Middle Ages Were the Dark Ages

Essay by silverstorm2k5 February 2005

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It would be appropriate to consider the Middle Ages the "Dark Ages", for numerous reasons. One of which would be because of the black plague that swept through Europe killing thousands of people and causing great suffering for many people, leaving families devistated. Another would be because of the many battles and wars that broke out leaving thousands more dead. The Catholic Church went through many problems in the Medieval times.

One reason that the Middle Ages could be considered the "Dark Ages" is because of the the black plague swept through Europe. The black plague was a horrific disease that killed one third of Europe's population. This was not only a terrible disease, but it was even more horrible to cure, doctors thought the only way to cure a patient would be to drain the "bad blood" of the patient. The other dreadful part of the disease is that the Catholic Church blamed the Jews for this disease.

Because of their hatred for the Jews, the Church forced them to move to housing that would be on the outskirts of the cities. This actually was to the benefit of the Jews because they were actually farther away from the major outbreaks. The disease spread rapidly, it would go onto ships that were making trade routs to different European countries and it would continue to spread through trade as its main form of travel.

In the Middle Ages there was many wars that broke out. For instance, the hundred years' war was one war that killed thousands of people. In addition to the thousands of deaths caused by direct combat, attacking knights would go to farms and burn the crops to spread famine throughout the castle. This would completely devastate a castle, and the surrounding territory.