S.S

• Black Death


  Plague (as bubonic plague) caused by a bacterium and especially in the epidemic form that spread through Asia and Europe in the 14th century, referring to the plague that wiped out 60% of the population of Europe in the latter part of the Middle Ages
• Middle Class


  • Group of people who gained wealth through commerce
  • A powerful class of people
  • Merchants, Bankers and Artisans who do not rely on agriculture for a living
  • Helped turn towns into organized municipalities
  • Created councils to administer town affairs and gained political power for themselves
  • Kings depended on this class because of the money economy spread
• Burghers


  Referred to as anyone living in a town, ranked lower than nobility but higher than serfs
• Bourgeoisie


  Derived from the term "burg" means town surrounded by high walls, as they got richer, they were able to influence the government, they were able to take over city governments because they had more money than the aristocracy, they gained a higher status and were able to buy their own lands, they set up their own town administration also known as Burgher cities
• Burgher Cities


  • Evolved in France, Germany, and England, given economic and legal freedom by their king, the bourgeoisie was recognized as legally different from any other class
• Mercantilism


  Socio-economic theory became influential in 16th - 18th century, emphasized the significance of gold and silver, led to the formulation of policies on the use of gold and silver in trade and commerce
• Mercantilist beliefs

  • A nation's power and prestige lies in the presence of bullions
  • It would be rich and strong if it exported more than it imported
  • Large population was believed to be beneficial to a mercantilist country, it served as a provider of laborers
• Importance of colonies to mercantilists

  • Supply raw materials and slaves
  • Used by the mother country as markets in which to sell its manufactured goods
  • Served as good ports or controlled vital waterways
• Policies to increase government revenue for mercantilists

  1. Boost production by clearing wasteland, exploited minerals and forest resources, built roads and bridges and finance new industries

  2. Impose single currency

  3. Sell monopolies

  4. Impose tariffs on imported goods, to protect local industries
• Characteristics of a Nation

  • Defense - A central government is strong enough to defend itself against enemies and keep order
  • Distinct Culture - Nation's people are set off from neighboring groups by language, religion, traditions and ways of life
  • Nationalism/Patriotism - A feeling where people are loyal to and proud of their group
• William the Conqueror


  Duke of Normandy, claimed his right to be king, crossed the English Channel and fought the new king Harold, defeated Harold in the battle of Hastings, made changes to discourage his nobles from challenging power, ordered a census of all taxable wealth in his kingdom which was gathered in the Domesday Book
• Henry II


  A great grandson of William, his reign was one of the greatest during English history, made his royal law the law of the land which came to be known as common law
• Jury System under Henry II

  1. First juries were men who came before a royal judge to accuse someone of breaking a law, they did not decide whether the person was guilty

  2. Grand Jury - Decide whether evidence against the accused is enough to hold that person on trial

  3. Petit or Trial Jury - It heard a trial and decided on the guilt of the accused
• John


  Henry's II son, a cruel and unreasonable ruler who became king in 1199, nobles rebelled against his rule and forced him to sign the Magna Carta
• Magna Carta


  Also known as the Great Charter, a document that limited the power of the king and protected people's rights, rights given to nobles were later extended to all classes, certain clauses were used to limit power of the monarch, the king had to respect the law, the Great Council made up of high officials, nobles, and bishops had to be consulted before imposing any taxes
• Renaissance


  A movement that began with a revival of interest in the literature and art of the ancient Greeks and Romans
• Renaistre


  French word meaning "rebirth" or "revival"
• Renasci


  Latin word meaning "rebirth" or "revival"
• Topical concepts of the Renaissance were more secular or humanistic
• Italy


  • The birthplace of the Renaissance
  • Seat of the old Roman Empire, with relics of its glorious past
  • Italians took pride in their close relation to the Romans in blood and language
  • Wealthy cities like Florence, Venice, Milan and Genoa became centers of trade, enabling cultural ideas from the East and West
  • More democratic atmosphere where both rich and poor enjoyed equal opportunities in acquiring learning
• Humanism


  A new movement that began in the 14th century, teaching people to live a full life and welcome new experiences, closely tied to returning interest in classical learning
• Who are Humanists?

  • People who held that in order for a person to get the most out of life, one must place greater emphasis upon nature and humans
  • They cast aside medical learning
  • They began to look for relics in the past in the form of classical books, manuscripts, and works of art
  • Royalty, nobles, churchmen and wealthy families showered favors on the humanists
• Francisco Petrarch

  The earliest pioneer of the Renaissance, called the Father of Humanism, who mastered Latin and produced a great number of works in Latin, including Sonnets in the Life and Death of Laura
• Renaissance Education

  • Aimed at producing well-rounded individuals, teaching literature, painting, music, sports, arts of war, and producing brave and able soldiers
  • Italian schools taught less theology and more literature, especially Latin and Greek
  • Humanists who taught Greek and Latin gained great respect and were popular among rich men and people
• Erasmus

  The leader of the humanist movement in the latter half of the 15th century, author of "In Praise of Folly"
• Melanchthon


  The most famous humanist in Germany, who taught Greek at the university of Wurttemberg and delighted in the study of law, theology and medicine
• More


  The most famous humanist in England, a man of great learning, a famous statesman, and a master of Latin and English prose, who wrote the book Utopia describing his envisioned ideal state
• Machiavelli

  The man who believed that the end justifies the means and laid the ground of power politics and a new political science, with his book The Prince
• Renaissance Art

  • Full of emotions and feeling, vigorous, natural and life-like, with painting on wood and canvas
  • The titans of the Renaissance period were Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo Buonarroti, and Raphael Santi
• Leonardo da Vinci


  A multi-faceted genius, called the "The Perfect Florentine", who was a painter, sculptor, architect, mathematician, engineer, scientist, inventor, philosopher, musician and an authority on anatomy, with masterpieces like Mona Lisa and The Last Supper
• Michelangelo Buonarroti


  A versatile artist from Florence, considered the first and foremost a sculptor, and also an outstanding painter, architect and poet, who painted the famous ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and created the works David and La Pieta
• Raphael Santi


  Another great Italian Renaissance painter, referred to as the youthful master, whose fame rests on his dream and sweet-face Madonna paintings, including the Sistine Madonna
• Ptolemy


  Known for his geocentric theory of the universe that the earth was the center of the universe
• Copernicus


  Disproved the belief started by Ptolemy that the earth was the center of the universe, declaring that the sun was the center of a vast solar system and that the earth and other planets move around it
• Galileo

  Called the "Father of Experimental Physics", who discovered the laws of pendulum and the principle that all bodies irrespective of weight fall at the same rate, and invented the first thermometer using air in a glass tube
• Torricelli


  Pupil of Galileo, who invented the first mercury barometer
• Gutenburg

  Inventor of the printing press in 1450, which facilitated the making of books and spread knowledge widely
• Effects of the Renaissance

  • Invention of printing speeded up the spread of knowledge
  • Developed a spirit of curiosity
  • Fierce spirit of freedom led to countries of Europe to venture on colonizing activities
  • European rulers were influenced by the political philosophy of Machiavelli that "might makes right" and they imposed their power and influence on their subjects
  • Nations rose and grew in great empires
• Age of Exploration


  1450 to 1750
• Portugal and Spain


  The two main countries of sailors that led the exploration and the way across the oceans of the world in 1400