The Dark Ages

Answer the following questions about the early Middle Ages—sometimes called the “Dark Ages.” Each question can be answered by expressing your opinion.

  1. The Dark Ages was a time of danger, confusion, and disorder. Why do you think the expression “DARK AGES”-- instead of some other name – was used to describe the early Middle Ages?
  1. Invaders, robbers, and bandits often threatened people in Western Europe, if you had lived during the Dark Ages, would you have given your freedom and become a serf in exchange for a lord’s protection? (Or would you have continued to farm your own land and risked being killed or forced into slavery by attackers?)
  1. Would you rather have been a lord, knight, vassal, or serf?Give 2 reasons for your answer.
  1. Are there any ways in which the code of chivalry is still used today? Give examples and support your answer.
  1. Most people today would probably think medieval castles were beautiful places to live. But this was not so. Castles were drafty and cold, dark and dirty, and had cats and dogs, and rats roaming about looking for food thrown on the floor by guests. If you had lived in a castle, which of these conditions would have bothered you the most?
  1. Which of the following do you think was the greatest hardship faced by serfs? They could not leave the manor without permission; they had to give a share of their crops to the lord; serfs had to dig ditches, build fences, and repair roads on the lord’s estate; they lived in poorly built and poorly furnished one-roomed huts; they ate only a few kinds of foods and were not properly clothed. Give a reason for your choice.

  1. Although lords expected their serfs to work hard, they rarely mistreated or overtaxed them. What do you suppose lords were afraid would happen if they treated their serfs badly?
  1. If you had lived during medieval times, would you rather have been a monk, jester, minstrel, or a clergyman? Give two reasons for your answer.
  1. A hard-working monk who spent much of his time copying manuscripts once said, “He who does not know how to write imagines that it is no labor, but though only three fingers hold the pen, the whole body grows weary.” Whatdo you suppose this monk was trying to say?
  1. Heretics were sometimes burned at the stake for disobeying the Church. Were these people being punished fairly, or should they have been treated in some other way? Explain your answer.
  1. Most of the people of the Middle Ages thought excommunication was worse than death. Why do you think they felt this way?
  1. Achievements of the medieval Church included: helping the sick and needy; reducing bloodshed by outlawing war on certain holy days and various days of the week; teaching individuals to read and write; copying ancient Greek and Roman manuscripts; converting barbarians to Christianity; starting universities; and uniting people of Western Europe under one Church and one God. Which one of these achievements do you think was of greatest importance? Why?