Introduction to the Middle Ages



GRADE 10 Art History Name: ____________

INTRODUCTION to the MIDDLE AGES

Please fill in the following blanks as we go along.

The MIDDLE AGES is commonly believed to span from _____ C.E. to _____C.E.

The term medieval comes from the LATIN: _______________ = MIDDLE and ___________________= AGES.

The MIDDLE AGES was once called _____________________, __________________________ and _________________________________.

The Middle Ages spanned over thousands of years. It basically could be divided into three periods, the E______________, the H___________________ and the L_________________.

In the E_________________ there is two divergent timelines to consider, that of the East and that of the West.

The Middle Ages began in the west with the “fall of Rome” and the beginning of the G____________ rule.

In the Eastern territories, the E___________________________ (capital city Constantinople) a C___________ stronghold, was considered the most stable empire in the Middle Ages. It was a c__________ community where l___________, art and rules were valued. They spoke Greek, Latin and most other languages.

The H_______ Middle Ages started in the ___th century and spanned to the ____th century. This was the age of the N_________ conquests in Britain and Sicily, the earlier C____________, the I________________________ and the signing of the M__________________.

There was an explosion of stone c_________-building, and the construction of some of the most magnificent c________________ in Europe. What we call f_________________ today was firmly established in Britain and parts of Europe; t________ in luxury items as well as staples flourished; towns were granted c_______________________; and a well-fed population was beginning to grow rapidly.

The L________ Middle Ages can be considered the transformation period. It was a time when the B___________ ____________, preceded by f________ and o_________________, wiped out at least a third of Europe and marked the end of the prosperity that had characterized the high medieval era.

The Church’s influence dwindled.

Towns and cities were wresting control of their own g_______________ from the hands of the c___________ or n_________ that had previously ruled them. And the reduction in population triggered economic and political changes that would never be reversed.

Art:

The MIDDLE AGES were reflected in a number of Art periods:

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

C ___________ Art was practiced by the Celtic speaking people of Ireland and England during the __________th to the _____________th centuries C.E. Celtic art is_____________, avoiding straight lines and only occasionally using ____________, without the imitation of nature or ideal of beauty central to the classical tradition, but as far as we can understand it often involves complex ____________.

Early ___________________ Art flourished from _________ to ________ C.E. The artist working during this period reflected the ____________ media such as _______________, _____________, ____________________, and _____________________ ____________________. They also adopted ____________ motifs, human ___________________ and presentation of _________.

B____________________ art overlaps Early _____________ art. If the purpose of classical art was the glorification of man, the purpose of ___________ art was the glorification of ______.

M_______________ Art is the artwork of the ___________________ people during the ___________ to __________ C. E. It examines the different types of art including the ____________style and the _________style.

Pre-____________________ art took place between the between the __________ th and ___________th centuries C.E. It consisted of the ______________ art, the ______________ art and the _________ ___________ art as well as the art of ______________, ______________ and _____________.

The R________________ art period took place between the _____ th and _____th centuries C.E. The focus of this art period is _________________. It is characterized by a use of round or slightly pointed_______, ________ vaults, ____________ ______supporting vaults, and _________ vaults.

The G_________ period took place between _________th and __________ th centuries C.E. The principle art mediums of this period were_______, ________ _________, s_________ ________, f_________ and i____________ ______________. The ___________ style of architecture in this period emphasizes v___________ and features almost s_________ stone structures with great expanses of g_____, _______ arches using the _______shape, ________ vaults, clustered c_________, sharply _________ spires, f________ ____________ and inventive ____________detail.

The I____________ art period took place between ______________ and ________________. C.E. This style throughout history has been mainly a________ and decorative, portraying g___________, floral, A___________, and c__________ designs.

1/ Daily Life in the Medieval Era:

For safety and for _________, people in the Middle Ages formed small communities around a central ________ or __________. Most people lived on a ___________, which consisted of the __________ the __________, the _____________, and the surrounding _________ land. These manors were isolated, with occasional visits from p__________, ______________ on their way to the Crusades, or __________________ from other fiefdoms.

In this "f__________" system, the king awarded land ____________ or "fiefs" to his most important ________, his _____________, and his ___________________, in return for their contribution of __________ for the king's armies.

At the lowest echelon of society were the peasants, also called "________" or "_____________." In exchange for living and working on his land, known as the "demesne," the lord offered his peasants protection.

Nobles divided their land among the lesser n__________, who became their servants or "vassals." Many of these vassals became so powerful that the kings had difficulty controlling them. By 1100, certain barons had __________ and ____________ that rivalled the king's; they could be serious threats if they were not pleased in their dealings with the crown.

In 1215, the English __________ formed an alliance that forced King John to sign the ____________ __________. While it gave no rights to ordinary people, the Magna Carta did limit the king's___________ of t__________ and require __________before punishment. It was the first time that an English monarch came under the control of the law.

Peasants worked the land and produced the __________ that the lord and his manor needed. This exchange was not without hardship for the serfs. They were heavily _________and were required to relinquish much of what they harvested. The peasants did not even "belong to" themselves, according to medieval law.

