Question 1

The distinctive new musical form of the thirteenth century, the motet, was

Accepted Answer

A)  a sacred polyphonic chant of four melody lines performed during a liturgy. 
B)  typically sung by two male and two female voices. 
C)  a polyphony typically consisting of two or three melody lines sung in Latin and French. 
D)  developed by Franco of Cologne. 
A)  a sacred polyphonic chant of four melody lines performed during a liturgy. 
B)  typically sung by two male and two female voices. 
C)  a polyphony typically consisting of two or three melody lines sung in Latin and French. 
D)  developed by Franco of Cologne.

Question 2

Why did four popes excommunicate Frederick II?

Accepted Answer

A)  He wanted to control Italy, and in an era of papal expansion, the popes were threatened by his territorial and imperial claims. 
B)  He had supported heretical movements, including the Cathars in southern France. 
C)  He had worked too closely with Jews and Muslims because of his Sicilian ties. 
D)  He had challenged the authority of the clergy to administer the new sacraments created by the Fourth Lateran Council. 
A)  He wanted to control Italy, and in an era of papal expansion, the popes were threatened by his territorial and imperial claims. 
B)  He had supported heretical movements, including the Cathars in southern France. 
C)  He had worked too closely with Jews and Muslims because of his Sicilian ties. 
D)  He had challenged the authority of the clergy to administer the new sacraments created by the Fourth Lateran Council.

Question 3

Thirteenth-century vernacular literature, such as Quest of the Holy Grail, sought to

Accepted Answer

A)  inspire knights to adopt chivalry as their code. 
B)  convince nobles to abandon crusading in favor of an interior pilgrimage. 
C)  make human love the center of Christianity. 
D)  express the harmony between heaven and earth. 
A)  inspire knights to adopt chivalry as their code. 
B)  convince nobles to abandon crusading in favor of an interior pilgrimage. 
C)  make human love the center of Christianity. 
D)  express the harmony between heaven and earth.

Question 4

Describe the circumstances in twelfth- and thirteenth-century Europe that caused Jews to be stigmatized as outsiders in the cities where they had lived for generations. Did conditions worsen during these years for western Europe's Jewish population?

Accepted Answer

Answer would ideally include the followi

Question 5

The cortes of Castile-León were among the earliest examples in medieval Europe of

Accepted Answer

A)  representative assemblies. 
B)  courts of law. 
C)  federated states. 
D)  municipal councils. 
A)  representative assemblies. 
B)  courts of law. 
C)  federated states. 
D)  municipal councils.

Question 6

What feature of Gothic cathedrals made possible the telling of complicated stories through stained-glass windows?

Accepted Answer

A)  Pointed arches and flying buttresses, which allowed church walls to feature large windows for the first time 
B)  Interpreters who explained to churchgoers the symbolism and meaning of the images 
C)  Papal certificates, which were required for approval of all stained-glass windows 
D)  Special oil paints that were mixed into the glass itself when it was being blown 
A)  Pointed arches and flying buttresses, which allowed church walls to feature large windows for the first time 
B)  Interpreters who explained to churchgoers the symbolism and meaning of the images 
C)  Papal certificates, which were required for approval of all stained-glass windows 
D)  Special oil paints that were mixed into the glass itself when it was being blown

Question 7

When Christians charged Jews with blood libel, they accused them of

Accepted Answer

A)  being responsible for Christ's death. 
B)  not slaughtering their meat in accordance with Christian customs. 
C)  killing Christian children and using the children's blood in their Passover ritual. 
D)  forcibly circumcising Christian boys. 
A)  being responsible for Christ's death. 
B)  not slaughtering their meat in accordance with Christian customs. 
C)  killing Christian children and using the children's blood in their Passover ritual. 
D)  forcibly circumcising Christian boys.

Question 8

Which region was relatively insulated from the negative impacts of crop failure and famine?

Accepted Answer

A)  Norway 
B)  The Mediterranean 
C)  Denmark 
D)  England 
A)  Norway 
B)  The Mediterranean 
C)  Denmark 
D)  England

Question 9

In most places, struggles between noble and non-noble factions in Italian communes eventually led to

Accepted Answer

A)  both sides being defeated by the papacy. 
B)  both sides being overwhelmed by German invasions. 
C)  the triumph of the non-noble factions after much fighting. 
D)  takeovers by great regional nobles. 
A)  both sides being defeated by the papacy. 
B)  both sides being overwhelmed by German invasions. 
C)  the triumph of the non-noble factions after much fighting. 
D)  takeovers by great regional nobles.

