Evidence
of much of humanity’s early technological advancement has been found in ancient
Egyptian civilization. Beginning about 5000 B.C., the Nile River valley in northeast Africa
provided the agricultural condition for many permanent settlements to develop.
The abundance of good harvests allowed for thriving communities that continued
to expand. With the support and influence of the rulers and religious leaders,
cultural advancement took place in art, music, entertainment, technology, and
science.
The
ancient Egyptians are considered one of the most advanced of the early
civilization. Evidence of their contributions to the world can be seen in the
magnificent statues of their gods , in pottery and jewelry, in the ruins of their colossal ,
pyramids and tombs . within their written language known as hieroglyphics .and
in their perfection of the mummification process.
During
the Dark Ages in Europe, a social order known as the feudal system was
instituted. This was a well-defined system of classes or levels within society.
It was based on the belief that if everyone had a place in society, there would
be less conflict. The feudal system had top-ranking novels: the king, the
lords, the lesser lords. and the knights. The peasants and the townspeople made
up 90 percent of the population. The lord was responsible to the king and
managed the estate that the peasants worked in return for protection from
invading enemies. To keep them from taking advantage of unarmed peasants,
knights followed a code of honor called chivalry, which combined bravery 3nd
Christian values.
The Middle Ages and the Feudal System
With the fall of the Roman Empire in A.D. 476, western Europe was thrown
into chaos, Tribal chiefs and kings of small regions took control for small protection.
Most of the population, except for royalty and clergy, was illiterate. It was a
time when art and literature and architecture no longer flourished. This period
was called the Dark Ages.
In the early 13th century, battles
for land were being fought in England. Invasions by the Vikings 3nd ongoing
conflicts with the Roman Church kept England constantly fighting. The split
that finally divided the church in England started with Henry II. When he and
Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury. Argued over the supreme authority
of the king and the church, Henry's son, John, made an attempt to settle the
conflict after his father’s death. This required the barons of England to pay
heavy taxes to the church. When the barons complained, the Magna Carta was
written in 1215 to protect their rights. This document served to establish
rights of even those who were not nobles. It limited the power of the monarchy,
forcing even the king to obey the laws.
The economic structure of the feudal system was very weak. Poor harvests
led to famines. A weakened population was not able to fight off infectious
diseases, Which had spread throughout the trade routes. During the 14th
century, a terrifying plague hit Europe. Infected fleas carried by rats through
the towns transmitted the bubonic plague, also known as the Black Death. The
villages and early cities had inadequate sewage systems, which contributed greatly
to the spread of the plague. This plague is said to have killed one-third of
all Europeans; no class, from peasants to royalty, escaped. Towns and farms
were completely abandoned. Without farming, trading, and craft working; the
economy collapsed eyen, further. Western Europe took more than 100 years
to recover.