Daily life continued…

The ________, in close association with the ___________, assumed the roles of__________ in carrying out the laws of the manor.

It should come as no surprise that women, whether they were nobles or peasants, held a difficult position in society. They were largely confined to ______________ tasks such as c_________, baking b____________, sewing, w______________, and spinning. However, they also hunted for food and fought in battles, learning to use weapons to defend their homes and castles.

Some medieval women held other occupations. There were women b____________, merchants, and apothecaries. Others were m______________, worked in the fields, or were engaged in creative endeavours such as writing, playing musical instruments, dancing, and painting.

Some women were known as witches, capable of sorcery and healing. Others became ___________ and devoted their lives to God and spiritual matters.

Famous women of the Middle Ages include the writer Christine de Pisan; the abbess and musician Hildegard of Bingen; and the patron of the arts Eleanor of Aquitaine. A French peasant's daughter, Joan of Arc, or St. Joan, heard voices telling her to protect France against the English invasion. She dressed in armour and led her troops to victory in the early fifteenth century. "The Maid of Orleans" as she was known, was later __________ as a witch.

2/Religious Life of Medieval Europe:

The _____________Church was the only church in Europe during this period, and it had its own _________ and large ____________. Church leaders such as bishops and archbishops sat on the king's council and played leading roles in ________________.

Bishops, who were often wealthy and came from ____________ families, ruled over groups of parishes called "diocese."

Parish priests, on the other hand, came from humbler backgrounds and often had little education. The village priest tended to the _______ and indigent and, if he was able, taught Latin and the Bible to the youth of the village.

As the population of Europe expanded in the twelfth century, the churches that had been built in the __________ style with round-arched roofs became too small. Some of the grand ____________, strained to their structural limits by their creators' drive to build higher and larger, collapsed within a century or less of their construction.

M_____________ in the Middle Ages were based on the rules set down by St. Benedict in the sixth century. The monks became known as Benedictines and took vows of __________, ____________, and obedience to their leaders. They were required to perform manual ________ and were forbidden to own property, leave the monastery, or become entangled in the concerns of society. Daily tasks were often carried out in s_________. Monks and their female counterparts, __________, who lived in convents, provided for the less-fortunate members of the community. Monasteries and nunneries were safe havens for ____________ and other travelers.

Monks went to the monastery church eight times a day in a routine of worship that involved s____________, chanting, and reciting prayers from the divine offices and from the service for Mass. Between prayers, the monks’ ____________ or ________religious texts and music. Monks were often well educated and devoted their lives to writing and learning. The Venerable Bede, an English Benedictine monk who was born in the seventh century, wrote histories and books on science and religion.

3/Pilgrimages

Pilgrimages were an important part of religious life in the Middle Ages. Many people took journeys to visit holy __________ (such as the Church of St. James at Santiago de Compostela in Spain the Canterbury cathedral in E________, and sites in Jerusalem and Rome) Chaucer's Canterbury Tales is a series of stories told by 30 pilgrims as they traveled to Canterbury.

4/ HOMES of Medieval Europe:

Most medieval homes were _______, ___________, and dark. Sometimes it was warmer and lighter outside the home than within its walls. For security purposes, windows, when they were present, were very small openings with ______________ ____________ that were closed at night or in bad weather.

Many peasant families ate, slept, and spent time together in very small quarters, rarely more than _________ or __________rooms. The houses had _____________ roofs and were easily destroyed.

The homes of the rich were more elaborate than the peasants' homes. Their floors were ___________ and sometimes decorated with tiles. T_______________ were hung on the walls, providing not only d_____________ but also an extra layer of warmth.

Fenestral windows, with __________ frames that were covered in a fabric soaked in ___________and tallow, allowed in light, kept out drafts, and could be removed in good weather. Only the wealthy could afford panes of ______________; sometimes only churches and royal residences had glass windows.

5/ FOOD in Medieval Europe:

In simpler homes where there were no _______________, the medieval kitchen consisted of a stone hearth in the center of the room. This was not only where the cooking took place, but also the source of central ______________. In peasant families, the wife did the cooking and baking. The peasant diet consisted of b__________, v_______________ from their own gardens, d_________ products from their own sheep, goats, and cows, and __________ from their own livestock. Some vegetables, such as c__________, leeks, and onions became known as "pot-herbs." This pottage was a staple of the peasant diet.

The kitchens of manor houses and castles had big ______________ where meat, even large oxen, could be roasted on spits. These kitchens were usually in ___________buildings, to minimize the threat of fire. Pantries were hung with birds and beasts, including swans, blackbirds, ducks, pigeons, rabbits, mutton, venison, and wild boar. Many of these animals were caught on hunts.

6/ Garbage and Disposal

Current archaeological studies of sewage and rubbish _________ contribute to our understanding of what medieval people ate. One of the most informative pits was found in Southampton, England. This pit belonged to a prominent merchant.

7/ CLOTHING of Medieval Europe:

Most people in the Middles Ages wore w_________ clothing, with undergarments made of _________.

