Grade 5 · Social Studies · Lesson 12

Middle Ages and Exploration

After the Western Roman Empire fell in 476 CE, Europe entered a long period historians call the MIDDLE AGES (about 500 to 1500 CE). Kings ruled small kingdoms, knights fought on horseback, monks copied books by hand, and most people farmed for a lord. Near the end of the Middle Ages, brave (and sometimes ruthless) sailors set out across unknown oceans — that part of the story is called the AGE OF EXPLORATION.

What this lesson teaches

1Order major events of the Middle Ages and the Age of Exploration on a timeline
2Match each famous explorer to the route or achievement they are known for
3Describe daily life in feudal Europe — kings, lords, knights, and peasants
4Explain why European kingdoms launched long sea voyages in the 1400s and 1500s

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