Suri Yang

Mr. Lewis

World History 1-F

27 April 2022

Following the fall of the Roman Empire in 476 AD, a long period of dormancy occurred from 500 AD to 1200 AD. Many dubbed this period as the “Dark Ages” for its lack of advancements. But was this really the case? Were there really no advancements and anything great about this time period? This case of the “Dark Ages'' being such a period is false. From historical evidence and first hand accounts of the “Dark Ages'' these sources point to a different story. One with brighter and more successful accounts and evidence. The “Dark Ages” were not as dark as they seemed as seen through the growth of secular education, agricultural advancements, and the age of Charlemagne.

Despite the “Dark Ages” being often associated with political instability and decline, this was not entirely true; with the rule of Charlemagne, political instability and decline was not a possibility. Described as having a “...gift of ready and fluent speech, and could express whatever he had to say with the utmost clearness.”(Einhard), Charlemagne was an incredibly adept leader as seen through his various reforms and achievements. An example of this capability was his founding of an “ intellectual renaissance”. During this time period, a foundation for the school curriculum was established. A few examples of the general school curriculum included the study of grammar, memorization of important texts, and Latin, etc. This basic foundation was essential for students because they were being taught similarly, therefore creating a cohesive and effective form of schooling. Furthermore, upon entering into higher education institutions methods of learning and learning criteria stemmed from the basic curriculum. This better prepared students for more in depth studies that was inevitable in these higher education institutions. Ultimately this led to increased stability due to the more effective society and a common and widespread cohesiveness in society through education, allowing leaders to focus on other pressing needs in the kingdom. A more intense example of Charlemagne’s capability is his reforms regarding religion, but more specifically churches. One of his reforms was the ability to discipline clerics. The ability to discipline clerics improved the moral quality of the clergy. It helped prevent issues such as bribery for religious offices. Furthermore, through Charlemagne’s aggressive and passionate reforms to direct religious life, he eventually won the respect and acknowledgement of churches, the papacy, and many other religious figures.

During the Dark Ages, agriculture rose to its peak, with several advancements and the Medieval Warm Period. An example of an advancement was the heavy plough. This plough was pulled by horse and could turn over the much more fertile soil deep in the earth (Pruitt). Oxen were used in fields however horses grew to be more popular in plowing fields because they were much faster. Furthermore, oxens were also very valuable sources of food while horses were not. The heavy plough was a simple yet revolutionary tool with its colter to dig and strip the fields further of weeds and unwanted plants. With a more efficient animal and a revolutionary tool, agriculture industry was able to increase its efficiency in harvesting and planting. Perhaps the most significant example of agricultural success in the Middle Ages was the Medieval Warm Period. Occurring from 900 CE to 1300 CE, although it was not a man made achievement, this period of warmer weather contributed to all aspects of agricultural success, from the growing of plants, to the harvesting of them. The weather was generally more favorable for crops and enabled a longer period for growth and a longer harvest time. Eventually it led to the increase in the food supply and eventually a larger population.

The growth of secular education seemed like an unlikely event in the “Dark Ages”, however this growth and advancement led to more professional expertise and skill in the workplace. An example of the growth of secular education was the founding of some of the first higher education establishments in Bologna, Salamanca, Paris, and Oxford (Byrd O'Connor). These institutes offered more niched and in depth studies on certain majors which led to the increase in more qualified individuals in the workplace. Combining the increase of professionally trained experts, niched studies, further advancement in level of knowledge and expertise was inevitable. Another example of the increase in secular education is the growth of privately and communally funded schools. These schools grew to be more important than cathedral and church schools. This became very significant as church and cathedral schools used to be the only schools, the main form of education, and the most sought after (Cantor 199).

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