examples of French Gothic influence on British architecture.

Gothic Architecture was also called "the French style" because it originated in France. This style of Architecture was very apparent in cathedrals because of the Capetian dynasty, who had close ties with France. The styles of France trickled down into England.
One of the of the ways to tell whether or not something is of Gothic style is if it has High arches or stained glass windows. To the left is the ambulatory in St. Denis abbey in France which has the tell tale high arches and stained glass windows. To the right is the North Entrance at Westminster abbey which has high arches and stained glass window, the most prominent there is the large rose window.

Another big statement of French Gothic architecture is having two towers at the west front of a Cathedral. To the left is the Westminster Abbey located in London, England. To the right is The west front of Notre Dame Cathedral.

Having a nave (high arch above the alter) with many tiers was a big statement of Gothic Architecture. To the left is the Nave of York Minster in York, England. To the right is Cathedrale de Coutance located in Manche, France. Gothic architecture was all about letting the light in and the more tiers in a nave the more light would be let in.

citation: Cathedrale De Coutances Bordercropped. Digital image. Wikimedia Commons. Web. 26 Apr. 2010. .

"English Gothic Architecture." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. 16 Apr. 2010. Web. 26 Apr. 2010. .

"Gothic Architecture." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 26 Apr. 2010. .

IMG_2690p. Digital image. Sacred Destinations. Sacred Destinations. Web. 26 Apr. 2010. .

StDenis_Chorumgang. Digital image. Wikipedia. Wikimedia. Web. 26 Apr. 2010. .

Westminster_Abbey_London_900px. Digital image. Wikipedia. Wikimedia, 12 Jan. 2005. Web. 26 Apr. 2010. .

Westminster.abbey.northentrance.arp.500pix. Digital image. Wikipedia. Wikimedia, Nov. 2004. Web. 26 Apr. 2010. .

York_York_minster_interior_001. Digital image. Wikimedia Commons. Web. 26 Apr. 2010. .

Crusades

• started around the 11 century with the taking of Jerusalem, failed from a military standpoint because many died before they reached Jerusalem
• France had become a kingdom under the Capetian dynasty who had close ties with the Church.
• There was a lot of French art and architecture coming over to England
• Spain, in the 8th century was occupied by the Moores, from Morroco where Islam was prevalent. For 7 hundred years they ruled Spain.
• Library of Alexandria burned and Constantinople was taken over by Islam. All the knowledge and information was erased from history. As North Africa was colonized by the Muslims the knowledge base of Europe was minimalized. The Crusades did not make the situation better. The crusades turned the Muslims into the enemy, unnecessarily.
• In the end Europe went into the dark ages, and the Islamic world went through a renaissance
• They had all the knowledge of the eastern world.
• works of Aristotle (most important
• Fear of judgement day was rising.
• The French lead a crusade into Moorish Spain and when they got their they saw it was a thriving culture and they had Aristotle. Europeans realized they have been losing knowledge of the Greek Philosophers while in Spain they had a lot of libraries packed with them.
• Why is Aristotle so important?
• Aristotle seemed to have the answer to everything split into: practical, productive, and theoretical. He came up with a system of knowledge. The crusades kept Aristotle out of Europe but when they were over his information got into Europe. Aristotle demonstrated that logic defeats superstition. It is called a Dialectic.

What's wrong with social orders?

In the medieval times the people practices a system of social orders called feudalism. Feudalism is a system of obligations that bound lords and their subjects in Europe during much of the middle Ages. In theory, the king owned all or most of the land and gave it to his leading nobles in return for their loyalty and military service. The nobles in turn held land that peasants, including serfs, were allowed to farm in return for the peasants' labor and a portion of their produce. Under feudalism, people were born with a permanent position in society. (Dictionary.com). The problem with social orders is that no one can move up or make a change in their life, whether it is good or bad.

The feudal system was made of serfs, nobility, and the church. The Church was at the very top, then the nobility which was consisted of the kings then barons then knights. At the very bottom of the social ladder were the serfs who worked on the land of knights and barons. Whatever social class you were born into was the one you died out of. The only exception to that was that some nobility gave their children to the Church as a sort of “sacrifice” to God. Serfs were a part of the land, if their Lord asked something of them they had to do it, if their Lord so some of the land they could also be sold with it. Barons were given land from the king which in turn they had protected by knights. The Knights owned the land that the Baron’s gave to them and also owned serfs. The King may be seen as the one in complete control except for the Church had a hand in many of the decisions he made. In the end the church had the most power. “We have also learned that it sometimes happens that when tenants die their relatives are not allowed to succeed them, but their property is taken over for the use of the Church”(Pope Gregory the Great).

