The Dark Ages and Medieval Europe
What were the Dark Ages? And why have today’s historians stopped using this terminology? The Roman Empire might have collapsed, but from 500 to 1500 CE, Europe was a dynamic region that remained connected to societies across Afro-Eurasia. Use these materials to help students unravel the mystery and reveal the true complexity and dynamism of the period between the fall of Rome and the rise of the Renaissance.
Featured Materials
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.
The Protestant Reformation
Video
The Protestant Reformation
How did a protest led by a provincial monk against corruption in the Catholic Church become a centuries-long religious conflict that transformed global communities?
Medieval Trade Routes Thematic Map
Visual Aid
Medieval Trade Routes Thematic Map
A full-color thematic map of Medieval Trade Routes in 1450 CE, meant to help you support, extend, and challenge the frame narratives.
Lessons
Lesson 5.3
Assessing the Dark Ages
Were the Dark Ages really that dark? Take part in the historical debate to determine how much societal collapse actually followed 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.
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Materials
Regional Webs (200 to 1500 CE): Unit 5 Overview
Video
Regional Webs (200 to 1500 CE): Unit 5 Overview
When the Roman and Han empires collapsed, many societies faced chaos—but often, collapse was really a time of restructuring and rebuilding new authority.
Guilds, Wool, and Trade: Medieval England in a Global Economy
Video
Guilds, Wool, and Trade: Medieval England in a Global Economy
Around 1250-1350, an archipelago of trade stretched across Afro-Eurasia. Nick and Trevor explore the role of the wool trade in this system and its impact on England.
The Renaissance
Article
The Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural and scientific transformation beginning in fourteenth-century Italy, but it drew on cultural inspirations forged through a long history of trade and exchange.
Was There Ever a “Dark Age”?
Article
Was There Ever a “Dark Age”?
Were there historical periods when innovation slowed dramatically or completely stopped? Some have made a case for a “dark age” in Europe during this era—but is it convincing?
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.
Comparison: Women in Medieval Europe and Song China
Activity
Comparison: Women in Medieval Europe and Song China
Compare the lives and public roles of women in Medieval Europe and Song China. By zooming in and comparing their lives, we can better understand how societies treated women.