Systems Restructure in Europe and China
Driving Question: How did communities in Europe and China restructure after the collapse of empires?
After the collapse of major empires, communities in Europe and China faced the challenge of rebuilding. Explore how different regions adapted, reorganized power, and created new systems of authority. By comparing responses in Europe and China, you’ll get a closer look at how societies navigated periods of disruption and change.
Learning Objectives:
- Evaluate whether East Asia experienced a “dark age” during this period.
- Analyze historical evidence to compare the process of societal restructuring in Europe and China.
- Use the historical thinking practice of sourcing to evaluate an imperial edict from a Chinese emperor.
Vocab Terms:
- dynasty
- famine
- feudal
- illiterate
- obligation
- reunification
- tribute
Did you know: In parts of medieval Europe, courts put animals on trial. Pigs were among the most famous defendants. Several were accused of murder, and were imprisoned, tried, and executed by hanging—as though they were humans. Some ecclesiastical courts even tried and excommunicated groups of mice and locusts for destroying grain. Read more here.
As you get ready to learn about how people recovered after collapse, this activity will help you put yourself in the shoes of someone from this period.
Annotation strategy: Have students use colored highlighters while they read. They would highlight the claim of the paragraph in one color and supporting evidence for that claim in another. If there’s a counterclaim, they would highlight that in a third color. This allows them to see the key points and how the author structured the text. Read an article and do a think-aloud of this strategy together before having students complete one on their own.
After the fall of the Roman Empire, the eastern and western parts of Europe each chose different paths. You’ll read about new sources of religious authority, and then compare them in the activity. You’ll then use the graphic biography to assess the impact of these authorities on Jewish communities.
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Guiding Questions
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Before you read
Preview the questions below, and then skim the article. Be sure to look at the section headings and any images.
While you read
Look for answers to these questions:
- What were the three successors of Rome?
- How did the eastern and western branches of the Christian Church differ in their beliefs and rituals?
- Why did the ban on religious icons stir up such a strong response from Byzantine communities?
- How did religious enthusiasm during this period endanger religious minorities in Christendom?
- What were the Crusades and how did they impact networks?
After you read
Respond to this question: How did Christianity help societies in these two places rebuild after the collapse of the Roman Empire?
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Guiding Questions
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Before you read
Skim the full comic, paying attention to things like prominent colors, shapes, and types of text and fonts. How do you know where to start and in which direction to read? What’s in the gutters (the space between panels)? Who is the focus of the comic? What big questions do you have?
While you read
Look for answers to these questions:
- How many Jewish people lived around the Mediterranean and the Middle East in the twelfth century?
- What type of information did Benjamin of Tudela record about Jewish communities in this region?
- What regions treated the Jewish population well, according to Benjamin’s writings?
- What regions treated the Jewish population poorly, according to Benjamin’s writings?
- How does the artist use art and design to demonstrate Benjamin’s journey and his writings?
After you read
Respond to this question: Why do you think Benjamin was traveling so far, and why do you think he wrote about his travels? Provide three possible reasons that you think are most likely.
Remember to revisit the sourcing one-pager for a quick refresher on the Sourcing Tool and Feedback Form.
Discussion about the Dark Ages usually centers around Europe; however, China also experienced its own period of collapse between dynasties.
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Guiding Questions
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Before you read
Preview the questions below, and then skim the article. Be sure to look at the section headings and any images.
While you read
Look for answers to these questions:
- How did belief systems influence communities in China during this period?
- How did increased trade affect China?
- How did oceanic trade change under the Ming?
- What was agricultural production like under the Ming?
- Why did the Ming Dynasty decline?
After you read
Respond to this question: How is the story of collapse and restructuring different in China, compared to Europe?
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Guiding Questions
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Before you read
Preview the questions below, and then skim the comic, paying attention to things like prominent colors, shapes, and types of text and fonts. How do you know where to start and in which direction to read? What’s in the gutters (the space between panels)? Who or what is the focus of the comic?
While you read
Look for answers to these questions:
- Where was Du Huan born and how did he end up fighting in the battle of Talas/Talus?
- What happened to Du Huan and other captives after the battle?
- How does Du Huan describe production and distribution in Laobosa (probably Somalia)?
- How does Du Huan describe Molin, the province of Aksum he visited?
- How does the artist use art and design to give a sense of connection between these different places?
After you read
Respond to this question: How does this biography of Du Huan support, extend, or challenge what you have learned about networks and connections between regions in this period?
Now that you’ve explored the paths of social restructuring, it’s time to return to the minds of people from this period, as you imagine how they perceived the changes around them.
Adjust video speed: If you’re watching OER Project videos on YouTube, you can slow things down or speed things up by going to Settings and adjusting the playback speed.
Japan had its own Middle Ages—full of samurai, shoguns, and war. Why do some historians call it Japan’s “dark age”?
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Guiding Questions
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Before you watch
Preview the questions below, and then review the transcript.
While you watch
Look for answers to these questions:
- Starting in the late twelfth century, how did power shift between classes?
- What new political system emerged around this time?
- Who held power under the shogunate or bakufu system?
- What are some similarities between the bakufu system in Japan and feudalism in Europe?
- What did guns have to do with Japanese reunification?
After you watch
Respond to these questions: Did Japan experience a “dark age” during this period? Did connections among communities in Japan increase or decrease?
Key Ideas
Societal norms and prejudices shaped the lives of women in medieval Europe and China. Use these materials to compare the experiences of women in these two regions.
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Guiding Questions
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Before you read
Preview the questions below, and then skim the article. Be sure to look at the section headings and any images.
While you read
Look for answers to these questions:
- How did social status affect women’s roles in medieval Europe?
- How did the Biblical story of Adam and Eve affect women in this period?
- How did nuns’ lives change from the seventh century to the fourteenth century?
- Why did most Jewish women live in urban areas, and often in Jewish neighborhoods?
- How were Christian and Jewish women’s roles similar and different?
After you read
Respond to this question: What roles might women have played in rebuilding networks during this period?
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Guiding Questions
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Before you read
Preview the questions below, and then skim the article. Be sure to look at the section headings and any images.
While you read
Look for answers to these questions:
- How did writings such as those in the I Ching and philosophies like Confucianism influence women’s roles in Chinese society?
- What were some benefits to a woman and her family if she became a Buddhist nun?
- How were women’s roles dictated by their social status in Song Dynasty China? Provide an example for women’s roles in the upper, middle, and lower classes of society.
- What is foot binding and how was this used as an indicator of social status in Song Dynasty China?
- Why do we know more about elite women than we do about those in the lower classes, such as those who farmed?
After you read
Respond to this question: How did the role of women in Song China differ from other regions you’ve studied?
