• 1/5/15 Focus1/5/15 Focus:: – The gradual decline of the Roman Empire

ushered in an era of European history called the Middle Ages, or the medieval period.

• Important Terms: Important Terms: • Self Sufficient Self Sufficient

• Do Now:Do Now:What does the What does the

graph tells us graph tells us about the about the population in population in Roman cities Roman cities after the fall of after the fall of Rome in 476 Rome in 476 AD? AD?

The Middle AgesThe Middle Ages

The Early Middle AgesThe Early Middle Ages

Impact of the Fall of RomeImpact of the Fall of Rome

The Middle AgesThe Middle Ages

• 500-1500 AD• Divided into 3 periods– Early Middle Ages (500-1000 )– High Middle Ages (1000-1300)– Late Middle Ages (1300-1500)

The Early Middle AgesThe Early Middle Ages• 500-1000 AD500-1000 AD– Fall of Rome Fall of Rome

led to changes led to changes in government, in government, economics, economics, and culture of and culture of western western EuropeEurope

– The Dark AgesThe Dark Ages

Impact of Germanic Invasions Impact of Germanic Invasions and Collapse of Rome on W. and Collapse of Rome on W.

EuropeEurope

• Disruption of Disruption of tradetrade– invasionsinvasions– Roads were Roads were

unsafe to travel unsafe to travel – Business and Business and

trade collapsedtrade collapsed– Money became Money became

scarce scarce

Impact of Germanic Invasions and Impact of Germanic Invasions and Collapse of RomeCollapse of Rome

• Cities abandoned as Cities abandoned as centers of governmentcenters of government powerpower–Law and order collapsedLaw and order collapsed

Impact of Germanic Invasions and Impact of Germanic Invasions and Collapse of RomeCollapse of Rome

• Population shifts– People left cities to

farm in countryside

Impact of Germanic Impact of Germanic Invasions and Collapse of Invasions and Collapse of

RomeRome• People become self-

sufficient– They must be able to

make and do everything for themselves.

Impact of Germanic Invasions Impact of Germanic Invasions and Collapse of Romeand Collapse of Rome

• Decline of learning and Decline of learning and knowledgeknowledge– Roman learning declined Roman learning declined

rapidly as people left cities rapidly as people left cities – Few people could read or Few people could read or

writewrite• Except for priests and Except for priests and

Catholic church officialsCatholic church officials• Most Germanic tribes did Most Germanic tribes did

not have written not have written language or know how to language or know how to readread

– Knowledge of Greek Knowledge of Greek literature, science, and literature, science, and philosophy almost philosophy almost disappeared disappeared

Impact of Germanic Invasions Impact of Germanic Invasions and Collapse of Romeand Collapse of Rome

• Loss of a common Loss of a common language language – Latin language had Latin language had

united the Roman united the Roman EmpireEmpire

– Mixing of Germanic Mixing of Germanic people into empire people into empire lead to changes in lead to changes in LatinLatin• Different dialects Different dialects

developeddeveloped• Led to the Led to the

formation of the formation of the romance romance languageslanguages

Impact of Germanic Impact of Germanic Invasions and Collapse of Invasions and Collapse of

RomeRome• Roman Roman

Empire Empire replaced by replaced by small small kingdoms kingdoms throughout throughout EuropeEurope

Points for DiscussionPoints for Discussion

• Identify one effect that the fall of Rome and invasions by Germanic tribes had on western Europe?

• Why is the early Middle Ages also known as the Dark Ages?