Late Middle Ages: Norman Conquest Onwards

Honors Class ONLY:  Prompts for Test:  Anti-Semitism
Critical Thinking Activity:  History of Anti-Semitism
Morris—2013

The Nazis worried about what thinking Germans would say about the Nazi anti-Semitic laws and policies.  They had a writer named Kurt Hilmar Eitzen write a guide for propagandists to help them argue with the most common statements of German citizens who were not happy about the Nazis or anti-Semitism.  This article appeared in the Nazi party magazine Unser Wille and Weg in 1936.   Use your own knowledge of the history of European-Jewish relations, as well as your own common sense and logical reasoning skills, to rebut or to show the logical fallacy of each Nazi position below.   Write a short paragraph on each.  You may use other sources if you need like but shouldn’t need to.  You may discuss with family if you want to do together.  

1.         “Religion is a private matter.  If someone is Jewish, that is his right.” 
Nazi Position:  Hitler states that the Jews have refused for hundreds of years from becoming part of Germany and instead built their own society, a state within a state.  Judaism is a race, not a religion, and stays separate on purpose. 
2.        “I know many Jews who are nice people.  Why should we discriminate against them?” 
Nazi Position:  “As Martin Luther pointed out 400 years ago, Jews do good deeds only to further their own business interests, as a way to trick Germans into liking them.  Martin Luther said:   “Next to the Devil you have no more bitter, poisonous and determined enemy than a genuine Jew. . . If they do something good for you, it is not because they love you, but because they need room to live with us, so they have to do something.”
3.        “There are many bad Christians as well as Jews.”
Nazi Position:  The fact that there are so many bad Christians among us proves that the destructive Jewish spirit has already infected wide circles of our population. It is a warning to us that we have to take up the battle against the Jewish world plague everywhere.” (Joseph Goebbels).

4.        “My friend is no longer a Jew, because he has become a Christian and been baptized.”   
Nazi Position:  Judaism is not a religion. The Führer (Adolph Hitler) pointed that out in a sarcastic manner when he said that it was a peculiar sort of religion when one could smell its believers from a great distance! A Jew always remains a Jew.

5.       “I have a friend whose Jewish family has lived in Germany for hundreds of years.  How can he be less of a German than I am?”
Nazi Position:  Just as a goat does not become a horse, even if his father and grandfather were in the same stall, a Jew can never become a German, even if his ancestor came to Germany as a peddler with the Roman Army in 100 AD. 
6.        “All human beings are equal.” 

Nazi Position: Thirteen years ago, the “Stürmer” (a Nazi magazine) carried a cartoon. In it, a miserable pig looked up from his sty to a royal lion. “Everything with an animal face is equal!” But what did the lion growl in reply? “That’s what you swine would like to think!”


7.        “Anti-Semitism is only something for ignorant people or idiots!”

Nazi Position:  We smile in response, and note that the Jews have never produced a single creative man, but that all great men in every country have been implacable opponents of the Jews.

8.        “Anti-Jewish policies are bringing heartbreak and misery to thousands of Jewish families.”

Nazi Position: “If a few hundred Jewish families in Germany have to go hungry, or suffer, what is that against the many millions of German families that the Jew murdered over the course of centuries through wars, revolutions, and civil strife, not to mention those ruined through usury and fraud. “In the battle between the races, there is no truce. If you are determined finally to defend yourself, German people, then be pitiless!” (Adolf Hitler)

 April 29                      England Becomes a Nation

Main Idea:  England became a unified nation after the Norman Conquest in 1066.
·         Celts:  original settlers of Britain, they spoke their own Celtic language (still exists in the forms of Welsh and Gaelic).  The Celts were pushed into Wales, Scotland and Ireland by later invaders.
·         Romans:   conquered Britain in 50 AD and stayed till 400 AD.  Latin-speakers.
·         Vikings:  invaded England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland after the fall of Rome.  From Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Iceland.
·         Angles and Saxons:  two Germanic speaking tribes who settled in England.  Angles became the base for the name England (Angle-Land) and for the language of English (Angle-ish).
·         Normans:  French speaking Vikings from Normandy, France who invaded in 1066.  Norman means Northman.
Normandy:  region in France settled by Vikings who became known as Normans (Northmen).
·         Edward the Confessor:  King of England who dies without leaving a male heir, causing a struggle for the throne.
·         Harold Godwinson:  son of Edward's advisor, he claims the throne with no blood gies to Edward.
·         William the Bastard (Later called William the Conqueror).   Norman leader and nephew of Edward, he decides to claim the throne by attacking England across the English Channel.
·         Norman Conquest.  1066.  William and an army of men and horses attack with 4,000 ships and conquer England, claiming the throne for William.
·         Battle of Hastings, 1066.  Battle where William defeated Harold to claim the throne. 
·         Bayeaux Tapestry--240-foot-long tapesty that is a visual storybook of the Norman conquest, embroidered by women hired by William after the conquest.
·          William Unites England
o    divides his realm into 200 fiefdoms, giving each to a loyal vassal.  This ensures he controls all of England.  Builds castles to defend areas where there is local opposition.
o    sends out clerks to record every home, family, and animal in all of England, so he knows how much to tax his realm.  This record is called the Domesday Book and was completed in 1080.


