Review for Final Exam

The final will consist of a mix of identifications and an essay question. Below I have
included all of the possible identifications and examples of the types of essay
questions that may be asked on the final. As a word of warning on the identifications,
you should relate the material and its significance as we discussed in class. There is a
great deal of information available on the internet and elsewhere about many of these
terms but much of it is unreliable. Between the readings, source material, class
discussions and lectures all of the following terms should be answerable in full.
Identifications

Pact of Umar

Conquest of
Egypt

Wessex

Leo IX

Libertas ecclesiae

John XII

Henry IV

Gregory VII

Saxons

Canossa

Concordant of
Worms

Humanism

Cassiodorus

Johanes Scotus
Eriugena
Realism
Nominalism
Anslem
Peter Abelard
Heloise
Love
Syllogism
Scholasticism
Telos
Physis
Heretics
Cathars
Call to the
Crusade

Crusaders
Fourth Crusade
Black Death
Yersinia pestis
Peasant revolts
Feudalism
Margery Kempe
Heresy
Joan of Arc
Mary
Eve

Sample Question 1: What impact did the Twelfth-Century Renaissance have

upon western European understanding of heretics, Jews, homosexuality and/or
women? Describe the impact on at least two of these groups in essay.
What is this question asking you to do?
To determine what, if any impact the 12th century Renaissance had on heretics,
Jews and women.
To explain what, if any, effect this new form of thinking had on the status of
these groups in western European society.
Argue in favor of either a positive or negative impact
What do you need to know in order to answer this question?
What characterized the twelfth century Renaissance? In other words, what was
it? What were its major tenets?
What was the status of these groups before the 12th century?
How did ideas of categories fit into new ways of thought?
What impact did these thoughts about women have on the actual status of
women in medieval society? Was it positive or negative?

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How does what happened to women compare to what was occurring

elsewhere?

Lectures:
o Twelfth Century Renaissance: Humanism and Grammar
o Twelfth Century Renaissance: Scholasticism and Law
o Twelfth Century Renaissance: Heretics, Jews, Gay People and Women
o Women and Society in Later Medieval Europe
Discussions: Abelard and Heloise, Crusades
Sample Question 2: You have been asked to write a proposal for a textbook on
the history of women in western Europe from ca. 300 CE to ca. 1650 CE. Your
publisher wishes to know what the smaller historical periods are into which you
will be dividing your book. You dont need to write the book yet; but you do
need to explain what periods you will utilize in your history, and what it is about
each of these periods that characterizes it as a distinct period in the history of
western European women. Write your response, assigning a catchy name to
each period you choose.
What is this question asking you to do?
To determine what periods you would divide the history of women in the
period between 300-1650.
What gives each period an internal consistency (this is where you might well
get the name for each period what is the periods defining period?)
What distinguishes one period from another?
You MUST explain why you have defined each period the way you have.
What do you need to know in order to answer this question?
What patterns do you see in the history of women?
What is their status in society? What is their role in society? What
opportunities do they have?
Are there periods in which women have a more positive role and times when
power and status that they might have had might have been diminished in
some ways?
Do women follow a steady progression of better opportunities etc? Or is it
more a pattern of general advance, then setback? Are there some times which
are better for women than men?
Lectures:
o Roman Culture
o Kingship and the Church
o The Ottonian Empire and the Reform of the Church
o Twelfth Century Renaissance: Gay People and Women
o Women and Society in Later Medieval Europe
Discussion: Roman World, Abelard and Heloise, Margey Kempe, Joan of Arc, etc
Sample Question 4: As the worlds greatest medievalist, you have been asked to
write a proposal for a textbook on the history of western Europe from ca. 450 CE
to the Renaissance. Your publisher has tentatively titled the work Surviving

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the Dark Ages: Dirt, Darkness and Ignorance. The publisher wants to know
what you think of the title and the period in question. You need to write your
proposal explaining your own understanding of what makes the Middle Ages a
coherent period of history and whether or not you agree that the Renaissance is
the proper end. Use specific examples to back up your argument.
What is this question asking you to do?
To determine what periods you would divide the history of Western Europe in
the period between 300-1650.
What gives the period an internal consistency?
What distinguishes one period from another?
Evaluate whether the Renaissance is the proper foil for the middle ages.
What do you need to know in order to answer this question?
What patterns do you see in the history of Western Civilization?
What makes the history of this period different than what came before (Roman
Empire) and what comes after (modern)?
Are there other periods that might make more sense?
Lectures: (many to choose from here)
o Roman Culture
o Kingship and the Church
o The Ottonian Empire and the Reform of the Church
o Twelfth Century Renaissance: Gay People and Women
o The Myth of the Renaissance
Sample Question 3: The Investiture Conflict established a lasting distinction in
western Europe between the religious and political realms. Agree or disagree,
and prove your case with concrete and specific evidence.
What is this question asking you to do?
Take a stand. To argue that either the Investiture Conflict was or was not
instrumental in establishing a lasting distinction in western Europe between
religious and political realms.
Tell why both might be true, but why, in your analysis, providing evidence to
support your assertion.
What do you need to know in order to answer this question?
What was the Investiture Conflict? What was the central issue? How was it
resolved? What impact did the solution bring to the distinction between church
and state?
Define what it means to be political and/or religious. Make sure that your
definitions are rooted in the particular historic period,
Account for change over time. The question is asking you whether this
particular change occurred over time so you must tackle this head on.
For additional material, refer to:
Lectures:
o The Investiture Conflict, Part I
o The Investiture Conflict, Part II
o The End of a Dark Age: Medieval Origins of Western Civilization

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