Abstract
The late medieval period is often seen as a time of decline, disintegration, conflict, and upheaval. Weather conditions in Europe were appalling, causing widespread drought and starvation. In the High Middle Ages, education was greatly influenced by the Scholastic method. Its assumption was that truth was already available to the learner, whether in the writings of ancient authorities, in scripture, or in church teachings. In the area of theology, the “Schoolmen” tried to take the truths uncovered by the philosophers and show how they were compatible with elements of Christian faith, which depended on divine revelation. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, the Roman church was a dominant force for the preservation and development of the Western world. By the middle of the fourteenth century, there was growing pressure from different circles for the pope to return to Rome. Tragically, some Christians made the Jews the scapegoats for the plague, and in some cities pogroms erupted against them.