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The church had a strong influence on art and architecture. Religious artists and architects created beautiful works of art. Europeans built cathedrals using a style called Gothic architecture. These cathedrals became a symbol of Christian faith. Much taller than other churches cathedrals were decorated with many objects like silver and gold which made things illuminate.

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Early universities were built by the church. There main goal was to teach religion, but other universities taught law, medicine, and astronomy. Everything was taught in Latin (the language of the Greeks).

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Unhappy with church life was a group of unhappy monks. Early in the Middle Ages they start a monastery in the town of Cluny. They follow a strict schedule of prayers paying little attention to other affairs. This lead to the creation of a religious order called the lunatics monks. In the 1100's some monks thought Cluny's rules weren't strict enough. So even stricter rules were created. Some took vows of silence, others lived in tiny rooms. Women also joined as well and became nuns. Not everyone joined a religious order some wanted to live apart of society and spread religious teachings. These people were called the Dominicans and the Friars.

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Church officials called clergy and their teachings were very influential in European culture and politics. Life revolved around the local church. The church encouraged people to go on pilgrimages or journeys to religious locations like Jerusalem, Rome, and Compostela. The church also gained political power in the middle ages. People left land to the church which made them one of the largest European landowners.