Survival in the Dark Ages

A special thanks to Ms. Lazovitz for sharing her lesson with me!

The Roman Empire ended when the Visigoths attacked

Rome (again) in 476 CE and killed the emperor.

After the “Fall of Rome”, life in the villages of

Europe was grim. This period of time is often

called “the Dark Ages”.

The amazing achievements of the Romans,

such as the domed buildings, roads, and aqueducts,

fell into ruins.

Barbarians were invading regularly.

No longer could the people of Europe rely on the

Roman army to protect them.

You and your group members live in a small, poor village that

has been attacked by barbarians. You are lucky that you

survived! But you are worried that they will attack again…

Town meeting

Discuss ways that you can keep your village safe.

• What will you do if the barbarians return?

• How will you make sure you have enough food to feed your family?

One person in your group luckily knows how to read and write, which was rare at this time. This person should write your plan of action.