The ABCs
of the
Middle Ages
A fun way to learn about history!
Mary Devlin and Sarah Walker
Table of Contents
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1: Title Page
2: Table of Contents
3: Armor
4: Books
5: Crusades
6: Dungeons
7: Education
8: Food and Cookery
9: Games
10: Horses
11: Instruments
12: Jousting
13: Knights
14: Life at Home
15: Myths and Legends
16: Nuns and Monks
17: Overlook (Castles)
18: Plague
19: Queens and Kings
20: Renaissance
21: Social Status
22: Trade
23: Universities
24: Village life
25: Women
26: Xmas
27: Y1K
Page
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28: Zoos/Menageries
29-30: Glossary
31-33: Photo Credits
34: About the Authors
Armor
Armor is a protective covering worn to prevent
damage through direct contact, usually worn during combat. Armor changed drastically throughout
medieval times. In the early Middle Ages, knights
wore armor that was made out of leather. In the
second half of the Middle Ages, blacksmiths and
armorers developed plate armor, as seen in the
picture below. Each part had a specific name and
allowed the knight freedom of movement.
Armor was very expensive, but protected the wearer
from
cuts
and
thrusts. Horses also
wore armor during
the Middle Ages.
When firearms were
first used in battle,
armor became ineffective.
3
Books
The Middle Ages saw the rebirth of literature. Early books were painstakingly
hand-copied and illustrated by monks.
Paper was very rare so many pages were
made from calf's skin, parchment, or
lamb's skin. Students learned to write
by using wooden tablets covered in
green or black wax. Most books used
during this era were bound with plain
wooden boards and leather. However,
leather was reserved for special books
because it was more expensive.
During the Middle Ages, books were treasures and were
rarely shown openly in a library. They were kept safely under
lock and key. Someone who would be willing to loan you a
book was a true friend. Some might rent out their books,
while others, desperate for cash, might pawn a book to support their families. Literature involving courtly love was very
popular, and it provided something for the troubadours to
sing about.
Did you know?
Language also improved during the Middle Ages. Capital and
lowercase letters were developed with rules for their use.
4
Crusades
The Crusades were a series of military campaigns
against opponents of the Latin-Christian Empire.
The goal was to recapture the Holy Land. They
were fought mainly against the Muslims. In return
for their vows, Crusaders were given an indulgence for their past sins. There were a total of
nine crusades that lasted for 200 years. Their political, economical, and social impacts still affect
the world today.
Major Crusades
The First Crusade (1095– 1099)
The Children’s Crusade (1212)- made by
German and French Children who were
convinced the sea would dry up for them
to cross into the Holy Land.
The Ninth Crusade (1271-1272)
5
Dungeons
When most people think
dungeons, they think dark,
underground, basement
pits. Although those types
of dungeons did exist, many
prisoners of the Middle Ages
were held in the highest
towers of castles. The purpose of these rooms were to
hold prisoners and dissidents. In medieval times,
rivals to kings or lords were
held here, and were not expected to live long. They
would be tortured out of revenge and given very little
food. Common criminals of
this time period were
beaten and tortured for
public entertainment.
6
Did you know?
The word dungeon
comes from the
French
word
“donjon”
which
means lord. French
lords would hide in
a castle’s dungeon
during battles to
stay protected.
Education
During the 800s, Charlemagne realized that his
empire would need education in order to survive. He turned to the
church to provide an education for free to all intelligent boys. The core
of most studies consisted
of grammar, rhetoric,
logic, Latin, astronomy,
philosophy and mathematics. The students often sat together on the
floor around a teacher.
The students took notes on wooden tablets. Girls were
ignored when it came to education, unless their parents
were rich and powerful. At about 14 years old, some
students would continue on to a university. Sometimes
war would halt studies for years at a time.
Did you know?
Graduates today wear caps and gowns, inspired by the
academic garments worn in the Middle Ages.
7
Food
What you ate in the Middle
Ages depended upon your
class. Medieval diets lacked
vitamins A, C, and D and left
many people very hungry.
Members of the upper class ate a lot of meat, such as
fowl, beef, bacon, lamb, and fish. They also ate dairy
products such as cheese and butter. Peasants made
loaves of bread from barley and rye. Ales were made
from barley, and water was drawn from wells and consumed with honey. They got protein from peas and
beans. Pottage was a thick soup which they commonly
made out of vegetables, and it was favored over bread.
Raw vegetables were considered unhealthy.
