http://www.factmonster.com/dk/encycloped ia/medieval-europe.html
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Between AD 1000 and 1500, a lively society developed in Europe. Although most people still worked on the land, this was also the age of castles, cathedrals, and growing towns. Gradually, the traders and craftsmen of the towns began to have more influence on government.
1. Underline the dates of Medieval times from the reading above.
WHO WAS POWERFUL IN MEDIEVAL EUROPE?
Kings led armies of Knights and foot soldiers. They made laws, collected taxes, and encouraged trade.
Nobles ran great estates, given to them on the condition that they would help the king rule. The Church was important in every area of life, providing medieval Europe with its schools, hospitals, and universities.
2. Complete missing information: Kings Nobles led: made: collected: encouraged:
WHAT DID MEDIEVAL PEOPLE BELIEVE?
Church people learned the stories of the Bible and the saints from preachers and from the pictures painted in their churches.
3. Complete the hierarchy of rule on the right.
Ruled it through
HOW DID MEDIEVAL TOWNS DEVELOP?
Many towns grew up around markets, where farm produce was exchanged for the goods and services of specialized craftsmen, such as shoemakers and weavers. Through their guilds, traders and craftsmen regulated prices and organized the training of their apprentices.
4. Draw a sketch describing the information of how medieval towns developed. Use arrows to demonstrate the movement of items. Label these items on your sketch: town, market, produce, shoemaker, and weaver.

WHAT WAS LIFE LIKE FOR PEASANT FAMILIES?
Most peasants worked on their local lord’s fields in return for their own plots of land. Some, called serfs, were not free, and could not travel, or marry, without their lord’s permission. Skilled men could be thatcher
(fix- create roofs) or carpenters. Women might weave cloth or brew ale.
5. Complete the thinking map using details from the reading.
Inside circle- the workers (underlined)
Outside circle-information, facts about the people peasants
CASTLES
A castle is a huge, fortified building, or set of buildings. The first castles, built around 900, were made up of a wooden fortress on top of an earth mound. Later, castles built of stone had towers, battlements, moats, and strong defensive walls. They also became prestigious homes.
6. Complete the description of Castles in the thinking map. Castle s
WERE CASTLES ONLY USED IN WARTIME?
The first castles were built to shelter nobles, KNIGHTS, and soldiers in a war. After around
1200, in times of peace, each castle had its own nobleman and his family living in it.
Comfortable private rooms were added for important guests.
The main building of a castle was its keep (central tower). This one was built around 1130.
Its stone walls would not burn, and were very hard to knock down.
HOW DID GUNPOWDER AFFECT CASTLES?
From around 1300, gunpowder for firing cannons began to affect warfare in Europe. Cannon balls could smash through stone walls, making castles less useful as safe strongholds. Castles continued to be built, but for show.
They were intended as impressive residences rather than indestructible fortresses.

7. Use information from the previous 2 sections to complete the thinking map.
Main building
After 1200
1300 After
Gunpowder
KNIGHTS
Knights were warriors on horseback. They came from noble families and were trained from boyhood to handle weapons, wear armor, and ride heavy war horses. Some knights owned castles and land, and kept local order. Others served in the private armies of great lords.
Each knight had his own coat of arms, helping him to tell friend from foe (enemy) in battle.
HOW DID KNIGHTS FIGHT?
Knights charged into battle on horseback, spearing enemy soldiers with their long lances, or slashing at them with heavy swords, maces (club with metal end), and battle-axes. On foot, they fought with daggers and short swords.
This suit of armor, worn around 1380, gave good protection while the knight was on horseback, but was hot and heavy when fighting on foot.
WHAT WAS THE CODE OF CHIVALRY?
Knights were bound by a solemn promise to be loyal to their king. They were also supposed to respect women, protect the weak, and defend the Church. This code became known as chivalry.
8. Surround the “knights” with traits-bits of information about a knight in the thinking map.