A New Era
This historical era, also known as the medieval period, refers to the ten centuries that followed the fall of Rome.
The Middle Ages
These were communities where religious men called monks lived together according to spiritual beliefs
monasteries
This King of the Franks was also known by this name, which translates to "Charles the Great".
Charlemagne
In the feudal system, this is the name of the plot of land given by a king to a lord in exchange for loyalty and service.
fief
To grow more food for a rising population, medieval farmers began using this heavy agricultural tool.
the heavy plow
The Western Roman Empire fell in 476 CE after decades of invasions by these groups.
Germanic tribes
In a time when public schools were extremely rare, monasteries served as centers of these two things.
learning and education
Charlemagne was crowned emperor of this brand new empire in the year 800 CE.
The Holy Roman Empire
A lord who received land from a ruler became the king's vassal by swearing this oath.
swearing to fight for him
This is the term for a field that has been plowed but left unplanted for a season to restore the soil's natural nutrients.
fallow
Led by the pope, this was the only major institution to survive the fall of Rome, providing structure and headquarters in major cities.
The Church
Monks saved medical texts and religious works from being lost to history by performing this slow, careful hand-written task.
copying them
Charlemagne is highly remembered for unifying this portion of the European continent into a period of unity and strength.
western Europe
These were heavily armed soldiers on horseback who served the medieval rulers.
knights
Craftspeople, such as blacksmiths, weavers, and bakers, formed these groups to set trade rules and ensure high-quality work.
guilds
These are the three main groups of people that shaped life in medieval Europe.
The Church (clergy), the aristocracy (nobility), and the commoners
These are beautiful books decorated by hand with designs, gold, silver, and bright colors.
illuminated manuscripts
Although he loved learning and recognized the importance of books, Charlemagne never actually learned to do this.
read
Most lords lived on a large estate centered around this structure, which functioned like a self-sufficient small village.
manor house
Unlike self-sufficient manors, medieval towns were full of these specialized tradespeople.
blacksmiths, weavers, and bakers
This vocabulary term refers to the upper or noble class in medieval society whose wealthy status was usually inherited.
The aristocracy
This is the name for religious women who formed spiritual communities similar to monks
nuns
Charlemagne valued education so highly that he brought this group of people together to help make copies of books.
scholars
These bound agricultural workers had to spend most of their time farming the lord's land and giving him a portion of their food.
serfs
Under medieval custom, a serf who lived in a free town for this exact length of time without being caught became permanently free.
a year and a day