Teaching program—Chapter 2: Feudalism
Unit 1
Big Idea
Key knowledge and skills
Resources
VELS standards (adapted)
7.1 How did
feudalism develop?
History:
1 Introduction to the concept of
society and its governance.
2 Look at how feudalism
developed in Europe.
3 Understand the need for
society to be and feel secure
and safe
4 Look at the power of
government and church and
their influence on each other
4 Constructing a social
framework or explanation chart
Thinking:
1 Using a range of techniques
and information to solve
problems.
2 Using historical skills and
concepts to understand social
structure
Oxford Big Ideas
History Level 5,
pp. 182–187
Humanities—History, Level 5
1 Students collect historical
information from electronic and print
media, including books, magazines,
film, the internet and illustrations
and graphics.
2 Analyse, evaluate and present
historical information using a range
of forms
Thinking processes, Level 5
1 Students use a range of question
types, and locate and select
relevant information from varied
primary and secondary sources.
2 Use a range of appropriate
strategies of reasoning and analysis
to evaluate evidence
3 Use a range of discipline-based
methodologies and skills
Suggested answers to
all unit activities at
oxfordbigideas.com
Suggested rubric for
Big Ideas activities at
oxfordbigideas.com
Learning sequence
LESSON 1
1
Introduce the concept that society in primitive, medieval or modern times was and is organised in some way.
2
Complete the activities on pages 180 and 181. The answers for these are on the website. Each of the
images on these pages can be used as a springboard for further discussion or research.
3
The History Teachers’ Association of Victoria has published a booklet on medieval life that can be used to
extend and expand on the examples in this text.
4
Read through and discuss pages 182 to 186. Students can copy or create their own version of how
feudalism worked (Source 7.6) in their workbooks. They might like to add illustrations to expand on this
chart. Another possibility is to get them to create the chart using purely visual examples to display the
different levels of society and their responsibilities.
5
Discuss and note the concept of divine right and the strength and power that this gave to the position of the
king. Discuss the concepts that control of land and mutual obligation developed a series of power levels in
society that advanced and protected it. Look at the needs of the varying levels of society and how society
needed to be protected.
6
You and the students will need to note and record the meaning of terms such as lord, vassal, feudalism,
divine right, serf, yeoman and manorialism. This could be done to answer question 1 on page 187.
7
Study the illustration on pages 184 and 185. Get students to identify the key buildings in the graphic and to
list the important positions or roles played by the different people. Students should note particularly the role
of the manor and the church in the village. They could then complete question 9 on page 187.
Oxford Big Ideas History Level 5 ISBN 978 0 19 556569 0
© Oxford University Press Australia
LESSON 2
1
Ask the students to put a sub heading in their books: William of Normandy. They are to create a series of
statements showing William’s importance in creating feudalism in England using information from page 186
and the three sources on that page. They can provide answers to questions 2, 3 and 4 on page 187.
Answers to questions 7, 8 and 10 can be added in here as well. Give the students about half of the class
time to do this.
2
To check comprehension, ask students in the class to provide oral answers to the questions on page 186
after they have begun to make their notes.
3
Divide the class into groups or pairs for the rest of the class time and get them to begin work on either
question 5 or 6 on page 187. They could use the class time to plan their project and could present their
completed projects at a later date.
4
Use the last part of the class to start a discussion based on question 11 on page 187. Get students to think
of how feudalism compares to a modern system of government, such as democracy, and put their points
onto a chart on the class board. Have students consider the benefits and disadvantages of the systems they
are comparing and to create theories about the final part question 11 (What kinds of events and trends can
you imagine would have to happen for such a scenario to ever be likely?).
Oxford Big Ideas History Level 5 ISBN 978 0 19 556569 0
© Oxford University Press Australia
Teaching program—Chapter 7: Feudalism
Unit 2
Big Idea
Key knowledge and skills
Resources
VELS standards (adapted)
7.2 How are
societies
controlled?
History:
1 Obligations under the Feudal
system.
2 Societal differences and the
status of people in feudal
society.
3 The power and position of the
Church.
