Midterm study guide

Due Feb 3 by 11:59pm
Points None

The midterm will be open in Canvas Quizzes from Monday, 2/3, at 8 am to Tuesday, 2/4, at 11:59 pm

You can take the exam at any time within the open period, but you must complete it no later than 2/4 at 11:59 pm (so make sure you start it at least an hour before then).
You will have 60 minutes to compete the exam once you log in. Make sure you’re prepared to finish the exam before you log in as there is no way to pause the exam once you begin.
Questions for sections I and II will be randomly generated from a question bank, so each student will have a different version of the exam.
The study guide is the question bank for the exam. No questions will appear on the exam that are not on the study guide.
The exam is open book and open note, but you should really assemble all the answers to the questions on the study guide in advance of the exam. The exam is timed and it will kick you out after 60 minutes, so having all your notes assembled ahead of time is crucial.
The best way to study for the exam is to review your notes and the Powerpoints on the Canvas website (they're under Files in the Powerpoints folder). The Powerpoints contain the answers to almost all of the short answer questions, although some do come from the textbook. There is an index at the back of the textbook that you can use to look up specific events and people. There is also a glossary at the back of the textbook that you can use to look up terms and their definitions. I have also posted a glossary and a timeline on the Canvas website; the links to them are right above the Schedule of Classes.
Ignore your initial grade. Canvas is terrible at grading write in questions, but there is no way to disable the auto-grade feature. We know this is a problem, so we will be manually regrading each exam. Accurate scores for the exam will be published about a week after the exam. We will notify you when they are ready.

I. Definitions:

20 terms from the following list will appear on the midterm; you will match them to their definitions. Each item will be worth 1 point. Total value: 20 points.

(Note: most of these terms are defined in the textbook or were explained in lecture. You should review your notes and use the glossary in the back of the textbook to look terms up; you can also use a standard dictionary or a Google search to look up definitions.)

Grace

Heresy

Vulgate

Manicheanism

Clergy

Laity

Bishop

Relic

Abbot

Ordination

Dualism

Doctrine

Monasticism

Sacrament

Eucharist

Traditore

Wergeld

Dowry

Morgengabe

Comitatus

Foederati

Mithraism

Trinity

Orthodoxy

pontifex maximus

Asceticism

Original Sin

Arianism

Donatism

Pelagianism

Compurgation

Ordeal

Trial by combat

Partible inheritance

Translatio imperii

Bannus

Consensus

Missi Dominici

II. Short Answer Questions:

All of these topics were covered in lecture and/or the textbook. Answers should generally be one to three words, and sometimes a simple yes or no. You should review the Powerpoints on the course website to find the answers, and be aware that the study aids that previous students have posted on the internet contain a lot of incorrect answers, so you should just do it yourself if you want to do well on the exam.

60 of these questions will appear on the exam. Each question will be worth 1 point. Total value: 60 points.

For questions involving dates, the year is sufficient.

For questions involving people, you must include their full name to receive full credit (e.g. Augustine of Hippo, Ambrose of Milan, or Alaric the Visigoth – Augustine, Ambrose, or Alaric will only get you partial credit). There are some exceptions to this rule, such as some of the Roman emperors, early Christian figures who have no cognomens/nicknames (such as Saint Jerome), and figures such as Charlemagne (in all of these cases, the names we commonly use are unique enough to identify them). When in doubt, give some other identifying information with the name.

