Middle Ages: How was society structured during the Middle Ages? (p. 60 - 63

• Humanities
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 1

The Middle Ages 

Statement of Inquiry: The identity and development of past societies can be explored through the perspectives of the people who lived there.  

Key Concept: Time, place and space 

Related Concepts: Perspective, Identity 

Global Context: Fairness and development

How was society structured during the Middle Ages?

Goals of today:

And the end of today's class you...

 ...understand how society during the Middle Ages was structured using the feudal system

...understand how sources offer different perspectives from people on the feudal system

How was society structured during the Middle Ages? 

According to the feudal system,  peeple are organised into four classes :

1.  The monarch (king/queen)
2. The lords, aristocracy and religious leaders
3. Knights or military figures
4. Peasants or serfs

How was society structured during the Middle Ages? 

According to a feudal system, the relation between classes is determined by homage:

• Monarchs give land to Lords
• Lords give protection, food and shelter to Knights
• Knights give honor and service to the Lords
• Knights give protection, food and shelter to the Peasants
• Peasants pay rents and work for the Knights 

How was society structured during the Middle Ages? 

When studying sources, it is important to understand the perspective of the maker of the source: 

A perspective is a particular attitude towards looking at something; a point of view.

For example the perspectives on the feudal system of:

- a lord

- a knight

- a serf

would be very different. 

Read p. 61

Imagine you want to create a cheat sheet (spiekbriefje) for the upcoming test, but don't know for sure what the feudal system is. You can't write a lot though, so you need to be very short but correct!

Describe in a maximum of 15 words the feudal system.

Check out Source A on p. 62

Describe what is happening in this painting.

Check out Source A on p. 62

Choose one of the following roles: monarch, lord, knight or peasant.

In about 4-5 sentences, describe how your life would look like. Think about your role and responsibilities (the feudal system) in Middle Age society.

Read Source B on p. 62

Describe what role the peasants and serfs had in Middle Age society.

monarch

lands and peasants

landwork/pay rent

protection/food

lords/aristocracy

support and loyalty

peasant/serfs

protection/food

militairy service

knights/military

You have considered different perspectives of people on the feudal system.

Describe why is is usefull that you consider different perspectives on the feudal system.

You have considered different perspectives of people on the feudal system.

There could be more perspectives of other groups of people in Middle Age society on the feudal system. Name at least one.

You have considered different perspectives of people on the feudal system.

If someone from the future was studying the time period in which you are living right now, the perspectives of which groups of people would be useful for them to find out what life was like? Name at least one.

01:54

Who belongs to the second level in the feudal system?

1. Under Tenants
2. The King
3. Tenants-in-chiefs
4. Villains

02:07

How many percent of the land was owned by the rest of the people? (exept the king and church)

1. 25%
2. 30%
3. 40%
4. 50%

02:24

True or false: A Lord borrowd land from a vassal.

1. True
2. False

02:58

True or False: Only the king and the lords were proteced by the knights

1. True
2. False

03:30

True or False: The peasants payed the knights money and gave them food

1. True
2. False

03:59

If the peasant failed to pay then the king...

1. ...would kill you
2. ...would put you in jail
3. ...would take your land
4. ...would give you a second chance

04:35

The vassal payed homage to the lord, which means:

1. He honored him
2. He betrayed him
3. He married him
4. He prayed to him as to a God