Aim:%20Do%20the%20middle%20Ages%20deserve%20to%20be%20called%20the%20

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Aim Do the middle Ages deserve to be called the
Dark Ages?

• Do Now What do you think would happen to
  American society if the entire United States
  government collapsed? Would things go on as
  usual? If not, what would change?

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I What were the middle Ages?

• A) In 476 CE the Roman Empire fell in Western
  Europe. Without a centralized government, people
  fled from the cities to the country. Literacy and
  trade fell.
• B) Historians refer to the years between 476 CE
  and the Renaissance (the rebirth of Western
  Europe) as the middle Ages.
• C) However, at the same time that Western Europe
  was in the middle ages, the eastern half of the
  Roman Empire continued as the Byzantine Empire,
  and the Islamic world was experiencing a Golden
  Age.

476 CE Rome in Western Europe fell
15-16th centuries Western Europe woke up to the
Renaissance
476- 1450 Western Europe was in the middle Ages
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II Charlemagne and the Holy Roman Empire

• A) Charlemagne was a leader of the Franks, a
  barbarian tribe. He tried to rebuild the Roman
  Empire.
• B) He was crowned Holy Roman Emperor by the Pope
  in 800 CE.
• C) He created the strongest government since
  Rome he built schools and conquered what is
  today France and Germany. After he died in 814,
  his empire began to decline. In 843, his
  grandsons signed the Treaty of Verdun that
  divided up his empire.

1. Why do you think Charlemagnes empire was
called the Holy Roman Empire if the western Roman
Empire had fallen over 300 years before? 2. Why
do you think it was significant that the Pope
crowned Charlemagne?
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Charlemagnes Holy Roman Empire
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III Feudalism

• A) During the Middle Ages, most of Western Europe
  had a feudal government.
• B) Kings or lords would offer land in exchange
  for loyalty and service (this exchange was called
  a fief).
• C) Feudalism also provided a social hierarchy for
  medieval society. Anyone who owed loyalty to
  someone of a higher social status was known as a
  vassal.
• D) Knights were mounted soldiers who served and
  protected their lords. They had to take an oath
  of chivalry (code of honor) they had to be
  brave, loyal and honorable.
• E) The majority of people under feudalism were
  serfs. They were allowed to live on the lords
  manor (land) in exchange for a percentage of
  their crops and other services. As serfs easily
  became indebted to their lord, they could not
  leave the land without permission.
• F) Castles served as homes and fortresses.

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IV Manorialism

• A) Manorialism was a medieval economic system.
• B) It was based around the manor (a large farm
  estate). Serfs (peasant farmers) worked the land
  in exchange for the lords protection and
  permission to live on the land.
• C) In order to maximize the amount of crops
  produced, serfs used crop rotation. In the two
  field system, the serfs would plant one field and
  leave the other fallow (unplanted) so the soil
  could regain its nutrients. By the later middle
  ages, many were using the three field system. The
  serfs would plant two fields, and leave the third
  fallow. (This produced more crops than the two
  field system).

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V The Medieval Church

• A) In Western Medieval Europe, the Church (based
  in the Vatican in Rome) owned the most land, and
  had the most power.
• B) Everyone had to pay a tithe, or 10 of their
  income to the Church.
• C) Almost no one except for the clergy (people
  who worked in the Church) were educated.
• D) Monks and nuns were Christians who took a vow
  of chastity and served god for life. They often
  lived in monasteries (isolated communities), or
  helped the poor. Some monks created illuminated
  manuscripts (illustrated texts) they would hand
  write and illustrate the Bible. Monks also hand
  copied ancient Greek and Roman texts, preserving
  them!

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The Medieval Church Continued

• E) Early Medieval Churches were built in the
  Romanesque style. They had Roman style arches,
  vaulted ceilings, and thick walls.

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The Medieval Church Continued
F) Later Medieval Churches were built in the
Gothic style they were taller and lighter with
more detail.
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The Medieval Church Continued

• G) The Church began the inquisition to find and
  stop heresy (actions that went against the
  Church), as well as blasphemy (speech or writing
  that went against the Church).
• H) In the 15th century the Church began the
  Inquisition. Officials would ask questions to
  prove if you were truly Catholic. If they
  believed you not to be a true Catholic and you
  did not confess, they would torture you, often
  until death.

