Lesson #1:
• Middle Ages / Feudalism
• Genghis Khan / Mongols
• The Black Death
Lesson #2
• The Italian Renaissance
• Niccole Machiavelli
• The Basics of Christianity
Lesson #3:
• Early Catholic Church
• The Inquisition
• The Protestant Reformation
• The Counter-Reformation
• Amish / Mennonites
Lesson #4:
• Intro to Absolute Monarchs / Divine Right
• Islam
• Ottoman Empire
• Feudal Japan / Shoguns
• Filial Piety / Mandate of Heaven (China)
• Ancient England / The Magna Carta
• The Russian Czars / Imperial Russia
The Middle Ages was the period in European history from the collapse of Roman civilization in the 5th century CE to the period of the Renaissance (variously interpreted as beginning in the 13th, 14th, or 15th century, depending on the region of Europe and other factors).
Near the end of the Middle Ages, the King–particularly in England, France, Spain, Russia,and Austria – began to extend his rule at the
expense of the nobles. By the 17th century, the king had become an autocrat, or absolute monarch. His supremacy was acknowledged by
commoners and lords.
Factors Strengthening Royal Power.
a. The Crusades and other wars killed many feudal lords.
b. The rising middle class supported the monarch to
assure protection of property and trade.
c. The introduction of gunpowder equipped the
monarch with a powerful weapon that could destroy
castles of feudal lords.
d. The Reformation provided the monarch with some
powers formerly held by the Catholic Church.
e. The awakening spirit of nationalism made the
monarch the symbol of national unity.
The Divine Right of Kings attempted to justify unlimited royal
power with these arguments:
a. The king ruled by God’s authority as God’s
earthly representative;
b. Obedience to the king was obedience to God.
c. A mutually supportive and reinforcing