Unit 3: The Fall and Rise of Civilizations:
The Middle Ages in Europe and Asia

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In 476 AD the city of Rome was invaded by Germanic invaders and a German general was crowned King of Italy. Historians generally fix this year as the end of the Classical Civilizations that began in Europe in the Aegean World. The 1000 years that followed have earned a reputation as a time of despair, desperation and darkness.

While the heart of the former Roman Empire did indeed seem to regress toward earlier times, on its fringes, civilizations received new life, fueling a continuation of the culture and learning that the Classical World had represented. In some cases, the high point of civilization that marked the Classical Civilizations was simply moved eastward, thriving in Asia Minor while the former holdings of the Empire in Europe were sorted out. Without the heavy-handed Roman Empire dictating how life, government, law and culture were to be pursued, people found new ways to cope with the difficulties of daily life, and looked to new leaders for the safety and support they needed. When, near the middle of the 1000 years, the two sides once again came into contact, a struggle ensued which brought a blending of the two cultures again. After 1000 years, the light of learning was once again rekindled in the lands of the former Roman Empire.

This unit investigates the time period from 500 to 1500 AD, --commonly known as the Middle Ages-- with an eye on changes in Europe and Asia as a result of the vacuum created by the Fall of Rome. An emphasis on the power of religions -- Christianity in the West and Islam in the East -- and an eye on what happens when they clash -- as in the Crusades-- help to build a sense of how the central power in people's lives underwent a radical shift of focus during this time in history. And finally, with attention paid to the medical, technological, societal and cultural changes of the time, the sense of where we came from as a society at the close of the millennium comes into sharper focus.

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Due dates have been updated due to recent snow day

Unit Research Assignment

100 pts/ Due Date: __________

Write an individual research report on an important individual from the historical time periods studied in this unit. (See list below for topics and details).

Your task will be to choose a person from the list below and find information about them using note-taking methods taught in class. During the course of your research, be sure to meet the minimum requirements listed below, then compose a 2-3 page, typed report presenting your findings. Attach a properly formatted list of works cited, and turn in all notes/note cards with your report. Create NOTE CARDS ONLINE

To put NoteStar in your favorites, Right-Click on this NOTESTAR link and choose "Add to Favorites"

Your research should allow you to explain a number of things about your historical person, including (but not limited to)·

• his or her lifespan·
• the civilization or country he or she was connected with·
• contributions, achievements or other landmarks of his or her life·
• people who influenced him or her during his or her lifetime·
• people who were influenced by him or her since then·
• how he or she reflected the ideas of his or her times

To earn full credit, make sure that you:

• Create and hand in properly formatted notes/note cards;·
• Create 1 thesis card for the entire project;·
• Prepare a report of your findings which contains and proves your thesis statement, using citations for all outside information.·
• Prepare a properly formatted list of references/works cited.·
• Follow your CHS Writers' Guide for all formatting issues, including fonts, margins, page numbers, citations, spacing and headings·
• Hand in report, works cited list & notes/note cards together.

Resource Requirements:

• Use a minimum of 5 different resources for information, including....
• No more than one general encyclopedia (World Book, Britannica, Wikipedia, etc.)
• At least one non-encyclopedia resource from the Internet
• At least one non-encyclopedia printed resource
• Use at least one primary source (Here's a good online source for primary sources)
• Use at least 1 modern quotation (from someone who lived long after your person)
• Use at least 1 contemporary quotation (from your actual person, or from someone whose lifespan overlapped your person's, who had a first-hand experience with them)
• Use at least 1 block-quote (3 lines or longer), properly formatted, in your report

Note: It's possible to accomplish more than one of these at the same time; your primary source may also be a block quote, and may also be your Internet source, for example.

Websites of Interest:

• Medieval Life
• All about Medieval Times
• Middle Ages Exhibit
• Medieval Siege, from NOVA
• Medieval Times and Castles

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