The period between the 5th and 14th centuries were known as “The Middle Ages” or Medieval period. After the fall of the Roman Empire, Europe didn’t have leaders or a political structure to unite the people. The Roman Catholic Church eventually became that institution along with kings, queens, and noblemen that would incite control over the people. During the Middle Ages, ordinary people like merchants, salesmen, carpenter and peasants were required to tithe 10 percent of their earnings each year to the Church. Thus, the Roman Catholic Church became very powerful and amassed great fortunes. The picture is a representation of officers of the church coming to collect the ten percent tithe. It was against the law to ignore tithing. The punishment