___________colors, better materials, and a longer ____________length were usually signs of greater wealth. The clothing of the aristocracy and wealthy merchants tended to be ________________ and changed according to the dictates of fashion.

Towards the end of the Middle Ages, men of the wealthy classes sported __________ and a _____________, often with pleating or skirting, or a _____________ with a ______________.

Women wore ___________ gowns and elaborate headwear, ranging from headdresses shaped like h_________ or ____________ to tall steeple _________ and Italian t____________.

_________ was often used to line the garments of the wealthy. _______________ was lavish, by the mid-fourteenth century there were laws to control who wore what j___________, and knights were not permitted to wear r_________. Sometimes clothes were garnished with s__________, but only the wealthy could wear such items.

Most of the holy orders wore long w___________ habits in emulation of Roman clothing. One could tell the order by the _________ of the habit: the Benedictines wore black; the Cistercians, undyed wool or white.

Peasant men wore ____________or tunics, while women wore long gowns with sleeveless t_________ and w__________ to cover their hair. Sheepskin cloaks and woolen hats and mittens were worn in winter for protection from the cold and rain.

L______________ boots were covered with wooden patens to keep the feet dry.

The outer clothes were almost never laundered, but the linen underwear was regularly washed.

Peasant women spun wool into the threads that were woven into the cloth for these garments.

8/ Medicine in the Middle Ages

As the ______________ of medieval towns and cities increased, ____________conditions worsened, leading to a vast array of health problems. Medical knowledge was __________ and, despite the efforts of medical practitioners and public and religious institutions to institute regulations, medieval Europe did not have an adequate health care system. Antibiotics weren't invented until the ________ and it was almost impossible to cure diseases without them.

There were many myths and superstitions about health and hygiene as there still are today. People believed, for example, that disease was spread by _____________. It was also assumed that diseases of the body resulted from _____________. Many people sought relief from their ills through meditation, prayer, pilgrimages, and other ________________ methods.

Medicine was often a risky business. B___________ was a popular method of restoring a patient's health and "humors." Early surgery, often done by barbers without anesthesia, must have been excruciating.

Medical treatment was available mainly to the____________, and those living in villages rarely had the help of doctors, who practiced mostly in the cities and courts. Remedies were often _________ in nature, but also included ground earthworms, urine, and animal excrement.

9/ Art and Music

Art and music were critical aspects of medieval religious life and, towards the end of the Middle Ages, secular life as well. Singing without instrumental accompaniment was an essential part of church services. Monks and priests ___________ the divine offices and the mass daily.

Medieval drama grew out of the ____________, beginning in about the eleventh century. Some of the topics were from the Old Testament (Noah and the flood, Jonah and the whale, Daniel in the lion's den) and others were stories about the birth and death of Christ. These dramas were performed with costumes and musical instruments and at first took place directly outside the church. Later they were staged in ___________________, where they were produced by local guilds.

10/ Urban Living

Following __________, peace and order grew. As a result, peasants began to expand their farms and villages further into the countryside. The earliest ____________ were peddlers who went from village to village selling their goods. As the demand for goods increased--particularly for the gems, silks, and other luxuries from Genoa and Venice, the ports of Italy that traded with the East--the peddlers became more familiar with complex issues of t________, c____________, accounting, and c___________. They became savvy businessmen and learned to deal with Italian moneylenders and____________. The English, Belgians, Germans, and Dutch took their coal, timber, wood, iron, copper, and lead to the south and came back with luxury items such as ________ and olive oil.

With the advent of trade and commerce, feudal life declined. As the tradesmen became wealthier, they resented having to give their profits to their lords. Arrangements were made for the townspeople to pay a f_____ __________ ___________to the lord or king and gain independence for their town as a "borough" with the power to govern itself. The ___________________became the focus of many towns.

As the townspeople became "free" citizens, powerful families, particularly in Italy, struggled to gain control of the communes or b_____________. T_________________ were formed. G___________ were established to gain higher wages for their members and protect them from competitors. As the guilds grew rich and powerful, they built guildhalls and began taking an active role in civic affairs, setting up courts to settle disputes and punish wrongdoers.

The new merchant class included a_________, masons, a__________, bakers, s____________, ropemakers, d________, and other skilled workers. Of all the craftsmen, the _________were the highest paid and most respected. They were, after all, responsible for building the cathedrals, hospitals, universities, castles, and guildhalls. They learned their craft as a________________ to a master mason, living at lodges for up to seven years.

The population of cities swelled for the first time since before the Dark Ages. With the new merchant activity, c______________ were formed. Merchants hired bookkeepers, scribes, and clerks, creating new jobs.

Printing began in _________ with the publication of the B________ by Johannes Gutenberg. This revolutionized the spread of learning. Other inventions of the time included mechanical c________, tower mills, and g_______. The inventions of Leonardo da Vinci and the voyages of discovery in the fifteenth century contributed to the birth of the Renaissance.

Few serfs were left in Europe by the end of the Middle Ages, and the growing burgher class became very powerful. Hard work and enterprise led to economic prosperity and a new social order. Urban life brought with it a new freedom for individuals.

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