Most historians believe that the Middle Ages began when the Western Roman Empire declined in the 5^th century, lasting to the beginning of the Early Modern Period in the 16^th century. During this time, Europe was in a state of unrest. Art and culture was constantly changing as the world saw its first sustained urbanization of a region (northern and western Europe). It was also during this period that Christianity and Catholicism were increasingly embraced by everyone, even kings. The Roman Catholic Church established the Inquisition and the Crusades were launched to try and �recapture� Jerusalem from Muslim rule. The Crusades lasted from 1095 to 1272 and were ultimately unsuccessful. Trade began to flourish between England and the nations near it like Italy, Spain, France, and Portugal.

In 1215, one of the world�s most important documents came into being: The Magna Carta. This document, signed into law in 1215, was the beginnings of democracy in European nations. Then around 1300, Europe�s growth faltered. The Great Famine of 1315-1317 struck, as did the Black Death and the two events combined to cut the population of Europe nearly in half. Political unrest soon followed in France and England and the Catholic Church split in two. All of these events are referred to as the �Crisis of the Late Middle Ages.�

However, the 14^th century saw much advancement in science and art. The Italian Renaissance occurred, and towards the end of the century, when the Ottoman Empire cut off trade routes with the East, Europeans were forced to discover new trading routes. These explorations led to Columbus discovering America in 1492 and Vasco de Gama circling India and Africa in 1498.

The Renaissance gave Europe a much-needed revival. Lasting from the 14^th to 17^th centuries, it saw people embracing new ways of thinking, writing, and painting. Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo lived during this time.

The Age of Enlightenment brought about the end of feudalism and the Catholic Church rose to a place of great importance. At this time, a movement known as the Protestant Reformation began. It was an attempt to reform the Catholic Church. Alternate religions began to evolve and flourish. The Thirty Years� War also occurred during this period. Widely regarded as the most destructive European war of all time, it began as a religious conflict between the Protestants and Catholics in 1618. Eventually, most of Europe ended up warring for power and it caused famine, disease, and bankruptcy to decimate countries like Germany and Italy.

Around this time, many political revolutions took place. The American Revolution saw America breaking off from Britain and attaining its freedom. The French rebelled against their King and Queen and a constitution was ratified, and Napoleon managed to make France a serious power by invading other countries until he tried to invade Russia and his empire crumbled. Spain�s power also weakened when French occupation weakened its hold on its own colonies, allowing Latin American revolutionaries to take control.

Modern science eventually culminated in the rise of the Industrial Revolution, which began around 1789. Major changes occurred in many different fields like agriculture, manufacturing, and transport. All of these changes were instrumental in the rise of today�s modern nations. Without the Industrial Revolution, people would not be exposed to the ideas of communism, socialism, and anarchism.

As nations evolved, so did their clothes:

• 11^th Century: Men wore super tunics and floppy braise covered with bandages. They would also wear pointed caps. Women wore an over tunic made of wool . They also wore veils that were so long they covered the opening of the tunic worn at the time. Girls, however, did not cover their hair and boys wore clothes identical to men.

• 12^th Century: Men at this time wore an inner tunic, called a French chainse , and pants known as braies made of linen. They would also wear leggings called chausses or hose. Women wore an under tunic known as a chemise , which touched the floor. The outer tunic was called a cotte and was often worn with a belt. They wore veils over their hair. Young children wore similar styles of clothing.

• 13^th Century: Men still wore tunics, but sporting a surcoat over a linen shirt was becoming more popular. Their shoes were slightly pointed. Women wore loose-fitting gowns with tight sleeves. Their headdresses included a barbette and sometimes women still wore wimples. Boys and girls wore clothing similar to adults.

• 14^th Century: Men wore breeches usually held up by a belt and over that, a shirt. Both of these were considered undergarments. Hose was used to cover the legs and the hose would have built-in leather soles so there was no need for shoes. They would also wear doublets . Women wore chemises that had a �breast girdle� similar to a modern bra. They also wore hose. Over this, they would wear a loose-fitted gown known as a kirtle. Married women always wore a head covering of some kind. Children wore the same clothing.

• 15^th Century: Men still wore shirts, doublets, and hose. Their shirts were made of linen and worn over the doublet. They also wore breeches. This is also the period when the codpiece evolved. Women still wore long gowns over a kirtle as well as a chemise. They also wore a cotehardie , an over gown fitted from the shoulders to the hips. Something called a partlet � a small piece of cloth that covered the shoulders and chest � became popular . Children wore similar clothing.

• 16^th Century: Men wore linen shirts, doublets, and jerkins . Women still wore long gowns with chemises underneath dresses that were open-fronted with a stomacher , a panel that decorated a woman�s bodice. The ruff became popular and shoes were flat and square. Children wore the same clothing.

• 17^th Century: Men started to wear linen shirts that had cuffs. Their collars had whisks on them. Doublets were still worn, as were breeches. Women wore gowns, petticoats, and bodices. The ruff disappeared. Popular children�s clothing had the same styles.

• 18^th Century: Women formal dresses were called mantuas, as well as petticoats or aprons. Stomachers were also still worn, as were chemises. Men wore waistcoats, coats and breeches. Their leather shoes had buckles. Young boys and girls both wore low-necked gowns that had �leading strings� � a type of leash. Older children wore clothing very similar to their parents� although girls� dresses were not open in the front and boys� coats were trimmed differently than men�s.

• 19^th Century: This period saw the rise of �ditto suits� for men. This consisted of a sack coat, matching waistcoat, and trousers. The dinner jacket also made an appearance. Woolen or tweed trousers were worn casually. Shirts had collars that were pressed into �wings.� Women wore skirts or dresses that were draped around their bodies. Jacket-like bodices known as basques were worn casually. Bodices were also worn. When traveling, tailored (costumes) with a long jacket and skirt were worn. Children wore dresses that had sashes and pinafores. Boys wore knee-length breeches with jackets.

• 20^th Century: For women, the hourglass shape regained popularity. Blouses and dresses had �pigeon breast� shapes and skirts were very long. As the period went by, skirts became shorter. Lingerie dresses became popular. Form-fitting gowns also became popular, as did broad brimmed hats trimmed with feathers. These hats eventually changed so that they shaded the face. Men still wore three-piece suits and blazers. Coats were usually very long and striped shirts were popular, as were top hats. Girls wore clothes similar to women�s, although they wore bloomers for play. Boys wore shirts with �sailor collars� or knickerbockers.

The clothing from the 20^th Century is very similar to the clothing of today, especially formalwear like suits and long gowns. Women of today wear jewelry similar to those worn by women in the 16^th century. And even if modern folks don�t wear those clothes every day, past fashions are still revived once a year because old fashions are always popular choices for (Halloween costumes)!