Developments in EUROPE [AP World History Review—Unit 1 Topic 6]

Summary

This script explores the religious and political landscape of Europe between 1200 and 1450. It highlights the dominance of Christianity, with Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic branches, and discusses the fall of the Byzantine Empire to the Ottomans. The script also delves into the feudal system of Western Europe, where lords and monarchs held power through land and military allegiances. As monarchs centralized power, this led to wars of conquest and the rise of powerful states, setting the stage for significant political changes.

Takeaways

• 🏛️ The period from 1200 to 1450 in Europe was marked by significant religious developments, with Christianity, particularly Eastern Orthodox Christianity and Roman Catholic Christianity, playing a central role in shaping political and social structures.
• ⚔️ The Byzantine Empire, which upheld Eastern Orthodox Christianity, fell to the Ottoman Empire in 1453, leading to the end of its rule and the transfer of its religious and cultural influence to the Slavic people, particularly the Russians.
• 🕌 Despite the dominance of Christianity, Islam and Judaism held important minority positions in Europe, notably in the Iberian Peninsula where Muslims had a significant presence.
• 📜 The Crusades, initiated by the Roman Catholic Church, aimed to rally European Christians to fight against Muslims, though they were largely unsuccessful and resulted in a broader connection to trade networks.
• 🏰 The political landscape of Europe during this period was characterized by decentralization and fragmentation, with no large empires in place, unlike other regions of the world.
• 👑 Feudalism was the dominant social, political, and economic system in Western Europe, involving a hierarchical structure of allegiances between lords and monarchs, with land being exchanged for loyalty.
• 🌾 Manorialism was the agricultural system that accompanied feudalism, where serfs worked the land in exchange for protection, living conditions that were akin to slavery but without the legal status of being owned by the lord.
• 🛡️ The power dynamics in Europe began to shift around 1200, as monarchs started to centralize their authority, introducing large militaries and bureaucracies to consolidate their rule.
• 🤝 The centralization of power among monarchs led to increased competition and conflict among states, resulting in numerous Wars of Conquest to determine dominance and territorial control.
• 📚 The script suggests the importance of understanding the historical context of this period for students studying AP World History, offering resources such as a review guide to aid in academic success.
• 🔗 The fall of the Byzantine Empire and the rise of monarchical power in Europe set the stage for significant cultural, religious, and political changes that would shape the continent's future.

Q & A

What was the official state religion of the Roman Empire during the time of Emperor Constantine?

Christianity became the official state religion of the Roman Empire thanks to Emperor Constantine.

What happened to the Roman Empire in 476 CE?

In 476 CE, the Western half of the Roman Empire fell, but the Eastern half, known as the Byzantine Empire, continued to exist.

What is Eastern Orthodox Christianity, and how did it relate to the Byzantine Empire?

Eastern Orthodox Christianity is a branch of the Christian faith that was predominant in the Byzantine Empire, providing a belief structure that helped rulers justify and consolidate their highly centralized power.

How did the Byzantine Empire influence the Eastern Mediterranean and Southwest Europe?

The Byzantine Empire, despite losing significant territory to Islamic powers, wielded enormous influence on the Eastern Mediterranean and Southwest Europe through its religious and political structures.

What event marked the end of the Byzantine Empire?

The end of the Byzantine Empire came in 1453 when the Ottoman Empire conquered Constantinople, renaming it Istanbul.

Which group embraced Eastern Orthodox Christianity after the fall of the Byzantine Empire?

The Rus' people, or the ancestors of modern Russians, embraced Eastern Orthodox Christianity and became the main embodiment of this branch of Christianity after the fall of the Byzantine Empire.

How did Roman Catholicism maintain its presence in Western Europe despite political fragmentation?

Roman Catholicism maintained a powerful presence in Western Europe through the church hierarchy of popes, bishops, and cardinals, which provided some common structure among the various states.

What were the Crusades, and how did they affect European trade networks?

The Crusades were religious wars initiated by the Roman Catholic Church to fight against Muslims in distant lands. Although Europeans often lost, these wars connected them to larger trade networks.

What minority religious positions were held by Islam and Judaism in Europe during 1200 to 1450?

Islam held a significant position in the Iberian Peninsula after the Muslim invasion in the 8th century, while Jews were scattered throughout Europe, participating in trade but often facing marginalization and persecution.

What was feudalism, and how was it organized in Western Europe?

Feudalism was a system of allegiances between powerful lords and monarchs, where land was exchanged for loyalty. It was organized around a system of manorialism, where peasants (serfs) were bound to the land and worked in exchange for protection.

How did the political structures in Europe begin to change around the start of the period from 1200?

Monarchs in various states began to gain power and centralize their states by introducing large militaries and bureaucracies, shifting power from the nobility to the monarchs and leading to wars of conquest for influence and territory.