The time period in history from 500 AD to 1,500 AD in Europe is referred to as the Middle Ages. This time period also carries a few different names (Dark Ages and Medieval Times), they are all the same period. For a time period that spanned one-thousand years, a whole lot occurred. The printable worksheets below will examine many different aspects of life during this time period.
The time period opens with the Fall of the Western Roman Empire. In the early 700s AD Charles the Hammer defeated the Moorish invaders which ended the expansion of Islam into Western Europe. In 800 AD Charlemagne was declared the Emperor of Rome and expanded his influence across most of Europe. This was followed by William the Conqueror who divided all the land of England and created a feudal system. This was followed one- hundred and fifty years later with the Declaration of the Magna Carta which was seen as the first step towards a full constitution. In the early 1300s AD a Great Famine overpowered northern Europe which led to many deaths, disease transmission, and overall citizen unrest. In 1337 AD England waged war with France over neighboring tensions, resulting in what is know as the Hundred Years War. The mid-1300s also saw the Black Death which was a global epidemic of the bubonic plague which resulted in the death of twenty-five million people or a one-third of Europe's population, at the time. This series of worksheets looks at all of the types of people and cultures during this time period. Students will explore key battles and wars that helped shape the belief systems and governing of these cultures. We will look at the formation of governance in the form of democracy in this area. Students will also study the life and times of many military leaders of this time period.