Name: ______________________________
World History Projects
All of the following projects are considered extra credit in the amount of 50 points.
The medieval period in history was between the 5th and 15th centuries. Also called the
Middle Ages, it was a time of change in Western Europe. It began with the fall of the Roman
Empire to invading German tribes. Western Europe broke into many separate kingdoms. Trade
collapsed, people made their living from the land, and the feudal system began. The early Middle
Ages are called the "Dark Ages" because the learning and culture of ancient Greece and Rome
almost disappeared. The medieval period ended when the Renaissance swept across Europe.
The medieval period, also known as the Middle Ages, was the era between ancient and
modern times. Before medieval times, all of western Europe was part of the Roman Empire.
Exact dates for the beginning and end of these eras do not exist. Rather the fall of the Roman
Empire happened over a period of several hundred years as the Roman Empire weakened and
Germanic tribes from the Scandinavian regions were able to conquer, eventually leading to a
new way of life.
Compared to the citizenry of Ancient Rome, most Germans were uneducated. They were
a rough-looking people clothed in animal skins and coarse linen. Called barbarians, these fierce
people lived in tribes governed by a chief. They lived mainly by hunting and employing a crude
level of farming. Their laws were based on tribal customs and superstition rather than a strong
system of laws. They were fierce and bold warriors, battling with spears, clubs, and shields.
The barbarian invasions destroyed most of the European trade. The stone road system
that was developed to connect prosperous cities of the Roman Empire was abandoned.
Communication slowed; money almost went completely out of use. By the ninth century AD,
most of western Europe was carved into large manor estates ruled by landlords. Most people
became poor peasants who worked the land. Some towns were completely abandoned and
disappeared as the people moved to the countryside. Each manor was supported almost entirely
by the production of its inhabitants. Most of the state and city schools closed and education and
cultural activities ceased. Few people could read or write and the developments of ancient
literature, architecture, painting, and sculpture were forgotten.
Medieval life eventually combined the ways of Germanic people with practices of ancient
Rome and Greece, but was also influenced by the Muslims of Spain and the Middle East and the
Byzantine Empire of southeastern Europe. Some adopted elements of their Roman neighbors,
accepting Christianity as their religion, farming the land, and trading with merchants. The church
became the single great force that bound Europe together during this feudal period.
Medieval Castle Project
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Vincennes , Paris
In the Middle Ages, many people lived inside castles like this one. You can study pictures of
different kinds of medieval castles, and the excellent book on castles by David Macaulay (called
Castle), and then try designing and building your own model castle. Two of the most famous
medieval castles are the Tower of London and the Chateau de Vincennes.
First you’ll have to decide on a site, then draw out the plan, taking into account the need for
water inside the walls, and all the different things that made the castles safer to live in, in case
they were attacked by enemies. Be sure to define the scale of your plan. Once you have a plan,
you can begin building your castle. You might use wooden blocks, or Legos, or sand if you are at
the beach, or cardboard. How can you match the measurements on the plan to the measurements
of your model?
Middle Ages: Making an Icon
(Louvre, Paris)
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In the Middle Ages, people believed that a painting or statue of the Christian God, or Jesus, or
Mary, or one of the saints, could really serve as a sort of mailbox so God or a saint would hear
your prayer and help you get better from being sick, or make you lucky before an exam, or
protect you on a trip you were making.
So people (especially monks) made a lot of these elaborate holy pictures, which we call icons.
Maybe you’d like to paint your own icons. Study what icons look like on the Internet, or in an art
history book of medieval painting. Then try to paint a sacred or lucky image of your own – it
doesn’t have to be Jesus or Mary, it might be of your lucky planet, or anything that has special
meaning for you. It might be your own mother or father. Think about how the medieval artists
made the saint seem special, with the gold background, and the halo. What will you do to make
your picture special?
Viking ship model: You may build a Viking ship model. You may build it out of paper, wood,
clay or draw a detailed picture of the vessel. Below is an example of a Viking long boat. There
were many varieties of Viking ships however and you are not restricted to simply do this one
Viking Ship Rigging
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