Friday, May 16, 2014

Middle Ages (feudalism)

Today in class, we went over the notes that we took on page 151. We learned about the time after the Roman empire. Mr. Schick told us that we should put all the notes in our own words so that we understood what we were righting. We talked about a couple of new vocabulary words.

  • Christendom- combination of Christianity and Kingdom 
  • Taxes/ tithe- tithing is that you have to give 10% of earnings to Church 
  • Byzantine Empire- the Eastern part of the Roman Empire was called this
We also learned that in the Empire, they were speaking more Greek instead of Latin like... 
  • Socrates 
  • Plato 
  • playwrights
Some people knew how to speak and write in Greek and Latin. Also, most of the Romans did not focus on education. They more focused on their welfare. 

This was known as the dark ages because, if they did not know how to read and write, they could not progress and learn how to do more things. 

Romans were no longer the center of social life, warfare, and trade

PowerPoint
  • Feudalism- a political, military and economic system based on land-holding and protective alliances
    • In other words, the system is based on personal loyalty to people who can help you 
  • Lord- "I own land; i need people to help me work it and defend it" 
  • Vassals- "There are a lot of us, we can help the Lord hold on to their land", these people end up becoming knights 
The Feudal Pyramid 

King 

The most powerful Vassals (Nobles and bishops

Knights- mounted warriors who received Fiefs for defending their lord's land

Peasants (mostly serfs) Landless, powerless, moneyless, rights-less, just working the land for their lord

  • Manor: the lord's estate 
    • A lord's manor house
    • a church 
    • some workshops
    • 15-30 families
    • all on a few square miles 
  • Good News: its a self sufficient community 
  • Bad News: its harsh if you are a peasant, not learning about other parts of the world 
How harsh for the peasants? 
  • Peasants are poor AND pay high taxes 
    • tax on grain
    • tax on marriage 
    • Church tax (tithe = 10% of their income) 
  • They live in crowded cottages 
  • they live with animals and insects
  • Eat VERY simply 
    • the church says this is your lot in life
    • God determines you place in society 



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