Unit 1. The Middle Ages
The Middle Age
The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three "ages": the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages and Modern Times. This Age start when Roman Empire falls (476 AD) and finished when America is discovered (1492). In several countries, among them Spain, another period: Contemporary Times come after Modern Times.
The fall of Roman Empire.
Roman power over northern territories was decreasing little by little. from the third century and Roman Empire was divided by Theodosius in 395 into two parts:
Western Roman Empire (Rome was its capital ) which extended from Spain to the Balkans
Eastern Roman Empire ( Constantinople was its capital) which extended from Balkanic peninsula to easter border. Egypt belonged to this part.
During the 5th century the invasion of Germanic peoples destroyed the Roman political institutions in the Western part and the last Roman emperor was substituted by a barbarian king in Rome
Germanic peoples
During the 5th and the 6th centuries Germanic migrations end with the Western Roman Empire. As a result , different kingdoms were created.
Germanic peoples came from the North and the East of Europe. They were driven to the west by asiatic people like huns and slaves.
The main Germain kingdoms
The unity of Roman empire was replaced by different Germanic kingdoms . The main of them were:
The Visigoths in Spain
The Franks in France
The Ostrogoths and later Lombards in Italy
The Anglos and the Saxons in Britain
Other important Germanic kingdoms were the Burgundians , Suevi or Vandals kingdoms
Germanic kingdoms features.
The king had the power, at first he was chosen by the noblemen ( warrior aristocracy) but afterwards the crown became hereditary . However power of the king was not absolute, the noblemen, like Dukes, had the military power in their territories and they could help the king to take decisions or to administer justice.
Germany invasions throughout 4th and 5th centuries transform the Roman Empire , an urban civilization, into a rural society . The population of the cities decreased and commercial activity got smaller too . Only agrarian activity increased because Germanic people were peasants and cattle farmers.
Most of the land was in the hand of a few Roman and Germanic families and Church was an important owner too.
True or False questions
Retroalimentación
Falso
Constantinople was founded by Constantine emperor
Retroalimentación
Falso
Theodosius divided the Roman Empire in two parts.
Retroalimentación
Verdadero
Retroalimentación
Falso
Germanic peoples came from the North and East of Europe
Retroalimentación
Falso
Ostrogoths conquered Italian peninsula
Retroalimentación
Verdadero
Retroalimentación
Falso
Trade decreased after the Roman Empire fall
Actividad
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