Culture in the High Middle Ages

World History I

The Rise of Education• Universities developed in Europe in the Middle

Ages.– Attended only by men.– Students studied a liberal arts curriculum.• Grammar, logic, math, music, astronomy

– After completing the liberal arts curriculum, students could study medicine, law, or theology.

– Theology is the study of religion and God.• Students who complete these programs and pass their exams

were granted a doctor’s degree.

Scholasticism• The study of theology was strongly influenced by

scholasticism, which combined faith and reason.• It harmonized Christian beliefs with the works of Greek

philosophers.• Works of philosophers, such as Aristotle, upset many Christians

because his beliefs contradicted those of the church.– Saint Thomas Aquinas made the most famous attempt

at reconciling Aristotle with Christian beliefs.• In Summa Theologica, Aquinas used logical methods of

questioning in an attempt to answer theological questions.

Vernacular Language• Latin was the language of medieval Europe.– By the 12th century, more literature was being written in

vernacular, the language of everyday speech in a particular region.• The desire for new entertainment led to a growth in vernacular

languages.• More people spoke vernacular languages.

– Examples: Spanish, French, English, and German

Architecture• Architecture changed during the middle ages.– The Romanesque style of architecture was being

replaced in many areas by Gothic architecture.• Stained Glass windows are one famous example of Gothic

architecture.

Romanesque Architecture Gothic Architecture