4 Medieval justice.
5 Using primary and secondary
sources of information to
develop concepts about a
society
Thinking:
1 Using Y charts to investigate
abstract concepts
2 Applying knowledge and skills
to a study of the position of the
Church within medieval
society.
Oxford Big Ideas
History Level 5,
pp. 188–197
Humanities—History, Level 5
1 Collection of information from a
range of primary and secondary
sources.
2 Analyse and evaluate information
collected.
3 Use of information gathered to
propose concepts regarding ‘social
control’.
Suggested answers to
all unit activities at
oxfordbigideas.com
Suggested rubric for
Big Ideas activities at
oxfordbigideas.com
Download worksheet
7.2 ‘Medieval Church
Windows’ at
oxfordbigideas.com
Thinking processes, Level 5
1 Locate and select relevant
information when undertaking an
investigation.
2 Analyse information using a range
of strategies.
3 Consider their own point of view
and those of others.
4 Complete activities focusing on
problem solving and decision
making which involve an increasing
number of variables and solutions.
Learning sequence
LESSON 1— FEUDAL OBLIGATIONS
1
Read pages 188–190.
2
Have students write the heading ‘Feudal Obligations’ in their workbooks, and the sub-heading ‘Serfs’. Have
them answer questions 1 and 2 on page 190 using the illustration on page 189, as well as existing student
knowledge from their previous reading, to create a description of the life and obligations of a serf in feudal
society. Where possible, use evidence from primary sources, such as Source 7.14, to prove the statements
being made by the student.
3
Repeat the process under the sub-heading ‘Life of Knights’, again providing written comment and, where
possible, illustrations to support the statements being made. Use questions 3 and 4 on page 190 to guide
this description.
4
Read page 197 and complete questions 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6 on that page.
5
Divide the class into five or six groups and have them begin work on question 14, which will be presented to
the class at the end of the class.
Oxford Big Ideas History Level 5 ISBN 978 0 19 556569 0
© Oxford University Press Australia
Teaching program—Chapter 2: Feudalism
LESSON 2 – THE CONTROL OF THE CHURCH
1
Have students look at the chart on page 183. As a class, look at the right hand side of the chart which shows
the power of the Church at this time. Explain that while the Church owed authority to the king of a country, it
also owed final authority to the pope as the head of the Roman Catholic church, and that, because of this,
conflict sometimes developed between the king and the bishops or the king and the pope.
2
Discuss the idea that while the king ruled by divine right, the pope was seen as God’s representative on
earth so, in theory, he had power over kings. The final power of the pope was that of excommunication. If a
person died while excommunicated it was believed that his or her soul would be doomed.
3
Read pages 191–193 as a class. Get students to write the heading ‘The Power of the Church’ in their
workbooks. They can then write down in point form the power that they believed the Church had and how it
gained and kept that power. Your stronger students might like to read about the Y chart on page 193 and
use it as a means of looking at the Church’s power. Students should use Source 7.21 to help them with their
notes.
4
Students should write the heading ‘The Work of the Church’ in their workbooks. Ask students to list the work
carried out by people such as priests, nuns, bishops and monks, and to show the benefit that this work was
to society.
5
Complete questions 1 to 5 on page 193. Complete questions 2 and 7 on page 197. Suggested responses
are available on the website.
LESSON 3 – MEDIEVAL JUSTICE
1
Students tend to think of justice in modern terms. Get them to study the illustration on pages 194 and 195.
They should them in groups prepare a short talk about this graphic and then to read the information on page
196. The groups will then each be asked to comment on what might happen if they were accused of a crime
in the middle ages and their chances to prove themselves innocent if they were:
 a serf
 a knight
 a member of the religious establishment.
2
Ask the groups to decide on the benefits or dangers of trial by ordeal.
3
Students can then, on their own, answer questions 1 to 4 on page 196.
4
Once they have completed this, students should attempt questions 9 to 11 on page 197. Suggested
responses are available on the website.
5
Divide the class into two groups. They can brainstorm ideas about questions 12 and 13 on page 197 before
presenting a short report to the class.
Oxford Big Ideas History Level 5 ISBN 978 0 19 556569 0
© Oxford University Press Australia
Teaching program—Chapter 7: Feudalism
Unit 3
Big Idea
Key knowledge and skills
Resources
VELS standards (adapted)
7.3 How do
societies stay
powerful?