Who invented the term Middle Age (medium aevum) to describe the period between antiquity and his own time?
What does mos maiorum mean in English?
Which five virtues of the mos maiorum that Roman men were supposed to exhibit did we discuss in lecture?
Were the ancient Romans monotheists or polythesists?
Who established the pax Romana?
What was the language of the Church, government, law, and education in western Europe during the Middle Ages?
Name one of the two great compilations of Roman Law.
What were the two primary functions of the early Christian Church?
What did the Edict of Thessalonica do and when was it issued?
What edict made Christianity legal within Roman Empire and when was it issued?
What do we call the meetings of church leaders that resolved early Christian doctrinal disputes? (two words)
Which bishop of Rome was the first to be called “pope” (papa/father) by contemporaries?
What is the title of the leader of the eastern/Byzantine Christian church?
Who called the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD?
Which two doctrinal issues was the First Council of Nicaea called to settle?
Which council declared Arianism heretical and what year did it take place?
Is Arianism a sacramental heresy or a Trinitarian heresy?
Which Emperor's conversion to Christianity resulted in the legalization of Christianity and a massive expansion of the Church in the 4th century?
Did Donatists believe that a priest in a state of sin could transmit God’s grace through the sacraments? (yes or no)
Which council declared the teaching of Pelagius heretical and what year did it take place?
What book did Augustine of Hippo write to describe his conversion experience?
What book did Augustine of Hippo write in answer to pagan accusations that the sack of Rome was due to Christianity replacing the worship of the old Roman gods?
What philosophy did Augustine take up immediately following his departure from Manicheanism?
Which heresy was Augustine arguing against when he formulated his views on grace and predestination (i.e., that grace is absolutely essential for salvation since humans are incapable of doing good on their own, and that some people are predestined to be saved and others predestined to be condemned)?
What theory of how God works through history did Augustine develop in The City of God?
When and by whom was Constantinople founded?
When did Constantinople fall, bringing an end to the eastern Roman Empire?
What do we call the remaining portion of the Roman Empire in the east after the fall of the western half of the empire?
What language was most common in the eastern Roman Empire?
What language was most common in the western Roman Empire?
Which Germanic tribe sacked Rome in 410 and what was the name of their leader?
What was the name of the last Roman Emperor in the west?
Who deposed the last Roman Emperor in the west and what year did this occur?
Name two of the obligations the sippe had.
Under Germanic law, how much of a man's property/wealth was he expected to give to his wife the morning after their wedding?
How were Germanic chiefs, and later Germanic kings, chosen?
What were Germanic chiefs, and later Germanic kings, expected to hold annually in order to consult with their most important followers?
Name two of the great Germanic tribal confederations (feoderati).
What group of Asiatic horsemen pushed the Germanic tribes into the western Roman Empire in the 4th and 5th centuries?
Who was the last Roman Emperor to try to reunite the western and eastern parts of the Empire?
When did the Battle of Adrianople occur?
Which emperor was killed at the Battle of Adrianople?
What year did the Visigoths elect Alaric as their king?
Were the Visigoths attempting to destroy Rome or trying force the Roman government to honor their treaty when they invaded Italy in 408? (choose one)
Where did the Visigoths eventually settle and set up their own kingdom?
Did Odovacer end Roman culture in Italy? (yes or no)
What kind of Christianity did the Visigoths, Ostrogoths, Vandals, Burgundians, and Lombards follow before the 6th century?
To whom did Theodoric the Ostrogoth theoretically owe his power (i.e., under whose authority did he claim to rule)?
