What characterizes the civilization of the west at that point in time?

Question

Highlight three to five characteristics of the west and trace out how those characteristics developed throughout the Medieval Period. Which do you think is most significant and why?

Answer 1

I suspect your textbook or teacher have specific things in mind, so I would double check with your assigned reading.

 

Also, how are you defining "Medieval period?"  The Middle Ages was a long time.  That said....

 

I think three of the biggest defining characteristics of Medieval Europe

 

1,  Dominance of the western Roman Church.  The Medieval Period in western Europe was a religious age, and the Roman Catholic Church was the only game in town.  Also, the Church can be said to have moved into a power vacuum created when the Roman Empire collapsed.  While I am generalizing pretty broadly here, I think it is fair to say that the loss of central government opened the door for the Church to acquire great wealth and political power, and to play a dominant social role in the lives of most people in Western Europe. For example the Church took over most education that existed and offered one of the only pathways to social advancement and economic success.

 

2. Feudalism and lack of strong central government.  A lack of strong central government and the need for security from several waves of barbarian invasion helped lead to the feudal system as the dominant system of government in much of Europe. Feudalism was characterized by small, isolated, self-sufficient manors run bya  local lord.  Most people (meaning the peasants) became serfs tied to the land and bound to serve the local lord, who was given the land and a great deal of autonomy by a higher lord or king.  As a result most people never traveled far from their place of birth.  They needed the nobles for protection and in return provided services (mostly agricultural) to the lord.

 

3.  Decline of trade and commerce.  With the end of the Roman Empire in western Europe,  trade declined.  There was no system for protecting travelers, safeguarding trade routes, or outfitting trade expeditions.  No universal money made it far more difficult to trade.  While western Europe may not have been completely cut off, it certainly became more isolated from wealthier and more sophisticated cultures and economies in the east.

 

4.  Decline of cities.  The other factors discussed above all contributed to this.  Cities were targets for barbarian raids and there were few powers sufficient to protect them.  People left the cities to scratch out an existence from the land and gather in smaller feudal communities.  With less trade, there was a decline in the artisan and merchant classes and less reason to gather in cities as well as less ability to specialize in business or a trade.

 

5. Social changes.  All the above suggest profound social changes. Society became more rigidly stratified socially.  One tended to be stuck for life in the social class they were born into.  A hereditary aristocracy based upon land ownership and feudal privilege developed for a small number, the church had a high social position, and most of the rest were serfs. There was not much of a middle class in most of western Europe. 

 

Again, this is pretty broad brush painting. I suggest consulting a source or two, such as Crash Course, before answering this fully.