ipl-logo

Explain Why The Dark Ages Is Not Appropriate For The Middle Ages

2170 Words9 Pages

Madeline Kate Marcelle Ms. Garcia History ll 29 February 2024. Why the Dark Ages is not an appropriate term for the Middle Ages For many years now, historians have argued on whether the term “Dark Ages” is appropriate for the European Middle Ages (500-1454 AD); the term was first coined by the Italian scholar Petrarch, also nicknamed the “Father of Humanism”, during the Renaissance because he believed that this era lacked “good literature at that time” (Hughes). The Renaissance was a golden age for the arts, sciences, literature, philosophy, and much more that helped advance European culture. It also revived Roman and Greek ideas and brought them back to a new light (Hughes). Those of the Renaissance viewed the fall of the western half of …show more content…

They cared about knowledge, which was assumed by Petrarch to be “lost” and preserved for future generations; they pursued learning and began to advance their education through the preservation of Roman knowledge by Byzantium, the developments produced during the Northumbrian and Carolingian renaissances, the cathedral schools run by the clergy, and the development of universities and the seven liberal arts; proving that knowledge did not die with Rome and instead continued to be pursued. The people of the Middle Ages also proved that the arts did not die with Rome and instead thrived. They made several new types of architecture and styles of the visual arts including but not limited to Romanesque Architecture, Gothic Architecture, the illumination of manuscripts, and stained glass; all of which held Christian theological symbolism and were criticized for it by the humanists. Humanists criticized it because it focused on putting God first and not man instead of the naturalist view of putting man before God and showing only the visible world and not the religious. Therefore, as illustrated by the advancements made in education and the arts, the “Dark Ages” is not an appropriate term for the European Middle Ages because it was coined by the prejudice and criticism …show more content…

Accessed 1 Mar. 2024. The. Bosanquet, B. “The Dark Ages and the Renaissance.” Ethics, vol. 12, No. 1 -. 2, Jan. 1902, p. 195, https://doi.org/10.1086/205913. Accessed 9 Feb. 2024. “Carolingian Renaissance | European History.” Encyclopdia Britannica, 2019, www.britannica.com/topic/Carolingian-Renaissance. Crump, Charles. The Legacy of the Middle Ages. Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1951. De Luca, Lisa. “Basilica of Saint-Denis: The Cradle of Gothic Architecture.” TheCollector, 2 Feb. 2021, www.thecollector.com/gothic-architecture-saint-denis-basilica/. Historian, The. “10 the Byzantine Empire Accomplishments and Achievements.” Have Fun with History, 7 July 2023, www.havefunwithhistory.com/the-byzantine-empire-accomplishments/. “How Dark Were the Dark Ages?” HistoryExtra, www.historyextra.com/period/medieval/dark-ages-term-what-when-how-obscure/. Hughes, Tristan. “Why Was 900 Years of European History Labelled “the Dark Ages”?” History Hit, 2018, www.historyhit.com/why-were-the-early-middle-ages-called-the-dark-ages/. “Italian Renaissance Art - Naturalism.” Artyfactory.com, 2019, www.artyfactory.com/art_appreciation/art_movements/italian-renaissance/italian-renaissance-art-naturalism.htm. Kennedy, D. J. St. Thomas Aquinas and Medieval Philosophy. The Encyclopedia Press, Inc, 1919. La Monte, John. The World of the Middle Ages : A

Show More
Related
1019 Words | 5 Pages

Ignorance was the norm, intellectual life was nearly non-existent. The Church was a dominant and powerful presence in Europe at the height of its power, though sinful and barbaric as it was. As the Renaissance spread through Europe, individuals became educated and fought to break the stronghold the Church held over the continent. Power in the Church declined as intellectuals came to criticize it, garnering supporters and ending the centuries of religious unity in Europe. This rebirth, this period of flowering creativity and thinking led to great changes and improvements as individuals focused on the “here and now” rather than religious affairs.

Read More
379 Words | 2 Pages

In the 1300s, Petrarch, an Italian scholar who coined the term "dark age" after the all of Rome during the 500s through the 1500s because he thought it was a chaotic time.(Movie Talk "dark age") The "dark age" took place during all the Crusades. This did help make population smaller and it did increase food supply. This illustrates that Europe was not in a "dark age" as it will be explained. Europe was not in a "dark age" really and it did improve Europe's food and population grew bigger which meant more farming.

Read More
309 Words | 2 Pages

"During the "Middle Ages", from 476 to about 1100, European civilization slipped into semi-barbarism". It was a very hard and bad time, but a lot of historians debate about if Europe was in a "dark age" or not. The evidence states that Europe was a dark age. There was a lot of evidence that states that Europe was not in a dark age.

