Medieval Europe
Study Guide
Feudalism is a government where the lords rule over the serfs and peasants, and are
supported by a warrior class.
Concepts
vassals
fief
manor houses
role of knights
code of chivalry
stages of knighthood
purposes of a castle
parts of a castle: moat, portcullis, parapet, garderobe
influence of the Church
corruption of the Church
the Great Schism
excommunication
the conflicts between the Church and the kings & lords
types of Guilds: differences between Merchant Guilds & Crafts Guilds
the ranks within a Guild
Deus Vult
Saladin the Magnificent
King Richard the Lionheart of England
Magna Carta – the great charter led the rise of England legal practices guaranteeing
rights of people and limiting the powers of the monarch.
Curriculum Questions
How did the Dark Ages begin ( the rise in European feudalism)?
How did the Church preserve knowledge during the Dark Ages?
What led to the growth of towns and guilds?
What led to the rise of monarchies and the fall of feudalism?
What events led to the end of the Middle Ages?
What were the Crusades?
What were the motives for joining the Crusades for peasants, knights, lords, and clergy?
What happened during the First Crusades (the Peasants Crusade)?
What happened during the Second Crusades?
What happened during the Third Crusades (the Kings Crusade)?
What happened during the Fourth Crusades?
What happened to Constantinople during the Crusades?
What impact did the Crusades have on European Society?
Standards
During medieval times, serfs were the feudal classes which were tied to the land.
Feudalism limited trade in Western Europe.
Europe's diverse physical boundaries promoted a feudal society.
Early manor houses gave rise to feudal fiefs and castles.
Medieval English legal practices such as the Magna Carta led to democratic ideals.
The Reconquista was the Christian war to drive the Muslims out of Spain
The Crusades affected the economies of Europe because cloth, spices, and knowledge
brought back by the crusaders led to a greater interest in trade.
The monks preserved knowledge and books after the fall of the Roman empire.
The Church spread Roman ideals of justice and government into European society.
The Church unified the different feudal states under one religion.
During the medieval period of Europe, the political power of the kings and great nobles
was often limited by the actions of church leaders (bishops and priests).