1. Outcome: Causes/Effects of the Middle Ages

2. Causes/Effects of the Middle Ages
The Middle Ages: What is it?
Name given to the time period after the gradual decline of the Roman Empire.
Lasts roughly 1000 years,
Sometimes called The Dark Ages or medieval period.
Often seen as a very bleak and dangerous period
Had roots in:
The classical heritage of Rome
The beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church
The customs of various Germanic tribes

3. Fall of Rome

4. Causes/Effects of the Middle Ages
Causes of the Middle Ages
Fall of Rome
Invasions
Disruption of Trade: Merchant trade collapsed and Europe’s economic centers were destroyed. Money also became scarce.
Downfall of cities: Cities were abandoned as centers of administration.

5. Causes/Effects of the Middle Ages
Invasions
Population shifts: Roman cities left without strong leadership. Europe became mostly rural.
Decline of learning: Germanic invaders could not read or write. Learning became less important as people moved to rural areas.
Loss of a common language: Latin changed as Germanic people mixed with Roman population.

6. Causes/Effects of the Middle Ages
Early Plague
Plague of Justinian AD
Affects Byzantium including Constantinople
Justinian has it but does not die of it

7. Causes/Effects of the Middle Ages
New Germanic Kingdoms Emerge (Holy Roman Empire)
Rise of feudalism in Europe

8. Causes/Effects of the Middle Ages
The power of the Church grows rapidly
Europe became rural
No major emphasis on learning

9. Causes/Effects of the Middle Ages
New languages replace Latin
Early signs of modern European countries start to appear (England & France)