INTRODUCTION: MEDIEVAL EUROPE

What do we know already? What were the Middle Ages? What time period do the Middle Ages represent? Why do we call it the Middle Ages? Does it represent a geographical shift? What does the word Medieval mean? What great events happened that helped create the world in which WE live? With its roots medi-, meaning "middle", and ev-, meaning "age", medieval literally means "of the Middle Ages". In this case, middle means "between the Roman empire and the Renaissance"—that is, after the fall of the great Roman state and before the "rebirth" of culture that we call the Renaissance. This same period used to be called the "Dark Ages", since it was believed that in these years civilization all but vanished. And indeed, for most Europeans in these centuries, it was a time of poverty, famine, plague, and superstition, rather than the age of magic, dazzling swordplay, towering castles, and knights in splendid armor

What were the Middle Ages?

What time period do the Middle Ages represent? Historians identify the middle ages as the time period between 500 AD and 1500 AD.

Why do we call it the Middle Ages? The word middle is used to identify an era which lies between two others- one ancient, the other modern.

Does it represent a geographical shift? Yes. It marks the shift from the Mediterranean further across the European continent.

What does the term Medieval mean? With its roots medi-, meaning "middle", and ev-, meaning "age", medieval literally means "of the Middle Ages". In this case, middle means "between the Roman empire and the Renaissance.” In this case, middle means "between the Roman empire and the Renaissance"—that is, after the fall of the great Roman state and before the "rebirth" of culture that we call the Renaissance. This same period used to be called the "Dark Ages", since it was believed that in these years civilization all but vanished. And indeed, for most Europeans in these centuries, it was a time of poverty, famine, plague, and superstition, rather than the age of magic, dazzling swordplay, towering castles, and knights in splendid armor

What great events happened that helped create the world in which WE live? Great kings ruled over France and England. Columbus discovered the “New World”. The Portuguese sailed around Africa and reached the East. The invention of gunpowder.

Middle Ages: Crash Course Crash Course in the Middle Ages