CCSS2 UNIT 6: Feudal Europe

UNIT 6: Feudal Europe p.103

Part 1: The Feudal System

-Carolingian empire disintegrated

-Kings got armed men to fight against foreign invaders (Muslims, Vikings, Magyars)

- Kings paid those men with land

Protection Needed---à FEUDALISM: (10^th-13^th centuries) the political, economic + social system in W. Europe. Free person depended on his lord + became his vassal.

-Act of homage: lord/vassal commitment

            -Vassal gave lord loyalty, troops + advice

            -Lord protected vassal + gave him resources (a fief /feef/)

à Pyramid System = everyone is interdependent

–       ppl. bound by vassalage to higher ranking ppl.

–       Ex: noble could be vassal of king AND lord of lower ranking noble

–       Ecclesiastics (Nobles/Bishops) became lords w/fiefs too

–       Monarch was at top

Part 2: Daily Life on the Fief p.106

FIEFS

-rural estates w/lots of land

-self-sufficient à produced everything they needed

-lord owned bridges, ovens + mills; peasants has to pay to use them

-2 parts:

            1. Demesne /duh-mén/ :land used by the lord + farmed by serfs

            2. Tenements/Holdings: small plots of land lord rented to peasants; peasants had to give him part of their harvest + work for him in the demesne.

THE LIFE OF A LORD

-Lived in a walled castle, in the tower (keep)

-had courtyard w/blacksmith, laundry, bakery, chapel etc.

entertainment: jousting, chess; women: embroidery, singing/dancing

THE LIFE OF A PEASANT

-very hard

-lived in simple dwellings of wood/adobe/straw

-1 room w/hearth + hole in roof

-food scarce

Part 3: Economy p.110

-based on fiefs’ agriculture/livestock

-trade almost nonexistent

AGRICULTURE

-cereals + pulses (legumes)

-low productivity b/c of rudimentary technology

            -Roman plough (wooden)

            -2 year crop rotation

LIVESTOCK

-cow/pig/sheep rearing, bee-keeping, horse-breeding

-acorn fed pigs = main food

-milk, wool, meat, hides

TRADE

-local markets/fairs – peasants could sell some produce

-foreign trade by sea

-wine, salt, textiles, cereals, weapons, iron tools

                                                                                                            

Part 4: Society p.111

-Ppl. organized into 2 kinds of “estates of the realm”:

1. Privileged estates: nobility + clergy; subject to different laws

A. Nobility- dedicated to fighting wars

               a.Higher: dukes, marquises, counts; vassals of king + lords of other men; lived in castles, administered justice, collected taxes.

               b. Lower: knights who owned nothing but their horse + weapons; vassals of feudal lords

B. Clergy

               a. Secular: depended on a bishop

               b. Regular: members of an order, lived in monateries

                        1. Higher: bishop/abbots (noble families)

                        2. the rest

2. Non-privileged estates: all others; peasants, craftsmen etc. = 90%; all had to pay tithe to church; all paid taxes to lord

A. Free peasants: worked tenements, free to leave

B. Serfs: tied to land; needed lord’s permission for things; worked demesne land or in house

              

Part 5: Religion

-In middle ages, the most important thing in society

5.1 The Church

-Church was ony authority in areas of barbarian invasion

-kings/emperors looked to church for authority

-1^st monasteries founded in W.Europe in 5^th century (Benedictines, Cistercians)

-monks lives set by regulation: prayer, manual labor, intellectual work

5.2 THE CRUSADES p.114

-Religious expedition to recover Jerusalem/the holy land from Muslims

-1095 Pope Urbane called 1^st –until 13^th century

-produced military orders: orders of knights/monks àfought against Christianity’s enemies + lived monastic lives (Order of Hospital of St. John, Order of the Temple/Templars = wealthy)

5.3 Pilgrimages

-10^th century Church stats promoting trips to holy places; people could ask for forgiveness or favors from God:

1. Rome: Pope

2. Jerusalem: Jesus’ crucifixion + resurrection (pilgrims were protected by military orders)

3. Santiago de Compostela – tomb of St. James the Apostle

Part 6: Culture, Architecture + Art p.116

6.1 Culture

-In Middle Ages cultural centers reduced to monasteries à monastic/cathedral schools imitating model of Palatine Academy at Aachen (Charlemagne)

-Cathedral schools à universities (Bologna 1088, Oxford 1096)

6. 2 Architecture + Art

Romanesque = characteristic style of Christian Europe

-religious

-rural

-monastic orders + pilgrims spread it throughout Europe

ARCHITECTURE p.117

-predominant buildings churches/monasteries

-barrel vault, groin vault, semicircular arch

-thick walls, few windows + doors

-basilica plan, Latin-cross plan or central plan

SCULPTURE p.118

-used on exterior of buildings (doorways)

