Middle Ages: Invasions & Life in England (p. 64 - 65)

• Humanities
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 1

The Middle Ages 

Statement of Inquiry: The identity and development of past societies can be explored through the perspectives of the people who lived there.  

Key Concept: Time, place and space 

Related Concepts: Perspective, Identity 

Global Context: Fairness and development

How was society structured during the Middle Ages?

Goals of today:

And the end of today's class you...

 ...know which groups invaded England and how they battled in the Early Middle Ages (500 - 1066 CE) 

...understand how daily life in England during the Early Middle Ages was like.

Daily Life in England
during the
Early Middle Ages

Invasions

After the Romans had left in the 5th century, Britain was invaded by three groups of people:

• 500 - 700: The Anglo Saxons
• 700 - 1000: The Vikings 
• 1066 - 1100: The Normans 

Viking invasions map

The Bayeux Tapestry 

• In 1066, the Normans invaded England. 
• William the Conqueror successfully took over and became King.

• His conquest can be seen in the Bayeux Tapestry. 
• This tapestry shows the Battle of Hastings. 

Norman invasion map

William the conqueror

Life in England

• Mostly agricultural society 

• Transport by foot or horseback 

• Roads were in very bad condition 

• People's identity was based on their village

• Lords were important village members: they collected tax and lived in manors 

agricultural society

An agricultural society, also known as an agrarian society, is a society that constructs social order around a reliance upon farming. More than half the people living in that society make their living by farming

The manor

Manor houses were the homes of the nobility. The manor house was part of the manor, which included the farmlands, the village, peasants and serfs homes, and a church. Manor houses were large stone structures that resembled small castles.

Life in England

• There were punishments for people who did not pay taxes or broke the law
• To determine the punishment, a system called trial by ordeal was used

• Women played a subservient role

• The Catholic Church was infulencial in England, many churches and catherdrals 
• Pilgrimage was an important tradition for ones who could travel. 

Trial by ordeal

Trial by ordeal was a way to decide if someone is guilty or innocent of a crime. This was usually done by causing the accused person to do a task that was painful

subserviently

prepared to obey others without any questions 

pilgrimage

In the Middle Ages the Church encouraged people to make pilgrimages  to special holy places called shrines. It was believed that if you prayed at these shrines you might be forgiven for your sins and have more chance of going to heaven

0

Watch the video about the Bayeux Tapestry and answer the question.

Describe in about 50 words, what the Bayeux Tapestry depicts.

The Bayeux Tapestry was made to the orders of William's half brother Odo. What do you think the purpose of creating the Bayeux Tapestry was?

02:34

Which punishments have you just seen? Make a list of at least five punishments and order them by severity (gruwelijkheid).

True or False:
Transport in the Middle Ages was very slow, also on water since the boats were large.

1. True
2. False

True or False:
Giving the lack of mobility, people's lives were very much identified by the local area in which they lived.

1. True
2. False

True or False:
A manor is a simple house for a medieval farmer.

1. True
2. False

True or False:
Women were not able to choose their husband and had to work hard in farming as well as bringing up children.

1. True
2. False

True or False:
Canterbury in Kent in the north of England became an important pilgrimage site during the Middle Ages

1. True
2. False

Life in England was mostly [                    ] during the Middle Ages. Transport was very slow, but boats were a better means of moving around. [                   ] developed as towns and small cities. 

People stayed at their home for almost all their lives, so their    [                  ] was based on their village or town. 

The most important member of the village was [                    ], and he lived in a [                      ] or castle, taking care of taxes and law. People who did not obey were punished by a system of [                     ]. 

Religion played an important role in the daily life, many people went on [                        ] to churches, abbeys or cathedrals. 

manor

pilgrimage

Ports

law and order

agricultural

the lord

identity