Download The Middle Ages: A Turning Point in Global History

The Middle Ages:
A Turning Point in Global History
Before the Middle Ages…
The Roman Empire unified most of
Western Europe and parts of Asia under
a strong central government.
Many people lived in cities, protected by a
strong central government and military.
As the Roman Empire declined, it split in half.
The Eastern half became the Byzantine
Empire, while the Western half entered the
Middle Ages.
After the fall of the Roman Empire…
• No central government to protect the people.
• Cities became more and more unsafe. Crime
and poverty rose, as did the threat of invasion
from Germanic tribes.
Rise of Feudalism
• As Rome declined the need for safety and
protection caused many to flee the city for the
country, where they became part of a new
political system called FEUDALISM.
Feudalism
• A political system in which land-owning lords
granted protection to peasants called serfs.
Feudalism
• In exchange for protection from the lord, serfs
promised to work and give most of what they
produced to the lord.
Feudalism
• Feudalism also called for knights, warriors
who fought for lords in exchange for food and
a place to live.
Feudalism
• Knights followed the code of chivalry.
Chivalry
• This code told knights to be brave, loyal, and
true to their word.
• The code also required knights to protect
women.
The Feudal System
Feudalism
• Lords, serfs, and knights lived on large estates
called manors.
Manor
• Manors often included one or more villages
and the land surrounding them.
Manorialism
• Everything needed was made on the manor.
The Catholic Church
• The Catholic Church was a unifying force
during the Middle Ages.
The Catholic Church
• Without a strong central government to bring
them together, people looked to the Church
for guidance and stability.
The Catholic Church
• During this time, daily life revolved around the
Catholic Church. All manors had churches,
and most art, music and literature revolved
around Church themes.
The Catholic Church
• The head of the Roman Catholic Church was
the Pope.
The Catholic Church
• The Church had both a spiritual and secular
(worldly) role.
• The main responsibility of the Church was to
serve the spiritual needs of medieval society.
• The Church taught that living a good life, faith,
and participation in the sacraments could lead
to Heaven after death.
•
The Catholic Church
• The Church had significant economic power. It
was the largest landholder in Europe and also
collected taxes called tithes.
The Catholic Church
• The Church also had political power. It
claimed authority over kings and also had its
own laws.
The Catholic Church
• If a ruler challenged the power of the Pope or
Catholic Church, they could be
excommunicated.
• Excommunication meant that they were
kicked out of the Church forever.
Summary
• The Middle Ages were a turning point in
global history.
• The development of feudalism changed the
social, political, and economic landscape of
Europe.
• The Catholic Church emerged as a unifying
force and increased its power.
• The Middle Ages had a great impact on global
history.