CRI History: Ancient/Medieval   

This course will compare the shift in Europe from the benign era of the 1100s and 1200s to the disastrous period of the 1300s and 1400s at the closing of the Middle Ages; from papal disarray, to the deadliest of plagues, to the horrific Hundred Years War, and even the weather turned against them. It will be the end of the feudal way of life, and with that, the power structures, the ideals, and the very thinking had to change. If you enjoy a good disaster story, this is a class you will relish.
 

This is the final examination of Medieval history as Europe shifts from a world based on faith and fragmented kingdoms to a more secular, nationalistic world. It was a messy and glorious explosion of science and reason, affecting the practical world with new laws and inventions and opening up the world of art with proportion and perspective. It unveiled the heavens and the earth, promoting the exploration of new lands that delivered unbelievable wealth. All of this was epitomized in the year 1492, when the Muslims left Spain for good, when the Inquisition began in earnest, and of course, when Columbus landed in the West Indies, thus bringing Europe onto the world stage.