 
                                                  April 30

                                                                           ENGLAND and THE MAGNA CARTA

                                                  Main Idea:  The people in England won rights from their kings by refusing to pay taxes until they were given some power and representation.  The United States later adopted the ideas of the Magna Carta and the Parliament.
                                                  • Henry II:  descendant of William the Conquerer, great king, married Eleanor of Aquitane of France and got lots of French land to go with his English realm.
                                                  • Henry II did many things that would influence England and the United States.
                                                    • courts with traveling judges to try cases throughout England
                                                    • Judges went from town to town, hearing cases and collecting taxes
                                                    • Trial by Jury.  Each judge would select a jury of twelve men from the village he lived in.  This made trials more fair.
                                                    • Written laws, kept over time, became English Common Law.  Judges would refer to previous cases to determine what to do.
                                                                                              • Richard the Lion-Hearted:   Henry and Eleanor's first son, Crusader, dies and is succeeded by his brother John.
                                                                                              • King John:  weak, nicknamed 'John Softsword', taxed people harshly, spent money on wars, which he lost.
                                                                                              • English citizens finally say "no more money until you give us some rights', force him to sign Magna Carta in 1215.
                                                                                              • Magna Carta:  (Great Charter), 1215.  Document signed by King John that gave rights to English citizens and limited the power of the king.  Included:
                                                                                                • no taxation without representation
                                                                                                • jury trial
                                                                                                • equal protection under the law




                                                                                                      • Parliament created in 1295 when another king needed money.  Two townsmen and two knights from each town went to London to represent their area.  This became the House of Commons.  Later, a House of Lords was added.
                                                                                                      • Why is this important?  The United States got its ideas about courts, juries, judges, taxation, equal protection, and government from the English


                                                                                                      •                        Music:  The New Written Language


                                                                                                        Musical Notation: 
                                                                                                        • first recorded in ancient Greece, Greek letters for notes
                                                                                                        • Roman philosopher Boethium 6th Century used 15 letters to represent the notes.
                                                                                                        • Gradually changed repeating letters A-G, as well as sharp and flat symbols
                                                                                                        • 12th century, Benedictine monk came up with do-re-mi-fa-sol-la-ti-do using six musical phrases of Gregorian chants.
                                                                                                        Wednesday Videos:

                                                                                                        Parliament:  The Queen Opens Parliament
                                                                                                        Parliament:  The Black Rod
                                                                                                        800 years of Magna Carta
                                                                                                        History of Musical Notation

                                                                                                        Thursday, May 2      The Bubonic Plague (Black Death)


                                                                                                        Main Idea:  The Bubonic Plague killed between 1/3 and 1/2 of Europe's population in the mid-1300s, but by reducing the number of workers, it ended the feudal system and raised wages.  Combined with the loss of church power, the plague ended the Middle Ages.
                                                                                                        • Bubonic Plague (also known as the Black Death)-- a highly-contagious, usually fatal disease carried by fleas on rats.  Also found at the time was Pneumonic Plague, which was 100% fatal, but less common.
                                                                                                        • Symptoms of the Plague
                                                                                                          • Swelling of the lymph nodes in neck,armpit and groin the size of grapefruits, called 'buboes'.
                                                                                                          • Purple or black splotches on skin, hence the name "Black Death"
                                                                                                          • Sneezing, chills, fever, vomiting, death


                                                                                                              • Effects of the Plague upon Europe
                                                                                                                • Population decreases by more than 1/3 (20-25 million deaths)
                                                                                                                • Too few people to farm the land, much land becomes pasture
                                                                                                                • Towns shrink
                                                                                                                • Land abandoned, as well as homes, and reclaimed by others
                                                                                                                • Higher prices, but also higher wages
                                                                                                                • Feudalism disappears
                                                                                                                • Church loses respect (could not prevent the plague)
                                                                                                                • People obsessed with death and dying






                                                                                                                            • Videos Used (Watch if gone)  (Total Viewing Time is roughly 24 minutes)We watched a two-minute clip in class, but this video covers the lesson very well and should be used if you missed the lesson.

