Julia Burke

SLM-521

Web Dropin #4

July 3, 2009

Feudalism

(Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feudalism)

Throughout history, people have organized their societies in a variety of ways in order to deal with the characteristics of the environments within which their communities reside. The medieval period of European history is no exception.

Displaying a key element of the social construct known as feudalism, the picture above shows knights swearing fealty (loyalty) to their ruler. The focus of this activity is to explore the medieval social system of feudalism along with its companion economic system, manorialism.

Part One: Read the following web pages and answer the questions.

Mr. Dowling’s Feudalism Page http://www.mrdowling.com/703-feudalism.html

The Middle Ages: Feudal Life http://www.learner.org/interactives/middleages/feudal.htm

Feudalism (Sections: Feudalism, Overview, Characteristics) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feudalism

Manorialism http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manorialism

Feudalism and Manorialism http://www.uncp.edu/home/rwb/lecture_mid_civ.htm

(Scroll down to the “Feudalism and Manorialism” section)

The following image is retrieved from this site.)

1. What is meant by the term “feudalism”? (Give general definition)

2. How and why did feudalism develop?

3. Describe the characteristics of feudalism (three primary elements) and how they fit together.

4. What is meant by the term “manorialism? (Give general definition)

5. Explain how feudalism and manorialism complemented each other (worked together) to organize medieval society.

Part Two: Define the following terms and explain how each functions within the feudal and/or manorial system.

Fief lord

Demesne vassal

Primogeniture yeoman

Homage villein

Fealty serf

Part Three: A different perspective Read the following pages of the article “The F-Word—The Problem With Feudalism” by Melissa Snell; Page 1 http://historymedren.about.com/od/feudalism/a/feudalism.htm and

Page 7 http://historymedren.about.com/od/feudalism/a/feudalism_cont_2.htm and answer the following questions:

1. What are some of the limitations (problems) with using the term feudalism?

2. Why do medieval historians dislike the term feudalism?

3. Are all elements of the definition feudalism wrong? (Refer to this article as well as to the web pages in Part One)

4. What do you think? Is the term “feudalism” inaccurate? In every instance? Why or why not. Explain.

Part Four: Using the chart provided below, describe some of the reasons that the system of feudalism (or characteristics of feudalism) declined in Europe.

(Retrieved from http://www.thecorner.org/hist/maps/

Part Five: A Final Question

Can you think of any other reasons, not shown on this chart, that may have contributed to the disruption of medieval society? Explain.