I' Middle Ages

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I. Middle Ages

• 1. a.k.a. Dark Ages / Medieval Period from the
  5th - 10th Century
• Later Middle Ages 11th - 14th Century

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2. Causes of the Middle Ages

• a. collapse of the Roman Empire
• b. decline of trade commerce feared robbers
  pirates
• c. learning vanished worried about survival

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• d. no political stability - no govt could
  provide protection, order, and justice
  why? Govts lacked
  power
• lacked strong armies
• lacked roads bridges (harder to
  deploy troops)
• lacked succession to the thrones
  (fighting for power)

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3. Rise of Charlemagne - from 742 - 814 C.E.

• cause inherits throne after his fathers death
• effects? power of the RCC
• converted people to Catholicism
• created the Holy Roman Empire
• valued education, created efficient govts w/
  local provinces

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4. Feudalism

• - social, political, economic sys. in which
  disappears land is power
• - land is controlled by the monarchies who grant
  lords land in return for loyalty who grant
  vassals land in return for allegiance, serfs
  work the land for protection

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a. Socially

• - rigid class system
• ex.) monarchies, nobles (lords), vassals,
  knights, peasants
• - Code of Chivalry code of behavior for knights
• - Castles built for protection

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b. Economically

• - self-sufficient manors (castles)
• - all food supplies are at the manor (castle)
• - result no need for cities

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c. Politically

• - provided local govt, military, and protection