                                                                                                                              Thursday, May 2

                                                                                                                                          The Great Schism: The Split in the Catholic Church

                                                                                                                              Main Idea:  The Catholic church lost power in the 1300s after being challenged by kings and also because of not being able to prevent or stop the plague.  The Church split for 39 years and never regained its former power afterwards.
                                                                                                                              • Schism--split
                                                                                                                              • Pope Boniface--commands French king Philip IV to stop naming his own bishops (Lay investiture) in a Papal Bull.
                                                                                                                              • Papal Bull--an order from the Pope that must be obeyed
                                                                                                                              • Philip ignores the bull and instead arrests and imprisons Boniface, who dies
                                                                                                                              • Philip names a new pope and moves the church from Rome to Avignon, France.
                                                                                                                              • Another pope is selected in Rome.  There are now two popes.
                                                                                                                              • 1414:  Council of Constance:  All three popes fired and a new one is named.
                                                                                                                              • New men disagree with Church:
                                                                                                                                • John Wycliffe--Englishman.  Believes humans do not need the Catholic church to get into heaven but only need the Bible.  He translates the Bible into the English vernacular.
                                                                                                                                • John Huss--Czech priest who agrees with Wycliffe.  He is burned at the stake for heresy.
                                                                                                                              • Videos to watch if gone
                                                                                                                              Friday May 3

                                                                                                                                                                           The 100 Years War:  1337-1453
                                                                                                                              Main Idea:  The Hundred Years War led to the extinction of knights because of the longbow, and made England and France into strong, unified nations.
                                                                                                                              • Cause:  King of France dies without a male heir (sound familiar) and the English king claims the throne as a relative.
                                                                                                                              • Longbow:  an invention that led to the extinction of knights.  It was as tall as a man, could shoot arrows up to 300 yards, and could kill at up to 200 yards.  It had a greater range than the crossbow and could unhorse knights.  The longbowmen were easier to train than knights, required little or no armor, and could win in hand-to-hand combat with knights because they were lighter.
                                                                                                                              • Battle of Crecy (France):  British longbowmen defeat heavily-armored French knights.
                                                                                                                              • Battle of Augincourt (France):  Same thing, same result.
                                                                                                                              • War made the kings of England and France stronger, and led to nationalism.  Love of country.
                                                                                                                              • Joan of Arc:  young French peasant girl who received messages from God to lead the French army in battle.  She was victorious, but later captured and burned at the stake as a witch.
                                                                                                                              If you are gone, watch these clips: 
                                                                                                                              1.  Joan of Arc Biography in Cartoon Format
                                                                                                                              2.  Henry V's Band of Brothers Speech/Shakespeare Augincourt
                                                                                                                              3.  How to Shoot an English Longbow
                                                                                                                              4.  The Longbow: Weapons that Made Britain
                                                                                                                              5.  As Tears go By Augincourt

                                                                                                                              Monday, May 6

                                                                                                                              Review Sheet—TEST Wednesday
                                                                                                                              Late Middle Ages
                                                                                                                              Morris-2013                                                                               