History:
1 How societies defended
themselves from attack.
2 Divisions in society and
conflicts between societies.
3 Developments that came about
through conflict and
interaction.
4 The importance of religion in
the medieval world.
5 .
Thinking:
1 Using historical skills and
language to study and
comment on society in
medieval times.+
Oxford Big Ideas
History Level 5,
pp. 198–205
Humanities—History, Level 5
1 Students analyse the ways that
ancient and medieval societies
were governed, identify political
features and explain the nature of
the political system, the dominant
groups and how they established
and maintained power
2 Students use a variety of forms to
present their understanding
Suggested answers to
all unit activities at
oxfordbigideas.com
Suggested rubric for
Big Ideas activities at
oxfordbigideas.com
Worksheet 7.3 ‘Building
a Castle’ at
oxfordbigideas.com
2 Applying knowledge and skills
to new information.
Thinking processes, Level 5
1 Students use a range of question
types
2 Use a range of appropriate
strategies of reasoning and analysis
to evaluate evidence
3 Use a range of discipline-based
methodologies.
Learning sequence
LESSON 1
1
Write the word ‘castles’ on the board. The class should brainstorm all words, thoughts or ideas that they can
link to the term. After a short brainstorming session, link the ideas raised by looking at areas such as castle
type, purpose, structure, attack and defence. Point out to the students that they are now going to discover
the purposes for which castles were created and how they have changed over time.
2
Remind the students that they are studying a period prior to the use of gun-powder and that this
technological advance would alter drastically the way in which castles were built and used.
3
Read pages 198–202. Download and complete Worksheet 7.3 ‘Castle construction’.
4
Students are to then develop a PowerPoint display or poster that explains:
 the purposes of castles
 their development over time
 methods of attacking and defending a castle.
(Use the questions on page 202 as a guide to the information that they should include. The PowerPoint or
poster needs to have graphics showing techniques for attack and defence, different styles of castles and
important sections or parts that made castles a strong defensive structure.)
5
Have the students complete question 9 on page 205 as part of this work.
6
For homework, have the students complete questions 1 to 3, and question 8 on page 205.
Oxford Big Ideas History Level 5 ISBN 978 0 19 556569 0
© Oxford University Press Australia
LESSON 2
1
Ask students to write the heading ‘Warriors and Warfare’ in their workbooks. Read page 202 and ask
students to write a paragraph or two that describes the warrior in the castle and the weapons they are armed
with.
3
Get the students to draw the crusades timeline into their workbooks and to read pages 203 and 204.
4
Complete questions 4 to 7 and question 12 on page 205.
5
Carry out some extra research so that different groups in the class can provide more information on the
Knights of St John the Hospitaller, the Knights Templar and the Teutonic Knights then attempt question 13
on page 205.
Oxford Big Ideas History Level 5 ISBN 978 0 19 556569 0
© Oxford University Press Australia
Teaching program—Chapter 7: Feudalism
Unit 4
Big Idea
Key knowledge and skills
Resources
VELS standards (adapted)
7.4 Why did
feudalism decline?
History:
1 the effect of the growth of
towns.
2 The importance of commerce
and trade.
3 Jigsaw technique to investigate
topics.
4 How the plague effected and
changed medieval society.
Thinking:
1 Using historical research
methods such as the Jigsaw
technique
2 Applying knowledge and skills
to the effect of trade and
commerce and to the spread of
the plague through Europe.
Oxford Big Ideas
History Level 5,
pp. 206–213
Humanities—History, Level 5
1 Students analyse the ways that
medieval societies were governed,
identify political features and
explain the nature of the political
system, the dominant groups and
how they established and
maintained power
2 Students analyse change and
continuity over time and compare
key aspects of past and present
societies; for example, aspects of
daily life, social and political ideas
and structures, and cultural values
and beliefs. They explain the
influences of ancient and medieval
societies on contemporary
societies.
3 They demonstrate understanding of
key concepts such as democracy,
governance, the rule of law, justice,
religion, liberty, authority,
leadership, culture and feudalism.
