The Magna Carta--this is one of the original copies made in 1215--was a lot of small writing on a big piece of parchment, yet it proved to be a crucial political document in the evolution of England's political system.  Photo courtesy Wikipedia Commons.

• Read chapters 8 and 9 in the textbook.
• Read my notes on the Magna Carta and Middle Ages.
  
• Study the Questions to Consider and the Key Terms for the unit.
• Post (or respond) your thoughts/ideas about this unit's reading and assignment in the Blackboard online discussion forum. Do not post your assignment there.

• Read the Magna Carta (if you are going to submit the optional Magna Carta paragraph).
• Submit the Optional Magna Carta paragraph.
• Watch the Youtube video on The Medieval Mind: How To Build A Cathedral (Another great movie about the making of a medieval cathedral is David Macaulay's Cathedral. You might be able to find excerpts online somewhere.)
• Listen to some further information about this unit as a mp3 file.  You can also read the information as a txt file.

• King John and Magna Carta
• Magna Carta Conservation Treatment
• The importance of the Magna Carta
• 2007 - Inside the Medieval Mind
• Three Minute Philosophy: Thomas Aquinas
• Intro: Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae, IaIIa, q. 2
• For extra credit please suggest to your instructor a relevant video for this unit of the course. Send the title of the video, the url and a brief explanation of why you find the video interesting and applicable to the material that is being studied in this unit.

• Take the short 5-point quiz for chapter 9. Log into Blackboard and look under "Chapter Quizzes." You have five minutes to complete each quiz (multiple-choice questions).
• For a maximum of 50 points extra credit, in a short paper (one-page maximum) explain how much it cost to build a medieval cathedral and what were some of the usual ways that the church raised money to pay for construction.  Remember to cite sources.
• For a maximum of 50 points extra credit, clearly explain the genealogical basis of William's claim to the English throne in a one-page paper.
• For a maximum of 25 points extra credit, read Pope Urban's speech at Clermont (There are several versions.) that started the Crusades.  Explain in a paragraph or so what you found most amazing about the Pope's remarks.
  
• For a maximum of 25 points extra credit.  The capture of Jerusalem by the crusaders on 15 July 1099.  Good day or bad day for the Pope?  Explain in a long paragraph and remember to cite sources.  In addition to the material above noted in online lectures, check Fulcher of Chartres, The Capture of Jerusalem.
• For a maximum of 25 points extra credit, read Usmah Ibn Munqidh (1095-1188):, excerpts from his Autobiography (c.1175 ce) and write a long paragraph in which you comment upon the nature of Christian-Muslim interaction in the Near East during the Crusades.
• For extra credit, please suggest a relevant website for this unit of the course.  Send the title of the site, the url and a brief explanation why you find the information interesting and applicable to the material being studied this unit.