World History Homework Seven - Model

1. Approximately when and where did the Renaissance occur?

2. Martin Luther: who was he, what did he do, and when did he do it?

Martin Luther was an Augustinian monk in Germany. He was primarily angry about the selling of indulgences for money to build the new St. Peter’s Basilica, but he had some other related doctrinal disagreements with Catholicism as well, which prompted him to post his 95 Theses to the door of Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany, on October 31, 1517. This is almost universally recognized as the catalyst for the Reformation.

That was the history: there is debate to this day over what Luther really did, as in, what he accomplished. To Lutherans and almost all subsequent Protestants, Luther once again introduced Christ, not the Pope and his false and far-reaching authority, to the center of the Church. To Catholics, Luther divided, not reformed, the Church by rejecting doctrines going back to the Early Church, and accomplished little except fracturing the once undivided Church of Christ into warring, and often partially erroneous sects. (Addison)

3. What was the Baroque style, and what was its motivation?

4. Summarize the history of the English language.

English, which originated from the Anglo-Frisian dialects, is a West Germanic language. Germanic settlers brought over the Anglo-Frisian dialects to Britain from northwest Germany and the Northern Netherlands. Old English was created with many different dialects which were mostly Late West Saxon, but it was also affected by speakers of the Scandinavian branch and the Normans. Because of these two invasions, English is now a “mixed” language to some extent. Since English flourished by borrowing from others, it now has a voluminous and diverse vocabulary. (Veronika)

5. Chinese dynasties (any one or all), Vietnam, Korea and Cambodia: take your pick and write about one.

6. Why did the Renaissance occur in Europe, and not in other areas of the world, such as Asia?

One reason the Renaissance occurred in Europe was that Asia had not yet been Christianized, nor did it possess Hellenic culture. There was not such a divide between old and new in Asia. Another reason is that Asia was experiencing more conflict during the Renaissance, while Europe had experienced its major conflicts (especially the Crusades, and earlier the fall of Rome) before the Renaissance- the fall of Rome set the stage for a much later cultural revival, and the Crusades ended feudalism and introduced Eastern culture, both of which led, in different degrees, to the Renaissance.

Europe had (chronologically) great culture (Rome), rather depressed times along with the silent growth of Christianity (Middle Ages), conflict expanding the worldview and facilitating cultural borrowing and the revival of faith (Crusades), and finally the culmination of all of them (Renaissance). Asia, on the other hand, had oscillating periods of conflict and peace, with cultural developments all the time, but never concentrated in one single period. (Addison)

7. Current events: Who would you describe as "Machiavellian" today, and why?

Honors Questions (answer any 3 in addition to the above questions)

H1. What are the particular strengths and advantages of the English language?

H2. Do you consider the non-Catholic English Christians (the Anglicans) to be "Protestants"?

H3. What was the effect of the Reformation, or what is your view of it?

H4. Describe an example of anti-Christians trying to drive a wedge between Christians (have to go beyond the lecture for this one).

H5. How did Judaism and Christianity lay the groundwork for the scientific and artistic achievements of the Renaissance?

H6. Chivalry, revisited: write about any aspect of this issue that you like.

H7. Dante's great work about Hell: something we should hear more about today? Your view, please.

H8. Write about any other aspect of the material covered by the lecture.