1. MIDDLE AGES
A.D

2. 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

4. 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)

6. “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

7. 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

8. 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