• 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