Basic Impacts of Religion in Western Europe & the Islamic Empire Christianity created cultural unity throughout Western Europe People identified with each other as Roman Catholics Shared faith & rituals Islam created cultural unity throughout the Islamic Empire Conquered people could unite under their new religion Remember, they were not forced to convert to Islam!
Religion influenced architecture & art Roman Catholicism Gothic architecture Cathedrals were huge and tall to represent the glory of God Included tall spires able to be seen from a distance Flying buttresses supported the massive cathedral walls http://www.salisburycathedral.org.uk/visit-what-see/virtual-tour
Religion influenced architecture & art Islamic art developed primarily in the forms of calligraphy and arabesques because they banned illustrating humans or beings with souls
Religion influenced education Catholic convents & monasteries (religious schools) were spread across Western Europe as well as universities Thomas Aquinas & the scholastics- Catholic thinkers & scholars Thomas Aquinas: balance religion & science, follow “natural law” Islamic schools, madrassas, and libraries were common & built in cities across the empire, The House of Wisdom, massive library, in Baghdad Pretzels = invented at a monastery