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Spread of Christianity

EXERCISE

A. Fill in the blanks :

1. The great Roman empire began to disintegrate in the 5th century CE.
2. One important reason for the fall of the Roman empire was the repeated attacks
by the Germanic tribes.
3. In 395 CE, the Roman empire was divided into two parts – eastern and western.
4. By 900 CE, Christianity had become the state religion in every European state.
5. The Crusades or holy wars were fought between the Christians and the Turkish

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Muslims, between the 11th and 13th centuries CE.

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B. Match the following :

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Answer:
s:
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C. Choose the correct answer :

1. The mighty Turkish/Roman/Greek empire began to disintegrate in the 5th century CE.

Ans. The mighty Roman empire began to disintegrate in the 5th century CE.

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2. The capital of the Byzantine empire was Rome/ Jerusalem/Constantinople.

Ans. The capital of the Byzantine empire was Constantinople.

3. The orders built great monasteries, where monks/kings/ soldiers stayed and pursued
their missions.

Ans. The orders built great monasteries, where monks stayed and pursued their
missions.

4. In the 11th century CE, the Goths/Turks/Vandals invaded the lands of the Christian
emperor of Constantinople.

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Ans. In the 11th century CE, the Turks invaded the lands of the Christian emperor of

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Constantinople.

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5. The Crusaders learned the use of gunpowder and guns from the
Greeks/Franks/Turks. lu
k so
Ans. The Crusaders learned the use of gunpowder and guns from the Turks.
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D. State whether the following are true or false :

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1. The invaders who attacked the Roman empire were semi-civilized tribes.
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Ans. True.
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2. In the confusion and disorder that followed the disintegration of the Roman empire,
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the only unifying factor was Christianity and the Roman Church.
ht

Ans. True.

3. The spread of Christianity was one of the most important developments in the Early
Medieval Period.

Ans. True.

4. By the end of the 5th century, Christian churches had been established in almost
every town and city.

Ans. True.

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5. The greatest contribution of the monasteries was in the field of education.

Ans. True.

E. Answer the following questions in one or two words/ sentences :

Question 1.
What were the ‘barbarian invasions’?

Answer:
The repeated attacks and raids by various Germanic tribes such as the Goths, the
Vandals and the Franks are referred to as the ‘barbarian invasions’.

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Question 2.
Name the capital of the eastern Roman empire.

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Answer:

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Capital of eastern Roman empire was Constantinople (modem Istanbul).

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lu
so
Question 3.
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What effect did the barbarian invasions have on the Byzantine (eastern Roman) empire?
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Answer:
The Byzantine empire was attacked by the barbarian tribes but it proved to be more
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resilient than its western counterpart It successfully withstood the onslaughts and
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preserved some of the great legacies of the glorious Roman empire.

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//w

Question 4.
What were the Crusades?
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Answer:
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Crusades were the holy wars waged by the Christians against the Turks, who had
captured the lands of the Christian emperor of Constantinople and Jerusalem (the holy
land of the Christians).

Question 5.
How did the Crusades pave the way for the Renaissance?

Answer:
In the course of their travels to the holy land, the crusaders came in contact with the
superior civilizations and cultures of the Greeks and Muslims. They assimilated the best
elements of these cultures and started the process of revival of western education and
learning and paved the way for the Renaissance.

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Question 6.
How did the Crusades lead to the decline of feudalism?

Answer:
The Crusaders learnt the use of gunpowder and guns from the Muslims. These two
discoveries contributed to the decline of feudalism. The armoured knights had outlived
their usefulness and their services were no longer required.

Question 7.
Where did the Christian monks live?

Answer:
They lived in monasteries and did not marry.

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Question 8.

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Name two arts that flourished in monasteries.

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Answer:
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Architecture, mural painting, wood carving and stained glass painting developed and
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flourished in the monasteries.
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Question 9.
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Name one internationally renowned university that evolved from a Christian monastery.
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Answer:
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The University that evolved from a Christian monastery of Oxford in England is know as
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Oxford University in the English – speaking world.

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F. Answer the following questions briefly :

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Question 1.
Briefly discuss the causes of the decline of the mighty Roman empire?

Answer:
The barbarian invasions penetrated deep into the Roman territory and plundered and
ravaged it. Even the magnificent city of Rome was not spared. These tribes gradually
settled down and assumed control of the western part of the Roman empire which lead
to its decline.

Question 2.
The Crusades brought about significant changes in medieval Europe. In this context,
discuss the following:

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(a) Advent of the Renaissance

(b) Economic prosperity.