Which of the following activities typical of Roman emperors did Theodoric not undertake as King of Italy: sponsoring building projects, persecuting Christians, providing cheap grain for the poor, providing public entertainment.
Which of Theodoric’s ministers is most responsible for preserving classical literature through his monastery’s library at Vivarium?
Who wrote The Consolation of Philosophy and where was he when he wrote it?
For what crime was Boethius condemned to death?
Who established a monastery at Monte Cassino and wrote a “rule” for monks that shaped western monasticism in the Middle Ages?
Which series of wars inaugurated the “Dark Ages” in Italy and which emperor was responsible for them?
What was the religion of most of the subjects ruled by the Arian and pagan Germanic kings?
Did Germanic law allow women to inherit property? (yes or no)
What type of inheritance did the Merovingians practice?
Which of Chilperic’s brothers was Fredegund responsible for killing?
Which queen did Fredegund set off a 40 year feud with by orchestrating the murder of her sister?
Why did Merovingian queens often kill their step-children?
What was the name of the last Merovingian king?
Which pope sent missionaries all over Europe to convert pagan and Arian kings?
Which Germanic tribe was the first to convert to Catholic Christianity?
Which one of the following functions did monasteries not have in the Middle Ages: spiritual centers, retirement homes for nobles, schools, political prisons, fire stations, or libraries?
What position/title did the Carolingians traditionally hold under the Merovingians? (Give your answer in English or Latin)
Why didn't Charles Martel take the throne after the death of King Theuderic IV?
What land grant from Pepin the Short to Pope Stephen established the Papal States and what year did it occur?
The Carolingians had a symbiotic relationship with the papacy and received papal support and legitimation. What did they provide the papacy in return?
What year was Childeric III deposed?
Where was Childeric III sent after he was deposed (what type of institution)?
What ritual was used to transfer power from the Merovingians to the Carolingians?
What year was Charlemagne crowned emperor and who crowned him?
What was Charlemagne’s title as emperor? (give both the Latin title and its English translation)
Did anyone use the term "Holy Roman Empire" in the Middle Ages? (yes or no)
Who did Charlemagne choose to run the palace school at Aachen?
Who was the palace school at Aachen designed to train: peasants, nobles, government officials, or royal children?
Could laymen and women attended the Carolingian grammar schools that were set up in the towns? (yes or no)
Why did Charlemagne promote education (what did he think it could help people attain)?
What Carolingian script is the basis of modern type fonts?
Which Italian church featuring a mosaic of Emperor Justinian was the model for Charlemagne’s palace church (aka Palatine Chapel)?
Why did Louis the Pious inherit all of Charlemagne's kingdom?
Where did Louis the Pious send his sisters (to what type of institution)?
Which rebellious nephew did Louis sentence to blinding, resulting in the nephew's death?
What act did Louis the Pious have to perform in 822 to win the nobles back to his side after his nephew died?
In which battle were Lothar and Pepin II defeated by Louis the German and Charles the Bald?
Was Charles the Bald able to reunite the Carolingian empire? (yes or no)
What treaty split the Carolingian Empire into East Francia, West Francia, and Lotharingia?
Which three groups invaded Europe in the 9^th and 10^th centuries?
What year did the first recorded viking attack occur and what location and institution did the vikings attack?
What year did the vikings/Danes destroy the main Carolingian port of Dorestad?
Which one of the following territories did Muslims not conquer during the 8th and 9th centuries: southern France, Spain, southern Italy, or Sicily?
Which one of the following countries did the Magyars not invade in the 9th and 10th centuries: Germany, Italy, England, or France?

