Feudal System
What was the main system of government and land ownership during the Middle Ages?
Feudalism
What were castles mainly built for?
Protection and defense
True or False: Peasants could move freely and change lords whenever they wanted.
False
In what year did the Western Roman Empire officially fall?
476 CE
What important period in European history began after the fall of Rome?
The Middle Ages
Who gave land to nobles or knights in exchange for loyalty and service?
The king
What was the role of knights in the feudal system?
To protect their lord’s land and serve in battle
What were the three main groups in medieval society?
Nobles, clergy, and peasants
Who was the last emperor of the Western Roman Empire?
Romulus Augustulus
Which group attacked Rome in 455 CE, and what modern word comes from their actions?
The Vandals – the word “vandalism”
What was the name of the land given to a noble by the king?
fief
Who managed the land and peasants when the lord was away?
The lady of the manor
What was one main duty of a vassal toward his lord?
Provide military service or loyalty
Which emperor divided the Roman Empire into Eastern and Western halves, and in what year?
Diocletian, in 285 CE
Who was the famous leader of the Huns?
Attila the Hun
Who worked the land and gave part of their crops to their lord?
Serfs or peasants
What was the center of religious life in a medieval village?
The church
What invention or change helped end feudalism in Europe?
The growth of towns, trade, or the Black Death
What was the capital city of the Eastern Roman Empire?
Constantinople
Who overthrew Romulus Augustulus in 476 CE?
Odoacer
True or False: Serfs were slaves and could be sold by their lords.
True
What was a “manor”?
The lord’s estate including land, village, and people who worked it
Describe one difference between the life of a noble and the life of a serf.
Nobles lived in luxury and had power; serfs worked the land and had few rights.
Which group sacked Rome in 410 CE, and who was their leader?
The Visigoths, led by Alaric
What were two internal problems that weakened the Roman Empire?
Political corruption and economic decline (or weak leadership, inflation)