Key Historical Figures and Events Review

History Examination Material

Key Figures and Concepts

Johann Gutenberg

A German inventor who created the printing press with movable type in the 1400s. This invention enabled the mass printing of large texts. It significantly aided the spread of the Reformation, as Bibles and documents containing Reformation ideas could be printed rather than laboriously hand-written.

Hegira

The journey that the Prophet Mohammed and his followers took from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE. In Medina, people embraced his ideas, and the first Muslim community formed. Therefore, the Hegira marks the beginning of the Muslim calendar.

Mercantilism

An economic theory focused on generating wealth and profit through trade and commercialism. It gained popularity in Europe following the Crusades and the discovery of eastern spices, silks, and jewels. Merchants accumulated substantial profits, leading to the formation of a middle class previously unseen in Europe. Mercantilism contributed to the end of feudalism because merchants could provide kings with gold for ships, giving monarchs the funds to pay their own troops instead of relying on nobles for military support.

Council of Trent

A council convened by the Roman Catholic Church in response to the Protestant Reformation. They met for 18 years attempting to enact reforms intended to prevent people from leaving the Church for Protestantism. However, they ultimately never changed any core doctrines, and England did not return to being a Roman Catholic nation.

Humanism

A movement prominent during the Renaissance that emphasized human aspects of life over purely religious concerns. This philosophy was taught by Eastern scholars who relocated to Western Europe, often alongside female educators. Humanists advocated for a liberal arts education.

Wars of the Roses

A series of battles fought in medieval England between 1455 and 1485, involving the House of Lancaster (symbolized by the red rose) and the House of York (symbolized by the white rose). Major causes included:

• Both houses being direct descendants of King Edward III.
• The ruling Lancastrian king, Henry VI, surrounding himself with unpopular nobles.
• Widespread civil unrest among the population.
• The availability of powerful lords commanding private armies.
• Untimely episodes of mental illness affecting Henry VI.

The wars concluded when Richard III, the last Yorkist king, was defeated at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485 by Henry Tudor, founder of the House of Tudor.

Additional Topics for Review

Unexplained Terms:

• Hundred Years' War
• Battle of Hastings
• 95 Theses
• Concordat of Worms
• Reconquista
• Magna Carta
• Scholasticism
• Act of Supremacy
• Odovacer
• Diocletian
• Pharisees

Discussion Points:

1. Discussion of feudalism and its relations to the Middle Ages.
2. The Crusades: What was attempted and what was accomplished.
3. Discussion on the factors that caused the decline of the Western Roman Empire.