Feudalism in Western Europe Aim/Goal: How did feudalism answer problems raised by the fall of the Roman Empire?
Feudalism in Western EuropeAim/Goal: How did feudalism answer problems
raised by the fall of the Roman Empire?
Fall of Rome
The fall of Rome in 476 A.D. changed the map of Europe.
The once great empire was replaced by hundreds of little kingdoms.
Collapse of the Central Government
During the Roman Empire, there was a central government. It made laws and had armies to protect people.
However, with the fall of Rome, the central government collapsed.
Hundreds of little kingdoms governed in its place.
Document #1
1. Historians called this time period the “Dark Ages,” because ____________
________________________________.2. Since many Europeans forgot what the Greeks
and Romans contributed and many people did not know how to read or write, who became the “teachers” to the people of Europe? The teachers became __________
_____________________________.
TheEarly
MiddleAgeswas a
dangeroustime.
Oh My…What are we going to do?
Document #2
3. Feudalism means ___________________________________________.Europeans created “feudalism” because
_______________________________________________________________________.
4. Self-sufficient means ____________________________________________. Give an example of someone you know who is
self-sufficient. ________________________.
Feudalism
Feudalism was the political, social, economic and military system of the Middle Ages.
In a feudal society, land is exchanged for military service and loyalty.
The ownership of land was the basis or power.
/SERFS/SERFS
LORDS/VASSALS
NO POWER, JUST HAS THE TITLE
People who owned land were called lords.
Lords gave land to lesserlords called vassals.A vassal had to obey
his lord and give militaryservice and loyalty to
his lord.
Lords
Peasants Needed Protection
Peasants were frightened.
They turned to landowners for protection.
Peasants offered their labor in exchange for protection.
These peasants were called serfs.
It was a dangeroustime to be a
peasant. Poorpeople turned
to rich landownerswith armies for
protection.
Serfs A serf was “bound to the land.”
He could not leave his lord’s land.
He was not a slave because he could not be sold.
But he was not free because he could not leave.
Assignment:
Write a paragraph explaining who you would want to be in the European feudal structure (King, Lord, Knight, Serf) and why?