The Dark Ages and Medieval Europe
What’s so dark about the Dark Ages? Spoiler alert: they weren’t all that dark. Explore this medieval era with classroom-ready lessons and teaching materials that uncover the complex social, cultural, and economic connections that crossed all of Afro-Eurasia. Ride along on trade routes, investigate the causes and consequences of the Crusades, and plot the transformative era between Rome’s collapse and the rising Renaissance.
Teaching the Dark Ages and Medieval Europe
Teacher Ideas for Rebranding the Dark Ages
Teachers ask their students to help the so-called Dark Ages improve its image with a new marketing campaign.
Video Strategies
Bring the Dark Ages and Medieval Europe to life with video—and engaging and instructive teaching moves.
Comparison
How did women’s lives compare in Medieval Europe and Song China? Help students develop this fundamental historical thinking skill with this handy one-pager.
Community: Women in the Early Medieval Ages
Uncover the lives of women in medieval history with this podcast recommendation.
Teach Tomorrow: Lessons on the Dark Ages and Medieval Europe
Lesson 5.3
Assessing the Dark Ages
Were the Dark Ages really that dark? Students investigate the historical debate to determine the extent to which society collapsed after the Roman Empire’s fall.
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Lesson 2.8
Cultural Consequences
Wherever cultures intersected, innovation thrived. But these transformations sometimes produced dire consequences for individual communities and whole regions. Students will weigh the pros and cons of cultural connectivity as they dig into the medieval era.
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Dark Ages and Medieval Europe Materials for Deeper Learning
The "Dark Ages" Debate
Article
The "Dark Ages" Debate
Europe during the Middle Ages has often been referred to as a “dark” period, but scholars debate the idea of the “Dark Ages.” Which side of this debate do you agree with?
Rethinking the Dark Ages
Activity
Rethinking the Dark Ages
Marshal evidence about the Dark Ages as you develop your opinions and claims about the aftermath of collapse in Europe and China.
Christendom
Article
Christendom
Explore how Byzantium and Latin Christendom, though both rooted in Christianity, developed distinct ways of life and thought in the medieval era.
New Sources of Authority
Activity
New Sources of Authority
How do Latin Christendom and the Byzantine Empire compare? How did these societies think about religion, government, and authority? It’s time to compare notes.
Guilds, Wool, and Trade: Medieval England in a Global Economy
Video
Guilds, Wool, and Trade: Medieval England in a Global Economy
Medieval England sat at one end of an archipelago of trade that stretched across Afro-Eurasia. Explore the role of wool in this system and its impact on England.
Causes and Consequences of the Crusades
Video
Causes and Consequences of the Crusades
The Crusades were a centuries-long clash between Christian and Muslim kingdoms over control of the Holy Lands—but they also sparked new connections across the Mediterranean world.
Assessments on the Dark Ages and Medieval Europe
Pre-Writing: Organization and Language/Style
Activity
Pre-Writing: Organization and Language/Style
By establishing clear connections between your ideas, you’ll help your reader follow your argument. Create an outline to order and connect your ideas about Rome and Han China.
DBQ Sources: Roman Empire and Han Dynasty China
Assessment
DBQ Sources: Roman Empire and Han Dynasty China
Analyze these sources and gather evidence to support your argument about societal and political collapse after the fall of the Roman Empire and Han Dynasty China.
Writing: Roman Empire and Han Dynasty China
Assessment
Writing: Roman Empire and Han Dynasty China
Use your outline and sourcing skills to demonstrate your understanding of collapse after the fall of Rome and Han China.