3. 1. Rome fell in the year of 476 c.e.
What started after the fall of
Rome?
After the fall of Rome, the Middle Ages began. The
Middle Ages can be broken up into three sections:
Early Middle Ages ~ 476-1000 c.e.
High Middle Ages ~ 1000-1300
Late Middle Ages ~ 1300-1450
4. 2. What is feudalism and why was
it needed?
Feudalism is an economic and political system.
It was needed because after the fall of Rome, there
were barbarians and other kingdoms trying to invade
Europe. This made Western Europe a dangerous and
difficult place to live.
5. 3. Looking at the image on page
19, what does it illustrate about
the system of feudalism?
Answers will vary
My answer: It show that there are more people at the
bottom of the pyramid which probably indicates that
they have less power. Power increases as you go up
the pyramid.
6. 4. What groups of people are part
of the feudal system?
The groups of people within the feudal system are:
lords, knights and peasants.
The monarch (king/queen) is at the top of the feudal
pyramid.
7. 5. Label the Feudal Pyramid with
the groups of people:
King/Que
en/Mona
rch
Lords/Nobles
Knights
Peasants/Serfs
8. 6. What do you notice about the
shape of the pyramid and how it
relates to the power within the
feudal society?
The pyramid is large at the bottom and then gets
smaller when it reaches the top.
This is very much the way that feudalism works. There
are more people at the bottom who do not have much
power and as you move through the feudal hierarchy,
the higher you go the more power and less people
there are at the top.
10. 1. Why didn’t Europe have a
central government after Rome
fell?
Europe didn’t have a central government or system of
defense because it had fallen into ruins after the fall of
Rome. There were too many groups of barbarians in
Rome after it fell and they didn’t have Rome in their
best interests.
11. 2. What group usually had the
most power during this time
period when Europe didn’t have a
central government? Why?
The group that had the most land and the best army or
defense had the most power in Europe when Rome
fell and it didn’t have a central government.
12. 3. Why were the Franks a
successful barbaric group?
The Franks are from the area that we refer to as
France now.
They were a successful barbaric group because they
had a new style of warfare which consisted of knights
who were armed warriors that fought on horses.
In order to have the knights remain loyal in times of
battle, the leader (ruler) promised land or other
rewards to the knights upon victory.
13. 4. Why was Charlemagne thought to be the
most important leader of the Franks? List
three of his ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
Charlemagne was known as Charles the Great.
He ruled from 768 until 814 and he was thought as “stately
and dignified”.
His Accomplishments:
Unified nearly all the Christian land of Europe into ONE
EMPIRE.
He encouraged education and art of learning.
In order to build his empire, he received the help of the
pope which was extremely important.
14. 5. Charlemagne was crowned “Holy Roman
Emperor” by the Catholic Church in 800 c.e.
Why would this be significant as a leader?
Since Charlemagne was crowned “Holy Roman
Emperor” it shows the people that the Catholic church
had his back and trusted him completely.
With this blessing from the church, the people believe
that Charlemagne had “God on his side”.
15. 6. Why did Charlemagne’s empire
fall apart after his death?
Even though many of these new leaders followed the
new system of feudalism by rewarding knights rewards
for military service, the new leaders weren’t strong
enough to hold back new invasions from barbarians.
16. 7. What did Charlemagne do for
his knights that became the
framework for feudalism in
Europe?
Charlemagne gave the knights land or other rewards
for their loyalty and military service for his empire.
17. 8.) What was the main reason for
feudalism? (Think about the attacks from
the Muslims, Magyars, and the Vikings.)
The people of Europe needed ways to defend
themselves against the attacks from the Muslims,
Magyars, and the Vikings. They developed feudalism
because this was a method of organizing authority as
well as organizing armies.
19. 1. During the High Middle Ages,
what two groups owned most of
the land in Europe?
The two groups that owned the most land in Europe
during the High Middle Ages were: the Monarchs
(Kings/sometimes a Queen) & the Church.
20. 2. Why do you think people who were born
into a certain social class (peasants, knights,
nobles, and monarchs) had the same position
as well as job throughout their entire life and
the life of future children?
