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Leaders and Cities: Feudalistic Kings and Nobles

Learn about the weak kings and strong nobles of the feudal system in this video.


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The Industrial Revolution: The Steam Engine (1:09)

By the late 1700s, the coal powered steam engine was widely used in English factories. Its operation, based on valve-piston action, was a great advancement for its time, further increasing industrial productivity.

Napoleon: The French Revolution and the Reign of Terror (2:07)

Learn more about the French Revolution in this video.

Revolution: Frederick the Great (1:23)

Frederick was King of Prussia in the 18th century.

The Medieval Era: Life in a Feudal Castle (3:27)

The castles of the Middle Ages were almost impenetrable fortresses for the enemy, but inside they reveal cold, empty rooms lacking in every comfort.

The Medieval Era: Feudal Hierarchy (1:51)

The lords of the castles ruled over the peasants, who worked the land for protection in times of war. Medieval armies were lead by knights, who were skilled warriors often given diplomatic impunity.

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Exploring the Renaissance: The End of the Renaissance (0:53)

With its artistic and cultural innovations, the Renaissance fought the cultural immobility of feudalism, limited the power of the Catholic Church over Europe, and paved the way for the Age of Reason.

Exploring the Renaissance: The Reformation (1:44)

The power of the Catholic Church was severely lessened by the Protestant Reformation, started by Martin Luther, and by the founding of the Church of England by Henry VIII.

Exploring the Renaissance: Renaissance Exploration (0:58)

The thirst for new discoveries during the Renaissance is reflected in the great explorations of the time, which brought wealth to Europe and destruction to the native populations.

Exploring the Renaissance: Moveable Type Printing Press (0:56)

The invention of the moveable type printing press allowed the publication of a great number of inexpensive books, which helped the diffusion of new ideas in Western Europe.

Exploring the Renaissance: Renaissance Science (1:03)

The telescope allowed Galileo Galilei to prove that the Earth revolves around the Sun, while the microscope marked the beginning of modern biology.

Exploring the Renaissance: William Shakespeare (0:49)

William Shakespeare infused new life into the theater, which was an extremely popular form of art in Ancient Greek and Rome, but almost abandoned during the Middle Ages.

Exploring the Renaissance: Renaissance Architecture (1:46)

The ideals of the Renaissance are mirrored in the architecture of the time. Stately and ornate cathedrals and castles turned from gloomy fortresses into palaces of pleasure and beauty.

Exploring the Renaissance: The Dawn of the Renaissance (3:04)

The humanists rejected the cultural immobility of feudalism and developed art, literature, science, and philosophy.

Exploring the Renaissance: Welcome to the Renaissance (1:11)

The Renaissance was a period of revival of classical art and culture. It brought great innovations in the fields of science, literature, art, and philosophy.

Protestant Reformation: The Catholic Reformation (2:15)

The Catholic reformation was a later, some claim reactionary, result of the Protestant Reformation.