                                                                                                                              1.              Know the different groups that settled England.   Celts, Romans, Anglo-Saxons, Vikings, Normans.
                                                                                                                              2.              Know why England is such an unusual language.    It is a combination of French and Germanic languages.
                                                                                                                              3.              Who were the Vikings and why are they important?  Where did they come from?   The Vikings were nomads from the North.  They are important because they settled in France (Normandy) and later conquered England.
                                                                                                                              4.               Why did the Normans have a claim on the English throne?  William was the nephew of the dead Edward the Confessor.
                                                                                                                              5.              Who was William the Conqueror?  Where was he from?  William conquered England and made it centralized nation.  He was from Normandy, France.
                                                                                                                              6.              Why was there a problem when the English king Edward the Confessor died?  He left no male (boy) heir (successor)
                                                                                                                              7.               Who was Harold Godwinson and what was his claim to the English throne?  He was the son of Edward the Confessor’s advisor Godwin and he had NO claim on the throne because he was not related to Edward.
                                                                                                                              8.              In what year did William attack England?  1066.
                                                                                                                              9.              What was the main battle in William’s conquest? The Battle of Hastings.
                                                                                                                              10.           What happened to Harold?  Killed at Hastings by an arrow through the eyeball.
                                                                                                                              11.           How many fiefs did William divide England into?  200 fiefs.
                                                                                                                              12.            How did William find out how much tax money he could collect in his new realm?  He sent out men to count every village, person and animal in the Domesday Book.
                                                                                                                              13.           What is the Domesday Book?  A book that counted all the inhabitants of England for William for tax purposes.
                                                                                                                              14.           Why was King John forced to sign the Magna Carta?   He needed money to fight his wars and the nobles would not give it to him until he signed.
                                                                                                                              15.           What does Magna Carta mean?  Great Charter.
                                                                                                                              16.           How is the Magna Carta related to our Constitution?  It spells out the rights of the citizens and limits government.
                                                                                                                              17.           Give three rights that the Magna Carta gave English people.  How are those related to rights we have as Americans?  No taxation without representation, trial by jury, equality under the law.
                                                                                                                              18.           What is the Parliament and how is it related to our own Congress?  A body of citizens who advises the king.  It has two houses.  Our Congress has two houses and makes laws.
                                                                                                                              19.           What caused the Bubonic Plague?  A disease carried by fleas on rats.
                                                                                                                              20.            Where did the plague originate?  China.
                                                                                                                              21.            How was the plague spread?  The rat moved from town to town on ships.  Once in the towns, the disease could be spread by humans, cats, dogs, or rats.
                                                                                                                              22.           Why did the plague start in port cities?  The ships docked in ports and the rats would scurry up the landing ropes. 
                                                                                                                              23.           What percentage of Europe’s population did the plague kill?  33%-50%
                                                                                                                              24.           What are symptoms of the plague?  Buboes (swelling) on neck, armpits and groin, fever, sneezing, black and purple blotches.
                                                                                                                              25.            Give four effects of the plague.  Higher wages, more land, obsession with death, less people in towns, Catholic church loses power, kings gain power, feudal system dies.
                                                                                                                              26.           How did the plague help end the Middle Ages?  It raised wages for those who survived and made  people less tied to the Catholic church and their feudal lords.
                                                                                                                              27.            What was the cause of the One Hundred Years War? It was a battle for the throne of France between England and France.
                                                                                                                              28.           Who fought in the One Hundred Years War?  England and France.  The Burgundians, in northern France, were allied with England.
                                                                                                                              29.            What weapon made the knight obsolete?  The longbow.
                                                                                                                              30.           What is the importance of the battles of Crecy and Augincourt?  They spelled the end of the knight because knights were slaughtered by longbowmen.
                                                                                                                              31.           What is nationalism?  Love of and loyalty to one’s country.  It became strong during the Hundred Years War when people identified with their nation for the first time in England and France.
                                                                                                                              32.           Who was Joan of Arc and why is she important?  She was a French peasant girl who believed God had chosen her to lead the French army to victory in the 100 Years War.  She was captured and burned at the stake by the English as a witch and heretic.
                                                                                                                              33.           Who was Alfred the Great and why was he important?  He was a great Anglo-Saxon king who drove the Vikings from England and spread Christianity and learning in England.
                                                                                                                              34.           What caused the Great Schism?  The French king refused to obey Pope Boniface about lay investiture and was captured by the king, who moved the Popes to Avignon, France.  Where did the two popes end up?   One pope was in Avignon, France and the other was in Rome.  How was it solved?  At the Council of Constance, the three (yes, there were now three) popes were fired and a new one was named. 
                                                                                                                              35.            Why is John Wycliffe important to reforming the Catholic Church?  Wycliffe believed that  you did not need the Catholic church to get to heaven and that the only way to know God was by reading the Bible.   What did he object to?  He objected to the wealth of the church, as well as how political it was.  He also did not like the fact that people were not free to read the Bible for themselves, in their own language.  What did he think one had to do to get saved?  Believe in God and follow the Bible.  What did he do to make it easier for people to study the Bible?  He translated it from the original Greek and Hebrew into English, the first time that had ever been done.
                                                                                                                              36.           Where did the Normans  come from originally?  The Normans were originally Vikings from the Northern lands of Norway, Denmark and Sweden.  These Vikings had settled in France and were known as Normans.
                                                                                                                              37.            Give two reforms of Henry II that made English law more fair.  (More for extra credit)  Trial by jury, traveling judges.
                                                                                                                              38.            How does the ceremony of the Black Rod symbolize the people’s rights over the king or queen?  The Queen or King send the Black Rod to the House of Commons to ask them to attend her/his speech.  The door is slammed in her/his face to symbolize that the king must have permission to enter.  He must then knock to get in.  This shows that the King cannot do whatever he wants.
                                                                                                                              39.           What is the significance of the Bayeaux Tapestry?  It is a 230-foot-long tapestry that is a visual storybook of the Norman Conquest. 
                                                                                                                              40.  There will be additional questions from the notes, over the lessons in this unit.  Not all questions will be found on the review sheet, and you should study your notes as well.  Honors test will have additional items.




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