[Cronos]

The thing is - the entire "Dark Ages" is a Gibbons and other "Enlightenment" authors myth. Let me explain why:

• Literature -- we have elaborately decorated bibles from this period as well as the first authors in local tongues - Dante, Chaucer etc.
  
  In sixth century Gaul, Gregory of Tours left an extensive history of the Franks and lives of the saints which are filled with details of daily life. The poet Fortunatus left numerous poems which also often give glimpses of daily life. The Greek physician Anthimus left a dietetic which includes an inventory of foods in Northeastern Gaul and several recipes.
  
  
• Architecture - Gothic architecture is gorgeous
  
  
  
  They improved on the Roman arches
  
  
• City life - though cities shrank from mega cities, they became more numerous - In France and Italy, many cities survived all the way up to the present day, including Rome itself, Milan and Ravenna, Paris, Amiens, Lyons, Marseilles, Metz, Reims, etc. More major modern French cities than not trace their origin to Roman times.
  
  The increased localization led to more cities with "Marburg laws" etc.
  
  
• Education - Monasteries became centers of learning and scholarship during the Dark Ages. Monks preserved and copied ancient texts, contributing to the preservation of classical knowledge. Monasteries also served as centers for education, producing manuscripts, illuminations, and theological works.
  
  
• Scientific innovations - Agricultural advancements such as the use of heavy plows, crop rotation, and improved farming techniques contributed to increased food production and population growth. Then the use of windmills and water mills improved incredibly
  
  
• about the governing structures going to tribalism and thence monarchy and onwards - aren't we idealizing Roman laws that they weren't monarchial? Until the Justinian laws, they weren't necessarily even codified

[MCF]

Great summation of the, I’ll refer to now, Middle Ages. However, you reinforced my point that when Western Rome collapsed very little of it carried over. Europe developed its own Civilization. It’s own totally different way of life. Rome is but one of many Civilizations around the world that collapsed. The U.S. will be one of them.