1. The Dark Ages

2. How did Europe change after the fall of the Roman Empire?
Essential Question
How did Europe change after the fall of the Roman Empire?

3. ` Some Information
I will call this: Europe, Medieval Europe, Middle Ages or Dark Ages.
Covers about 500 AD AD
Most of our influences in this country are European.

4. The army was lost, leaving the people with no protection.
Lost Empire
When Rome fell in 476, knowledge, law, culture, and technology fell with it.
The army was lost, leaving the people with no protection.
Europe broke up into a bunch of kingdoms each with their own laws and leaders.

5. Survival
People lived in small villages and nearly everyone had to farm to provide enough food. (agriculture!)
If everyone is farmer, there are no artists, lawyers, teachers, etc.
This made the loss of knowledge even worse.

6. 7.6.1

7. Europe is bordered by water. Highly populated.
Geography
Europe is bordered by water.
Highly populated.
1/3 of the land is good for farming. (that’s a lot!)
Forests provided plenty of wood (natural resources)
7.6.1

8. South- warm temp, seasonal rain – excellent farming.
3 Zones
South- warm temp, seasonal rain – excellent farming.
North – slightly colder, heavily forested – lots of natural resources.
Scandinavia – very cold, relied on the ocean for food and resources, very different from the other two.

9. Society

10. Peasant - small farmers or farm laborers of low social rank.
Peasant Life
Peasant - small farmers or farm laborers of low social rank.

11. Food Main food was pottage.
Everything had to be boiled because of the “fertilizer” used in the fields.
Main food was pottage.
You’d take whatever food you could and boil it. Yummy!

12. Complete the following 3-2-1 Summary in your notes1-
Things lost from the Roman Empire
Good zones to live in and why
3-2-1 (you tube gameshow or movie countdown clip)
Thing people had to do before eating their food (Food people ate)

13. What role did the Christian Church play in the Dark Ages?
Essential Question
What role did the Christian Church play in the Dark Ages?

14. The Church

15. If you disobey them they might send you to Hell!
Church Influence
If the church commanded something – give money, go to war, etc.– you did it.
If you disobey them they might send you to Hell!
They were the law! (10 commandments focus)

16. 16

17. Church Responsibilities
Churches provided:
Help for the poor.
Education.
Entertainment.
Salvation.
7.6.8

18. Salvation- the removal of the penalties of sin.
Vocabulary to know:
Excommunication- removing someone’s membership to a church. (kick them out!)
Salvation- the removal of the penalties of sin.
Cathedral- a large church building
7.6.8

19. Cathedrals

20. The cathedrals were like amusement parks!
They were unlike any other buildings – even the castles.
They took decades to build but could bring in tourists and money.
It was a matter of pride but also a sign of their faith in God.
7.6.8

21. They used thousands of tons of rocks.
How?!?!
They used thousands of tons of rocks.
Hundreds and hundreds of workers for up to 50 years.
Very dangerous - many died in the process.
Whatever technology there was in the Dark Ages went into these buildings.

22. Describe the governments that arose in the Dark Ages.
Essential Question
Describe the governments that arose in the Dark Ages.

23. Monasteries popped up all over Europe spreading the word of God.
christianity
Since there was no true emperor to follow, the church essentially became the leader of Europe.
Monasteries popped up all over Europe spreading the word of God.
This began to give people the sense of community needed for a strong nation.

24. The Birth of Kings

25. After Rome fell, Europe split up into small states ruled by kings.
The King
After Rome fell, Europe split up into small states ruled by kings.
They were not elected.
Instead, they were born as kings and considered “chosen by God.” (divine right)
7.6.4

26. 7.6.4

27. The Vikings

28. A group from Scandinavia in northern Europe.
Vikings
A group from Scandinavia in northern Europe.
The land there is often frozen over so very little food was available.
Eventually their population got so big they had to go south to find food – and they did not go peacefully!

29. The arrival of Viking raiders destroyed this unity.
The Vikings
The arrival of Viking raiders destroyed this unity.
The people once again focused purely on survival.
Trade stopped, learning stopped, the Dark Ages were back in full force.

30. What is Feudalism and why was it used?
Essential Question
What is Feudalism and why was it used?

31. Economics

32. One guy owns the land, another works on it.
Feudalism
Feudalism- a system of rule where people trade their work for protection
One guy owns the land, another works on it.
Each group of people had specific jobs to complete.
7.6.3

33. Feudalism
7.6.3

34. The Feudal System King Knights Peasants/Serfs Nobles/Barons Lords
7.6.3
Peasants/Serfs

35. Lords King Nobles protection land (fiefs) Knights protection
7.6.3
protection
labor (work)
Peasants

36. Example Peasants get: ______ Knights get: ______ Nobles get: ______
2 x 100 Tacos (200)
4 x 50 Tacos (200)
4 x 50 Tacos (200)
100 Tacos
100 Tacos
100 Tacos
100 Tacos
100 Tacos
100 Tacos
100 Tacos
100 Tacos

37. Imagineland
5. Taxes ultimately end up going to the king. Peasants work, knights protect, nobles collect, king gets rich.
4. Peasants are allowed to live on the land and build farms. They pay taxes to the nobles and can’t leave.
2. To get nobles to support him the king divides his land and puts nobles in charge of their own area.
1. The King officially owns all of the land of the country. He usually builds a large castle in his capital city.
3. The nobles divide their land and use that to pay knights who then protect the land and serve the king.

38. No Roman Empire means no Roman Army. No army means no protection.
Why?
No Roman Empire means no Roman Army.
No army means no protection.
People willingly (usually…) gave up their land to be protected.
It was all about survival.

39. People turned to feudalism for protection.
And so…
People turned to feudalism for protection.
Landowners hired knights to protect the peasants who agreed to work for the landowners.
This further divided Europe.