Art and Architecture in the Middle Ages

History · Medieval Times · ages 9-11

Name ______________________ Date ____________

Which of these is a real feature of a Gothic cathedral?
- Moat
- Flying buttress
- Drawbridge
What is an illuminated manuscript?
- A book copied and decorated by hand
- A book printed on a printing press
- A message carved into a stone wall
Medieval art and buildings were closely connected to the Church and to religious belief.
Circle one: True False
Why did Gothic cathedrals have huge stained glass windows?
- To show Bible stories in color for people who could not read
- To let cold air into the church in winter
- To block out all sunlight from inside
Who usually made illuminated manuscripts?
- Kings ruling from a castle
- Merchants selling in a market
- Monks working in a monastery
Why did medieval towns spend so much money and time building cathedrals?
- To attract visitors who wanted to shop
- To honor God and show the Church's power
- To give soldiers a place to sleep
A student says: 'Monks used a printing press to quickly print hundreds of illuminated manuscripts.' What is wrong with this statement?
- Manuscripts were copied and painted by hand, not printed
- Manuscripts never had any pictures or decoration
- Manuscripts were made by kings, not monks
How do Gothic arches differ from the round arches used in Roman buildings?
- Gothic arches are round, while Roman arches come to a point
- Both styles used the exact same round arch
- Gothic arches come to a point, while Roman arches are round

Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

Flying buttress · A flying buttress is a stone support that holds up tall cathedral walls. Moats and drawbridges belong to castles, not churches.
A book copied and decorated by hand · Printing did not exist yet, so every page was copied and painted by hand, often with gold.
True · Most medieval art and architecture, from manuscripts to cathedrals, was made to honor God and show the Church's importance.
To show Bible stories in color for people who could not read · Stained glass turned windows into colorful pictures that taught Bible stories without any words.
Monks working in a monastery · Monks spent years training to copy and paint manuscripts, usually inside a monastery.
To honor God and show the Church's power · A grand cathedral was a way for a town and its Church to show devotion to God.
Manuscripts were copied and painted by hand, not printed · The printing press did not exist yet in medieval Europe, so every manuscript took months of hand copying and painting.
Gothic arches come to a point, while Roman arches are round · Pointed arches spread weight differently than round ones, which let Gothic builders raise their ceilings much higher.