sister Scholastica did the same for Nuns in convents
39. 731 AD- the Venerable Beda wrote a killer history of England
40. Monks opened schools, maintained libraries, and copied books (Bibles, Greek texts)
41. Pope Gregory I expands papal power
42. Papacy= pope's office
43. Secular Power= worldly power
44. So…. Under Gregory the Great…
45. Papal Power= Political power
46. The church can use money to: raise armies, repair roads, help the poor
47. Gregory the Great began to act as mayor of Rome, and as head of an Earthly Kingdom (Christendom)

Blog #53

R.J.
5/16/14
Blog

        

THE MIDDLE AGES

 

Feudalism- a political, military and economic system based on land-holding and protective alliances

 

Rich Dude "Lord"- " I own land; I need people to help me work it and defend it."

 

Tough Dudes "Vassals"- "There are a lot of us, we can help the rich dudes hold on to their land

 

The Feudal Pyramid

 

1. King
2. Vassals (Nobles and Bishops)
3. Knights- mounted warriors who received FIEFS for defending their Lord's land
4. Peasants (Mostly SERFS)- landless, powerless, moneyless, right-less. Just working the land for "The Man." (their lord)

 

Manor: The Lord's Estate (nicest house for miles)

 

Church (2nd nicest)

 

Some Workshops

 

15-30 families living on the Estate

 

All on a few square miles

 

Good news: It's a self-sufficient community

 

Bad News: It's harsh if you're a peasant

 

Peasants are poor AND pay high taxes

 

Tax on Grain

 

Tax on Marriage

Blog #52

R.J.
5/14/14
Blog

       Today in Mr. Schick's class we took a test on Ancient Rome..... the rise and fall of an empire at least. Going into it I honestly thought that I was going to fail horribly, but I actually did very well. I got a 94% on the test when I thought that I was going to get only about a 60% so thank you baby Jesus. Well, that is all that we did in Mr. Schick's class today. I will see you all tomorrow.