Medieval Winter Tea
Wrap 2 T. of rose hips, 2 T.
sloe berries, 1 t. ginger, 1
t. thyme, and 1/2 t. sage in
a cheesecloth. Steep these
in a large pot of hot water
until it is strong enough.
Add honey or lemon.
8
Games and Recreation
People in the Middle Ages liked
to use games and recreation as a
break from the harsh daily lives
that they lived. Chess, a version
that was played with dice, was
widely popular with all of the
classes. Checkers and backgammon were also popular. Children wrestled, swam, fished, and played a
game that was a cross between handball and tennis. Many adults enjoyed relaxing in the local tavern. During harvest time, people would bob for apples and hunt in the forest. “King of the Bean” was
a game played at Christmas time, in which a small
bean was baked into a cake, and the person who
found it would be crowned King of the Christmas
feast.
9
Horses
Horses of the Middle Ages were very different from their
modern counterparts. They were a more important part
of life for people of the time. Horses were necessary for
transportation, agriculture, and war. Whereas today
horses are differentiated by breed, horses of medieval
times were classified by use. Historians say that the average height of a horse of this time period was about 1214 hands tall.
The elite horseman of the Middle Ages was the knight. It
was required of him to be able to jump onto the back of
his war horse in full armor (weighing about 40 pounds),
without touching the stirrup.
The “Great Horse”
Perhaps the most
well-known horse of
the time period was
the destrier. It was a
well bred, highly
trained stallion used
for war and tournaments. They were
very rare and quite
expensive.
10
Instruments
Music was very important during the Middle Ages,
especially in the royal courts. It became a requirement of courtly love. Musical instruments would be
played by the musicians of the time: the minstrels
and the troubadours. Hymns and secular songs
were very popular because of the spread of Christianity. The first organ dates back to the 8th century.
Stringed, percussion, and wind were the three
main categories of instruments of the time.
Music to Your Ears
Some of the most popular instruments of the
time were the harp, fiddle, rebec, flute,
drum, triangle, recorder, and lizard. Many are
still used today or were inspirations for modern instruments.
11
Jousting
Jousting was a medieval
equestrian sport.
It was developed to demonstrate fitness for battle.
It traditionally took place in an open field with two
Knights on horseback. They would face off at a distance, armed with a lance. The goal was to unseat
your opponent to show your ability to kill on horseback. People would come and watch the jousts,
which became chivalrous events. Tournaments
would be help where viewers would cheer on their
favorite knights. Winners would gain fame and fortune.
Did You Know?
The Chronicles of Froissart records that during a
campaign in the Gatinois
and the Beauce in France
during the Hundred Years
War between the English
and French, the war was
put on hold for a joust.
12
Knights
Knights were foremost warriors that arose in the 8th century. They were famous for
fighting on horseback and
were an important advantage
in battle. Towards the 16th
century being a knight was
more of an honor than a true
military role.
With the rise of feudalism came the rise of knights. Official training to become a knight started at age seven.
These boys were called pages. They were taught how to
hunt, religion, reading, and writing. At age fourteen,
pages could become esquires. During this period they
learned to serve and mastered social behavior and chivalry. They also learned how to be a knight.
At age 21, a squire was ready to be a
knight. The knighting ceremony involved kneeling and taking an oath,
which included promising to speak
only the truth, to defend a lady always, and to be loyal to his lord.
Privileges of knighthood included land
owning, wearing armor in battle, and
dining at the high table.
13
Life of a Peasant
For a peasant, life was
generally hard. They
worked everyday, rain or
shine, so that their families could have enough to
eat. They lived in small
towns or nearby farms on
a lord’s manor. The average peasant lived in a two
Their clothing was made room cottage constructed
out of wool or linen. Their of mud-plastered branches
diets included bread, and dirt floors.
vegetables, and stew.
Birth and infancy were the
most dangerous stages of
life. Healthy children were
seen as gifts from God.
Marriage for all classes was
arranged. To divorce, a
man would say, “I divorce
thee” to his wife three
times. Holidays were observed with feasts, dancing, and singing.
14
Myths and Legends
Myths and legends were a major part of Medieval Times. People enjoyed telling stories about heroes and heroines. Many stories told in
this time period are still prominent in modern literature. For example,
Robin Hood was a popular hero in Medieval Times. He appeared in
many English stories and ballads. His stories were told from as far back
as the 1300s! He stole from the rich and gave to the poor. His most famous enemy was the Sheriff of Nottingham. He was known as "A right
against might."