Question 10

The canonization of Louis IX

Accepted Answer

A)  instilled the French monarchy with tremendous prestige. 
B)  was based on Louis's successful crusade to the Holy Land. 
C)  was proclaimed by Pope Boniface VIII in order to infuriate Frederick II. 
D)  was the price demanded by Philip the Fair to release the bishop of Pamiers. 
A)  instilled the French monarchy with tremendous prestige. 
B)  was based on Louis's successful crusade to the Holy Land. 
C)  was proclaimed by Pope Boniface VIII in order to infuriate Frederick II. 
D)  was the price demanded by Philip the Fair to release the bishop of Pamiers.

Question 11

During the reign of Louis IX in France, certain state institutions began to take shape and stabilize, for example, the royal court of justice, which had a permanent seat in Paris called the

Accepted Answer

A)  parlement. 
B)  legate. 
C)  Judicial Assembly. 
D)  Estates General. 
A)  parlement. 
B)  legate. 
C)  Judicial Assembly. 
D)  Estates General.

Question 12

Why did the church impose such harsh sanctions on heretics who refused to repent of their allegedly false beliefs?

Accepted Answer

A)  Church leaders believed that burning heretics at the stake would save the souls of those sinners. 
B)  Church leaders believed that unrepentant heretics jeopardized the souls of those around them. 
C)  Church leaders believed that unrepentant heretics were likely to forge an alliance with other enemies of the faith, including Jews and Muslims. 
D)  Church leaders thought that unrepentant heretics could be enlisted by ambitious political rulers such as Frederick Barbarossa who had clashed with ecclesiastical authorities. 
A)  Church leaders believed that burning heretics at the stake would save the souls of those sinners. 
B)  Church leaders believed that unrepentant heretics jeopardized the souls of those around them. 
C)  Church leaders believed that unrepentant heretics were likely to forge an alliance with other enemies of the faith, including Jews and Muslims. 
D)  Church leaders thought that unrepentant heretics could be enlisted by ambitious political rulers such as Frederick Barbarossa who had clashed with ecclesiastical authorities.

Question 13

Which ancient philosopher did most medieval scholastics draw upon as the ultimate authority and voice of human reason?

Accepted Answer

A)  Aristotle 
B)  Socrates 
C)  Plato 
D)  Plotinus 
A)  Aristotle 
B)  Socrates 
C)  Plato 
D)  Plotinus

Question 14

What event in 1303 led to the significant weakening of papal authority?

Accepted Answer

A)  French royal agents attempted to capture Pope Boniface VIII and put him on trial. 
B)  Boniface VIII failed in his attempt to mediate a dispute between the English and French kings. 
C)  The papacy moved to Avignon, thereby cutting the popes off from their traditional base of support in Rome. 
D)  Boniface XIII agreed to submit himself to the authority of kings and lords. 
A)  French royal agents attempted to capture Pope Boniface VIII and put him on trial. 
B)  Boniface VIII failed in his attempt to mediate a dispute between the English and French kings. 
C)  The papacy moved to Avignon, thereby cutting the popes off from their traditional base of support in Rome. 
D)  Boniface XIII agreed to submit himself to the authority of kings and lords.

Question 15

By about 1340, which empire had control over a significant portion of western Europe?
​
  ​

Accepted Answer

A)  The Ottoman Empire 
B)  The Byzantine Empire 
C)  The Khanate of the Golden Horde 
D)  The Holy Roman Empire 
A)  The Ottoman Empire 
B)  The Byzantine Empire 
C)  The Khanate of the Golden Horde 
D)  The Holy Roman Empire

Question 16

Which common feature was shared by the thirteenth-century innovations in music, architecture, and literature?

Accepted Answer

Answer would ideally include the followi

Question 17

How did Henry III's reign (1216-1272) strengthen representative parliaments in England?

Accepted Answer

Answer would ideally include the followi

Question 18

Why did many kings and lords restrict moneylending to Jews?

Accepted Answer

A)  It benefited them financially, since they could tax the Jews heavily and, on occasion, even attack them to free themselves of their debts. 
B)  In Christian Europe, it was impossible to find Christian moneylenders, since they had been threatened with excommunication by the papacy. 
C)  Jewish merchants, as a rule, were wealthier than Christian merchants and accordingly had more money to lend. 
D)  They believed that the Jews did not wish to pursue other economic opportunities available to them in the countryside or the towns. 
A)  It benefited them financially, since they could tax the Jews heavily and, on occasion, even attack them to free themselves of their debts. 
B)  In Christian Europe, it was impossible to find Christian moneylenders, since they had been threatened with excommunication by the papacy. 
C)  Jewish merchants, as a rule, were wealthier than Christian merchants and accordingly had more money to lend. 
D)  They believed that the Jews did not wish to pursue other economic opportunities available to them in the countryside or the towns.

