What development led to the transition to the Middle Ages?

Answer 1

Advances in science and technology of the period called the Dark Ages, from the 5th to 10th centuries, included the invention or introduction into Europe of the following:

• The horse collar, which greatly increased the area of land being tilled
• The heavy plow, which increased the productivity of farms
• Horse shoes, which increased the productivity of horses
• The three field system of crop rotation, which increased agricultural production
• New types of water powered mills
• Introduction of manufacture of silk to Europe
• Rotary grind stones
• Improved soap
• Early oil paint
• The stirrup, which enabled use of the couched lance and expansion of the importance of cavalry

The agricultural improvements produced a great increase in population by the time the Early Middle Ages ended, preparing Europe for the rise of urban culture.

There were other improvements as well. The decline in education and learning that we think of as medieval actually started about the year 230, during the Roman Empire, and the empire never recovered fully. The destruction of the West Roman Empire happened in the 5th century, at which point education was at a low point. The date of the Fall of Rome is often given as 476. Our oldest records of schools being opened after this come from Visigoths in Spain, only about 60 years after this, and this was followed by other schools opened in the same period by Anglo Saxons. Charlemagne's fostering of education happened during the Dark Ages, as did the similar work of Alfred the Great.

Enormous effort was made in the law during the same period, by combining the Germanic laws, which were memorized by the judges, with the written Roman codes of earlier times. The legal codes of Charlemagne and Salic Law were fundamental to work of later periods.

Answer 2

Rome was falling apart, so people stuck to the landlords, and then the manor system was developed