Medieval Basics
What was another name for the Medieval period?
The Middle Ages
What was a poor rural farm worker called?
peasant
What type of work did most people do?
Farming
What religion shaped most of Medieval European life?
Christianity
Where did people buy and sell goods?
Markets
About how long did the Medieval period last?
About 1,000 years
Who granted land to nobles?
Kings
Name one common food eaten by peasants.
Bread, porridge, vegetable soup, beans, onions or cabbage
What were the taxes collected by the Church called?
Tithes
Name one type of medieval craftsperson.
Blacksmith, baker, weaver or carpenter
What major event around 476 CE marks the beginning of the Medieval period?
The collapse of the Western Roman Empire
What was the main purpose of castles?
Defence/protection
What materials were commonly used to build peasant homes?
Timber, mud/clay and straw
Give one important job performed by monks or nuns.
Caring for people, copying books, preserving knowledge, etc.
What were guilds?
Groups formed by craftspeople to protect their trade
Why is this period called the Middle Ages?
Historians saw it as the period between Ancient Greece/Rome and the Renaissance
Explain the relationship between lords and peasants.
Peasants worked land owned by lords and could receive land/protection in return
Why could poor weather cause serious problems for Medieval families?
Crop failure could cause food shortages and hunger
Give two ways the Church influenced Medieval society.
Religion, education, laws/rules, land ownership, taxes, influence over rulers, etc.
Why did towns become increasingly important during the Medieval period?
Trade increased and markets/crafts developed
Give two reasons why describing the Middle Ages only as a “dark” period is misleading.
Towns/trade grew; universities/cathedrals developed; farming improved; inventions emerged; government/law changed, etc.
Explain how land, loyalty and protection were connected in Medieval society.
Kings gave land to nobles; nobles/lords controlled estates; peasants worked land; knights provided military service/protection
Compare the diet of a poor peasant with a wealthy person.
Peasants mainly ate basic foods such as bread/porridge/vegetables, while wealthy people had more meat, spices, wine and variety
Why was the Church powerful beyond simply providing religious services?
It owned land, collected tithes, influenced rulers, education and communities
Explain how merchants, markets and craftspeople helped Medieval towns grow.
Merchants brought goods, markets enabled trade and craftspeople produced specialised products, increasing economic activity