1) For the fifth through the eighth centuries Western Europe continued to uphold the illusion that the Roman Empire was still intact. Discuss how vestiges of the Roman world endured in the early Middle Ages. How and why did the eastern and western halves of the former Roman Empire drift apart over this time. What role did the papacy and the Franks play in this process.
2) Discuss how feudalism functioned in medieval society. What role did personal relationships play? How were the problems of non-literacy dealt with? What role did religious ideology play?
3) Discuss the religious reforms of the tenth and eleventh centuries. How did they contribute to the growth of the church and the empowerment of the papacy? What problems did this cause with secular authorities? How did the reform movement contribute to militant Christianity?