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VI The Crusades

• A) In 638 CE the Umayyad Muslims conquered
  Jerusalem and built the Dome of the Rock. They
  allowed Jews and Christians to pray at their holy
  sites if they paid a tax.
• B) In the 1050s, the Seljuk Turks (Muslims) took
  control of Jerusalem. Unlike the Umayyads, they
  often were intolerant of Jews and Christians. The
  situation got worse and in 1095 the Byzantine
  emperor asked the Pope for help.
• D) 1095 Pope Urban II called for Christian
  Knights to travel to the Holy Land and rescue it
  from the Turks. He promised those who went
  forgiveness of their sins, though many also went
  for wealth and adventure.

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The Crusades Continued

• E) During the First Crusade, in 1099 the
  Christians conquered Jerusalem and established a
  Christian feudal kingdom.
• F) However, the Muslims were able to gain back
  some of the land they lost. This led to more
  crusades.

Entering the city, our pilgrims pursued and
killed the Saracens up to the temple of Solomon.
The Wailing or Western Wall There the Saracens
Muslims assembled and resisted fiercely all
day, so that the whole temple flowed with their
blood. At last the pagans were overcome and our
men seized many men and women in the temple,
killing them or keeping them alive as they saw
fitAfterwards our men went rejoicing and weeping
for joy to adore the sepulcher of our Savior
Jesus a Church built where Jesus was believed to
have died -1099, an anonymous eye witness
During the 12th century, Saladin was a very
strong Muslim leader. He recaptured Jerusalem but
allowed the crusaders to leave safely.
Do you think this is an accurate eyewitness
account? How do you know?
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The Crusades Continued
Short Term Consequences Long Term Consequences
After 9 long Crusades and several smaller ones, the crusaders failed to recapture Jerusalem. Millions died and were injured. Many Jews were murdered on the way to Jerusalem. Trade in Europe increased after returning knights brought back luxuries from the east. Europeans had seen how the Muslims had preserved ancient Greek Roman texts, as well as having universities. This led to an increased desire for education and learning. Kings became more powerful due to the wealth they gained. Feudalism began to decline as a result.
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VII The Black Death

• A) CAUSES The Black Death was a deadly disease
  spread by fleas on rats. It began in Asia in the
  1340s and spread along trade routes to Africa,
  the Middle East and Europe.
• B) Symptoms included black swellings, pain and
  death within days. Medieval doctors often wore
  masks to protect themselves. They would bleed
  their patients (often making it worse).

C) Flagellants travelled town to town, whipping
themselves. They believed G-d was punishing them.
Many Europeans also blamed the Jews it led to
increased anti-Semitism. D) CONSEQUENCES 1/3 of
Europeans died. Approximately 75 million died
worldwide. Due to less serfs, many lords switched
from farming to raising sheep. Serfs began to
move to towns and cities.
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The Black Death Today

• Approximately 2,500 cases of the Black Death
  occur annually worldwide, usually due to contact
  with rodents. Only 5-10 cases occur annually in
  the U.S.

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VIII Medieval Towns and Trade

• A) The agricultural revolution (switch from a
  wooden to an iron plow, switch from the 2 field
  to the 3 field system) increased crops, leading
  to an increase in Europes population. This
  helped lead to the growth of towns and cities.
• B) The commercial revolution allowed people to go
  to banks for loans, insurance, and to buy stocks
  in businesses. Merchants would set up temporary
  shops along busy trade routes. Over time, these
  became trade fairs, and eventually towns.
• C) Many lords made town charters, allowing a town
  to be built on the lords land.

Bruges, a medieval town in Belgium
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Medieval Towns and Trade Continued

• D) After the Crusades, trade in medieval Europe
  increased. It became dominated by the Hanseatic
  League in northern Europe and Venice in southern
  Europe. Both built lighthouses, policed piracy
  and controlled the trade routes.

Bergen, Norway
Venice, Italy
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Medieval Towns and Trade Continued

• E) In medieval towns, merchants and craftspeople
  formed guilds so they could regulate themselves.
  Guilds
• 1. Made sure the quality of the goods/service
  stayed high
• 2. Provided social services for its members,
  such as hospitals
• 3. Controlled hours of work and prices of goods
• To join a craft guild (such as the bakers or
  iron smiths), you had to become an apprentice to
  a master. After years of training you became a
  journeyman, and possibly if the guild accepted
  you, a master.

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IX William the Conqueror

1. 1066 William of Normandy (northern France) sailed
   to England to compete for the throne against
   Harold, a cousin of the recently dead king.
2. William defeated Harold at the Battle of
   Hastings. Harold was struck in the eye with an
   arrow! The events were recorded in the Bayeux
   Tapestry (a hand woven wall hanging).