III. Primary Source Analysis.

The following excerpts are from primary sources we have read for class.

ALL of them will appear on the exam, you will choose ONE of them.

Answers should be about 300 words. 20 points total.

Answers should do the following:

Explain what the text is (e.g. what type of source is it, what is the source about, what do we know about the author, what do we know about where his information comes from, what is the author’s bias, and are there any other issues with the source that need to be taken into account). This information should take no more than a sentence or two; you should focus your efforts on the next two points.
Analyze the quote (briefly explain where the quote is situated in the text and explain what is going on in the quote itself).
Explain how this quote fits in with contemporary themes and/or events discussed in lecture and the textbook (contemporary does not mean modern in this context, it means "at the same time", so if a quote came out of a text produced during the first century, you should connect it to first-century themes and events, not themes and events from the sixth century or the present day).

1. Tacitus, Germania, 98 AD

A man is bound to take up the feuds as well as the friendships of father or kinsman. But feuds do not continue unreconciled. Even homicide can be atoned for by a fixed number of cattle or sheep, and the compensation is received by the whole family. This is much to the advantage of the community, for private feuds are peculiarly dangerous side by side with liberty.

2. Gregory of Tours, History of the Franks, late 6^th century

Now that Bisinus and Childeric were both kings, Queen Basina, about whom I have told you, deserted her husband and joined Childeric. He questioned her closely as to why she had come from far away to be with him, and she is said to have answered: “I know that you are a strong man and I recognize ability when I see it. I have therefore come to live with you. You can be sure that if I knew anyone else, even far across the sea, who was more capable than you, I would have sought him out and gone to live with him instead.” This pleased Childeric very much and he married her.

3. Gregory of Tours, History of the Franks, late 6^th century

One day when had called a general assembly of his subjects, he is said to have made the following remark about the relatives whom he had destroyed: "How sad a thing it is that I love among strangers like some solitary pilgrim, and that I have none of my own relations left to help me when disaster threatens!" He said this not because he grieved for their deaths, but because in his cunning way he hoped to find some relative still in the land of the living whom he could kill.

4. Einhard, Life of Charlemagne, c. 817-830

The Franks, in a general assembly of the people, made them both kings on condition that they should divide the whole kingdom equally between them, Charles was to take and rule the part that had to belonged to their father, Pepin, and Carloman the part which their uncle, Carloman had governed. The conditions were accepted, and each entered into the possession of the share of the kingdom that fell to him by this arrangement; but peace was only maintained between them with the greatest difficulty, because many of Carloman's party kept trying to disturb their good understanding, and there were some even who plotted to involve them in a war with each other.

**Sample Excerpt and Analysis**

This is an example to give you an idea of what kinds of information we are looking for in the Primary Source Analysis and how much space you should devote to each part of the answer.

The Song of Roland, c. 1100

Roland said: “I shall sound the oliphant and Charles, who is going through the pass, will hear it. I pledge to you, the Franks will soon return.” Oliver said: “That would be most shameful and all your kinsmen would then be blamed; such shame would endure as long as they live. When I spoke to you of this, you did nothing. But you will not act so now on my advice. If you sound the horn, there will be no valour in it.”

Sample Analysis

(What is the text?) The Song of Roland is a chanson de geste that gives a fictionalized account of Charlemagne’s wars in Spain. It circulated orally for many years before being written down by an anonymous author around 1100 AD. As a fictional account, it tells us very little about Charlemagne’s historical activities, but it does give us insight into chivalric culture around the year 1100.

(Where is the quote situated in the text and what is going on in the quote?) Charlemagne’s nephew Roland has been put in charge of the king’s rear-guard as the army leaves Spain. Caught in a narrow pass, Roland and the rest of the rear-guard have been attacked by a much larger Saracen army. Although they are vastly outnumbered by the Saracens, Roland has thus far refused to sound his horn to call back the main body of the Frankish army, in spite of his companion Oliver’s pleas that he do so before the battle began. Now, after it has become clear that they will die, Roland finally sees the wisdom of blowing his horn and offers to call back the Franks. Oliver implies that in refusing to blow his horn before the fighting began, Roland accepted the terms of the battle. Oliver also argues that calling the army back now that the fighting has begun and the rear-guard is being defeated would indeed be a source of shame, not only for Roland, but for his kinsmen as well. While Oliver feels that calling for help before the battle began would have been wise (a virtue that Oliver embodies), he reminds Roland that calling for help when they are being beaten (and after Roland had committed to this course of action) is cowardly.

(How does this quote fit in to the contemporary themes and/or events discussed in lecture and the textbook) The exchange between Roland and Oliver reflects the premium placed on reputation and honor in twelfth-century knightly society, as well as the overwhelming fear of shame in this society. This fear of shame and desire for honor is the most important motivator for knights like Roland and Oliver, and it was the most important way for real knights in the twelfth century to advance in a society organized for war. Honorable and valorous acts were rewarded by lords, while a knight who shamed himself by acting dishonorably could expect no advancement. It is particularly important to note that just as one’s honor reflects well on one’s family, doing anything shameful will affect not only an individual, but all of their kin as well. Roland’s actions will affect not just himself, but everyone to whom he is related.