Caveat Academy course · Grades 9 to 12

Medieval History

A thousand years, from Rome falling in the West to the printing press. You follow Byzantium, Charlemagne and the rise of Islam, popes against emperors, manors, guilds and trade, the Crusades and the Mongols, Magna Carta and the first universities, and the plague and wars that ended the age, at your own pace, with a certificate at the end.

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$19one-time · every device you sign in on
Buy · $19

Included with the Caveat Academy pass and Whole-school licenses. Or get it in the High school electives library, $119 for 66 items.

6 modules · 18 lessonsabout 13 hours$19

Six modules, eighteen lessons

Each module ends with a practice set that tracks mastery, an explain-it-back prompt, a short written response and a module exam. The final opens when every module is proficient; passing it earns a certificate with a verification code.

  1. Module 1: After Rome: new empires and kingdoms

    Explain the gradual end of Roman rule in the West and compare the Byzantine Empire with the Frankish kingdoms, including Charlemagne's reign.

    • The end of Rome in the West
    • Byzantium, the eastern empire
    • The Franks and Charlemagne
    about 2.1 h

  2. Module 2: Faith and power

    Describe the rise and spread of Islam and the power of the medieval Church, and analyze the conflict between popes and emperors.

    • The rise and spread of Islam
    • The medieval Church
    • Popes and kings
    about 2.1 h

  3. Module 3: Lords, peasants and towns

    Explain feudal and manorial relationships, compute the gains of the three-field system, and explain the revival of towns, trade and guilds.

    • Invaders and the feudal response
    • Manors and peasant life
    • Towns, trade and guilds
    about 2.1 h

  4. Module 4: Crusades, conquest and contact

    Evaluate the motives and effects of the Crusades and the Mongol conquests, and trace how knowledge moved through al-Andalus into Europe.

    • The Crusades
    • The Mongol Empire
    • Al-Andalus and the exchange of knowledge
    about 2.1 h

  5. Module 5: Kings, law and learning

    Analyze how medieval kings built royal power and how Magna Carta and parliaments limited it, and describe medieval universities and cathedrals.

    • The Norman Conquest and royal power
    • Magna Carta and the limits on kings
    • Universities, scholasticism and cathedrals
    about 2.1 h

  6. Module 6: Crisis and the end of the Middle Ages

    Analyze the economic and social effects of the Black Death and the crises of the 1300s, and evaluate which developments mark the end of the Middle Ages.

    • The Black Death
    • War, revolt and a divided Church
    • The end of the Middle Ages
    about 2.1 h

Try it before you start

This is how every lesson works: step through a worked example at your own pace, then answer a check and get the reason right away. Nothing here is saved; the course keeps your progress.

Module 6 · The Black Death

Worked example: the arithmetic of labor shortage

  1. Example numbers: a manor had 100 laborers before 1348 and 55 after the plague; the land and the harvest work stay the same.

A lesson check from each module

The checks need JavaScript turned on. The course itself works the same way.

What you get

Academics · High School$19 · included with the Academy pass and Whole-school licenses

What you finish with
A finished course in medieval history: you can explain the gradual end of Rome in the West, compare Byzantium with the Frankish kingdoms, describe the rise of Islam and the power of the Church, compute the gains of the three-field system, weigh the motives and effects of the Crusades and the Mongol conquests, trace how Greek learning reached Europe through Arabic, read Magna Carta in its time and later, analyze the Black Death as an economic shock, and argue where the Middle Ages ended. Passing the final earns a Caveat certificate of completion.
Who it is for
Students in grades 9 to 12 who want a history elective beyond the survey course, students preparing for world history, and readers who love castles, crusades and cathedrals and want the real story behind them. The course covers Europe, Byzantium and the Islamic world from about 400 to 1500.
Format
An online self-paced course: 6 modules and 18 lessons with worked examples you reveal step by step, 144 practice and exam items (multiple choice, numeric, fill-in and ordering), an explain-it-back prompt and a rubric-checked short response in every module, module exams with one retake, a 24-question final and a certificate with a verification code. About 13 hours in all; works on a phone or a computer.
Access
$19 one-time, yours on every device you sign in on; the course opens once you are signed in with it. Included with the Caveat Academy pass and Whole-school licenses. Also in the High school electives library ($119) and the Academics Suite pass ($149), and 1 more bundle. Progress is saved in this browser on this device, and the certificate page lets you download your record.
Where it lives
The High School space in Caveat Academics.
Support
Access, a receipt, a refund or a correction to the course: team@caveatacademic.com.

How it works

  1. Open the course and start Module 1. Each lesson takes about 25 to 35 minutes; two or three a week finishes the course in about a semester.
  2. Answer the checks as you read. Every answer shows the reason, and a miss links you back to the lesson that covers it.
  3. Finish each module with its practice set and exam. Proficient on every module opens the final; 70 percent passes it.
  4. Print or download your certificate and record from the certificate page.

Start the course

Sources and accuracy

The lessons are original writing by Caveat Academic Services. Facts were checked against these free, open references, which are also good places to read further.

  1. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History essays on Byzantium, the Carolingians, the Crusades, the Mongols and Gothic art: metmuseum.org
  2. The British Library, Magna Carta: an introduction and translation: bl.uk; The National Archives (UK), Domesday Book: nationalarchives.gov.uk
  3. Fordham University, Internet Medieval Sourcebook, translations of public-domain primary sources: sourcebooks.fordham.edu
  4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, plague: causes and transmission: cdc.gov
  5. Library of Congress, the Gutenberg Bible: loc.gov

Medieval History is a self-paced course from Caveat Academic Services. Dates marked c. or about are approximate, and historians still debate many of the questions it raises; passages labeled as sample or simplified are written for practice. It does not replace a school course and awards no credit. Support: team@caveatacademic.com.