Welcome…
TO THE MIDDLE
AGES!
Just the Facts!
This time periods has been called many things:
- The Middle ages
- The Dark Ages
- The Medieval Period
The Middle Ages took place between 600 and 1450
CE
- In Europe, between Roman/
Byzantine Empire and
Modern Age
Was it dark Everywhere?
NO!
• Outside of Europe, this era was an age of
Enlightenment!
• Even within Europe many new ideas were
being introduced.
Then why would it be called the Dark
Ages?
• Simply put, Europe was not as prosperous as
they were before this time?
• Many major governments collapsed
throughout the world, and new powers took
over.
Let’s start with Europe!
• After the fall of the Roman Empire Europe
broke into small groups, leading to:
– Less trade
– Fewer, less advanced cities
– Fewer, less advanced people
• On the Upside, smaller governments meant
wars! Which meant longer life!
– From 28 to 30!
What type of government did they
have?
• I’m glad you asked.
FUEDALISM!
k…what’s that?
• Feudalism is a form of stratified society!
Stratification
• At the Top was the King
• Next came Nobles or Lords
• Knights
• Lastly, the Peasants
– Also known as 7th graders…
How it worked
• Kings would give out the land
• Nobles would rule the land
• Knights would protect the land
• Peasants would work the land
• No mobility
Light in the Dark Ages
• Thomas Aquinas
– Five Proofs
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Motion (To move, something must start it)
Cause (The Creator creates creations creatively)
Necessary Being (must be necessary to exist)
Graduation (something can’t be better than nothing)
Design (Something had to make everything)
– Catholics loved him.
• Johannes Gutenberg
– Moveable type printing press
Islam
(thought we were done, didn’t you!)
• During the middle ages lots of interesting stuff
happened.
Oh, you want more?
• Well, lets see:
– Muhammad was born and later starts a major
religion and political movement
– Islamic dynasties follow in his wake
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Umayyad's
Abbasid's
Seljuk Turks
Ottomans
Moguls
Some of these Dynasties did awesome
things!
• Like the Abbasid’s (who used a Feudal system)
– These guys (and gals) make a GIANT empire in around
100 years!
– Major trading routes through Asia, Africa and Europe
– Made Arabic the major language of trade, science,
literature, philosophy, and poetry
– Created the House of Wisdom
• Filled with information from
around the world, all translated
to Arabic!
CHA-CHA-CHA-CHINA!
• China also had a feudal system
– Instead of feudal lords…we called them warlords
ಠ_ಠ
• Tang Dynasty rebuilt Chinese government
– Ruled over 80 MILLION people
• There were only 240 million people
ON EARTH!
Mo’ China
• Song Dynasty (this is when it gets awesome)
– In the 1000’s, the Song changed the world after inventing
gunpowder
– In the 1100’s, China was producing more iron than Europe
… in the 1700’s
– They made iron plows that allowed for more food to be
planted and supported, causing the population to
EXPLODE (much like gunpowder)
– They had such a huge trade network that
they actually ran out of metal coins.
• This caused them to invent and
use paper money!
Reigns down in Africa
• From 750 to 1500, Muslim kings ruled major
African cities south of the Sahara, such as
Timbuktu.
• One of these guys was Mansa Musa. Had so
much gold he would hand it out to people as
he traveled.
– Currently Day worth of $400 Billion
– Bill Gates is worth $61 Billion
Development
• Civilizations began around the Nile river and coastal
water
• Salt mines helped African Kingdoms grow
• Trade helped solidify relationships with Europe and
Muslims
• Islam gradually spread to Africa where a
majority of the population began to
convert to Islam.
Japan?
• During the Middle Ages, Japan was an
isolationist nation.
• Japan also had a stratified society:
– Emperor
• Samurai
–Farmers
oTowns people
Yes, Japan
• The middle age brought about the beginning of a
structured Japanese society, a centralized nation
state.
• Buddhism was introduced to the Island
• By the beginning of the 700’s, Japan adopted a
constitution that valued the government, and the
Emperor.
• After many rebellions, the feudal
system took over in Japan leading to
the creation of Medieval Japan
AND SAMURAI!