5.2 Europe becomes Christian

• Geschiedenis
• Middelbare school
• havo, vwo
• Leerjaar 1

Entry ticket

Put the names in the right place

Lord

Feudal system

Vassal

Subvassal

Explain why the Frankish kings eventually had less power in their kingdom because of the feudal system.

According to the book the early middle ages were an unsafe time. Give two examples of this.

§5.2 Europe becomes Christian

Spread of christianity

Learning goals

You can exlain:

• How christianity was spread in the Netherlands
• How all of Europe became Christian.
• How Germanic traditions were kept
• Why clergymen were important in society

Entry ticket

Drag the sentences to the corresponding religion

Judaism

Christianity

Believe Jesus is their saviour

Were chased out of their land by the Romans

Believe a saviour will come to free their people from opression

Became the Roman state religion

Was the state religion of the Frankish empire

In the Roman Empire, first the poor and later the rich people converted to Christianity.
Explain why.

Europe in 2022

Europe around 500 AD

1. Spread of Christianity in NL

• 690: Willibrord goes to NL with a group of missionaries to convert NL (Middle and North)
• Pepin gave permission to the missionaries and sent soldiers for protection. They worked from Utrecht
• Willibrord was appointed Archbishop and had churches built in various places
• People living in NLhad a polytheistic religion
• Christians: 'Germanic people did not have the right religion and were called pagans'.

2. Bonifatius

• Boniface also went to NL as a missionary and then to Germany.
• He cut down a Germanic tree that they worshipped and proved that nothing happened
• Became archbishop in Germany and divided the country into church provinces
• Christianity became more and more important, but he was killed in 754

3. Christian Europe

• Missionaries: pagans will suffer eternal pain in hell, yet there was much resistance -> they were seen as invaders
• Churches were burned and missionaries murdered by the Frisians and Saxons (Germanic people) 
• So they tried to convert leaders first (why?)
• If leaders converted, their subjects would often follow the example
• You could become a Christian by being baptised

4. Mixture of cultures

• In order to convince pagans even more, the christians adopted traditions
• Example: the pagan midwinter festival became Christmas
  
• And the spring festival became Easter
  
• This is how the Christian and Germanic cultures mixed

To work

What?  Study the text 'The Daily Life of Medieval Monks' in Classroom. Do the assignment: living as a monk.

Monks and nuns

• Some Christians wanted to focus entirely on God
  
• For this they cut themselves off from the world
  
• These monks and nuns lived together in a monastery
  
• Here they could give their lives to God

Missionaries

• Some monks travelled around converting others
  
• These missionaries made other people Christian
  
• The Germanic pagans were their main target
  
• With success: around 500 the Franks became Christian already

Willibrord

• Around 700 the Irish monk Willibrord was tasked with converting the Frisians to Christianity.
• He became the Bishop of Utrecht
  
• With the protection of the Franks he went to the Frisians

How?

• To convince the Frisians Willibrord had some tricks
  
• He told beautiful stories from the Bible
  
• He performed miracles, just like Jesus
  
• But when the Franks conquered the area, the Frisians were simply forced to convert

The man on the picture is a...

1. Monk
2. Nun

The women on the picture are...

1. Monks
2. Nuns

Aan de slag

Wat: Lezen 4.2 en maken opdracht 1 t/m 8

Hoe: In je werkboek

Hulp: Docent

Klaar: Werken aan ander vak

§5.2 Europe becomes Christian

Spread of christianity

Success criteria

You can exlain:

• How christianity was spread in the Netherlands
• How all of Europe became Christian.
• How Germanic traditions were kept
• Why clergymen were important in society

What does it mean to 'convert'?

Video

The origin of the Christmas tree