Summary on the Dark Age, French Revolution and Industrial Revolution

The Dark Age, also known as The Medieval Period, was ranged from the collapse of the Roman Empire until the beginning of Renaissance, which was around the 5th century to the 15th century. It was said to be the worst time of the European history.

During the Dark Ages, Europe faced intellectual paucity, depopulation, deurbanization as well as the barbarian invasions. A few different empire was built and they ruled their respective territory. Without the government from a capitol city, the possession of the baron, also known as the nobility in other term, rises. Farmers were forced to pay high taxes and to work as the baron's slaves if they were unable to afford paying it. The Nobility got their protection under the King which the King gives title and land to them and they pay back in terms of servicing or taxing. This interpreted Feudalism, which was a legal system practiced during the Medieval Period in the structuring of the Medieval society.

Salvation in the afterlife was a great concern during that time. This made the ascendancy of the church to expand. People believed everything from the priest or the church therefore huge, tall, highly ornamented churches were built during the period. People directed their spiritual efforts towards The Crusades, which was holy wars waged in the name of recovering the 'Holy Land' from the Muslims; and the great pilgrimages, a lengthly journeys undertaken to worship at sacred shrines or the tombs of saints. 

The Chartres Cathedral, France

the interior of a Gothic-style cathedral

After the Medieval Period, it was the rise of the Renaissance, which marks the beginning of the modern European history. As for the French Revolution, it happens during 1789 and ended up quickly in the late 1790s. It was a radical period where the people of France undergo a political upheaval to overthrow the king and uprooting the old institutions such as the absolute monarchy as well as the feudal system. 

the storming of the Bastille, 14th July 1789

The cause for this revolution was mainly due to the corrupted government of King Louis XVI of France during that time. Economic crisis such as hunger and malnutrition, were not concerned by the government; debts over 2000millions amounted after France participated in the American Revolutionary War. Similar to the American Revolutionary war, the French Revolution was influenced by Enlightenment ideals, particularly the concepts of popular sovereignty and inalienable rights. The first year of the Revolution saw members of the Third Estate proclaiming the Tennis Court Oath in June, the assault on the Bastille in July, the passage of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen in August, and an epic march on Versailles that forced the royal court back to Paris in October. The next few years were dominated by tensions between various liberal assemblies and a right-wing monarchy intent on thwarting major reforms.

the march on Versailles

Although the French Revolution failed to achieve all of its goals while perhaps turned into a bloodshed event, it does played a critical role in shaping the modern nations which dominated by people's power. 

'The Industrial Revolution' refers to a period of massive economic, technological, social and cultural change which began on the 1760 in the Britain and spread quickly to the rest of the world until 1850s. During that time, a mainly agrarian world (farming country) economy based on manual labour was transformed into one of industry and manufacturing by machines. 

The invention of steam power, which was used to power factories and transport and allowed for deeper mining.

In the early stages before the revolution, the transportation of goods in Britain rely much on horse carriages. During the revolution, railways and roads were built to enable faster and more convenient way for transportation of goods. Ships powered by steam machine were also invented. 

The social effects brought by the Industrial Revolution, the cities were overcrowded by peoples from all places of the country because human labour was in high needs during the Industrial Revolution to run machines in the factories, to carry loads, to mine and the list goes on. 

At that time, even the children were assigned to work in the factories in long working hours because of huge demand of labour. 

Cities were polluted due to the outnumbered factories that runs almost 24/7 during that time.

In summary, all of these revolution brings huge changes to the modern world, without the sacrifices of the past, we wouldn't have a nice world for today.

References:

1. Form4 History Text Book.

2. Notes from Foundation's Critial Studies Class.

3. History Channel.

4. Wikipedia

5. kwintessential.co.uk