Middle Ages DBQ

Elizabeth Hoff
Period 3
10/25/14

The Middle Ages
The Middle Ages were a time of prosperity and sobriety, trapped between two of
Europe's most prominent times, the time of the Romans and the Renaissance. There are many ways of categorizing the Middle Ages because it was so different throughout its years. You could call it the Ages of Christianity and Darkness, along with the Age of
Feudalism due to feudalism’s impact on the Middle Ages.
The Middle Ages can also be called the Age of Darkness due to the tragedies that occurred during this time. The Black Death caused lots of distress to many people during the Middle Ages. People automatically turned to the church for answers about the plague. Because the church did not have answers of what it was or why it was happening, it had such a devastating effect that people started to question religion. “The barbarians have broken through the ramparts… they sacked town and village, and laid waste the fields… there is no longer any trade… society has no longer any government,”(Heinemann). Trade was gone during the Middle ages because people hid for refuge and left their cities. There were many invasions from the barbarians in the
800s because there was not enough government, the people had no one to look for for guidance. The life of people at the time was very sober.
Another age that could categorize the Middle Ages is the Age of Feudalism.
Feudalism was a social system used in medieval Europe in which vassals were given land by lords. Land given to the vassals by lords were called fiefs. According to the the feudal obligations in document 4, vassals gave loyalty, military service and ransom to the lords in exchange for protection and fiefs. On these fiefs vassals were able to grow crops to trade and provide for their families and others. Feudalism was a huge part in the Middle Ages because it helped organize social classes and gave benefits to most classes satisfying them. Manorialism would also fall under a feudalism category because they were alike in many ways by providing social and political structure along with shaping the economy of much of the Middle Ages.
Lastly, the Age of Christianity would best describe the Middle Ages because there was so much faith in the christian church at the time. According the document 5, the church was able to place law on what the people we and were not allowed to do.
During Advent people would have to fast and according to the church council in the document, the church is also trying to prohibit violence on days set aside for god. The people during the Middle Ages turned to leaders of the church for many things such as guidance and for reasoning. The church was could control many things and were very powerful. It could excommunicate, interdict, had power over taxes and controlled

sacraments. The church even became more powerful than the political leaders at the time, like then Harry IV was excommunicated by the pope. The church was the most prosperous at the time and was the center of all christian cities making it an important part of the Middle Ages.
The Ages of Darkness, Christianity and Feudalism best categorize the Middle
Ages due to its change. Throughout the middle ages there was much change economically and politically, making feudalism and the power of the church much needed in making the Middle Ages a successful time.