Question

age of feudalism or a golden age
document 1
this excerpt describes europe in the ninth and tenth centuries.
the barbarians have broken through the ramparts. the saracens moors
invasions have spread in successive waves over the south. the hungarians
swarm over the eastern provinces... they sacked the town and the village, and laid
waste the fields. they burned down the churches, and then departed with a
crowd of captives... there is no longer any trade, only unceasing terror....
the peasant has abandoned his ravaged fields to avoid the violence of
anarchy. the people have gone to cower in the depths of the forests or in
inaccessible regions, or have taken refuge in the high mountains.... society
has no longer any government....
source: the middle ages, frantz funck - brentano, heinemann, 1922 (adapted)
according to the author, what were conditions like in europe during the 800s?

Explanation:

To answer, we analyze the excerpt: Barbarians invaded, spread destruction (sacked towns/villages, wasted fields, took captives). People (peasants) abandoned homes, fled to forests/mountains. Society had anarchy (no government), with regions having no governance. So conditions included barbarian invasions, destruction of settlements/fields, mass displacement of people, and a state of anarchy with no effective government.

Answer:

During the 800s, Europe faced successive barbarian invasions that spread destruction: towns and villages were sacked, fields were wasted, and captives were taken. Peasants abandoned their homes, fleeing to forests or mountains to avoid violence. Society was in a state of anarchy, with inaccessible regions and no effective government, as there was "no longer any government" in many areas.