Question

In what ways did Western Europe in the Early Middle Ages differ from the Roman Empire?

A. Western Europe was less Christian and more pagan than ancient Rome.
B. Western Europe had a better system of roads, enabling easy travel.
C. Western Europe was more urbanized and had higher literacy and trade rates
D. Western Europe was more rural, less literate, and had more limited trade.

Answer 1

It had little literacy, was rural, and there were few roads.

Explanation:

Unlike ancient Rome, Western Europe in the early Middle Ages had little literacy, fewer cities, and few roads. This was because much of the Roman infrastructure was destroyed after the fall of the western half of the Roman Empire. While Latin declined, it was still used by the Catholic Church. In addition, Christianity was practiced in both the period before and after the Roman Empire. Paganism continued to be practiced alongside Christianity in the early Middle Ages.

Answer 2

D. Western Europe was more rural, less literate, and had more limited trade.

Step-by-step explanation:

After the fall of the Roman Empire, Western Europe entered a period of economic decline that lasted for almost a thousand years, and that had profound political and social consequences.

The political integration that had been common under the Roman Empire for 4 centuries collapsed, and countless states emerged, many of them lasting a few decades, or even years. This political climate caused less economic integration: trade went down to a bare minimum, cities became depopulated, the regions became more ruralized, economies became more local and precarious, poverty rose, and literacy fell as well.

As centuries passed, Western Europe recovered slowly, but it was only until the Late Middle Ages that development levels were similar to those enjoyed during the height of the Roman Empire.