Also, in medieval times, the suspicion of the number thirteen was explained. One morning the god Baulder told his mother of a horrible
dream he had that foretold his death. His mother was worried and
made different plants and animals in nature promise not to hurt her
son. Another god, Loki, was jealous and hatched an evil plan. He
tricked Baulder's mother into telling him that she had not gotten a
promise from mistletoe because she thought it was useless. Loki made
a dart out of mistletoe and attended a party as the thirteenth guest.
Everyone was relaxing and throwing things at Baulder. Loki saw that
Hoder, Baulder's brother, was not participating. When he asked why,
Hoder said that he was blind, and he didn't have anything to throw. So
Loki gave him the mistletoe and guided his hand. The mistletoe sailed
through the air and pierced Baulder's heart. Because he was the thirteenth guest, the number thirteen is forever
cursed.
Did you know?
In the legend of Robin Hood, Little
John was most commonly known follower. But, his name was very misleading. Little John was supposed to
be 210 centimeters tall. That's over
seven feet!
15
Nuns and Monks
Because religion was so important during
the Middle Ages, many people devoted
their whole lives to being closer to God
and doing religious work. Sometimes
parents promised that their children
would follow a religious life in order to
fulfill a promise to God and to ensure
their children’s safety. These people became monks (if they were men) or nuns
(if they were women) and lived apart
from the rest of the people in special
communities called monasteries and
nunneries.
Monks and nuns promised to remain single, to be obedient to
their superiors, and to live a life of prayer. They ate simple
food, dressed in simple clothes (called habits), and spent
their days in silence, praying or working. They also attended
many church services. There were seven main church services
each day, the first at dawn and the last in the middle of the
night.
Fast Facts
A monastery not just a religious place. They practice
medicine and different learning techniques. Also, nuns and
monks were the first to have
books because they would
copy the books by hand.
16
Overlook (Castles)
After the collapse of the Roman Empire, Germanic tribes began to build
stone fortifications. Near the first millennium, William the Conqueror, from
Normandy, France, invaded England in
1066 and changed the medieval landscape forever. People began constructing stone towers and walls in every
country. These castles had towering
walls, defensive systems and could
house thousands of people.
The castle remained the main military resource for much
of the Middle Ages. Prime locations for castle construction
include high, rocky ground, mountain passes, isolated peninsulas, and lake islands. It wasn't until the late 1600s,
when gunpowder and artillery became more effective,
that castles became obsolete. Many fell into ruins during
the succeeding centuries, but there are some castles that
have been expertly restored.
Fast Facts
To withstand besieging, castle
walls were sometimes constructed to be up to thirty
feet thick. Some fortresses
had towers soaring a hundred
feet high.
17
Plague
The black plague, also known as the bubonic
plague or the black death, is a horrible disease that killed over 25 million in five years.
That is 1/3 of Europe’s population! started in
China in the 1330s. Because China was the
busiest trading country, it didn’t take too long
for the plague to spread to Europe.
In winter the disease seemed to disappear, but only because fleas
and rats, which carried it from person to person, are dormant
then. Each spring, the plague attacked again, killing new victims.
Plague causes fever and a painful swelling of the lymph glands
called buboes, which is how it gets its name. The disease also
causes spots on the skin that are red at first and then turn black.
Did you know?
The rhyme "Ring around the Rosy, Pocket full of Posy, Ashes, Ashes, We all
Fall Down" was first sung during the Middle Ages. This line describes all
stages of the disease before death.
18
Queens and Kings
The concept of royalty is centuries old. It originated with the feudal systems of the medieval
age. Under feudalism there were a few very powerful landowners who acquired large amounts of
territory through military force or money. These
landowners became high-ranking lords, and eventually one of them was crowned king. This probably happened through a show of military force or
through political machinations, or some combination of the two. Powerful as they were, these
lords controlled too much territory to manage on
their own. They would name vassals. These lower
-ranking nobles were granted some property, and
the income it generated which was usually
through rents paid by commoners or profits from
farming. In return, the vassal would have control
of that territory. More importantly, the vassal was
obligated to provide military aid to his lord. He
would raise a private army and if his territory was
large enough, he might create several vassals of
his own.
Crowning Achievement!
Crowns were worn to commemorate important events in the rulers reign.
However, they can be heavy! Gem-encrusted crowns can weigh several
pounds (King William IV's coronation crown weighed seven pounds)!
