The Middle AgesThe Middle Agesin Europein EuropeFrom the From the

Fall of the Fall of the Roman Roman

Empire…Empire…

… … to the to the RenaissancRenaissance, or e, or Rebirth, of Rebirth, of EuropeEurope

The Middle AgesThe Middle Agesin Europein Europe

1) What are some ways that society 1) What are some ways that society can be compared in all three eras?can be compared in all three eras?

2) What is similar and different about 2) What is similar and different about the eras?the eras?

3) What caused life to change from 3) What caused life to change from one era to the next?one era to the next?

Era Collapse of Roman Empire

Medieval Era, Middle Ages,

or “Dark Ages”

“Rebirth” of Europe

(Renaissance)

When c. 200 CE – c. 500 CE

c. 500 CE – c. 1400 CE

c. 1300 CE – c. 1600 CE

Era Collapse of Roman Empire

Medieval Era, Middle Ages, or

“Dark Ages”

“Rebirth” of Europe

(Renaissance)

Threats and Risks

Germanic invaders from north and east

your cruel noble, or landowner, starvation, disease knights and soldiers from other lands out to conquer your land

disease – the Black Death kills about 1/3 of Europe’s population during the 1340s brought by rats on trading ships from Asia being a Lutheran

Era Collapse of Roman Empire

Medieval Era, Middle Ages, or

“Dark Ages”

“Rebirth” of Europe

(Renaissance)

Cities • Cities crumble, people flee to rural areas for safety

Very few, and mostly made up of only forts for soldiers to rest in and castles for the king

Begin to grow starting in Italy, and become important centers of trade, culture, and the arts

Era Collapse of Roman Empire

Medieval Era, Middle

Ages, or “Dark Ages”

“Rebirth” of Europe

(Renaissance)

Religion Christianity begins to spread throughout Europe Roman mythology still followed

Rome becomes the center of the Catholic Church (Christianity)

• Martin Luther protests the teachings of the Catholic church in 1519 and begins Protestant Reformation, which splits Christianity• Catholic church responds by changing some practices (Counter Reformation)

Era Collapse of Roman Empire

Medieval Era, Middle Ages, or

“Dark Ages”

“Rebirth” of Europe

(Renaissance)

Role of Religion

• Small role, many living in the Empire worship Roman gods and goddesses Christianity is illegal at first

Every part of a person’s life and community life centered around the church

• Church still center of community, but people begin to change views about their role in the world (humanism)• Countries begin to divide and fight based on ethnic and religious differences

Era Collapse of Roman Empire

Medieval Era, Middle Ages, or

“Dark Ages”

‘Rebirth” of Europe

(Renaissance)

Protec-tion for People

• Very little, what’s left of Roman army

Knights and big landowners called nobles or lords protected the villages

• Monarchs and city-states raise huge armies to protect their country from other countries

Era Collapse of Roman Empire

Medieval Era, Middle Ages, or

“Dark Ages”

“Rebirth of” Europe

(Renaissance)

Govern-ment Type

• Empire, ruled by absolute emperors, begins to break down

• Absolute monarchs• religious leaders and nobles provide leadership in the towns• The Pope, or head of the Catholic church, is the highest authority in Europe

• Absolute monarchs• Nobles challenge King of England over unfair treatment in 1215• Magna Carta is first law that limits the power of a king in Europe

Era Collapse of Roman Empire

Medieval Era, Middle Ages, or

“Dark Ages”

“Rebirth” of Europe

(Renaissance)

Econ-omics

• farming to benefit the Empire • trade network begins to break down• roads become unsafe

Feudalism – • kings gives land to nobles, peasant serfs work the land in return for protection• In return for the crops, the king provides money for knights and soldiers to protect the noble’s land, or fief

• The Crusades, or religious military missions to Asia and the east to reconquer holy lands taken by Arabs leads to movement of people, goods, and ideas (1100s-1300s)

Manorialism -like slavery, in that peasant serfs did not own land, but got to live on a noble’s manor by growing food and doing workin exchange, they got protection from the noble

• Trade & banking begin to increase in Italian city-states and around Mediterranean Sea

• Spain, Portugal, England, and France begin to explore, colonize, bring back resources from Africa, Asia, and the Americas for their monarchs

Era Collapse of Roman Empire

Medieval Era, Middle Ages, or

“Dark Ages”

“Rebirth” of Europe

(Renaissance)

Learning and Edu-cation

People focused on farming to survive and not as much on education and the arts

• The church was the center of learning; almost no one could read or write

• Crusades lead to a renewed interest in ancient Greek and Roman culture, which was still found in parts of the east• Europeans learn about Arabic numbers (0,1,2)

• Invention of Gutenberg's printing press in 1450s allows fast production and distribution of ideas in writing and books

Era Collapse of Roman Empire

Medieval Era, Middle Ages, or

“Dark Ages”

“Rebirth of” Europe

(Renaissance)

The Arts

• Roman and Greek art is still found throughout the Empire

• Europeans begin to forget about art and culture of Greece and Rome• Few people have time or the money to make art

• Craftsmen, painters, and sculptors began to learn from Greek and Roman ways and combine it with Christian beliefs to make art

The Middle AgesThe Middle Agesin Europein Europe

1) What are some ways that society 1) What are some ways that society can be compared in all three eras?can be compared in all three eras?

2) What is similar and different about 2) What is similar and different about the eras?the eras?

3) What caused life to change from 3) What caused life to change from one era to the next?one era to the next?