Question

Lesson 10 Review Directions: For each question, present the answer in complete sentences with supporting information from the Lesson. Do not copy and paste from the Lessons or Internet resources, but answer in your own words to demonstrate understanding of the material. Remember to cite any outside resources. 1. Why are the early Middle Ages sometimes called the Dark Ages? What are two reasons that the population declined in the first part of the Middle Ages? 2. What did the serfs do? What did the serfs receive from the lord in exchange? In what ways were the serfs freer in the late Middle Ages? 3. What were the professional soldiers called? What were the castle and surrounding farmland called? Who owned the manor? To whom did the vassals swear allegiance? 4. What provided the only education during the Middle Ages? What did the monks do during the Middle Ages? How was learning improved in the late Middle Ages? 5. What did the Church represent for the common man? What three things did the Church want people to do, and what would be their reward for doing these things? What happened to people who disobeyed the Church? What did the Church do for the people during the late Middle Ages?

Answer 1

The early Middle Ages are sometimes called the Dark Ages because they were a period of decline in trade, knowledge, and culture.

• Two reasons for this decline were the invasions of Germanic tribes and the plague.

2. Serfs were peasants who worked on land owned by a lord.

• They were bound to the land and could not leave without permission.
• In exchange for their work, serfs received food, shelter, and protection from the lord.
• Serfs were more free in the late Middle Ages because they could own property and marry without their lord's permission.

3. Professional soldiers were called knights.

• A castle and its surrounding farmland were called a manor.
• The lord owned the manor and the serfs who worked on it.
• Vassals swore allegiance to their lord in exchange for protection and land.

4. Monasteries were the only schools during the Middle Ages.

• Monks were the teachers and scholars.
• Learning improved in the late Middle Ages because monasteries were founded in new areas and secular schools were established.

5. The Church represented hope and peace for the common man.

• The Church wanted people to follow three things: attend church, obey the Ten Commandments, and give to charity.

• The reward for this was eternal life in heaven.

• People who disobeyed the Church were excommunicated, which meant they were cut off from the Church and its sacraments.

• The Church provided healthcare, education, and charity for the people during the late Middle Ages.

The term "Dark Ages" is used to describe the early Middle Ages, a period of European history that spanned roughly from the 5th to the 10th centuries.

Therefore, while there were indeed challenges and disruptions that characterized this era, the label "Dark Ages" is overly simplistic and misleading. It stems from a biased perspective that emerged during the Renaissance, when scholars contrasted the "enlightened" classical world with the perceived backwardness of medieval Europe.