Feudal Fun
What problem in Europe made people turn to local lords for safety and leadership?
The collapse of central government after the fall of Rome.
What was the main goal of a monastery?
To pray, work, and preserve religious learning.
What four body fluids did doctors believe controlled health?
Blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile (the Four Humours).
What new tax angered English peasants in 1381?
The Poll Tax
What two religions most influenced Japanese beliefs and art during the medieval period?
Shintō and Buddhism.
In the feudal system, what did vassals promise to their lords in exchange for land?
Loyalty and military service.
What did people call the payment of one-tenth of their income to the Church?
A Tithe
Why were leeches and bloodletting used in treatments?
They were thought to restore balance to the humours.
Who was the young king during the Peasants’ Revolt?
King Richard II
Who held the most political power in feudal Japan while the emperor was mostly a symbolic leader?
The shōgun.
What kind of land did lords give to their vassals as a reward for service?
A fief.
How did the Church use art and architecture to inspire worshippers?
By building magnificent cathedrals filled with light and biblical imagery.
What type of person sold herbal remedies in towns and villages?
An apothecary.
What religious preacher taught that all people were equal before God?
John Ball
How were daimyō similar to European lords?
Both controlled land and commanded warriors in exchange for loyalty.
Why was social mobility (moving between classes) rare in the feudal system?
People were born into rigid social roles and couldn’t easily change their status.
What power did popes and bishops use to punish disobedient rulers?
Excommunication.
How did faith influence medicine during the Middle Ages?
Many believed sickness was God’s punishment and healing came through prayer.
How did the Peasants’ Revolt end?
The rebels were defeated and leaders executed, but serfdom later declined.
What were two key virtues in the Bushidō code?
Loyalty and honour (over life itself).
What major event or change led to the decline of feudalism in Europe?
The Black Death and growth of towns weakened the system.
Why did some people criticize the Church near the end of the Middle Ages?
Some clergy were wealthy or corrupt, leading to calls for reform.
What positive long-term effect did the Black Death have on Europe’s economy?
Higher wages and more demand for workers after population loss.
How did the Black Death help set the stage for the Peasants’ Revolt?
It created labour shortages and peasants demanded better wages and rights.
What was the purpose of Oni and Yōkai in Japanese stories and art?
They taught moral lessons and warned against evil or selfish behaviour.