Monday, May 23, 2011
Worst Jobs In History
I think that the worst job in middle ages history is to be a leech collector. When there was no cure for illness people would have the leeches suck their blood. It was said that while the leech drained the blood that the disease would leave. The leech collectors would walk to the marsh and stir up the water in order to catch the worm. Then they would take the leeches back to town for the people who were sick. I think that this a terrible job because you would constantly have leeches stuck to your body! What if the leech was carrying bacteria that made someone even more sick? I would think this job is really unsanitary. I wonder who would ever choose this job! Honestly, I don't you could pay me enough money to collect a blood-sucking worm.
Friday, May 20, 2011
A Freshman Year to Remember
Amanda Spaeth walked through the doors of John Carroll feeling nervous and exited. She knew it would it would be a year to remember. At first John Carroll seemed liked a big maze, there was only one way in and out. Many of Amanda's new teachers seemed intimidating by presenting her and her fellow classmates with new challenges. Amanda felt compelled to excel in every class by giving it her all. Over the course of the year, Amanda made new friends, read some Shakespeare, and met many new friends. Her eyes were opened to the world during human geography and western civilization. Amanda learned also learned the basics of the German language and continues to learn it until she graduates. Memories were made in the joyful atmosphere of English class. Science and math may not have been her strongest areas in school, but Amanda tried the best she could. Religion class made Amanda think about how wonderful God is and all gifts he has given to the world. Not only did she learn a lot, but Amanda played multiple sports this year. Amanda ran cross country in the fall and ended up making varsity as a freshman. She swam laps in the pool in the winter and made strides across the track this spring. Amanda met a lot of people who have changed her life for the better. Her teachers will always have a special place in her heart despite the insane projects she was assigned. It was a year of fun, amazing freshman year full of achievements. Amanda plans to continue her legacy at John Carroll… if she lives to pass final exams!
Friday, May 6, 2011
Final Essay: The Culture of the Middle Ages
Question: Why is it so important to understand _ [i.e. the topic of your expert group] if one is to really understand the culture of the Middle Ages?
The Middle Ages was a time in history that introduced massive changes, especially when the Catholic Church was involved. There were social changes, worldwide conflict, and an illness called the Bubonic Plague that killed millions. Some leaders rose to high power and were looked up to, others went down in infamy. There were brilliant philosophers for the Catholic Church and their teachings are still used today. Some rebellions broke out and it was the start of reformation. It is important to understand the culture of the Middle Ages because it features the philosophy and theology of Thomas Aquinas and how it influenced the Catholic Church.
The Middle Ages lasted from 1154 to 1485 AD. “Although the Germanic tribes that forcibly migrated into southern and western Europe in the 5th century were ultimately converted to Christianity, they retained many of their customs and ways of life; the changes in forms of social organization they introduced rendered centralized government and cultural unity impossible.” (History Channel 1996-2011) There was a big conversion of Germanic tribes to the Catholic faith. This movement was a prominent event during the Middle Ages. This mean that the Catholic faith was continually spread throughout the known world. Even after the Germanic tribes became a part of the Catholic Church, they still kept their culture alive by respecting the ancient rituals.
Philosophy was also very important to the culture especially regarding religion. “The greatest work of Thomas was the Summa, and it is the fullest presentation of his views.” (Thomas Aquinas, 2009) Saint Thomas Aquinas was a great thinker for the Catholic Church. He had many new insights to contribute to the church. His most important writings were about God and how to conduct a relationship with him. He blended Greek philosophy and the church doctrine to form his theories. Even today, Thomas Aquinas’s writings still have an impact on the church.
Towards the late Middle Ages, the church faced a lot of hardships. “The church and its leading institution, the papacy, like the monarchy so strong in the 12th and early 13th centuries, also became weak and disorganized in the later Middle Ages.” The church went through many years of difficult changes and decisions in order to organize its system. The Catholic faith went through a huge reform in order to please the members of the church. Unfortunately, some important faces of the church decided to break away and form different faiths the way they thought things should be preached. The church was still a stronghold for many, but some found it hard to the faith while the papacy was falling apart at the seams.
The Catholic faith became very popular during Middle Ages because it was a part of almost every person’s life. The philosophers of the Catholic Church had a huge impact because they expressed their opinions of the teachings of the popes and bishops. Thomas Aquinas was a major figure for the church because his views on the doctrine were different and foreign to Catholics. The early Middle Ages had one of the biggest impacts on the church because of the rapid spread of the faith because it was a legal religious practice.
Works Cited
Overview: the middle ages. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/middle_ages/overview_middleages_01.shtml
Thomas aquinas. (2009). Retrieved from http://www.iep.utm.edu/aquinas/
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Rough Draft Essay: The Culture of the Middle Ages
The Middle Ages were a time in history that introduced massive changes, especially involving the Catholic Church. There were social changes, worldwide conflict, and an illness that killed millions. Some leaders rose to high power and were looked up to, others went down in infamy. Hostility between countries started wars that lasted for years and some it also resulted in the conquering of land. Rebellions broke out and it was the start of reformation. People do not need to understand the culture of the Middle Ages. It is important to understand the culture of the Middle Ages because it features the philosophy and theology of Thomas Aquinas and how it influenced the Catholic Church.
The Middle Ages lasted from 1154 to 1485 AD. “Although the Germanic tribes that forcibly migrated into southern and western Europe in the 5th century were ultimately converted to Christianity, they retained many of their customs and ways of life; the changes in forms of social organization they introduced rendered centralized government and cultural unity impossible.” (History Channel 1996-2011) There was a big conversion of Germanic tribes to the Catholic faith. This movement was a prominent event during the Middle Ages. The Catholic faith was continually spread throughout the known world. Even after the Germanic tribes became members of the Catholic Church, they still kept their culture alive by respecting the ancient rituals.
Philosophy was also very important to the culture especially regarding religion. “The greatest work of Thomas was the Summa, and it is the fullest presentation of his views.” (Thomas Aquinas, 2009) Saint Thomas Aquinas was a great thinker for the Catholic Church. He had many new insights to contribute to the church. His most important writings were about God and how to conduct a relationship with him. Even today, Thomas Aquinas’s writings still have an impact on the church.
During the late Middle Ages, the church faced a lot of hardships. “The church and its leading institution, the papacy, like the monarchy so strong in the 12th and early 13th centuries, also became weak and disorganised in the later Middle Ages.” The church went through many years of difficult changes and decisions in order to organize the system. The church went through a huge reform in order to please the members of the church. Unfortunately, some people of the church decided to break away and form different faiths. Even through hard times, the church was still a stronghold for many.
It was important to understand that the Catholic Church was popular during Middle Ages because it was a part of almost every person’s life. The philosophers of the Catholic Church had a huge impact because they refined the teachings of the popes and bishops. Thomas Aquinas was a major figure for the church because he expressed his views on the way Catholics should conduct their lives. The early Middle Ages caused the conversion of the Catholic Church to soar and influence the culture into a holy state.
Works Cited
Overview: the middle ages. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/middle_ages/overview_middleages_01.shtml
Thomas aquinas. (2009). Retrieved from http://www.iep.utm.edu/aquinas/
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