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William the Conqueror Continued
The Bayeux Tapestry consists of 72 scenes, all
hand embroidered. The entire tapestry is 250 feet
long!
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William the Conqueror Continued

• C) After conquering England, William the
  Conqueror sent government officials to count
  people and their animals. This information was
  recorded in the Domesday Book, and was used for
  tax purposes. (Similar to our census)
• D) In 1297, King John of England was forced by
  his nobles to sign the Magna Carta (Great
  Charter). This document limited the power of the
  king, and guaranteed certain rights to the
  nobility.
• E) By 1400, Englands parliament had 2 houses
  (Lords Commons). Parliament checked the power
  of the king.

Magna Carta Excerpts 1. No freeman shall be
taken, imprisoned, or in any other way destroyed,
except by the lawful judgment of his peers.   2.
To no one will we sell, to no one will we refuse
or delay right or justice.
How did the Domesday Book get its name? It was
believed the only thing more accurate than the
Domesday Book would be the Last Judgment or
Doomsday. There was no single hide nor a yard
of land, nor indeed one ox nor one cow nor one
pig which was left out.
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X The 100 Years War

• A) The 100 Years War (1337 -1453) was fought
  between England and France. Because William the
  Conqueror was from France, England claimed France
  as theirs and because William the Conqueror
  became king of England, France claimed England as
  theirs.

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The 100 Years War Continued

• B) In the beginning of the war, England was
  winning due to their new weapon, the long bow.
  (It shot arrows at a longer range and more
  accurately than the Frenchs cross bow).
• B) Joan of Arc was a young peasant girl. She
  heard a heavenly voice that told her to lead the
  French to victory in 1429. The French King
  allowed her to do so. She rode into battle with
  a banner, but she never used a weapon.
• C) Joan did turn the tide of the war the French
  were now winning. However, Joan was captured by
  the Burgundians. The French King refused to pay
  her ransom and she was sold to the British, put
  on trial for witchcraft, and burned at the stake
  in 1431.
• D) France won the war and kicked the English out,
  increasing nationalism. Feudalism was ending and
  being replaced by nation states!

The long bow shoots up to 400 yards! An archer
could shoot 12-15 arrows per minute! BUT it took
a lot of training to master.
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The 100 Years War Continued

• Excerpt From a Letter Written by Joan of Arc to
  the King of England, 1429
• King of England, render account to the King of
  Heaven of your royal blood. Return the keys of
  all the good cities which you have seized, to the
  Maid. She is sent by God to reclaim the royal
  blood, and is fully prepared to make peace, if
  you will give her satisfaction that is, you must
  render justice, and pay back all that you have
  taken
• If you were the King of England, how would you
  react to this letter?
• Based on this letter, do you think that Joan of
  Arc seem more sane or crazy?

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XI Medieval Achievements

• A) Architecture Romanesque and Gothic
  Cathedrals, castles
• B) Art Bayeux Tapestry, Romanesque and Gothic
  Cathedrals
• C) Literature By the late Middle Ages, books
  began to be written in the vernacular (every day
  language).
• 1. Chaucer Canterbury Tales
• 2. Dante The Divine Comedy
• D) Philosophy Peter Abelard and Thomas Aquinas,
  educated in ancient Greek philosophy, used logic
  and reason to prove Christianity.
• E) Commerce and trade Creation of guilds, banks
• F) Science and technology three field system,
  iron plow, wind mills

In The Divine Comedy Dante is guided by Virgil
(an ancient Roman poet) through the different
levels of hell, purgatory (in-between heaven and
hell), and finally heaven. It was written as a
warning to a corrupt society to steer itself to
the path of righteousness "to remove those
living in this life from the state of misery, and
lead them to the state of felicity."
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Key Vocabulary

• 100 Years War
• 2 and 3 Field Systems
• Agricultural Revolution
• Battle of Hastings
• Bayeux Tapestry
• Black Death
• Charlemagne
• Chivalry
• Commercial Revolution
• Crusades
• Domesday Book
• Feudalism
• Flagellants
• Guilds
• Hanseatic League
• Holy Roman Empire

Joan of Arc Knights Manor Manorialism Middle
Ages Monastery Monks Pope Urban
II Renaissance Saladin Seljuk Turks Serfs Treaty
of Verdun Vassal Venice William the Conqueror
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Summary Questions

1. What events led to the middle ages?
2. Describe medieval society, government, and
   economy. How was it different from ancient Rome?
3. List and describe at least 4 key events in the
   middle ages. Why were they key events?
4. List and describe at least 4 achievements of the
   middle ages. Why were they achievements?
5. Do you think the middle Ages deserve to be called
   the Dark Ages? Explain.