Transcript File
The High Middle Ages
The Introduction of
Feudalism
Social Studies 8
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OBJECTIVES
Our lesson today is designed to look
at the social structure of the High
Middle Ages and determine what
impact the feudal system had on
the people of different social
classes.
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Topics of Discussion
What was life like in the HMA?
How was society structured?
The Feudal Contract
Building social contracts
Constructing the Feudal Pyramid of Power
Relationship Between the Social Classes
Why was it necessary?
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Contracts
What are contracts and why do we
have them?
What are some examples of
contracts?
What types of contracts might
people use back in the HMA?
What purpose would they serve?
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Feudalism is…
Fealty
Fief
Must be loyal (follow rules and pay
taxes/tithes)
Own or work on a piece of land
Faith
Must go to church
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SO WHY WAS FEUDALISM
NECESSARY?
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Because…
Feudalism originated partly as result of
Viking and Muslim invasions
Kings unable to defend their lands, lands
of their nobles
Nobles had to find a way to defend own
lands
Built castles, often on hills
Not elaborate structures; built of wood,
used as place of shelter in case of attack
Nobles would be in charge of a specific
area of land that and had to answer to
the lord
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And also because…
Back then, people were divided
into a variety of social
classes/groups
How might they have been
grouped?
What did they base these
groupings on?
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CONSTRUCTING THE
PYRAMID OF POWER
SERFS AND FREEMEN
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CONSTRUCTING THE
PYRAMID OF POWER
LESSER NOBLES
(KNIGHTS)
LABOR
PROTECTION
SERFS AND FREEMEN
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CONSTRUCTING THE
PYRAMID OF POWER
POWERFUL
NOBLES
LAND AND
PROTECTION
LOYALTY AND
MILITARY SERVICE
LESSER NOBLES
(KNIGHTS)
LABOR
PROTECTION
SERFS AND FREEMEN
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CONSTRUCTING THE
PYRAMID OF POWER
KING
LOYALTY AND
SERVICE
LAND
POWERFUL
NOBLES
LAND AND
PROTECTION
LOYALTY AND
MILITARY SERVICE
LESSER NOBLES
(KNIGHTS)
LABOR
PROTECTION
SERFS AND FREEMEN
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Relationship Between
Lords and Vassals
The relationship between lords and
vassals made up a big part of the
political and social structure of the
feudal system
Vassals had certain duties to perform
for the lord
All nobles were ultimately vassals of
the king.
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Workers on the Manor
There were two groups of peasant
workers on the manor
Freemen- skilled workers who paid rent
and could leave the manor whenever
they wished. (They usually had a skill
needed by others on the manor.)
Serfs – workers bound to the land by
contract with the nobles. (They had no
freedom - they where the noble’s
property.)
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Feudal Contract
LORDS
GIVE
SERVICE
TO
GIVE
PROTECTION
TO
VASSALS
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Oath of Allegiance:
The Canadian Oath of Allegiance: “I
swear that I will be faithful and bear true
allegiance to Her Majesty Queen
Elizabeth the Second, Queen of Canada,
her heirs and successors according to
law, and that I will faithfully observe the
laws of Canada and fulfill my duties as a
Canadian citizen.”
Now: Create your own Oath of Allegiance
- You are a High Middle Ages Lord, and this
will the Oath that your vassal will read to
you.
- It should be a paragraph long and contain
what you feel would be important parts of a
feudal contract (duties, penalties, rights)
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Oath of Allegiance
Now you will partner up
Have your partner read the Oath
you have created, they will be your
Vassal
Then you will read your partners
Now read the Actual Vassal’s Oath of Allegiance
on Page 45 of your textbook
- Once you have finished reading the
Oath of Allegiance, write two short paragraphs
comparing your oath to the one in the textbook:
One paragraph will be comparing the similarities
to the oath in the textbook, and the other
paragraph will be comparing differences
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Lastly…
In your textbook, read pages 44 to
46
Once you are done reading answer
question #3a and b in the same
paper that you wrote your Oath of
Allegiance on
These will collected at the end of
class
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