From the official Christianization of the Roman Empire in the 4th century to the weakening of the papacy that escalated in 1378 with the Great Schism, religion played a very important role in the daily existence of people living during this very lengthy time period. For the first part of your answer, discuss how religion played a role in one’s life at this time, paying careful attention to refer to specific historical details. In your answer include some of the most important developments of Church reform, list the names of important historical figures, explain the conflicts of the period, and detail how (or if) these conflicts were resolved. Remember to cite and discuss any important terms that appeared in your reading assignments.

After completing your historical survey of the period, focus your attention on how the literature of the Middle Ages has added to your knowledge of the historical period. Explain how the authors we studied incorporated the influence of religion in their writing. Be sure to refer to specific literary texts, their authors, and discuss as many details from these readings that you can, especially those instances when the author is very clearly making historical references to specific individuals, places, customs, beliefs, and/or events in his writing.