1. The Dark Ages: Early Medieval Europe
Entry 8

2. Objective
Explain whether the term “Dark Ages” is an appropriate term to describe the early medieval period.

3. The early medieval period or “The Dark Ages”
Term first appears from the Renaissance poet Petrarch in the 1330’s
Roughly the time between 500 and 1000 CE/AD
The argument for the term lies in the early medieval period’s lack of intellectual progression, education, rise in violence, and loss of self worth.

4. Europe after the fall of Rome in 476 CE

5. Why is it called the Dark Ages?
Collapse of Rome
Barbarian Invasions
Loss of Greek and Roman culture

6. Reason 1: Collapse of Rome
No single authority saves Rome
Roman cities abandoned
Christian Church is only institution left standing, becomes more powerful

7. Reason 2: Barbarian Invasions
Barbarian tribes flood the lands of the Roman Empire
Known as the “Migration of Nations”
Franks France
Anglo-Saxons England
Visigoths Spain

8. Barbarians
Angles, Saxons, Jutes combine their kingdom into one “England” (land of the Angles)
In Gaul, Franks and Lombards take over due to invasion by Clovis
Clovis names land in honor of the Franks (France) in 510 CE

9. Reason 3: Loss of Greek and Roman culture
NO EMPHASIS on education or learning outside of the Christian Church
No schools/academies exist outside Church
All of life’s questions were answered by the Church
Monasteries-places where upper class individuals sent people to read and write

10. Question
Explain the reasons why Europe fell into the “Dark Ages”