19
Renaissance
The period of the Renaissance (14th and 16th centuries)
brought with it many important changes in the social and
cultural importance of the artist. Over the course of this
time period there was a steady rise in the status of the
painter, sculptor, and architect and an appreciation expressed for the visual arts. Painters and sculptors also argued that they were equal to poets because poetry was an
accepted art. The notion that painting and poetry were
"sister arts” developed from a quote by Horace ("as a
painting, so a poem"), and Simonides' description of painting as muta poesis ("silent poetry") and poetry as pictura
loquens ("painting that speaks").
In the Renaissance, the source of inspiration was identified
with God himself, not with another god or antique muse. It
was at this time that artists such as Michelangelo described
by their artwork as divine. At the same time artists were
described as creators, a word formerly reserved for God
alone.
Self-Portrait?
Some believe that Leonardo Davinci’s Mona
Lisa is a “self-portrait.”
What do you think?
20
Social Status
During the Middle Ages, feudalism was the law of the land. It
was the basis by which the upper nobility class maintained
control over the lower classes. This rigid structure of government consisted of kings, lords, and the peasants. Other crucial contributors to this structure were the leaders of the
church and other neighboring kings who held influence in the
kingdom. The kings held this land by what they believed was
"divine right", the right to rule granted by God and then
passed on through heredity.
Life on a manor was extremely hard for a peasant. It consisted of work and family life. Approximately ninety percent
of the people in the Middle Ages were considered to be peasants. There was a division of the peasants into a category of
free citizens and indentured servants. The free peasants
worked in their own independent businesses, usually as carpenters, blacksmiths, weavers, or bakers. They paid the lord
a type of rent for using their small plots of land. The other
peasants lived on the land without paying any money, but
worked for the lord to earn their stay.
Word Play
The word "serf" originated from
the Middle French word "serf.” It
can also be traced even farther
back to the Latin word servus,
meaning "slave".
21
Trade
Although navigation was still an imprecise science, sailors
were able to go farther than they had before. This was important because as the economy of the Renaissance continued to improve, there were ever-increasing demands for imported goods and new places to export local products.
For traders, sailing proved to be a better option than traveling by land because the network of roads that crisscrossed
Europe was poor, and the few good roads that did exist
were full of thieves.
The Renaissance sailor first took to the seas to supply Europeans with the many Asian spices they demanded. Peppercorns, nutmeg, mace, and cinnamon all came from lands to
the east. Also, from the East came precious gems and fine
silk, a fabric especially popular in women's clothing. These
trading voyages were often paid for by investors.
Stories at Sea
Shipbuilding improved during
the Renaissance as large ships
called galleons became common. These ships were powered by sail rather than by
men using oars.
22
Universities
Universities developed out of monasteries and cathedral
schools, which are the equivalent of elementary schools.
But they were attended by adolescents and taught by
monks and priests, not by teachers. The first university
was established in Bologna in 1088.
In these universities, students began with the trivium:
grammar, logic, and rhetoric. Trivium is the origin of the
word trivia.
Beyond that, they would study the quadrivium: arithmetic, geometry, music, and astronomy. Together these
subjects make up the seven liberal arts. Liberal referred
to both the free man, such as a man with property, and
liberal arts. These were in contrast to the practical arts
(farming) of the working poor.
Education?
In the early Middle
Ages,
education
was offered primarily to the clergy
and to a few members of the ruling
classes.
23
Village Life
The peasants, including serfs and freeman, lived close together in one or more
villages. Their small one-roomed houses
would be grouped in an open space (the
"green") or on both sides of a single, narrow street. The only important buildings
were the parish church, the parsonage, a
mill, and possibly a blacksmith's shop.
Usually the population of one of these villages did not exceed one hundred people.
Village life during the Middle Ages was self-sustaining. The inhabitants tried to produce everything they needed in order to
avoid the expense of trade. The land gave them their food and
the forest provided them with wood for houses and furniture.
They made their own clothes of flax, wool, and leather. Also,
their meal and flour were ground at the village mill. The chief articles which needed to be brought from some distant market
were salt, iron, and millstones. Cattle, horses, and surplus grain
also formed common objects of exchange between manors.
Did you know?
Peasants enjoyed many holidays. It has been estimated that,
besides Sundays, about eight weeks in every year were free
from work.
24
Women
Unfortunately, the women of the Middle Ages were totally
dominated by the male members of their family. The women
were expected to obey their fathers, brothers, and any other
male members of the family. Any unruly girls were beaten
into submission, and disobedience was seen as a crime
against their religion.
Being good wives was another major role that women had to
play. Grooms, on the average, were much older than their
brides. Noble women sometimes didn't marry until the age of
twenty-four, but this was rare. More than three-fourths were
married before they reached nineteen!