Answers will vary.
My Answer: During the Middle Ages, many people
taught their children their particular job because in
times of need, war, or even through arranged
marriages. Their offspring (children) can help the
family in different ways so they have been trained from
early on in their lives and it was difficult to break that
chain or to change the way it has been done.
22. 1. What was the job of a monarch
(king or queen)
Monarchs are expected to keep order and to provide
protection for their vassals. Vassals are the monarch’s
most important lords and the monarch gives pieces of
land to these lords in return for protection IF the
monarch gets into trouble.
23. 2. Why was William known as
William the Conqueror?
William became known as William the Conqueror
when he beat his cousin, Harold, for the English
throne in the Battle of Hastings.
24. 3. What concept did William the
Conqueror bring to England?
William brought the concept of feudalism to England.
26. 1. Why were castles important
within the lord’s community?
A castle was built to serve as a lord’s home, but more
importantly it was built as a method of military
technology in order to give protection for anyone who
lived in them.
27. 2. List five features of a castle:
moat
gates
walls
tall towers
bailey (enclosed court)
28. 3. What were the duties of a lord
who “owned” the manor?
It was the lord’s responsibility to manage and defend
his land.
The lord made sure that everyone within his land were
doing their jobs.
The lord also acted as judges in the manor courts,
and he had the power to fine and punish those who
broke the law.
Some lords held posts in the king’s government.
Lords also supplied knights during war.
29. 4. If someone stated that living in a manor
home/castle was glamorous, what evidence
could you state that it wasn’t always a great
experience?
As stated in the textbook, lives were not easy in
castles. Areas were only lit by candles, and they could
only keep warm by open fires. Castles could be cold
and gloomy with little or no privacy. Also there were
fleas and lice that were part of all medieval buildings
probably because people or people’s clothes were
hardly washed.
In times of war, the people living on the manor would
often go to the castle during war so there would be so
many people living in and around your own living
quarters.
31. 1. Why was it costly to be a
knight during the Middle Ages?
Knights had to purchase their own suit of armor as
well as their horse.
32. 2. List the jobs as well as the age
of each stage in order to become a
knight:
Page: begins at the age of 7
Job description: A page learned how to ride a horse,
received religious instruction, helped around the castle
for the ladies and the ladies taught them how to sing,
dance, compose music, and play the harp.
33. 2. List the jobs as well as the age
of each stage in order to become a
knight:
Squire: began at age: around 14 years old
Job description: He spent some of his time training
with a knight. He observed the knight and helped the
knight with his armor, weapons, etc. He learned how
to fight with a sword and a lance. He also went into
battle with his knight and helped him prepare for battle
or to stay with him if his knight was wounded.
34. 2. List the jobs as well as the age
of each stage in order to become a
knight:
Knight: Began at early 20s.
Job description: Only if you were well equipped to
become a knight, you were made one during a
“knighting” ceremony. However, if a squire did very
well in battle, they could be welcomed into
“knighthood” immediately.
35. 3. What new technology ended
the profession of “knights” during
the Middle Ages?
The invention of gunpowder as well as cannons ended
the career of knights.
37. 1. What was the main purpose of
having peasants on your manor?
The peasants were required to work the land so this
freed up the lords and knights to prepare for war or
fighting.
38. 2. What was the difference
between “Free” and “Unfree”
peasants?
Free Peasants: They rented their land from the lord to
farm and owed on their rent to the lord.
Unfree Peasants: They are called serfs and they
farmed the lord’s fields and could not leave the lord’s
estate. In return, they received a small piece of land
for their own to farm.
39. 3. Define these terms which were
connected to peasants.
Head money: Yearly Tax which was the same for
every person.
Tallage: A tax that the lord can demand if the lord
needed money.
Merchet: This is a tax when a woman married, this tax
was paid by the bride’s father or her husband.
40. 3. What do these terms tell you
about a peasant’s life on the feudal
manor?
Answers will Vary!
My opinion: These terms tell me that the peasants
were heavily taxed and that they were expected to
give the lord not only a payment in physical labor, but
also their payment in taxes as well.