The main problem with the feudal system is that it is to final. When a prince is born he would probably die a king, when a serf’s son is born, he will die a serf. Just because said prince is born a prince does not necessarily mean that when he grows up and succeeds his father and becomes king that he will be good for that job. The feudal system gave people power that they could not handle. Another example for which power should not just be handed down is the Julio-Claudean dynasty in which all the power was kept in the family but all the family was mentally instable. The reason for democracy today is so that those who gain power are for sure the ones that are right for the job. During the medieval times the Church was a source of power for those who needed it. Those who belonged to the church, such as priests and monks, were not oblivious to the power they held. In some cases this power was abused and the priests in a particular town could get their way with the nobles because if not they could be separated from the Church. At the top of the Church was the Pope who had way more power than the king. Although someone has power there are many instances where those in power become corrupt because of it.

Human Dignity is lost when it comes to social orders of the medieval times. Human dignity is the idea that because all people are created in God's image, they have fundamental worth. This notion is the foundation of Catholic social teaching.(Catholic Faith Handbook). It is quite ironic that the Church had all the power at the top of the social order yet they still condoned the unfair treatment happening to most of the medieval population. Those at the bottom of the chain are treated like cattle. They were a part of the land; if the land was sold they were also sold. Serfs even had to take an oath when first entering “serfdom”. “By the Lord before whom this sanctuary is holy, I will to N. be true and faithful, and love all which he loves and shun all which he shuns, according to the laws of God and the order of the world. Nor will I ever with will or action, through word or deed, do anything which is unpleasing to him, on condition that he will hold to me as I shall deserve it, and that he will perform everything as it was in our agreement when I submitted myself to him and chose his will.”(“Feudal” Oaths). There greatest wrong of medieval social order is how the serfs had to live. Their lives were to serve and if they tried to run away with it by law their Lords could do whatever they felt they needed, even death.

The social order, or feudal system, of medieval times is wrong because most of the population was treated unfairly and they could do nothing about it. The possibility of the corruption of those in power was too high because they may not have deserved it. Social order is wrong because no one can “pursue happiness”.

Works cited

The Great, Canute. "Medieval Sourcebook: Canute the Great: Granting of Fiefs, 1028." FORDHAM.EDU. Web. 22 Apr. 2010. .

Ladder_silver. Digital image. Wikimedia Commons. Wikipedia. Web. 22 Apr. 2010. .

"Medieval Life - Feudalism." History on the Net Main Page. Web. 22 Apr. 2010. .

"Medieval Sourcebook: "Feudal" Oaths of Fidelity." FORDHAM.EDU. Fordham. Web. 22 Apr. 2010. .

"Pope Gregory the Great: Succession to Tenant Holdings on Church Land, C." FORDHAM.EDU. Web. 22 Apr. 2010. .

Did Gothic architecture reflect a change in Church theology

Gothic architecture reflected a great change in Church theology. The previous outlook on theology was being ready for the judgement day and being cautious of what one might do or say. This previous outlook was called Romanesque architecture. The main difference between the Gothic era and the Romanesque era was "light". What this means is that the whole perspective of the Gothic outlook on theology is hope and letting the light in. People who believe in this perspective look to the positive side of life. Gothic architecture showed a change in how the church looked at the end of life. Previously the church declared that everyone should be wary of how they live their lives because judgement day was quickly approaching. With Gothic architecture there were many stained glass windows that symbolized hope.

citation:1913_east_window. Digital image. Wikimedia Commons. Wikimedia. Web. 19 Apr. 2010. .

Some Homecoming

My name is Addy Jones, and I am from Bel Air, Maryland. I'm here today to tell you all what I have witnessed in the small town I lived in. For me it all started around two weeks ago.

