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:
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.
-
Guiding Questions
-
Guiding Questions
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.
-
Guiding Questions
-
Guiding Questions
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”?
-
Guiding Questions
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.
-
Guiding Questions
-
Guiding Questions