4 Students use a variety of forms to
present their understanding. They
analyse, evaluate and present it
using a range of forms.
Thinking processes, Level 5
1 Students use a range of question
types, and locate and select
relevant information from varied
sources.
2 Use a range of appropriate
strategies of reasoning and analysis
to evaluate evidence.
3 Use a range of discipline-based
methodologies such as Jigsaw
method
Suggested answers to
all unit activities at
oxfordbigideas.com
Suggested rubric for
Big Ideas activities at
oxfordbigideas.com
Learning sequence
LESSON 1
1
Students reading this chapter will need to understand how the growth of towns and trade brought about the
end of feudalism as a means of governance.
2
Read pages 206–208 and discuss whether the feudalistic style of government would or could work with the
decline of the manors, the change in work types and the growth of towns. After you have done this carry out
the Jigsaw exercise about this form of government in the new commerce based society as set out on page
209.
3
Complete the exercises on page 209 and copy the map from page 208 to support your answers to these
questions.
4
Complete questions 1, 2, 4 and 5 on page 213.
Oxford Big Ideas History Level 5 ISBN 978 0 19 556569 0
© Oxford University Press Australia
LESSON 2
1
Students should read about and discuss the Black Death and the effect it had on Europe. If possible, make
comparisons about the effect that modern doctors say a pandemic would have in a country like Australia.
Look carefully at Sources 7.48, 7.49, 7.50, 7.51, 7.52 and 7.53 as you do this. Get each student to write a
paragraph explaining how this source adds to their knowledge or raises new questions about the Black
Death.
2
Read pages 210–212. Copy the map from page 210 and get students to speculate about why the Black
Death spread as it did.
3
Divide the class and have students answer question 13 on page 213.
4
Complete the other questions on page 213 that have not been covered in the previous lesson.
Oxford Big Ideas History Level 5 ISBN 978 0 19 556569 0
© Oxford University Press Australia
Teaching program—Chapter 7: Feudalism
Transferring Ideas: Medieval Japan
Big Idea
Key knowledge and skills
Resources
VELS standards (adapted)
How are societies
organised?
History:
1 A case study of Medieval
Japan.
2 Study of the similarities and
differences between feudalism
in Europe and in Japan.
3 A study of the differences in
political control of land and
people.
Thinking:
1 Apply skills learnt to a new
case study
2 Select relevant information to
solve problems
Oxford Big Ideas
History Level 5,
pp. 214–215
Humanities—History, Level 5
1 Students analyse and describe key
events in ancient and medieval
societies. They use a variety of
sources to describe key aspects of
these societies. They describe
aspects of daily life in these
societies such as work, the division
of labour, family, clothing, housing
and education.
2 They demonstrate understanding of
key concepts such as democracy,
governance, the rule of law, justice,
religion, liberty, authority,
leadership, culture and feudalism.
3 They explain the influences of
ancient and medieval societies on
contemporary societies.
4 They use a range of primary and
secondary sources including visual
sources that record features of the
societies in their investigations.
5 They identify the content, origin,
purpose and context of historical
sources and evaluate historical
sources for meaning, point of view,
values and attitudes, and identify
some of the strengths and
limitations of historical documents
Thinking processes, Level 5
1 Locate and select information from
varied sources in investigations
2 Use a range of historic
methodologies and skills
Suggested answers to
all unit activities at
oxfordbigideas.com
Suggested rubric for
Big Ideas activities at
oxfordbigideas.com
Agora vol 34 No 4 2003
Produced by the HTAV
Learning sequence
LESSON 1
Complete the Transferring Ideas spread in class as an assessable item. Rubric and suggested answers are
available on the website. The intention of this spread is encourage students to transfer their learning about
feudalism to a case study of Japan.
Students should make reference to the sources where appropriate and use knowledge gained during the
chapter to explain and provide comparison in their answers.
Students should make comparison through the use of graphics (that is, the creation of an authority structure
for medieval Japan similar to that of feudalism found on page 183).
Students could create a timeline to show a comparison between feudalism in Europe and Japan and explain
differences between the two.
Oxford Big Ideas History Level 5 ISBN 978 0 19 556569 0
© Oxford University Press Australia