By the fifth century, the Roman army was weak. It could no longer fight off enemies. Finally, the empire’s government broke down. People left the towns and cities. Travel and trade became unsafe. The people of Rome turned to military leaders and the Catholic Church for help. The military leader Charlemagne brought order to much of the Roman Empire. The Pope made Charlemagne emperor. The government grew strong again under Charlemagne’s rule. Education also improved. After Charlemagne died, Western Europe was left without a good leader. The Middle Ages is also known as the medieval era. It was the time between the fall of the Roman Empire and the beginning of the modern world. Medieval life centered around the church. The church held worship services and took care of the sick, poor, elderly, and orphans. Monks and nuns gave their lives to the church. Nobles and the church owned most of the land. They began feudalism and manorialism to protect their land. Under feudalism, a noble gave land to a lesser noble, called a vassal. The vassal agreed to protect the more powerful noble with knights, soldiers, and weapons. Under manorialism, peasants lived on a lord’s manor. The peasants farmed the land and gave the crops to the lord. In return, the lord protected the peasants
Taken from "Resources for Reaching All Learners"
State Standards:
2.4 Analyze the rise and spread of various empires in terms of influence, achievements and lasting impact (e.g., Mongol, Mughal, Ottoman, Ming, Mesoamerica, Inca, imperial states in Africa, etc.). 2.6 Analyze the interaction between the Islamic world and Europe and Asia in terms of increased trade, enhanced technology innovation, and an impact on scientific thought and the arts. 2.7 Analyze the relationship between trade routes and the development and decline of major empires (e.g. Ghana, Mali, Songhai, Greece, Rome, China, Mughal, Mongol, Mesoamerica, Inca, etc.). 3.1 Explain how religion influenced political power and cultural unity in various regions of Europe, Asia and Africa (e.g., Carolingian Dynasty, Holy Roman Empire, Ottoman Empire, Mughal Empire, Safavid Empire) 3.2 Explain how religious and secular struggles for authority impacted the structure of government and society in Europe, Asia, and Africa (e.g., Cluniac Reforms, common law, Magna Carta, conflicts between popes and emperors, Crusades, religious schisms, Hundred Years’ War, etc.). 3.3 Analyze how innovations in agriculture, trade and business impacted the economic and social development of various medieval societies (e.g., Feudalism, Agricultural Revolutions, Commercial Revolution and development of a banking system, manorial system, growth of towns, etc.). 3.4 Analyze how the desire for farm-able land created conflict and impacted the physical environments of Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas 4.3: Explain how agricultural and technological improvements transformed daily life social and economically (e.g., growth of towns, feudalism and the manorial system).
Essential Questions:
1. What role do belief systems have in establishing and maintaining power and authority? 2. What are the positive and negative implications of human connection and interaction? 3. In what ways did religion/power/authority, conflict, and innovation develop similarly/differently throughout the Middle Ages?
Major Learning Points:
1. The diffusion of people, goods, and ideas often leads to innovation, conflict, new institutions and expansion. 2. The desire for farm-able land created conflict and impacted the physical environments of Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas. 3. Absolute power develops when leaders consolidate religious and political authority. 4. The more complex a society becomes, the less stable it is. 5. Agricultural Revolution occurred due to improved farming techniques and improvements in technology. This provided for more crops, which led to population increase (more food=more people), growth of towns, feudalism, and the manorial system. 6. Early African Kingdoms (Ghana, Mali, Songhai, etc.), Mansa Musa, Greatest king of Mali, hajj to Mecca demonstrates the impact and importance of the spread of Islam in Africa, Trade - salt for gold - indicative of advanced economies and increased communication among diverse societies, Spread of Islam; role of religion in shaping societal values 7. Medieval Asia, China: rise and fall of various dynasties (Tang, Song, & Ming), Silk Road trade, Great Wall construction, paper money innovation, Japan: feudalism/military society - samurai, daimyo, shogun, figurehead emperor, etc. Mongol, Arab, Turk, and Hun invasions in Europe, Asia, & Middle East. These invasions indicate the increased contact between the East and the West, and cause cultural diffusion. 8. Medieval Islamic Empires (gunpowder empires), Ottoman Empire - relative religious tolerance for those who followed Old Testament, ethnic and religious diversity increased throughout the Middle East 9. Medieval Europe: new European civilization emerged blending Greco-Roman, Germanic, and Christian traditions Feudalism; development of self-sufficient manor economies, livelihood dependent upon agricultural production Power of the Papacy - absolute authority, Christianity as unifying force in Europe, church at its height Charlemagne, Pope vs. King struggle for authority, Magna Carta/Early Modern England/limited monarchy 10. Hundred Years War: France v. England; France emerges as unified kingdom; the war is an example of establishment of balance of power among early modern states, Joan of Arc demonstrates the increasing role of women in politics, The Crusades: conflict between Islam and Christianity leads to centuries of warfare, diffusion of ideas between Europe and Middle East
1. What is the Feudal System? video 1 & 2, website 1 - 2 - 3 - 4, Gouge Notes 2. Serfs & Peasants & Nobility: video 1 & 2, website 1 - 2 - 3 3. The Manor System: online Medieval games, video, website 1 - 2 - 3, activity 4. If any time remains, click on the picture to the left