Feudalism
This member of the feudal system holds land on behalf of a lord in exchange for military service.
Vassal
Why is the medieval period known for its farming?
New inventions and practices. Steel is used for plowing and new water/wind tech for power. Crop rotation practices improved.
Stained glass and flying buttresses are typical of this architecture style
Gothic
How is the black death spread biologically?
How did it spread so quickly throughout Europe?
Fleas on animals like rats, cats, etc.
Humans spread the disease along trade routes throughout the Mediterranean and Atlantic.
How was the feudal era a reaction to the invasion of nordic vikings?
Vikings invaded Europe for centuries and governments were not centralized enough to protect their people or land from invaders. Instead, feudal lords portioned off land to their vassals who would serve in the military in return. This ensured lands were protected when no central national military existed at the time.
Where did most towns begin during the medieval period?
Near rivers or seas where people met to exchange goods
Linked Europe between North and South
This architecture style predated gothic architecture. It featured large, stone buildings with small windows and dark interiors.
Romanesque
Who was blamed for the black plague and why?
Many people wrongly blamed Jews for the Black Death, which led to violence and persecution.
People didn’t understand germs or disease, so they looked for scapegoats to explain the tragedy.
How did Lords benefit from the feudal system?
Lord: owns land and is main law maker. After renting out fiefs to vassals, the Lord receives military support. The lord may also allow craftsmen to live on his land in order to receive their goods.
What is a guild?
Organization of workers of the same trade. Sets quality standards, protects one another, support one anothers economic interests
This word means "language of the people". For the first time in the middle ages, books began being printed in this (could be English, French, or Spanish)
Vernacular
Why did European cities get hit so hard with the plague?
Along trade routes, the cities were crowded and dirty and many people come from far away lands
Which level of the feudal system did most of society exist in? What was life like for most people?
The majority of people were peasants. Vassals allow the peasants to live on the land and in return the peasants to work and produce crops/goods. In times of danger, the vassal will protect the peasants with their army.
Why did guilds become more common in the mid and late middle ages?
European economies were booming. Due to Europe's location as a peninsula, it was ideal for trade. With an increase in trade and an increase in craftsmen/merchants, a need for common practices and protection became necessary
Where were some of the first universities founded and why?
Bologna, Paris, Oxford.
The church and wealthy leaders wanted to better educate those in government and authority in the church
How did the black death affect the European economy?
With so many people dying, there were fewer workers, so peasants gained power and feudalism declined
Many businesses and farms shut down, and trade slowed
Why was land the most important thing a lord could give a vassal?
More land = more power
Vassals used the land to collect food from peasant farms
What was the new “bourgeoisie” in cities?
- The new middle class in European society that emerged due to the growing economy
How did the shift into using vernacular languages (rather than Latin) in literature impact the lives of European people?
They could read books for the first time in a language they understood. Literacy rates increased
How long did the middle ages last *bonus question*
1000 years
The middle between the ancient and modern times