HIS 101
Unit 9: Early Middle Ages
![Magna Carta](../../Photos/Europe/London/Magnacarta.jpg)
The
Magna Carta--this is one of the original copies made in 1215--was a lot of
small writing on a big piece of parchment, yet it proved to be a
crucial political document in the evolution of England's political
system. Photo courtesy Wikipedia Commons.
What you
must do in this unit
What you can do in this unit
- Watch the video on The Medieval Mind: How To Build A Cathedral (Another great movie about the making of a medieval cathedral is David Macaulay's Cathedral. You might be able to find excerpts online somewhere.)
- Listen to some further information about this unit
as a mp3 file. You can also read the information as
a txt file.
Some videos that you can watch for this unit
Extra Credit Options
- For up to 25 points of extra credit, read the Magna Carta and submit the Optional Magna Carta paragraph.
- For up to 25 points of extra credit, in a short
paper (one-page maximum) explain how much it cost to build a medieval
cathedral and what were some of the usual ways that the church raised money to pay for
construction. Remember to cite sources.
- For up to 25 points of extra credit, clearly explain the
genealogical basis of William's claim to the English throne in a one-page paper.
- For up to 10 points of extra credit, read Pope Urban's speech at Clermont--there are several versions--that started the Crusades. Explain in a
paragraph or so what you found most amazing about the Pope's remarks.
- For up to 10 points of extra credit, was the capture of Jerusalem by the
crusaders on 15 July 1099 a good day or bad day for the Pope? Explain in a long paragraph and remember
to cite sources. You may wish to check Fulcher of Chartres, The
Capture of Jerusalem.
- For up to 10 points of extra credit, read Usmah Ibn Munqidh (1095-1188), excerpts from his Autobiography (c.1175 CE) and write a long paragraph in which you comment upon the
nature of Christian-Muslim interaction in the Near East during the
Crusades.
- For extra credit, please suggest a
relevant website for this unit of the course. Send your instructor the title of the site, the URL and a brief explanation why you find the information interesting and applicable to the material being studied this unit.
Unit Learning Objectives
- Upon successful completion of this unit, you will be able to (1) demonstrate knowledge of key events in medieval England and (2) analyze a historical primary source.
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