Middle Ages

The Middle Ages is a name given to a period of European history that dates from approximately 476 AD to the 1400s. Historians often use different dates to describe the Middle Ages. In most cases, they say the period began with the fall of the Roman Empire and ended with the start of the Renaissance, a time of great advancements in art and science in Europe.

The term Middle Ages was used in the 1400s or 1500s by writers who thought the period was a “dark” age when very little happened. However, it was a very important time in history. It was a period when society was divided into classes and religion shaped the lives of average people and powerful...