FALL OF ROME
Name ONE cause of the fall of the Roman Empire.
Invasions, weak leadership, economic troubles, too large to control.
Describe life in Europe right after Rome fell.
Small, isolated villages; little trade; weak governments.
Who won the Battle of Hastings?
William the Conqueror (Normans).
Who is at the top of the feudal pyramid?
The king.
What is a manor?
A self-sufficient farming community.
What happened to Europe after Rome collapsed?
It became rural, isolated, and less safe
What is a kingdom?
A region ruled by a king.
What event does the Bayeux Tapestry show?
The Norman Conquest of England in 1066.
What is a vassal?
Someone who receives land from a lord in exchange for loyalty.
What does “self-sufficient” mean?
Able to produce everything needed without trade.
Name one invading group that contributed to Rome’s fall.
Visigoths, Vandals, Huns, Ostrogoths, Vikings
Name a challenge early kings faced.
Keeping control, defending territory, stopping invasions.
Why is the Bayeux Tapestry important?
It’s a primary source showing how the conquest happened.
What did knights provide to lords?
Military service.
Name one job peasants did on a manor.
Farming, milling, blacksmithing, tending animals, repairing buildings.
Why was Rome difficult to defend?
The empire was too large and expensive to protect.
Why was life more isolated in the Early Middle Ages?
Poor roads, danger from invaders, little long-distance trade.
Who did William defeat?
Harold Godwinson.
What did serfs owe the lord?
Labour, part of their crops, and loyalty.
Explain mutual obligation between lords and serfs.
Serfs farm the land; lords provide protection and a place to live.
TOWNS: Why did towns grow?
Increased trade and travel.
TOWNS: Name one job found in towns.
Baker, blacksmith, mason, weaver, shoemaker.
TOWNS: What did guilds do?
Protected workers, set prices, trained apprentices, ensured quality.
TOWNS: Give one difference between town life and manor life.
Towns had more freedom, more jobs, more trade, more noise; manors were isolated and farm-based with limited freedoms if you were low-class.
TOWNS: When did towns begin to emerge?
1000-1200 CE