Answer:
1. Describe the medieval social hierarchy: include lord, knight, serf, king.
The medieval social hierarchy had three social classes: the nobles, the clergy, and the serfs.
Nobles included the king, feudal lords (counts, dukes, archidukes, etc), and knights, who were usually low-ranking noblemen.
The clergy included the pope, priests, monks and nuns.
The serfs were the farmers that worked the lands of the feudal lords and the clergy. They represented the vast majority of the population.
2. Explain the role of the church in medieval society. Provide two examples to illustrate the role
The church had a political role, it held lands, created alliances, and gave legitimacy to rulers. For example, Charlemagne was crowned Emperor by the Pople.
The church also had an intellectual role. Priests and monks were among the minority of people who knew how to read and write. Monks in particular wrote many manuscripts: books written by hand that featured many illustrations.
3. Pick two and identify the identify key figures in art, architecture, and literature during the Middle Ages
Important Medieval artists are Giotto (painter), Master James of St. George (Architect), Dante, Roger Bacon and Aquinas (writers and philosophers).
4. Pick two and identify the key intellectual achievements of the Middle Ages
Aquinas was perhaps the most important philosopher of the Middle Ages, and he greatly developed the Catholic Church philosophy and theology.
Dante wrote the Divine Comedy at the end of the Middle Ages, which is one of the most acclaimed literary works of all time.
5. Describe two similarities and two differences between Japanese feudalism with Western European feudalism during the Middle Ages
Two similarities: Japanese fuedalism was led by the equivalent or feudal lords: daimyos, and there was also a class of noble warrios that protected these lords: the samurais (the Japanese equivalent to a knight).
Two differences: Japan was an unified nation during the feudal era, while Europe was divided in many different nations.
Japan was much more isolated from the rest of the world, and practically only had contact with China and Korea, Western Europe was more connected, especially the Mediterranean world.
