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.

•Late middle Ages 1300-1500 C.E.

The Middle AgesThe 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 AgesFeudalism:

• 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 AgesFeudalism, 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

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.

Feudalism, cont.

Life During The Middle Ages

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.

Feudalism, cont.

Life During The Middle Ages

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

Feudalism, cont.

Knights

Life During The Middle Ages

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.

Feudalism, cont.

Medieval Castle

The Middle AgesPlague/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)

• 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

Causes: #1

Renaissance (Rebirth)

• Rich and powerful merchants, who became patrons of the arts

• Example: The Medici Family

Causes: #2

Renaissance (Rebirth)

• Increased desire for scientific and technical knowledge

• Example: Nicholas Copernicus

• Example: Galileo

Causes: #3

Renaissance (Rebirth)

•Desire to beautify cities

•Example: The Italian City of Florence

Causes: #4