-took shape of architectural frame

-meant to teach illiterates about Christianity

-figures rigid, static, inexpressive

PAINTING

-Murals in fresco; illustrated manuscripts in tempera

-didactic purposes

-plain colors, scenes w/out depth

-rigid, unemotional figures

CCSS3 Unit 2: The Physical Landscape of Spain

Part 1: Geographial Location of Spain

Territories:

-Largest part of Iberian Peninsula

-Balearic Archipelago

-Canary Archipelago

-Cities of Ceuta and Melilla and small isles in N. Africa:

 “plazas de soberanía” 

(literally "places of sovereignty") are the current Spanish sovereign territories in continental North Africa bordering Morocco. The name refers to the fact that these territories have been a part of Spain since the formation of the modern Spanish State (1492-1556), to distinguish them from 19th and 20th Century colonialism.

Part 2: Relief

-High average elevation (66om) b/c of mountain ranges + platuea (Meseta)

The Meseta= high+flat w/2 mountain ranges:

1. Sistema Central = Submeseta norte + submeseta sur

2. Montes de Toledo = Tajo River Basin + Guadiana River Basin

Edges of the Meseta

1. Macizo Galaico-Leonés mts. = rounded + low

2. Cordorillera Cantábrica = parallel to sea

3. Sistema Ibérico = not a complete block

4. Sierra Morena separated Meseta + south, low

Depressions

1. Ebro – arid b/c isolated from Mediterranean

2. Guadalquivir – vast, triangular plain; exposed to Atlantic influence

Exterior Mountain Ranges

1. Montes Vascos – steep

2. Pyrenees = high central zone+ 2 parallel lower mountain ranges

3. Cordilleras Costero-Catalanas = 2 mt. ranges parallel to Mediterranean

4. Sistemas Béticos= Cordillera Penibética + Cordillera Subbética

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Island Relief p. 32

1. Balearic Archipelago – Menorca, Mallorca, Ibiza, Formentera. All except Menorca are continuation of Sistemas Béticos. Sierra de Tramontana (Mallorca)

2. Canary Archipelago – Volcanic relief, Teide on Tenerife = highest pt. in Spain

The Coasts

-Rocky + Steep = Cantabrian + N.E. Atlantic Coasts

-Sandy beaches + rocky parts = Mediterranean, Balaeric Islands + S.E. Atlantic

-Volcanic cliffs + some beaches = Canary Islands

Part 3: Rivers and Lakes p. 34

-Flow pattern affected by climate + relief

3 Catchment Areas:

1. Cantabrian Sea: short b/c their sources are in mountains near coast. Lots of constant precipitation = fast, regular flow

2. Mediterranean sea: xept Ebro, short w/irregular flow, esp. in summer. Can increase w/torrential rains in autumn

3. Atlantic Ocean: Galician rivers have high, regular flow. Others long w/many tributaries, irregular flow b/c of scarce rain

Part 4: Climate and Vegetation p. 36 +

Part 5: Natural Landscapes p.37

1. Maritime: N/NW Peninsula

mild winter/cool summer, reg. abundant rain all year

deciduous forests, moors, grassland

2. Mediterranean Coastal: S+E Peninsula + Balearic Islands

mild winter/hot summer, scarce rain

Mediterranean forest, scrubland, steppe

3. Mediterranean Inland: interior Peninsula

cold winter/hot summer, scarce rain

holm oak (encina), bushes like thyme (tomillo), rosemary (romero), lavender (lavanda)

4. Sub-tropical: Canary Islands

warm winter/summer, irregular, scarce rain

laurasilva forests in humid zones, cardoons (cardo), pitas (agave)+ prickly pear (higo chumbo) in arid zones

5. Alpine: mountain areas

cold winter/summer + abundant rain + snow

vegetation changes w/altitude

Part 6: Protected Spaces p.38

à places where no activity is allowed that could have negative effects on the natural environment

-Ex. National Park (Picos de Europa, 1918)

Part 7: Natural Resources p.40

Natural resource = something from nature useful for humans

Spain’s:

1. Relief: plains = settlement, coast/mountains = tourism

2. Soil: quality is low so it must be cultivated in special ways

3. Climate: good for human settlement, agriculture, livestock farming; sun + low precipitation = tourism; lots of sunshine + wind = wind + solar energy

4. Water: limited + essential for agriculture + industry; long dry season in many spots

5. Vegetation: forests give us raw materials + tourism

6. The Sea: transport + tourism; desalination = can be used for human consumption/agriculture/industry.

Find:

TheMeseta , The Sistema Central, The Montes de Toledo, the Macizo Galaico-Leonés Mountains, the Cordillera Cantábrica,  the Sistema Ibérico, the Sierra Morena, the Ebro Depression, The Guadalquivir Depression, the Montes Vascos, the Cordilleras Costero-Catalanas, the Sistemas Béticos.