A Noble Woman
Joan of Arc, at the age
of twenty, successfully
roused
the
French
against the English during the Hundred Years
War. She was captured
and burned at the stake
by the English.
25
X-Mas
The word Christmas is derived from the Middle English
phrase "Christ's Mass." In medieval England there were three
masses celebrated on Christmas Day. The first mass was at
midnight (the Angel's Mass). This started a story that a light
of salvation would appear in the dark at midnight. The second Christmas mass was at dawn (the Shepherd's Mass), and
the third during the day (the Mass of the Divine Word). The
season of Advent, the forty days of leading up to Christmas,
was being observed in the Western Church by the year 500.
St. Nicholas was a very popular Medieval saint, and his feast
day came in Advent (6 December). But he did not play his
part as Santa Claus until after the Reformation.
"Xmas" was commonly used throughout history. "Christ" was
often written as "XP" or "Xt." There are references in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle as far back as AD 1021. This X and P
arose from the uppercase forms of the Greek letters χ and ρ
used in ancient abbreviations for Χριστος (Greek for
"Christ"). These can be seen in many Eastern Orthodox icons
depicting Jesus Christ.
Xmas Presents
The gift-giving of the season
was represented by the New
Year gift, which continued a
tradition of Roman origin. The
later Christmas present was
not part of a medieval Xmas.
26
Year 1000
As the year 1000 (Y1K) approached, there was no uniform
system of counting years in Europe. There was also no unified practice regarding when to start the new year. In Rome
the new year began on the date of the Nativity (December
25), but in Florence New Year fell on Annunciation Day
(March 25,the date of Jesus' conception). In Venice, New
Year fell on March 1, in England on either Annunciation Day,
Christmas, or January 1, and in Spain and Portugal the date
was always January 1. Not only was there no agreement on
what year it was, but there was no agreement on just when
that year began.
There was also a legend concerning that the world would
end on the year 1000. Throughout the year, the birth of twoheaded calves appeared everywhere. The bright tails of comets at night, terrifying shapes in the clouds by day, and a series of solar and lunar eclipses darkened the minds of the
people with fear. People had gathered waiting for the world
to end. Fortunately, this was just a myth, and this judgment
day never came.
Calendar Confusion
The first date ever based on
the year of Christ's birth
(Anno Domini) was the year
526 A.D.
27
Zoos
Several societies across Europe maintained menageries at
their royal courts. At the beginning of the 12th century,
Henry I of England kept a collection of animals at his palace
in Woodstock, Oxfordshire. There were lions, leopards,
lynxes,
camels,
owls,
and
a
porcupine.
The most prominent animal collection in medieval England
was the Tower Menagerie in London that began as early as
1204. It was established by King John, who reigned in England from 1199-1216 and is known to have included lions and
bears. Henry III received a wedding gift of three leopards
from Frederick II in 1235. The most interesting animals were
a white bear and an elephant, which were gifts from the
kings of Norway and France. In 1264, the animals were
moved to the Bulwark, which was renamed the Lion Tower.
Fun Facts
Menagerie is the term for a
historical form of keeping
calm and exotic animals in
human captivity and therefore a predecessor of the
modern zoo.
28
Glossary
ballad: A story set to music
Charlemagne: King of the Franks and Emperor of the Holy
Roman Empire, 742 - 814
chivalry: Methods of training and standard of behavior for a
Knight
dormant: Lying asleep or as if asleep; inactive
eclipse: An eclipse occurs when one object gets in between
another object and blocks your view. From Earth, we routinely
see two kinds of eclipses: an eclipse of the Moon and an eclipse
of the Sun (lunar and solar).
feudalism: The class system during the Middle Ages. The king
owned all of the land and gave it to his nobles for free as long
as they were loyal and fought in wars for him. The nobles owned
land that peasants, including serfs, were allowed to farm in return for their work and part of their crops.
hands: Unit of measurement
for a horse. One hand is equal
to 4 inches.
high table: During feasts and
other meals, the most important guests would sit here.
29
Glossary cont.
indulgence: Paying or providing service to the church for a
guarantee of getting into heaven.
lymph glands: A major part of the body that helps fight off
viruses, bacteria, and other illnesses
troubadours: Poet-musicians; singers.
