*Learning what defines the medieval period as the "Middle Ages" (as well as the "Dark Ages") is central to this unit.
*Students will also explore significant medieval topics in detail, such as the inquisition, the plague, feudalism, and the role of the church in everyday life.
Students will be able to do the following: 1. Explain the power shifts that existed between the papacy and monarchs during the Middle Ages 2. Identify the reasons for the spread of the Black Plague throughout Europe and its historical impact 3. Apply knowledge of feudalism to historical events, decisions, and social circumstances 4. Critically analyze the impact of the Inquisition on the faith, actions, and politics of medieval society 5. Compare and directly demonstrate the differences between the expectations/allowances of various medieval societal rules (especially noble versus non-noble) 6. Form opinions based on social science material and, using specific examples, write intelligently about those formulations.