Government: Lesson 150

When people say that we need to have a "living Constitution," what it really means is that the way it's interpreted should be subject to change. Even though the Constitution included proper ways to make updates, this ideology persists. Rather than changing the interpretation, which puts all power in the hands of the judges, we …

Western Civilization 1: Lesson 180

One of the most common myths in history is that, prior to the discovery of America, everyone in Europe thought that the world was flat. This is absolute bogus. The circumference of the earth was first accurately estimated by Eratosthenes in the 3rd century BC, 1700 years before Christopher Columbus was even born! After many …

Western Civilization 1: Lesson 175

Q: How were the ideas of Marsilius of Padua evident in Louis of Bavaria's conflict with Pope John XXII? A: To be Holy Roman Emperor, the pope himself had to crown the Emperor. Louis of Bavaria wanted to be Emperor, but he could not get the pope to crown him. Instead, he took matters into …

Western Civilization 1: Lesson 170

Discuss the rise and fall of Girolamo Savonarola. Girolamo Savonarola was a Dominican friar who lived in the 15th century. He was very opposed to the Renaissance, and considered it to be a pagan movement. Rather than going along with the new teachings of philosophy, he encouraged everyone to get back to their foundation--the gospel. …

Western Civilization 1: Lesson 165

Q: What were some of the problems associated with the Renaissance papacy? A: During the Renaissance, the popes were very distracted by matters outside the church. While the alternative interests varied from pope to pope, all of them had a negative impact on the productivity of the pope. Rather than governing and reforming the church, …

Western Civilization 1: Lesson 160

Q: What are some of the qualities and strategies Machiavelli recommends to political leaders in the excerpts you read? How does this represent a break with the past? A: Machiavelli's theories on how a monarch should act ran contrary to the those of the past. Typically, it was thought that a good ruler was one …

Western Civilization 1: Lesson 155

Q: Discuss some of the key ideas of the Renaissance. A: The Renaissance was a rebirth of interest in the ancient Greek and Roman works. During the Renaissance, there was a shift in the focus of the culture. While it was still common for people to pursue religion as they had before, there was a …

Western Civilization 1: Lesson 150

Q: What was the Great Western Schism, and how was it resolved? The Great Western Schism refers to a time in church history when the entire catholic church was divided. From 1378 to 1415, there were two popes, but no one knew who the legitimate pope really was. Some people supported one, some supported the …

Western Civilization 1: Lesson 145

Q: What was the significance of the conflict between Philip IV and Boniface VIII? A: After Philip IV of France, or Philip the Fair, had been at war with England for a while, he eventually came to the point of being in desperate need of money. In a cruel move against the Jews, he sent …

Western Civilization 1: Lesson 135

Q: Why was the rise of the medieval towns significant? A: The rise of towns was a big step in the right direction for Medieval Europe. Towns promoted decentralization in the political and economic systems, and gave serfs an opportunity to get out of the obligations they had to their lords. If a serf could …