In the 5th century, barbarians took advantage of the Roman Empire's peak vulnerability and weakness and plundered region after region until they completely took control. After the fall of the Roman Empire, there was a severe decline in culture, education, and economy, known as the Middle Ages. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The American Cyclopedia describes the Dark Ages as an intellectually depressed period of time between 400 AD and 1400 AD after the establishment of barbarian supremacy. Although the events described by the American Cyclopaedia occurred during the Dark Ages are correct, this definition of the Dark Ages is inaccurate because it ignores the prosperity that Europe had during the 11th century. At the beginning of the 11th century, Europe began its rise out of the world. Dark ages. The cause of this progress was the tripling of available agricultural land. Originally the villages were intended to be self-sufficient, isolated from the outside world due to poor, thieve-infested streets. But the feudal system and the cessation of invasions not only brought the growth of technology and agriculture, but also allowed previously depopulated lands to be repopulated. This agricultural revolution significantly increased food supply, which in turn increased the population. With this increase in population and the onset of security, education also developed. Although education was not available to everyone during this period, education for the upper classes and monks was provided in monasteries or church schools by scholars. These scholars taught many things, from botany to logic. Education became slightly more widespread, but still very limited with the rise of universities, which eventually replaced monastic and ecclesiastical schools with a new educational system. This change in education was a cornerstone in the return of culture (architecture, art, literature). With education and culture, also came architectural innovation, often shown as large Gothic-style cathedrals with large columns and high cross-vaulted ceilings. of the most famous is the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris or Cathedral of Our Lady of Paris. Construction of this cathedral began in 1163 and was completed in 1345. It took a long time to build due to the economic problems that Europe was still facing as it emerged from the Dark Ages. However, these cathedrals showed the power of the Roman Catholic church which would be another staple in the scent of the dark ages. The time period in which the Dark Ages passed has been hotly contested by historians. Those who argue that the American Cyclopaedia's definition is correct use the argument that although colleges were built, access to education was limited. They also say that the economy was still struggling and that Europe had not returned to complete normality by the beginning of the 11th century. The American Cyclopaedia definition supports this, as it states that the Dark Ages were from 400 AD to !400 AD. However, even though education was not available to everyone, a large component of the Dark Ages is not having access to education at all education, so even minimal education is a good thing. As for the economy and the fact that Europe was not yet completely normal, the cultural and technological revolution of the early 11th century helped Europe emerge from a period of intellectual decline, depression and culture war. Please note: This is just an example Get a custom article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay In.