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CCSS3 Unit 10 Power Point Notes

The Division of Powers in the Spanish State

1.Executive power = Government

2. Legislative Power = “Cortes Generales” = Houses or Chambers of Parliament

(Congress of Deputies and Senate) 

3. Judicial Power

Courts of Justice

(Judges and Magistrates)

Congress

•300-400 members (currently 350)

•Elected every 4 years in general elections or whenever parliament is dissolved

•Proportional Representation with closed party lists following the D´Hont Method (each province gets at least 2 deputies)

•Passes laws

•Approves general State budgets

• Controls government action and asks for explanations

•Can present a motion of censure (they can vote out the PM)

The Senate

•Is the chamber of TERRITORIAL REPRESENTATION

•208 senators total, elected every 4 years or when parliament is dissolved

•4 senators represent each province (except the islands, which have fewer)

•1 senator represents each autonomous community

•Each autonomous community gets 1 more for every million inhabitants.

•Has less power than the Congress of Deputies

•Proposes, reviews and votes on bills (“Proyectos de ley” – a proposed law being studied and discussed)

Executive power = Government

•Composed of the President, Vice President and ministers. (Together = The Council of Ministers)

•In charge of: foreign + domestic policy, defense, and economic policies

•Granted confidence by Congress (in an absolute majority) and formally nominated by the king.

•The President decides on each minister and ministry. They meet usually on Fridays at Moncloa Palace.

•Can request a vote of confidence (If he fails, parliament is dissolved and we have new elections).

Judicial Power = Courts of Justice and Magistrates

•Judges are independent but regulated by the CGJP

•The Supreme Court (Tribunal Supremo) has power all over Spain in all matters except the  constitutionality or unconstitutionality of laws.

•The Constitutional Court (Tribunal Constitutional) can hear appeals against the alleged unconstitutionality of laws/regulations.

•Most of the judges of both these courts are nominated by Congress and the Senate

•They pass  judgment on crimes

Other Institutions

  1. State Ombudsperson (“Defensor del pueblo”)

  -a person appointed by the “cortes generales”.

  - S/He: attends to citizen’s complaints, makes sure that their rights aren’t violated by the government

  2. Court of Audit (“tribunal de cuentas”)

  -counsellors appointed by the  “cortes generales”

  -They: control state administration and use of public funds

Part 3: Territorial Organization of Spain p.172

•  -The 1978 Constitution established a decentralized state (government powers are distributed in different institutions distributed around the country, like municipalities, provinces etc.)

AUTONOMOUS COMMUNITIES

-each has a statute of autonomy (fundamental institutional law)

-all have:

  -it’s name

   -it’s territorial boundaries

  -it’s symbols (anthem, coat of arms)

  -it’s political organization

 

  -The Autonomous Parliament / Legislative Assembly

-has legislative power there (members elected every 4 years)

-The Executive Council / Government of the Community

-has executive power within community

-has president + regional ministers of different areas (education, health, economy etc.)

- The Supreme Court of Justice – the highest judicial institution in the community

The powers of the community  = legal authority

-some powers were their responsibility from the beginning (ex.regulation of tourism and agriculture)

-some powers were given to them from the State later (ex. Education, healthcare)

 

-Autonomous Cities (Ceuta + Melilla)

  -have their own institutions (legislative assemblies + executive councils)

  -cannot pass laws

    -can introduce legislative initiatives in the “cortes”

Regional Government

•2nd article of the constitution = “Spain is the common and indivisible homeland of all Spaniards.”

•17 Autonomous Communities + 2 autonomous cities

•Each has a Statute of Autonomy

•Each has its own parliamentary democracy

•Since the 1978 constitution they have gotten different levels of power.

•2 “Communities of Chartered Regime” (The Basque Country and Navarra) = full fiscal autonomy

•The rest are “Communities of Common” : They have limited fiscal independence (a lot their taxes are administered centrally and redistributed among them for fiscal equalization.)

•3 have their own police force: Mossos d’Esquadra (Catalonia), Ertzaintza (Basque Country) and Chartered Police (Navarra).

Provinces and Municipalities p.72

1. Provinces

-contain several municipalities

-their government/administration are the responsibility of provincial councils (“diputaciones”) , which are made of deputies elected by city councils.

-their main function = management/coordination of services shared by its municipalities (transport, water, energy supply, culture, protection of environment etc.)

-In autonomous communities with only 1 province, the regional government does the work of the provincial councils

-In the Balaeric Islands municipalities are coordinated by the insular councils

-In the Canary Islands, by the “cabildo” à represent each island