30
Photo Credits
Title:
 http://www.uh.edu/engines/warsadd.jpg
Armor:
 http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/knight-8.gif
Books:
 http://csis.pace.edu/grendel/WS5/JoanofArc/images/M1FC.jpg
Crusades:
 http://www2.div.ed.ac.uk/courses/Animated_Maps/Divinity2/images/C_allstill.gif
 http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/delacroix/crusader.jpg
Dungeon:
 http://dragonartz.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/_vector-classic-wallpaper-preview1-bydragonart.png?=495&h=600
 http://museums.nuremberg.de/images/images_lochgefaengnisse/gewoelbegang.jpgEducation:
 http://www.dkimages.com/discover/previews/756/225953.JPG
Food:
 http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/food/pictures/baking.jpg
 http://www.mythinglinks.org/medieval~bridal.jpg
Games and Recreation:
 http://www.medieval-spell.com/Images/Medieval-Games/Medieval-Games-Tennis.jpg
 http://www.chess-theory.com/images1/71409_medieval_chess.jpg
 http://bestoflegends.org/art/tavern.jpg
Horses:
 http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/
Charlemagne_and_Pope_Adrian_I.jpg
 http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/5872507/2/istockphoto_5872507renaissance-style-floral-background.jpg
Instruments:
 http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/130000/images/_133163_musicns300.jpg
 http://home.earthlink.net/~curtis_bouterse/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/
mediapsalt.jpg
 http://home.earthlink.net/imagelib/sitebuilder/misc/show_image.html?
linkedwidth=actual&linkpath=
 http://home.earthlink.net/~curtis_bouterse/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/
sqpsalt.jpg&target=tlx_new
 http://home.earthlink.net/imagelib/sitebuilder/misc/show_image.html?
linkedwidth=actual&linkpath=
 http://home.earthlink.net/~curtis_bouterse/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/
curvpsalt.jpg&target=tlx_new
 http://www.designerwallcoverings.com/WallpaperStore/images/WFLO-3023FlockedVelvetvc0626.jpgJousting:
 http://aprilemillo.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/medieval-knights-jousting-1.jpg
31
Photo Credits cont.
Knights:
 http://media.photobucket.com/image/middle%20ages%20knights/aBlueKnight/Knights/
Crusader1.jpg
 http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/knight-3.jpgLife at Home:
 http://fineartamerica.com/images-medium/medieval-village-of-st-ursanne-switzerland-art
-nomad-sandra-hansen.jpg
 http://www.timegun.org/medmirror1.jpg
 http://ela92.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/medieval-farm-forks4.jpg
Myths and Legends:
 http://hesternic.tripod.com/aragon.JPG
Nuns and Monks:
 http://www.kyrene.org/schools/brisas/sunda/ma/1lisa.htm
 http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/history/middleages/church.html#monks
Overlooks (castles):
 http://www.lindenschools.org/medialinks/LiSmith/windsor.jpg
 http://karenswhimsy.com/public-domain-images/medieval-castles/images/medievalcastles-3.jpg
Plague:
 http://www.fortunecity.com/victorian/verona/514/apr/ggbg.jpg
 http://cache.eb.com/eb/image?id=94106&rendTypeId=4
Queens and Kings:
 http://www.pillagedvillage.com/images/art/costume1/Frankish_King_and_Queen_2.jpg
Renaissance:
 http://www.paintingsite.net/images/renaissance_paintings_starry_
 http://www.osbornevillagestudio.com/images/mona-lisa.jpg
Social Status:
 http://library.thinkquest.org/10949/images/september.jpg
Trade:
 http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/0/9/4/10940/10940-h/images/fig191.png
Universities:
 http://www.csupomona.edu/~plin/ls201/images/medievalprof_big.
Village Life:
 http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fb/Middle_Ages
Women:
 http://www.strangehorizons.com/2001/20010528/women/pisan.shtml
 http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/images/396px-Joan_of_arc_miniature_graded.jpg
Xmas:
 http://www.adriangilbert.co.uk/images/chirho.gif
Year 1000:
 http://medieval.etrusia.co.uk/images/lanercost_priory.jpg
Zoos:
 http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b6/Versailles_M2.JPG
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About the Authors
Mary Devlin and Sarah Walker are seniors of
the class of 2010 at the Massachusetts Academy
of Math and Science. Mary can say all 50 states in
one breath and speak ubbi-dubbi. Sarah can
quote every word from Pirates of the Caribbean
from memory. Later in life, Mary wants to have a
job in international relations. Sarah wants to become a surgeon.
They hope that you enjoy reading this book as
much as they enjoyed writing it!
Mary (left) and Sarah (right) enjoy pretending to live in the 15th century.
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