Read More
746 Words | 3 Pages

In a time in European history, there was an era from the 5th to the 15th century known as the Middle Ages. The Middle Ages can often be referred to as the “Medieval period”, where buildings looked gloomy as they were made from gray cobblestone, and mankind was still in any idea of innovation, as they had no inspiration. Then during the 14th century, philosophy, art, and music were made exclusive, and became to some degree inspirational. Little did anyone know that was the beginning of a new era known as the Renaissance. Which was slowly but surely building a bridge which would lead the Middle Ages to the Modern Era.

Read More
377 Words | 2 Pages

Was Europe in a "dark age" during the 500 to 1500? The term came from an Italian scholar named Petrarch. The time period had universities, education, a lot of food, population, the Magna Carta, black death, the decline in trade, and a lot of chaos (dark ages). While Europe had a lot of up's and down's, Europe was in a "dark age" during the 500 to 1500 time period. Europe was not in a "dark age" because there was a lot of growth in Europe.

Read More
803 Words | 4 Pages

Kate Foley Ms. Zisel Global 9H April 2nd, 2017 The Middle Ages was a time of destruction and redemption for the people of the Roman Empire between A.D. 500-1400. The best description of this time period can be represented by four terms, the Golden Age, the Dark Age, the Age of Faith and the Age of Feudalism. Each time caused for a significant change in society that had a tremendous impact. From the troubling times of invasions and destructions to a time of prosperity and progression, the best terms that describe the Middle Ages are the Dark Ages and the Golden Ages.

Read More
359 Words | 2 Pages

The Middle Ages was a dark time period. It was dark because education and culture were beginning to decline drastically. This is evident in document #1. As it states,”Europe suffered a decline in commerce and manufacturing, in education, in literature and the arts, and in almost all that makes possible a high civilization”. This detail demonstrates that the decline in education caused the civilizations to not reach their best potential and education began to become really rare to find as it was only accessible/available in Churches.

Read More
574 Words | 3 Pages

In the 1300's, an Italian scholar named Petrach used the term "dark ages" to describe the medieval period (Movie Talk: The Dark Ages). Petrach applied the "dark" and "light" terms to learning. Petrach believed that the Romans and Ancient Greeks were in the "light" of learning. The following period, the middle ages, was in the "dark''. Ever since he used the term, historians have been debating whether the time period between the 500's and the 1500's were really a "dark age.

Read More
1021 Words | 5 Pages

Noah Bates Bates 1 Mr. Newman DBQ Essay October 25, 2015 The Dark Ages The Dark Ages were a time in history that was tragic to the people of Europe. One third of the whole population in Europe died from the effects of the Dark Age. The Dark Ages started after the collapse of the Western Roman Empire.

Read More
577 Words | 3 Pages

After the fall of the Roman Empire in 476 CE, it led into the Middle Ages. Commonly referred as the Dark Age, Europe was in a time of reformation. Many have used the “Dark Age” as a synonym for the Middle Ages, due to the lack of education and unethical actions that occurred during 500 CE to 1500 CE. The Middle Ages weren’t so dark as it seemed, it was a duration of reconstruction, acquired learning, agricultural boom, technology improvements and architecture.

Read More
815 Words | 4 Pages

This was a result of the constant invasions from the Vikings, Muslims, and Magyars; kings couldn't defend their lands and people no longer looked to a central ruler for security (Doc 7). The Northmen, Vikings, plundered, then burned, towns; most of Europe was an easy target after Rome fell. Also, Charlemagne's three feuding grandsons broke apart Europe and defense became weak (Doc 8). The following reasons support the Dark Ages as being the best label to describe the medieval

Read More
700 Words | 3 Pages

Also the Dark Ages consisted of the “great slaughter in London and Quentovic and in Rochester,” (Doc. 3). One of the middle ages most influential periods was the Dark Ages. Without a downfall, there would be no room for improvement and that's what the Dark Ages gave them, room for

Read More
555 Words | 3 Pages

In the History Channel's documentary "The Dark Ages", the Early Middle Ages is portrayed in many ways that aren't consistent with actual history. The History Channel portrays the Early Middle Ages as The Dark Ages. The Early Middle Ages was not the actual Dark Ages because, the real Dark Ages was in Greece in 1100-759 B.C.E. when Greece collapsed. However, History Channel's, "The Dark Ages" was supposed to be around 500-1000 C.E. History Channel makes The Early Middle Ages appear as a gloomy, dark, "hellish" time. I'm class we discuss how The Early Middle Ages was a time of art, development, and education.

Read More
426 Words | 2 Pages

Gilgamesh was a king who started out neglectful, and selfish in his kingship. It was later on in the story that Gilgamesh turned his ways around and became noble, and good. Gilgamesh was known to be great, and the most handsome man in all the land, and was 1/3 human, and 2/3 God. His father, a man, and his mother, a goddess.

Read More
1362 Words | 6 Pages

The term Dark Ages are often applied to the Middle Ages. Do you think this is a fair analysis of the time period? Why or why not? This is a very interesting question that has sparked a lot of curiosity in me. Once I saw this question I became very intrigued and interested.

Read More

More about Explain Why The Dark Ages Is Not Appropriate For The Middle Ages

Open Document