The hot topic in Bel Air was the swine flu that was spreading across Maryland. Many of my fellow students had caught swine flu but none had died so the hype was beginning to die down. The night of the homecoming game was quickly approaching but word had gotten out that half of our football team was out with flu like symptoms. Students and faculty alike where worried. That Thursday during the pep rally in walked our football team. We screamed and cheered, not only because they were healthy but because homecoming week would not be the same without them. The players ran through the bleachers giving high fives and hugging friends and the pep rally was going great until the star quarter back fell down the bleachers in a fit that seemed like a seizure. The gym went silent as teachers ran to him and a voice yelled, "Call 911!" It all went by so fast, one second he was shaking the next he had jumped up, and started vomiting a black thick liquid. The sounds of disgust echoed on the gym walls as those around him where covered in it. When it seemed like it was finally over his skin turned pale green and he fell down again.

By time the ambulance came the people who had been covered in his "puke" were already washing in the gym showers and given clothes from the school store. Word was buzzing as students who were closest to him spoke. My friend Leiah was one of the people who got covered and she told me what she saw. Apparently before the whole thing occurred the white of his eyes had a pinkish tinge. The thing was, all the football players had this pinkish tinge also. With each player individually inspected by our nurse the game was cancelled as our team was sent to Upper Chesapeake Medical center, where my mom works.

That night when my mom came home she told me what she knew. She started with the quarterback who had died first. Slowly the other football players followed the same fit that he had with the curious vomiting and eye color change. The difference was that before dying some of the others launched into extreme fits of anger that lasted for up to 3 hours. The ones with the anger attacked everyone in sight and some of the nurses and doctors were stabbed with needles. Not only were they angry but the boys were bleeding through the skin as they attacked those around them, thus getting blood on the people they attacked.

I figure that's how what ever it is, got passed on. The Surgeon General was notified of this strange disease. He ordered the happenings to stay out of the media and sent one of his people to look at the bodies.

Homecoming had arrived, and everyone was trying to be happy. The actual dancing was happening in the gym where most of us students were, so that when my friend Leiah fell to the floor next to me everyone stopped. "Adam" I heard a voice scream. As I turned my head I saw another guy on the floor as he seized also. When the tremors stopped we all stepped back from the people who had fallen because we knew what was going to happen next. The lights flickered on in the gym exposing color changes in both victims. Leiah stopped shaking, and I heard cracking sounds as she got up and looked me straight in the eyes. The white of her eyes was pink. I let out a gasp as I saw her eyes roll back and she turned around and vomited. Outside in the hallway screams where heard. I turned around to see a handful of boys and girls running from another girl who was bleeding. She had no cuts yet blood seemed to be seeping from the corners of her eyes. She stopped chasing the group, turned and faced us, and ran forward. It all happened so fast, I followed a group of people through the back doors of the gym to get outside.

There were screams coming from all around as students were getting attacked and others were falling to the ground. Some of those who fell to the floor did not get up while those who did lunged at those around them. To make matters better it was pouring rain outside and although it was dark the road lamps clearly outlined the thick black liquid that looked almost like oil on the pavement. I turned around looking for a way out of the hysteria and ran toward the outlet that lead to the road. The sounds of the sirens was becoming louder so I ran toward the sound. One of the ambulances ended up pulling over next to me and the doors swung open. "Are you infected". "Infected with what?" I asked in return. The man in the uniform looked at me and shined his flashlight on me. "She's good! Let's go" As soon as the words left his mouth the ambulance sped away, leaving the doors open. I stood in the pouring rain wondering what was happening but knew I had to get home. My house is on the very edge of Bel air, that meets Forrest Hill. I was only about 30 minutes away by foot so I started walking. The police station was empty, as was the court house, and the pub. I kept walking and started to notice, that the normally busy streets were empty. Soon I heard the helicopter soar above my head. The bright light that seemed to be searching for something, anything, was blinding. I heard the rush of cars as I reached the halfway point on the way to my house. Right before me I saw dozens of cars and a fence set up directly in front of the "Welcome to Bel Air" sign. There where men that looked like they were astronauts in their white suits all over the place. I ran to one of them asking what was going on only to be picked up by more men who threw me into an ambulance. Quickly some tests were ran on me and I guess I passed them because they took me through the gates all the way to where I am now. I searched the web for any possible word as to what happened to my friends and the people in Bel Air. There was absolutely nothing. A couple days ago a man came to my door and told me that I was to appear before a group of doctors and scientists explaining my account of the disease. I don't know where it came from but I know that it kills pretty quickly and I'm the only survivor.

