After learning about the High Middle Ages and the growth and progress of western society (Chapter 8 lecture), answer the following question. Follow the directions carefully in order to receive full credit. 

Chapter 8 Lecture Question:

In this lecture, we discussed the many positive developments that Europeans enjoyed beginning around 1000 CE. However, some historians have suggested that the crusades, far from being positive, were an immoral stain on the history of Western Civilization. Do you think that the crusades were generally positive or negative events in history?

Directions for Answering the Question:

• Using information from the lecture, 
  1. Explain what the crusades were
     • Offer a definition of the crusades (make sure to explain what they were in the Middle Ages)
     • Explain when the crusades started (you can state the exact date or the century) 
  2. Identify and describe the three developments that contributed to the start of the crusades
     • Make sure to fully describe these developments. Don’t just list them.
  3. State whether or not you believe the crusades were generally positive or negative events in history.
  4. Use specific information and examples from the lecture to fully explain your position and ideas.

Important Rules for all Lecture Questions:

• Only use information from the lecture to answer the question. These questions are intended to check that you watched and understood the lecture. If you use information from an outside source/s, your assignment will receive a zero.
• Fully explain your statements and include specific examples from the lecture. 
• Explain all information in your own words. Do not quote or copy and paste from the lecture or my powerpoint. Doing so will earn your assignment a zero.
• Use good grammar, including complete sentences and correct punctuation. You may use bullet points, but the information you write out beside those bullet points should be complete sentences, not single words or sentence fragments.