Question 19

What was the primary outcome of the thirteenth-century European visits to China?

Accepted Answer

A)  The accidental discovery of India 
B)  The conversion of about a third of the Chinese to Christianity 
C)  The opening up of new land routes to China 
D)  The exposure of Europeans to Chinese riches 
A)  The accidental discovery of India 
B)  The conversion of about a third of the Chinese to Christianity 
C)  The opening up of new land routes to China 
D)  The exposure of Europeans to Chinese riches

Question 20

Discuss how and why the Mongols began to attack regions in central and eastern Europe. What were the long-term effects of the Mongol invasions?

Accepted Answer

Answer would ideally include the followi

Exam 12: The Medieval Synthesis and Its Cracks, 1215-1340

The distinctive new musical form of the thirteenth century, the motet, was

Why did four popes excommunicate Frederick II?

Thirteenth-century vernacular literature, such as Quest of the Holy Grail, sought to

Describe the circumstances in twelfth- and thirteenth-century Europe that caused Jews to be stigmatized as outsiders in the cities where they had lived for generations. Did conditions worsen during these years for western Europe's Jewish population?

The cortes of Castile-León were among the earliest examples in medieval Europe of

What feature of Gothic cathedrals made possible the telling of complicated stories through stained-glass windows?

When Christians charged Jews with blood libel, they accused them of

Which region was relatively insulated from the negative impacts of crop failure and famine?

In most places, struggles between noble and non-noble factions in Italian communes eventually led to

The canonization of Louis IX

During the reign of Louis IX in France, certain state institutions began to take shape and stabilize, for example, the royal court of justice, which had a permanent seat in Paris called the

Why did the church impose such harsh sanctions on heretics who refused to repent of their allegedly false beliefs?

Which ancient philosopher did most medieval scholastics draw upon as the ultimate authority and voice of human reason?

What event in 1303 led to the significant weakening of papal authority?

By about 1340, which empire had control over a significant portion of western Europe? ​ ​

Which common feature was shared by the thirteenth-century innovations in music, architecture, and literature?

How did Henry III's reign (1216-1272) strengthen representative parliaments in England?

Why did many kings and lords restrict moneylending to Jews?

What was the primary outcome of the thirteenth-century European visits to China?

Discuss how and why the Mongols began to attack regions in central and eastern Europe. What were the long-term effects of the Mongol invasions?

Early Western Civilization, 400,000-1000 B.C.E

Near East Empires and the Reemergence of Civilization in Greece, 1000-500 B.C.E

The Greek Golden Age, C 500-C 400 B.C.E

From the Classical to the Hellenistic World, 400-30 B.C.E

The Rise of Rome and Its Republic, 753-44 B.C.E

The Creation of the Roman Empire, 44 B.C.E-284 C.E

The Transformation of the Roman Empire, 284-600 C.E

The Heirs of Rome: Islam, Byzantium, and Europe, 600-750

From Centralization to Fragmentation, 750-1050

Commercial Quickening and Religious Reform, 1050-1150

The Flowering of the Middle Ages, 1150-1215

Crisis and Renaissance, 1340-1492

Global Encounters and the Shock of the Reformation, 1492-1560

Wars of Religion and the Clash of Worldviews, 1560-1648

Absolutism, Constitutionalism, and the Search for Order, 1640-1700

The Atlantic System and Its Consequences, 1700-1750

The Promise of Enlightenment, 1750-1789

The Cataclysm of Revolution, 1789-1799

Napoleon and the Revolutionary Legacy, 1800-1830

Industrialization and Social Ferment, 1830-1850

Politics and Culture of the Nation-State, 1850-1870

Empire, Industry, and Everyday Life, 1870-1890

Modernity and the Road to War, 1890-1914

World War I and Its Aftermath, 1914-1929

The Great Depression and World War II, 1929-1945

The Cold War and the Remaking of Europe, 1945-1960s

Postindustrial Society and the End of the Cold War Order, 1960s-1989

A New Globalism, 1989 to the Present

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By about 1340, which empire had control over a significant portion of western Europe?