1. Early Middle Ages AD

2. I. HOW DID EUROPE CHANGE AFTER THE FALL OF ROME?
No longer any one centralized government
Collection of small, independent kingdoms (diffused)
No national taxes  no army
No unified system of laws or enforcement of them
2. The Economy Declined
No protection of trade routes  local markets
Roads deteriorated  cities disappeared
Barter replaced money

4. STOP!
Activity: (2 minutes) Draw a model or graphic representation that clearly shows the difference between a centralized type of government and a decentralized form of government. Share with your neighbor when finished.

5. HOW DID EUROPE CHANGE AFTER THE FALL OF ROME? (Cont.)
3. Culture/Learning Declined
Necessity of survival more impt. than culture
Schools, libraries, etc. disappear
People become illiterate 
4. Power of Catholic Church increased
Only unifying force in Europe
Pope becomes political as well as spiritual leader

6. II. WHO WAS CHARLEMAGNE AND WHAT DID HE DO?
Leader of the Franks (Germanic tribe in France)
Revived part of the Roman Empire for short time
Accomplishments:
Encouraged learning/literacy
Unified Empire with uniform set of laws
Provided protection from enemy invaders
Forged alliance with Catholic Church  1st “Holy Roman Emperor” since fall of Rome
Empire disintegrated after his death- approx. 800 AD

8. III. WHO WERE THE VIKINGS AND WHAT EFFECT DID THEY HAVE ON EUROPE?
Invaders from Scandinavia (Norway, Sweden, & Denmark)
Desirous of wealth of old Roman Empire
Surprise attacks on Europe down through Mediterranean
Pressured Europe to develop ways to protect themselves

9. THE VIKINGS

10. STOP!
STOP!
Activity: (4 min)
Choose ONE partner to complete this activity with.
Here’s the deal: You have land and people. You need a way to protect and feed them.
Create a social system that offers its people order, protection and food with no strong government or money.

11. IV. WHAT WAS FEUDALISM AND HOW DID IT WORK?
Political and economic system of Middle Ages to provide protection
System of mutual obligation (give something/get something)… homage
Lord grants fief to vassal
Vassal owes Lord military service
Economy
Lord provides peasant with land, seed, implements & protection
Peasant provides labor & portion of crops

13. Continual Warfare

14. Vocabulary Terms and Review
Decentralization (diffusion)
Barter
Hierarchy of Catholic Church
Charlemagne-Holy Roman Emperor
Vikings, Magyars, & Moors
Feudalism
Fief
Mutual obligation
Lord, vassal, peasant