Notes from class: Black Death

• Black Death(Bubonic Plague) took 20 million lives in only 2 years
• 1338 there was an earthquake and rats that had the Black Plague spread across Europe from Central Asia
• The disease was in black rats and their fleas, as they moved the plague spread along the trade routes and and after 8 years reached the Chrimea
• There was a war going on and there was a siege and the people were stuck inside the fortress and the soldiers were stuck outside. The soldiers began to die, they decided to leave but before that the prince made the soldiers make catapults and catapult the plagued dead bodies into the fortress walls. (GERM WARFARE)
• The bodies landed into the wall and within days people began to die because the disease had entered the water supply. The merchants who could left the city and took boats, where the rats, with disease, had boarded. The sailors started dying. The merchants reached sicily and the harbor masters tried to isolate the ships, but the rats got onto shore. This is how the plague reached Europe.
• A priest heard that the plague had reached Europe and prayed that it would not spread.
• Maceet, was a heavily populated city and when the disease reached there people started to die. The clothes of the disease were sold and when they were buried close friends of them followed them to bury them.
• The homes of the dead where closed off. Bodies where buried by the hundreds in clay pits because burial grounds soon became over crowded. Sometimes the corpses where left in their homes.
• When the pope heard that the plague was weeks away from Avignon, where he lived, a doctor had fires set about him, to keep the disease away, as the plague hit Avignon. The Pope sat there for weeks in the heat.
• The pope's doctor ended up surviving the plague when he came down with it. He had brought blood to the surface of him by heating glass. He came up with that there where two types of the plague, bubonic and pneumonic. Upon this the pope allowed the dissection of dead bodies.
• The pope had flagulents move across Europe praying to ask God for forgiveness.
• This new movement blamed the Church though for the disease, but then put blame on Jews and Jewish people where massacred all over. The pope had them stopped.
• by 1350 the plague had died down, it had killed 1/3 of Europe's population.
• After this though there was a shortage in labor and taxes and the people were unsure about the absolution of the Church.
• Dead bodies where hauled out of towns on wagons.
• As the wagon went through town someone would scream, "Bring out your dead"
• 
  

Submission for Class blog

Human beings are meant to be free. It is just not human beings, but all organisms seem to gravitate towards freedom. Even putting an insect into a jar will result in the insect attempting to try to get out somehow. There are different forces that act on a human being's instinct to be free. Such as free will. The many circumstances of bondage in history have shown that freedom is the driving force of those in bondage to break free. Human beings have an innate instinct to be free.
"Free or agency, refers to the ability of humans to make genuinely free choices"(Wikipedia). The concept of free will shows that humans are independent beings when it comes to making choices. What person would like to have all of their rights taken away under any circumstances? In the medieval times slavery and human trafficking was big. Men, women, and children would be sold by even their own family to work for others. Once they were sold there was a very low chance that their own children would be able to move up in life. Even if a person was used to slavery, that doesn't mean they were okay with it.

Everyone's own freedom is different because what freedom is is based on what a person wants.
Human beings are way ahead of other organisms in the world when it comes to their instincts. Human beings are born with the want to be free and make their own choices. "What separates homo sapiens from the rest of the animal kingdom is free will."(A.G). In medieval times a serf, or servant, had to ask their Lord if they could get married or not. The serfs were tied to the land and their "owners". Under such circumstances there were runaways, and because the Lords and other serf owners had the law on their side, they could do what they wanted with runaway serfs.
Human beings want to be free and it is just something they are born with. From the time a child is born they make their own choices, whether or not the decisions happen is another case.

citation

Sanchez, Scott. Police_handcuffs.jpg. Digital image. Commons.wikimedia.org. Wikipedia. Web. 15 Apr. 2010. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d9/Police_handcuffs.jpg

A.G. "Freewill - Associated Content - Topic - Associatedcontent.com." Associated Content - Associatedcontent.com. Associated Content. Web. 15 Apr. 2010. .
"Human Nature." Wikipedia. 6 Apr. 2010. Web. 15 Apr. 2010. .