Nam

e:
Date
:

FEUDALISM
By the ninth century, the rulers that damage to his foe. The
filled the void after the fall of the Roman galloping horse was also
emperors in Western Europe were often a moving target that was
incapable of controlling all of their lands. difficult for an enemy
In exchange for loyalty, a king often force to attack.
granted an estate, called a fief, to a
noble. The nobles constructed large Peasant farmers needed the noble’s
estates on their fiefs called manors. This protection as German, Viking, Magyar,
system of loyalties and protections is and Moorish armies overran small houses
known as Feudalism, a term derived from and farms throughout Europe. Some
the fiefs. peasants were freemen who owned or
rented land from the Lord, but most
The Lord and his family often were serfs.
lived in a castle,a fortified
building constructed to be safe Serfs could not be sold like slaves,
from enemy attack. These but they could not leave their
castles were unlike the manor without permission from the
images from fairy tales. Lord. The Lord provided the serf
They were built for protection and his family a safe place to live
rather than comfort. When and land to grow food. In
under attack, the people of the manor exchange, serfs were required to work a
retreated to the castle for protection. particular number of days on the lord's
personal fields.
Motte-and-bailey castles were
constructed on large mounds called Serfs were not allowed to marry
mottes. The earth used to build the without permission from the Lord; the
motte formed a ditch. A drawbridge over family of a serf would have to turn over
the ditch could be retracted when an additional crops when someone wanted
enemy approached the manor. The to marry and leave the manor. Serfs
bailey was the area below the castle were encouraged to have many children
where most of work of the manor was because a small family might not have
done. enough daylight hours to tend their
family plot after their work in the Lord's
The nobles pledged to train knights, fields was complete. Lords often forced
mounted warriors who fought using families to pay a tax when a member of
swords and lances. The introduction of their household died to compensate for
stirrups, supports for the rider’s feet the manor's loss of labor.
hanging from the saddle, allowed cavalry
to remain on their horses. A knight There was very little social mobility,
attacking on horseback with a lance or chance to move upward in status
tucked under his arm caused tremendous during the Middle Ages. A serf who lived
on the manor of a Lord was likely the
2015 Mike Dowling, www.mrdowling.com, All rights reserved.
Nam
e:
Date
:

descendant of a peasant who had served gunpowder and long-range cannons

the ancestor of that Lord. For centuries, made knights fighting with swords on
a person’s life was all but guaranteed to horseback an outdated form of warfare
be exactly like their parents' lives. that was expensive to train and support.

The feudal system proved impractical At about the same time, cities were
by the end of the Middle Ages. A terrible growing in population for the first time
disease called the Black Death claimed since the fall of the Roman Empire.
the lives of millions of Europeans in the These changes in society would lead to
fourteenth century, so in many places the Renaissance—the rebirth of Europe
there were not enough peasants to farm and the beginning of modern history.
the vast estates. The introduction of

2015 Mike Dowling, www.mrdowling.com, All rights reserved.

Nam
e:
Date
:

FILL IN THE BLANKS

During the Middle Ages, W_e_s_t_e__rn European rulers often granted land to nobles. In
exchange, the noble pledged his l_o_y_a_l_t_y and provided the king with trained horsemen
called k_n_i_g_h_t_s. This system of loyalties and protections is called f_e_u_d_a_l_i_s_m.

The noble and his family often lived in c_a_s_t_l_e_s that were built for p_r_o_t_e_c_t_i_on
rather than c_o_m_f_o_r_t. The castles were constructed on raised mounds called
m_o_tt_e_s. A vast estate called a M_a_n_o_r surrounded the castle. As L_o_r_d_s of the
Manor, the n_o_bl_e_s provided p_e_a_s_a_n_t farmers with p_r_o_t_e_c_ti_o_n and land on
which to grow food. The farmers r_e_p_a_id the noble by w_o_r_k_i_n_g in his
p_e_r_s_o_n_al fields in addition to f_a_r_m_i_n_g their land.

The feudal system ended in Western Europe by the end of the M_i_d_d_le Ages. Millions of
p_e_a_s_a_n_ts lost their lives from a widespread *i_l_l_n_e_s_s called the Black D_e_a_t_h,
so there were not enough workers to farm the M_a_n_o_rs. The cost of maintaining
k_n_i_g_h_t_s became unnecessary once rulers learned of g_u_n_p_o_w_d_e_r and long-
range c_a_n_n_o_n_s. Meanwhile, as European cities grew in p_o_p_u_l_a_ti_o_n for the first
time since the fall of the R_o_m_a_n Empire, the feudal age gave way to the
R_e_n_a_i_s_s_a_n_c_e, the rebirth of Europe.

ANSWER IN COMPLETE SENTENCES

1. How did the introduction of the stirrup change military warfare during the Middle Ages?

There was a shortage on gunpowder and cannons

2. Why were peasants of the Middle Ages willing to live on a Manor?

Because it was safe and they had a roof over their head in
exchange for work

2015 Mike Dowling, www.mrdowling.com, All rights reserved.

Nam
e:
Date
:

3. How were serfs different from other peasants during the Middle Ages?

They were like slaves but couldn’t be sold but also couldn’t
leave the property and peasants

4. Why did many peasants who lived on Manors desire large families?

So they had enough daylight hours

*5. The text states "There was very little social mobility during the Middle Ages." What
does this phrase mean?

That you couldn’t just go out and meet people you usually
stick to the few people you know

2015 Mike Dowling, www.mrdowling.com, All rights reserved.