Leading up to the Revolution FEUDALISM FEUDALISM The political and social system of medieval Europe, in which vassals received land from overlords in exchange for armed warriors and other services. RISE OF FEUDALISM Middle Ages was characterized by economic and population decline and by external threat. People began to turn to local landed aristocrats, or nobles, to protect them LORD – VASSAL – FIEF RELATIONSHIP 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. FEUDAL CONTRACT LORDS GIVE SERVICE TO GIVE PROTECTION TO VASSALS 5 FEUDALISM – POLITICAL Decentralized Feudal Lord in control Manor/guild make decisions Political life is localized FEUDALISM - POLTICAL Who makes the decisions? What types of decisions do they make? FEUDALISM - ECONOMIC Agricultural Domestic System Self-sufficient Money spent for political, military, and religious reasons Labor is a relationship to class No competition FEUDALISM - ECONOMIC Describe the type of economy that they might have had. What are the benefits and disadvantages of this system? Who made the following decisions? What to produce? How to produce it? For whom to produce it? FEUDALISM - SOCIAL Money making seen as “evil” Upper class and lower class Nobility respected No mobility FEUDAL SYSTEM THINK-PAIR-SHARE What differences exist between feudal society and our modern society today in areas related to politics, economy, and social classes? In what ways are they similar? Also, think about the movement of goods, services, and ideas in both societies