(1) What was the Great Schism? What factors brought it on? The Great Schism took place in 1054, when the Church split into two branches: the Eastern Orthodox Church, and the Roman Catholic Church. The Great Schism came about due to many religious disagreements, as well as political conflicts. One such religious disagreement was the … More Western Civilization I, Week 22 – Great Schism, Philip II Augustus, the Sacraments, and Indulgence

Describe the ninth- and tenth-century invasions. Apart from the physical destruction involved, how did they affect life in the West? In the 19th and 10th centuries, Western Europe suffered invasions from many different peoples, which devastated Europe and had many lasting negative effects. The attacks started with the Muslims, then the Hungarians, and eventually endless … More Western Civilization I, Week 20 – 9th & 10th Century Invasions, Feudalism and Manorialism, and William the Conqueror

What do you learn about Islam from the Koran selections you read? The selections of the Qur’an that were assigned were passages 1 and 47. From these passages, I glean that Muslims believe firmly in absolutely one god. There is no god but Allah and Muhammad ﷺ is His messenger. Muslims also believe that Allah … More Western Civilization I, Week 19 – Islam and the Procopius Portrayal of Justinian

1. Discuss the shift in power from the Merovingians to the Carolingians. Why did it occur, and how? The Merovingians were the first ruling family of the Franks. They started out well, but eventually turned sour due to the fact that the new form of government did not bode well with them. There were many … More Western Civilization I, Week 17 – Power Shift, the Papal-Frankish Alliance, and Charlemagne’s Image in Einhard’s Biography

In what ways did Christianity represent a departure from the ideals and practices of ancient Greece and Rome? There are a few ways that Christianity and its teachings represent a departure from the ideals and practices of ancient Greece and Rome. There are the huge differences in religion, as well as some differences that were … More Western Civilization I, Week 15 – Departure from Ancient Greece and Rome, and Rome and the Visigoths

What kinds of contributions did the monks make to European society? The monks made all sorts of great contributions to European society. They copied down many manuscripts and texts that would have otherwise been forgotten or destroyed. They also stored up water in their monasteries in case of drought, and taught irrigation to farmers. The … More Western Civilization I, Week 14 – The Monks’ Contributions to European Society and Christian Writers’ Attitude Toward Ancient Greek Philosophers

“Writing assignment: How would you compare the teachings of Christianity, as described in the New Testament passages we read for this week, to the values cherished by earlier civilizations we have discussed (particularly the Greeks, and the values expressed in Homer’s works)? Conversely, can you see anything in common between Christianity and some of the great … More Western Civilization I, Week 12 – The Values of the New Testament vs. Ancient Greek Values

1. What is the difference between the liberty of the ancients and the liberty of the moderns? What would moderns find lacking in ancient liberty?     In 1819, Swiss-French libertarian Benjamin Constant gave a lecture in Paris. In this lecture, he determined the differences between ancient liberty and modern liberty. Modern liberty is focused on individual … More Western Civilization I, Week 8 – Ancient vs. Modern Liberty and Epicureanism

2. Choose a work of art from ancient Greece (it doesn’t have to be one covered in the video lesson) and do the following: (1) provide the basic background (what it is, when it dates from), (2) identify which period of Greek art it belongs to, (3) explain what that period is known for, and … More Western Civilization I, Week 7 – The Boy Charioteer and Ancient Greek Religion

Describe the circumstances leading to the Persian Wars. Why were they significant events in Western history? The conflict leading to the Persian Wars starts with a diplomatic misunderstanding. Sparta was not supportive of Athens’ democratic reformer at the time, Clisthenes. They kept interfering in Athens’ affairs, and the Athenians were not happy about it. So … More Western Civilization I, Week 6 – The Persian Wars and the Peloponnesian War