Ever since humans began using their minds to master their environment, the (36) and use of an excellent memory has been (37) for anyone rising to positions of command and respect, No great leader in human history was thought to have a bad memory. As a matter of fact, the people who are looked down upon by history, (38) .from not having good leadership skills, often were the ones with poor memories. The use of memory (39) reached its summit in the Middle Ages. People in the Middle Ages were crazy about memory systems. It seems to have had a lot to do with the (40) of paper, but there were other reasons as well. (41) systems in religion, law, government, business, and what we would nowadays call "media" were developing. In short, there was a lot to memorize. Everything in European culture of the time reflected people’s efforts to organize information in their heads. Cathedrals, with their painted wall paintings and (42) glass windows were systems for memorizing the Bible, the Saints and the teachings of the church. Multi colored manuscripts were vivid and colorful (43) which helped in the retention of information. (44) Merchants and businessmen memorized enormous poems, hundreds of lines long, (45) were basically the news anchors of the Middle Ages, would often get together for memory competitions. It was (46) Ever since humans began using their minds to master their environment, the (36) and use of an excellent memory has been (37) for anyone rising to positions of command and respect, No great leader in human history was thought to have a bad memory. As a matter of fact, the people who are looked down upon by history, (38) .from not having good leadership skills, often were the ones with poor memories. The use of memory (39) reached its summit in the Middle Ages. People in the Middle Ages were crazy about memory systems. It seems to have had a lot to do with the (40) of paper, but there were other reasons as well. (41) systems in religion, law, government, business, and what we would nowadays call "media" were developing. In short, there was a lot to memorize. Everything in European culture of the time reflected people’s efforts to organize information in their heads. Cathedrals, with their painted wall paintings and (42) glass windows were systems for memorizing the Bible, the Saints and the teachings of the church. Multi colored manuscripts were vivid and colorful (43) which helped in the retention of information. (44) Merchants and businessmen memorized enormous poems, hundreds of lines long, (45) were basically the news anchors of the Middle Ages, would often get together for memory competitions. It was (46)