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Living in Medieval Europe: Design of Castle

Related Article: Learn more about castles.

This section describes the important protective functions in the design of a castle using images of surviving castles.

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The Knights Templar (2:31)

Explore facts about the Knights Templar of the Crusades.

The American Revolution: The Magna Carta (1:04)

The United States' borrowed the concept of checks and balances from England's Magna Carta.

Dark Ages: Britannia (3:54)

Watch this video to learn more about Britannia in the Dark Ages.

Dark Ages: Anglo-Saxon Invasions of Britain (2:05)

The results of the Anglo-Saxon invasions of Britain were quite profound.

Dark Ages: Stowa: An Anglo-Saxon Community (4:12)

Stowa was a unique Anglo-Saxon community in the Dark Ages.

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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.

Medieval Times: The End of the Middle Ages (1:47)

By the end of 15th century, Medieval feudal life began to wane as trade flourished, and a new age of science and thought, called the Renaissance, began.