MIDDLE AGES A.D. 500 - 1500

Middle ages or Medieval period Begins – Fall of Western Roman Empire Ends – Renaissance Called “Middle Ages” – time period in between Classical Age (Greeks/Romans) and Modern Age (beginning with Renaissance) Many times Middle Ages divided into different periods: Early Middle Ages (Dark Ages), High Middle Ages, Late Middle Ages

Start of middle ages Western Roman Empire ended by: Germanic Invaders such as: Franks, Vandals, Visigoths, Ostrogoths, Angles, Saxons… The Middle Ages will mark the start of a FEUDAL Society Kings/Nobles/Knights/Peasants The Church becomes stabilizing force (NOT IN NOTES)

“dark ages” (Early middle ages) The first 500 years of the Middle Ages; sometimes called the “Dark Ages” Scarcity of literature and cultural output Going on at the same time in other parts of the world: Byzantine Empire, Islamic Caliphate

Characteristics of the dark ages: Lack of a Strong Central Government Unlike the Roman Empire which featured a strong central gov’t. – the feudal period in European history had weak central gov’ts. REPEATED INVASIONS: no one to keep order - CONSTANT WARFARE

Characteristics … (continued) Disruption of Trade: businesses collapsed & roads deteriorated Downfall of Cities: abandoned Population shifts: More Rural Loss of Common Language: No longer Latin speaking Decline in Learning: warfare led to destruction of schools