Download The Middle Ages

The Middle
Ages
Do Now
• Complete escalator graph from yesterday
• Today we will talk about summer reading and
then jump into the theme of freedom and
oppression in the Middle Ages
The
Middle Ages
Approx. 476—1500 C.E.
•The time period after the Classical Age of
ancient Greece and Rome and before the
Renaissance
•Early middle Ages sometimes called the Dark
Ages
– 476 to 1000 C.E.
– Dark Ages is an unfair term since a lot was going
on during this time.
•High middle Ages 1000-1300 C.E.
The
Middle Ages
The Fall of the Roman Empire
• In 476 C.E., warriors attacked the city of
Rome and ended more than 800 years of
glory for the “eternal city.” Historians mark
the fall of Rome as the end of ancient history.
The next 1,000 years were called the Middle
Ages.
The
Middle Ages
• The beginning of the Middle Ages is
often called the Dark Ages because
Rome had fallen and life in Europe was
hard. Very few could read and write,
and no one expected conditions to
improve. The only hope for most was
their belief in Christianity, and the hope
that life in heaven would be better than
life on earth.
The
Middle Ages
The Rise of the Byzantine Empire
• For more than 1,000 (395-1453) years,
Constantinople was the seat of the Eastern Roman
Empire.
• Even though the Roman Empire in Western Europe
was conquered in 476 C.E., The Byzantine Empire
continued for another 1,000 years.
The
Middle Ages
Life During The Middle Ages
Feudalism:
• Hierarchical system in
which every man is
another man’s vassal
(or servant)
• Hardly any movement at
all through the system in
early MA
• A bit more movement in
high and late MA
•
•
•
•
•
Manor: estate
Lord: head of manor
Lady: wife of lord
Knight: Lord/son of Lord
Vassal: underlord; feudal
tenant
• Serf: workers; bound to
the lord of the castle; 4/5
of income went to the lord;
no chance to change your
life if you were a serf; no
way to work your way up;
no time for theater, etc.
Life During The Middle Ages
Feudalism, cont.
KINGS:
• Kings at top of
hierarchy; collected
from barons
• As God’s deputy on
earth (“divine right
of kings”), can’t
question the king’s
authority
Life During The Middle Ages
Feudalism, cont.
BARONS:
• Important noblemen
• Rich and powerful
• Barons collected from lords, lords collected
from peasants, etc.
• Land was almost the only form of wealth;
rank and power were determined by the
amount of land you had.
Life During The Middle Ages
Feudalism, cont.
BISHOPS:
•Of the church
•Were often of equal power to barons;
•Had property and wealth
Fief [feef]: grant of land given directly by the king; in
return, nobelmen gave the king soldiers in wartime.
Life During The Middle Ages
Feudalism, cont.
LORDS (KNIGHTS):
•First and foremost a lord
was a knight by profession:
provided men and arms for
baron and king.
•Also often raided each
others’ properties.
Chivalry: medieval
institution of knighthood;
qualities idealized by
knights—bravery, courtesy,
honesty
Knights
Life During The Middle Ages
Feudalism, cont.
PEASANTS (a.k.a
SERFS/VILLEINS/SLAVES):
•Lived on the lord’s manor.
Peasants’ work:
EVERYTHING—land, animals,
animals’ dung, homes, clothes,
BELONGED TO THE LORD
OF THE MANOR.
•Couldn’t leave the manor
property without permission
***More than 90% of
population were peasants.
Medieval Castle
The
Middle Ages
Plague/Black Death
•Took out 54 million
•1/3 of population wiped out
•Defining event(s) of the Middle Ages
•Spread by fleas which lived on rats
•A lack of cleanliness added to their vulnerability:
crowded with poor sanitation; ate stale or diseased
meat; primitive medicine (people were often advised to
not bathe b/c open skin pores might let in the disease).
•Highly contagious disease nodules would burst around
the area of the flea bite.
The
Middle Ages  The Renaissance
• Major changes in Europe caused the
medieval period to give way to a new
period. As trade with the East
increased, Europeans rediscovered the
classical knowledge of ancient Greece
and Rome. This knowledge led to a
period of creativity and learning called
the Renaissance.
Renaissance (Rebirth)
Causes: #1
• New interest in the classical learning of
ancient Greece and Rome
• Example: Humanism
– Passion for writing, poetry, history, Latin &
Greek
– Placing study and progress on human nature
Renaissance (Rebirth)
Causes: #2
• Rich and powerful merchants, who
became patrons of the arts
• Example: The Medici Family
Renaissance (Rebirth)
Causes: #3
• Increased desire for scientific and
technical knowledge
• Example: Nicholas Copernicus
• Example: Galileo
Renaissance (Rebirth)
Causes: #4
•Desire to beautify cities
•Example: The Italian City of Florence