Medieval times

Periodization Origin Significance Dark Ages Outstanding Achievements

Periodization Periodization is the attempt to categorize or divide historical time into discrete named blocks. However, determining the precise beginning and ending to any "period" is often a matter of debate. European history is traditionally divided into three "ages": the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages and the modern period. The Middle Ages are commonly dated from the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century to the beginning of the Early Modern Period in the 16th century, marked by the rise of nation-states, the division of Western Christianity in the Reformation, the rise of humanism in the Italian Renaissance, and the beginnings of European overseas expansion. Others choose specific events, such as the Turkish capture of Constantinople or the end of the Anglo-French Hundred Years' War (both 1453), the invention of the moveable type printing press in Europe (around 1455, independently of Asian innovations in the field centuries earlier), the fall of Muslim Spain or Christopher Columbus's voyage to America (both 1492) to mark the period's end.

Origins: The later Roman Empire The Roman empire reached its greatest territorial extent during the 2nd century. The following two centuries witnessed the slow decline of Roman. The Emperor Diocletian split the empire into separately administered eastern and western halves in 285. The division between east and west was encouraged by Constantine, who refounded the city of Byzantium as the new capital, Constantinople, in 330. The Migration period, also called the Barbarian Invasions was a period of human migration that occurred roughly between the years 300 to 700 in Europe. During this period of time, various tribes entered the Western Roman Empire. The Huns, Bulgars, Avars, and Magyars all raided the Empire's territories and terrorised its inhabitants. Later, Slavic and Germanic peoples would settle the lands previously taken by these tribes. The most famous invasion culminated in the sack of Rome by the Visigoths in 410, the first time in almost 800 years that Rome had fallen to an enemy. The Western Roman Empire fell in 476, marking the transition from Late Antiquity to the Early Middle Ages.

Significance: Transition to the Modern World The transition from the medieval to the modern world was indicated by economic expansion, political centralization, and secularization. A money economy weakened serfdom, and an inquiring spirit stimulated the age of exploration. Banking, the bourgeois class, and secular ideals flourished in the growing towns and lent support to the expanding monarchies. The church was weakened by internal conflicts as well as by quarrels between church and state. As feudal strength was weakened, notably by the the Hundred Years War and the Wars of the Roses, there emerged in France and England the modern nation state. A forerunner of intellectual modernity was the new humanism of the Renaissance. Finally, the great medieval unity of Christianity was shattered by the religious theories that culminated in the Protestant Reformation.

The rise of archaeology and other specialties in the 20th century has shed much light on the period and offered a more nuanced understanding of its positive developments. Here are several reasons that the dark ages were not dark , but in fact, a period of progress and light. Universities were Born From the 11th century onward, older cathedral schools developed into universities such as University of Paris and University of Oxford. The universities taught the arts, law, medicine, and theology. Scientific Foundations Were Laid While progress in Science was slow during this period, the progress was steady and of a very high quality. The foundation was laid here for the blossoming of science that was to occur in the following period. The Dark Ages Were Not Dark

Religious Unity During the Early Middle Ages, Europe had a united Church, an agreed upon canon of the Bible, and a well developed philosophical tradition. This led to a great period of peace within the Western nations. This union of beliefs allowed for intellectual progress. Algebra Arrived The world received its first book on algebra during this age. This book gave us the first systematic solution of linear and quadratic equations. Agricultural Boom As a consequence of the excellent weather and rich agricultural knowledge, the West did extremely well in agriculture. Iron tools were in wide use, feudalism in other parts of the world introduced efficient management of land, and massive surpluses were created so that animals were fed on grains and not grass.

Outstanding Achievements Law The Code of Justinian, Great Council (Parliament), Magna Carta Commerce Marketplace & Trade Fairs, Guilds, Banks Buildings Cathedrals, Castles, Romanesque Architecture, Gothic Architecture Education Universities The Arts and Sciences The mathematics of Fibonacci, the philosophy of Thomas Aquinas, the painting of Giotto, the poetry of Dante

Maria Laach Abbey (玛丽亚拉赫本笃会修道院1093-1177) in western Germany Durham Cathedral (1093), England <

Notre Dame de Chartres 夏特尔大教堂 Canterbury Cathedral <

Oxford University University of Paris <

The philosophy of Thomas Aquinas The mathematics of Fibonacci The painting of Giotto The poetry of Dante

Medieval times

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