Download Middle Ages Student Handout - Troup County School System

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The Middle Ages
Standard: Analyze European medieval society with regard to culture, politics, society, and economics.
Essential Question: How did European medieval society develop with regard to culture, politics, society,
and economics?
Explain the manorial system and feudalism; include the status of peasants and feudal monarchies and
the importance of Charlemagne.
Time Periods in Europe
5th century to 15th century
14th century to 17th century
15th century to 17th century
Mid 15th century to 18th century

What events mark the beginning and end of the Middle Ages?

What influenced medieval culture?
Early Middle Ages (Dark Ages) 5th century to 10th century
Cause
Invasions
5th century
9th century

How is there a loss of common language during the Dark Ages?

What is the Manorial system?
Effects
Essential Question: How did European medieval society develop with regard to culture, politics, society,
and economics?

What is the impact of the rise of the Manorial system?
Medieval Society
Economic System:
Code of Behavior:
Belief System: The Church
Political System:

What was a fief?

What was the status of peasants in the feudal system?

What was the status of feudal monarchies?
The Middle Ages
Standard: Analyze European medieval society with regard to culture, politics, society, and economics.
Essential Question: How did European medieval society develop with regard to culture, politics, society,
and economics?
Explain the manorial system and feudalism; include the status of peasants and feudal monarchies and
the importance of Charlemagne.
Time Periods in Europe
Middle Ages
5th century to 15th century
Renaissance
14th century to 17th century
Reformation
15th century to 17th century
Scientific
Mid 15th century to 18th century
Revolution
 What events mark the beginning and end of the Middle Ages?
AD 476 – Roman Emperor, Romulus Augustulus, overthrown by German forces
AD 1453 – End of the Hundred Years’ War
 What influenced medieval culture?
Medieval Culture: mixture of three (3) influences
1. The remnants of the Western Roman Empire
2. Germanic Tribes
3. Roman Catholic Church
Early Middle Ages (Dark Ages) 5th century to 10th century
Cause
Effects
Invasions
a. Loss of common language
b. Decline of learning
5th century
9th century
c. Population shifts
a. Huns
a. Vikings
d. Downfall of cities
b. Germanic
b. Magyars
e. Disruption of trade
Tribes
c. Muslims


How is there a loss of common language during the Dark Ages?
a. Mixture of Latin to various Germanic dialects
b. Will produce:
i. English
ii. French
iii. German
iv. Italian
v. Spanish
What is the Manorial system?
2. Rise of the Manorial system
(downfall of cities) (disruption of trade)
a. Self sustaining environment
b. Created to replace the empire into smaller kingdoms to defend against 9th century invasions
c. Strengthening of tribal government into the development of feudalism
Essential Question: How did European medieval society develop with regard to culture, politics, society,
and economics?

What is the impact of the rise of the Manorial system?
3. Move from urban to rural living
(decline of learning) (population shifts) (downfall of cities)
a. Germans inability to maintain Roman bridges and road systems
4. Because no longer in urban area do not have access to schools or libraries
5. Illiterate (decline of learning)
a. Germans do not write nor read therefore limited written accounts of this period
b. Created “myths” or “folktales” using spoken epics of their “alleged” histories
Medieval Society
Economic System: Manors
 Lord’s estate
 Set of rights and obligations between serfs and
lords
 Self-sufficient community producing a variety of
goods
Belief System: The Church
 Power over people’s everyday lives
 Unifying force of Christian faith
 Involvement in political affairs
Code of Behavior: Chivalry
 Displays of courage and valor in combat
 Respect toward women
 Devotion to a feudal lord and heavenly lord
Political System: Feudalism
 Form of government based on landholding
 Alliances between lords and vassals
 Oaths of loyalty in exchange for land and
military service
 Ranking of power and authority

What was a fief?
1. A fee
2. consisted of heritable property or rights granted by an overlord to a vassal
3. held it in fealty in return for a form of feudal allegiance and service(military)

What was the status of peasants in the feudal system?
Peasants were tied to the manor and did not leave. They worked the lands of the lords for protection
by the lords knights.

What was the status of feudal monarchies?
Overlord of the property and granted fealty to lords for the manors