Answer:

(a) Advent of the Renaissance : In the course of their travels to the holy land, the
Crusaders came in contact with the superior civilizations and cultures of the Greeks and
the Turks. They assimilated the best elements of these cultures and started the process
of the revival of Western education and learning, paving the way for the Renaissance.
(b) Economic prosperity : The Crusaders got a taste of the luxurious lifestyle of the
East. To meet the demand for luxury items, European traders began to establish trade
links with the East. As trade increased, the economy of Europe flourished.

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Question 3.

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Write short notes on the following :

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(a) Monks and nuns

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(b) Life in a monasteries
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Answer:
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(a) Monks : They were priests who devoted their lives to the services of God and
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humanity. They lived in monasteries and did not marry.

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Nuns : They were the women who devoted their lives to the service of God and
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humanity. They lived in nunneries and did not marry.

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(b) Monasteries : These were the places where the monks lived. They were located in
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isolated places, far away from human habitation. Life in these monasteries was simple
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and orderly.
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Question 4.
Describe a monastery. What did the monks and nuns do for the welfare of the people?

Answer:
A monastery was usually a large, strong and simple building, surrounded by gardens,
fruit orchards, fields and ponds. Inside the abbey was a small church, living quarters for
the monks and nuns, a kitchen and storerooms. Attached to most monasteries were
hospitals, schools and libraries.

Monasteries played a very important role in medieval Europe. The nuns educated
children and treated the sick and wounded. The greatest contribution of the

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monasteries was in the field of education. Some of these monasteries later developed
into famous secular universities, such as the universities of Oxford and Cambridge.
Besides the religious texts, secular subjects such as history, philosophy, medicine, law
and astrology were also taught in these universities.

The printing press and paper had not yet been invented, so the monks wrote books by
hand on parchment. Most of the books were copies of the Bible and prayer books, and
copies of Latin and Greek books on secular subjects. These books were a very useful
source of knowledge of the ancient and medieval civilization in Europe.

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Question 5.
What was the contribution of the monasteries in the field of education?

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Answer:

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The greatest contribution of the monasteries was in the field of education. Some of

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these monasteries later developed into famous secular universities, such as the
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universities of Oxford and Cambridge. Beside the religious texts, secular subjects such
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as history, philosophy, medicine, law and astrology were also taught in these
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universities.
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G Picture study :
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This is a picture of a renowned English university built by the Christian Church (picture
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on next page).
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Question 1.
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Identify the university.

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Answer:
Oxford University.

Question 2.
What part did the Church play in the field of education?

Answer:
The Christian Church played an important role in the field of education. These Churches
become great centres of scholarship, art. Literature and religious studies. Educational
institutions like the internationally renowned Cambridge and Oxford Universities were

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built by the Church.

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Question 3.

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Mention any two reasons for the rapid spread of Christianity in Europe between 400 CE

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and 900 CE.
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Answer:
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The conversion of a king or feudal lord was usually followed by mass conversion of his
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subjects. As Christianity spread, the power and wealth of the Church multiplied.
Christian monks, fired by religious fervour, organized themselves into religious orders.
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Question 4.
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In what way did the increase in wealth and power influence the policies of the Church?
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Answer:
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As the wealth and power of the Church increased, it became increasingly conservative
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and authoritarian, demanding from every Christian unqualified obedience, loyalty and
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total submission to its dictates.

Question 5.
What does the term ‘Crusades’ mean? How did the Crusades contribute to the revival of
learning and pave .the way for the Renaissance in Europe?

Answer:
Crusades were the holy wars of the Christians against the Turkish Muslims. In the
course of their travels to the holy land, the Crusaders came in contact with the superior
civilizations and cultures of the Greeks (Byzantium) and Muslims. They assimilated the
best elements of these cultures and started the process of the revival of Western
education and learning and paved the way for the Renaissance.

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OTHER IMPORTANT QUESTIONS

Question 1.
Explain how Christianity spread in Early Medieval Europe?

Answer:
Christianity became popular in Early Medieval Europe. Many Europeans converted
themselves to Christianity and as the time passed, it became the state religion. If a king
or Feudal lord converted to Christianity, their subjects also followed them. Many
beautiful Churches and Monasteries were built, which helped in spreading the religion.

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Question 2.

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Briefly explain who were serfs ?

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Answer:

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The land owned by the vassals were cultivated by peasants, who were bound to the
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land. These peasants were known as serfs. These serfs could not change their jobs,
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move to another area or marry without the permission of their masters.
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oo

Question 3.
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Briefly explain the term Feudalism ?

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Answer:
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Feudalism was a form of government based on land holding. The king granted land in
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exchange for military support.

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Question 4.
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How did the Crusades pave the way for establishing trade contacts ?
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Answer:
The Crusades were fond of luxurious life style of the East. To meet the demand for
luxury items, European traders began to establish trade links with the East.

Question 5.
Briefly describe the duties of priests ?

Answer:
The duties of priest were to preach and perform religious rites and help the poor and the
needy.

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