Download Fall of Rome 500 - Miami Beach Senior High School

MA-1
The Fall of Rome in 500 A.D. creates new Era
Middle Ages: Feudal Europe 800 to 1300 AD
Definition of Feudalism
(1) Social: System of Rigid Class Distinctions And Static, Unchanging
Way of Life.
(2) Political: System of Strong Local Government & Shared Protection
by Military Defense.
(3) Economic System of self-supporting Agriculture farm Manors owned
by the King and his lords, worked by surfs.
Primary Reason for the Rise of Feudalism was The FALL OF ROME.
The great EFFECT of this was:
1. Weakness of the central government: Central governments could not
protect their subjects from invasion local warfare & crime.
2. Land policy of Germanic Kings: Germanic rulers granted landed estates
in return for pledge of Military Assistance, protection.
3. Feudal Society: As civil governments grew weaker, religious Authority
grew more powerful.
ELEMENTS OF FEUDAL SOCIETY
1. Rigid class distinction sharply divided feudal society into
(A) King who owned All lands
(B) Nobles who granted large landed estates creating a privileged
aristocracy
(C) Serfs: unprivileged lower class, 95% of total population.
(D) Feudal Society with rigid social Pyramid.
Medieval Era SOCIAL PYRAMID
****KING**** (or Queen)
Lords Lords Lords Lords
Lesser-Lords*Lesser-Lords*Lesser-Lords*Lesser-Lords
Knights*Knights*Knights*Knights*Knights*Knights Knights
Serfs*Serfs*Serfs*Serfs*Serfs*Serfs*Serfs*Serfs*Serfs (95% of population)
Time Line of Early Feudalism:
Charlemagne and the Kingdom of the Franks
481: Clovis becomes kings of the Franks (French)
Defeats Roman, becomes a Christian.
714: Charles Martel: Becomes ruler of Frankish kingdom.
732: Charles Martel: Defeats Arab Moors at The Battle of Tours stopping the
first Muslim invasion of Christian Europe thru modern France.
741: Pepin I: Rules after Martel defeats Lombard’s in central Italy
“Donates” 1 and to the pope.
768: Charlemagne: becomes King of the French Franks. Becomes greatest
ruler of mid Ages- 50 years.
Accomplishments of Charlemagne 768-814
40 years of constant warfare in which he defeated numerous enemies
including,
1. Lombard’s
2. Muslims
3. Slaves
4. Saxons
Effects of Charlemagne’s Conquests
1. Increased power of Catholic Church
2. Expanded Frankish Kingdom
3. Government: Kingdom divided into provinces run by nobles-vassals
reported on his noble’s loyalty-ability.
4. Education: III Establishes church schools in monasteries copied Latin
manuscripts. Preserved Latin books.
814: Charlemagne dies. His kingdom is divided among his sons.
Structure of Romanized Christian Church 300 AD Hierarchy: organization of
R.C church top to bottom. Rome-Vatican (country) Pope- supreme leader
for life.
Cardinals/Princes of church.
Popes advisors:
Arch bishop: ruler of Arch Parish: Large distinct Church.
diocese (in large city)
Bishops Ruler of smaller districts
Diocese: Priests run Parish local communities.
Religious orders: Monastic Life: vows of poverty, chastity, obediencesilence.
Men called Monks & Friars withdraw from ordinary life live in Monasteries
Woman called Nuns lived in Convents
Religious orders Begun during Middle Ages
1. Benedictines
2. Jesuits: Society of Jesus Educators
3. Templars and Hospitalers: Founded during Crusades combined monks
with qualities of Knighthood to care for the poor and sick.
4. Franciscans ministered to the poor.
5. Dominicans ministered to the rich.
Middle Ages in EUROPE
Definition: Period of History (900 yrs.) from the Fall of Rome
Halt & DECLINE of the progress of European Civilization, but NOT Islamic
Civilization.
What elements of Civilization declined In EUROPE During the Middle Ages?
1. DECLINE of trade & Industry, because of robbery, piracy, & lack of
public safety.
Infrastructure deterioration: roads, bridges, sanitation, waterways all fell
into ruins
City depopulation: movement from cities to rural areas. Barter system
replaces coin usage and circulation in many places.
2. DECLINE of culture and learning.
Roman schools libraries and museums were looted and destroyed. Arts &
Sciences were no longer considered important. Reading & writing almost
disappeared from public practice. SURVIVAL in very dangerous
circumstances became ALL-important.
3. DECLINE of strong Central Government, Leaders, Administrators, and
Bureaucracy.
(A) Rulers had no real enforcement power because they lacked large
organized and expensive Armies as the Romans did with their 27 Legions
that were able to enforce law & order through FEAR of punishment.
(B) The lack of trained and skilled engineers and the resulting decay of
infrastructure made it virtually IMPOSSIBLE to Control or even Administrate
the large expanses of Rome’s former Empire.
(C) Rulers lacked an effective system of laws and regulations, therefore no
orderly and non-violent system of transforming power was possible, so
constant conflict and war was the direct result.
4. DECLINE of SCIENCE & UNDERSTANDING of the world in any logical or
rational way.
This caused a huge increase in belief in superstition, fear, and myth.
Example: the believe that taking a bath makes one sick. So people NEVER
bathed.
5. DECLINE of individual & public safety, security and health. This made for
an EXTREAMLY dangerous environment. Life expectancy was VERY
low….most people died in their early 30s or 40s.
Middle Ages or Feudalism VOCABULARY:
1. Medieval: Middle Ages
2. Clergy: priests and nuns
3. Manor: large estate or farm
4. Serfs: laboror on a manor farm
5. Knight: horse-mounted Warriors who fights
for a Lord or King
6. Chivalry: knightly code of conduct
7. Vassal: a person granted use of a King or
Lord’s land
8. Lord: a noble of High social standing or
noble birth.
9. Fief: an estate of land given by a Lord to
his vassal.
10. Feudalism: social, political, & economic
system of shared protection and power.