AP EURO: RENAISSANCE + REFORMATION EXAM
What impact did the Black Death have on the society and economy of Europe? - answer-People
abandoned their friends and family, fled cities, and shut themselves off from the world. Funeral rites
became perfunctory or stopped altogether, and work ceased being done. Some felt that the wrath of
God was descending upon man, and so fought the plague with prayer. Some felt that they should obey
the maxim, "Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow you may die." The society experienced an upheaval
to an extent usually only seen in controlled circumstances such as carnival. Faith in religion decreased
after the plague, both because of the death of so many of the clergy and because of the failure of prayer
to prevent sickness and death.
The economy underwent abrupt and extreme inflation. Since it was so difficult (and dangerous) to
procure goods through trade and to produce them, the prices of both goods produced locally and those
imported from afar skyrocketed. Because of illness and death workers became exceedingly scarce, so
even peasants felt the effects of the new rise in wages. The demand for people to work the land was so
high that it threatened the manorial holdings. Serfs were no longer tied to one master; if one left the
land, another lord would instantly hire them. The lords had to make changes in order to make the
situation more profitable for the peasants and so keep them on their land. In general, wages outpaced
prices and the standard of living was subsequently raised.
As a consequence of the beginning of blurring financial distinctions, social distinctions sharpened. The
fashions of the nobility became more extravagant in order to emphasize the social standing of the
person wearing the clothing. The peasants became slightly more empowered, and revolted when the
aristocracy attempted to resist the changes brought about by the plague. In 1358, the peasantry of
northern France rioted, and in 1378 di
The Great Schism - answer-(1378-1417) Split that occurred in the Catholic Church with two Popes, one in
Avignon, France and the other in Rome, Italy. The Schism caused many to question the Church's
authority.
Purgatory - answer-The state of purification that takes place after death for those who need to be made
clean and holy before meeting the all-holy God in Heaven.
Myticism - answer-A category of religious experiences characterized by communicating or experiencing
oneness with God.
Boniface VIII - answer-Pope who was angered by Philip IV's demand that the clergy pay taxes to the
national treasury. He wrote a decree called the "Unam Sanctum" which declared his own supremacy
over temporal rulers... He began the Great Schism, and said that spiritual authority was superior over
secular authority.
Dante - answer-(1265-1321) Italian poet and Renaissance writer. His greatest work is "The Divine
Comedy"-- told the soul's journey from hell to heaven.
Chaucher - answer-Wrote the Canterbury Tales
, Christine de Pizan - answer-Highly educated Renaissance-era woman who was among the first to earn a
living as a writer; wrote books, including short stories, novels, and manuals on military techniques. Her
"The Book of The City of Ladies" and other works spoke out against men's objections to educating
women, and championed formal education for women.
Giotto - answer-(1276-1337) Florentine Painter who led the way in the use of realism. His treatment of
the human body and face replaced the formal stiffness and artificiality that had long characterized the
representation of the human body.
How and why did the authority and prestige of the papacy decline in the 14th century? - answer-The
authority and prestige of the papacy greatly declined in the 14th century when there was a power
struggle between the pope and the monarchies. When King Philip IV tried to tax the clergy, a feud
started. Pope Boniface VIII believed the papacy should have spiritual influence and taxation privileges.
The feud ended with the pope excommunicating the king, forcing him to strike back through kidnapping
the pope. The papacy moved to Avignon which angered the people and made them worry as the French
influence over the papacy was growing. The people wanted an Italian pope so Pope Urban VI was
chosen. The French chose their pope, resulting in 2 popes and thus causing The Great Schism. This
caused chaos for catholics. They searched for stability through new reform such as conciliarism. The
instability of the papacy as the Great schism went on made the authority and prestige of the papacy
decline.
How did the adversities of the the 14th century affect urban life and medical practices? - answer-The
adversities of the 14th century greatly affected urban life and medical practices as people tried to ward
off the plague. To help stop the plague, authorities in the urban towns tried to keep the cities cleaner
and organized prostitution. The shorter life spans made men not wait so long to marry. People lived
their lives as fully as possible. Women were considered to be the servants of men, few actually worked.
Children were educated earlier in their lives and was put in schools. People wanted to stop the plague so
they invested in better medicine. Surgeons became more important. Although insufficient against the
plague, great strides were taken to better understand the disease.
Rennaissance - answer-A time of renewed interest in learning and the arts that lasted from the 14th
through 16th centuries. It began in the Italian city-states and spread north to all of Europe. Became an
age of recovery from the reckless 14th century (plague/instability). Italians became very interested in
Greek + Roman culture, which affected their politics, art, and philosophy.
Hanseatic League (Hansa) - answer-An alliance of Northern European trading cities that developed in the
Baltic and North Sea (1400s-1600s); encompassed the commercial centers of Poland, northern Germany,
and Scandinavia; linked to the Mediterranean through the Rhine and Danube Rivers. They traded grain,
fish, furs, timber, and pitch. This frequency of trade led to the adoption of credit and banking systems,
which made trade possible on a large scale. Commercial partnerships further increased the volume of
trade in Europe + impact on class structure of northern Europe made social mobility possible.
Baldassare Castiglione - answer-Castiglione (1478-1529) was an Italian courtier, diplomat, and writer. His
handbook, The Book of the Courtier, was widely read for its advice on the manners, skills, learning, and
virtues that court members should display during the Renaissance. He described an ideal courtier as
well-mannered, well-educated, and multitalented.
