Timeline Poster on the Middle Ages

6thGrade World History

Student Name: ______

Description:You are going to design a timeline poster on the Middle Ages containing at least 25 important dates, event descriptions, and at least 10 relevant pictures. The timeline must be designed to scale with dates spaced appropriately. Furthermore, the timeline must span the entire Middle Ages with several events selected from the early, high, and late periods. See the backside of this sheet for a listing of possible dates and events that you could include on your timeline.

CATEGORY / 20 / 15 / 10 / 5
Content - Accuracy / At least 25 accurate events are displayed spanning the entire Middle Ages time period. (Note: Extra credit will be given for each additional event up to a maximum of five extra credit points.) / There are at least 20 accurate events spanning most oftheMiddle Ages time period. / There are at least 15 accurate events displayed, OR the events do not cover the entire span of the Middle Ages time period. / Less than 10 accurate facts are displayed, OR the eventsare only from one part of the Middle Ages time period.
Arrangement, Order of Events, and Scale / All events are neatly arranged, are in chronological order, and are correctly spaced according to scale. / Most events are neatly arranged, most are in chronological order, and most are correctly spaced according to scale. / Several events are not neatly arranged,OR severalare not in chronological order, OR several are not spaced according to scale. / Most events are poorly arrangedor are not in chronological order.The majority of the events are not spaced according to scale.
Graphics - Relevance / The poster includes at least tengraphics that are related to the topics, are appropriate, and make the informationon the poster easier tounderstand. / The poster includes at least eight graphics that are related to the topics, are appropriate, and make the informationon the poster easier to understand. / The poster includes at least fivegraphics that are related to the topic, are appropriate, and make the information on the poster easier to understand. / The poster includes at least twographics that are related to the topic, are appropriate, and make the information on the poster easier to understand.
Title, Bible Verse, and Wording / The poster includesa neatly written title, a Bible verse,and all information is clearly written. / The poster includes a title and Bible verse. Some informationon the poster is poorly written and is difficult to read. / The poster is missing a title or a Bible verse. Much of the writing on the poster is poorly written and is difficult to read. / The poster is missing a title or a Bible verse. Most of the writing on the poster is poorly written and is difficult to read.
Attractiveness / The poster is exceptionally attractive in terms of design, layout, and neatness. / The poster is acceptably attractive although there are some aspects that are a bit messy. / The poster is rather messy and more effort should have been given to neatness. / The poster is distractingly messy or very poorly designed. It is not attractive.

THE MIDDLE AGES

The Middle Ages is a transition period in European history that lasted for about 1000 years. The fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476, marked the end of ancient civilization and the approximate beginning of the Middle Ages. The 1000 years that followed where a transition period between antiquity and the modern period. The Middle Ages came to an end in the 16th century around the start of the Renaissance and the Protestant Reformation.

Possible Dates and Events to Include on Your Timeline:

  • 410 – German tribes migrate into the Roman Empire; one of these tribes was the Franks
  • 440 – The papacy begins with Leo I becoming the first pope (“papa”) over the church
  • 476 – The Fall of the Western Roman Empire (the government collapsed but Christianity thrived)
  • 527 – Justinian I becomes emperor over the Eastern Roman Empire
  • 570 – Muhammad is born; He dies in 632
  • 590 – The church continues to be corrupted by errors such as thebelief in purgatory, the supremacy of the pope, and the worship of saints and relics
  • 638 – Jerusalem is captured by the Muslims
  • 732 – Charles Martel halts the Muslim advance into Europe at the Battle of Tours
  • 768 – Charlemagne becomes the king of the Franks; Heis crowned Emperor on December 25, 800
  • 900 – Feudalism in Europe begins some time after the death of Charlemagne
  • 987 – Hugh Capet founded a new royal line in France, the Capetian family
  • 1066 – William the Conqueror, the Duke of Normandy, establishes a new royal dynasty in England, the Normans; He is known for his land and property survey entitled the Domesday Book
  • 1074 – The church continues to corrupt; Pastors and clergy are now forbidden to marry
  • 1095 – Pope Urban II calls for thefirst of eight crusades to liberate the Holy Land from Muslim control
  • 1095 – Feudalism begins to decline as more and more people move to towns
  • 1147 – The Second Crusade is an overall failure
  • 1154 – Henry II becomes king in England
  • 1189 – The Third Crusade to recapture Jerusalem is unsuccessful; several more crusades will follow
  • 1199 – King John becomes king of England and demands excessive taxes
  • 1200 – Philip II of France continued to expand the French territory by taking land controlled by England
  • 1215 – A council under Pope Innocent III decides that the bread and wine becomes the literal body and blood of Christ during the mass
  • 1215 – King John’s power is limited when he is forced to sign the Magna Carta (“Great Charter”)
  • 1315 – The Great Famine of 1315 resulted from over two years of wet, rainy weather; 10% to 25% of Europe’s population died
  • 1337 – Start of the Hundred Years’ War, a conflict between England and France over land ownership
  • 1347 – The plague known as the Black Death reaches Europe, and in three years, about 25 million people are dead
  • 1350 – The bubonic plague ends with nearly 50% of Europe dead
  • 1381 – The Bible is translated into English by John Wycliffe
  • 1415 – John Huss is burned at the stake
  • 1429 – Joan of Arc, a peasant girl, leads the French in victory against English invasion during the Hundred Years’ War
  • 1450 – Johannes Guttenberg invents the movable-type printing press
  • 1492 – The Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal) is liberated from Muslim control
  • 1492 – Christopher Columbus discovers America and the Age of Discovery begins
  • 1517–Martin Luther posts 95 thesis in Wittenberg, Germany on October 31, and the Protestant Reformation begins