Learn About The Middle Ages (Medieval times)

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Headlong charges into bloody battles

In the medieval times, many knights rode out to do battle. They made sieges on other castles, headlong charges into bloody battles, and defended their own castles against sieges. But knights weren't always so good at fighting. Knights had to pass long, hard, half boring hours of practice, practice, practice. First they had to be a page. If they did good they became a squire. If squires were worthy they were dubbed and became knights.

Monastics

The Catholic Church was very powerful. It owned vast tracts of land and developed a hierarchy to run its secular resources. Monasteries and abbeys flourished throughout Europe. The monks and nuns, most of whom were younger sons and daughters of wealthy Europeans, devoted their lives to prayer, study, and assisting the populace. However, they were not immune from worldly temptations such as adultery, bribery, and the siring of children.

Warriors

During Europe's medieval period, wealthy people hired armed men to protect their property and livelihood from thieves and rivals. These warriors over the centuries developed their own code of conduct, chivalry. Knights advertised their skills to prospective clients in tournaments. Motivated by wealth and faith, many knights and footsoldiers fought in battles near and far. Some fought to defend or to capture castles, while others traveled to the Near East to fight for Christianity in order to redeem their souls.

The vast majority of Europeans lived under the manorial system. They are now known as serfs.

Under the manorial system, serfs were obligated to perform agricultural labor for the head of the manor. In return, they were given a plot of land for themselves to cultivate. The tasks of a serf were regulated by the seasons.

Most serfs lived in houses, with walls made of mud and a roof made of straws. Although serfs had to pay taxes and give tribute to the lord of the manor, some serfs became wealthy from selling fruits and vegetables. Over the centuries, they formed a social class and some owned many properties.

School Time: A collage of links, news items and books designed to help with school.

Links

The Middle Ages cover about 1,000 years, from about 500 A.D. to about 1500 A.D. It began after the fall of the Roman Empire. There are many important aspects about the Middle Ages, but one of the most important aspects is the church and its role in the Middle Ages.

Build a Medieval Castle: Freeware (free software) from Owl and Mouse, suitable for classroom or home use.
Ghosts in the Castle: Take a virtual tour back through the medieval era. Explore a virtual castle, learn about the culture, and meet the people who once lived inside these ancient fortresses. From National Geographic.
The Medieval World: Collection of illustrated articles cover aspects of British history from 1066-1500. From Spartacus Internet Encyclopaedia.
The Electronic Passport to the Middle Ages: Guide for middle school students introduces the period. Also provides in-depth information about specific topics such as feudalism, the Vikings, the Byzantine Empire, and the bubonic plague.
Exhibits Collection - The Middle Ages: Interactive exhibit explores feudal life, homes, clothing, health, arts and entertainment, religion, and town life. Includes activities on cathedrals, clothing, art, and medical practices.
Life in the Middle Ages: A detailed look at Medieval people and their culture, as researched by fourth and fifth graders.
Food in the Middle Ages: Tells what people ate during the Middle Ages and describes medieval feasts.
Kids' Castle: A fictional, but historically accurate castle based on Nottingham Castle as it was in about 1480.
The Magna Carta: Translation from the Latin of the first version of the Magna Carta, signed by King John at Runnymede in 1215. Links to glossary and Latin original text.
The Magna Carta: This is the text of the Magna Carta, written in 1215 AD.
The Church in the Middle Ages: Lists information on churches during the Middle Ages. Also contains a description of several types of words relating to the churches.
The Middle Ages: This site from Pages Through the Ages includes geography, the crusades, diseases, feudalism, religion, contributions, Magna Carta, kings and Vikings.
History of the Incas: School project made for an eighth grade class provides a brief introduction to the civilization.
Shields, Knights and Heraldry: Freeware (free software) from Owl and Mouse suitable for classroom or home use.
Snayfwickby Castle: A tour of an imaginary castle and village with Lady Clare and Sir Claude. Created for first through third graders.
Castles for Kids: Links to sites that let kids learn how people in the middle ages lived, explore castles, and even build their own medieval creations.
What's So Important About 1066?: Three kings, two battles, and one comet--how did they change the course of history? This interactive site lets visitors work their way through what became known as the Norman Conquest.
Medieval Village Life: Features slides with information about medieval times such as manor life, farming, and the bubonic plague.
The Age of the Monasteries: Interactive maps, games and online tasks exploring the power of the monasteries in medieval England, focusing on the north-west counties of Lancashire and Cumbria.
Magna Carta: Source of Civil Rights: Links to primary sources, including an original copy of England's famous document, learn why King John signed the charter and what rights he granted.
Rights and Responsibilities in Medieval Guilds: Describes requirements for membership and the duties of merchants, craftsmen and bakers.
The Middle Ages: Created by St. Simon Peter Catholic Primary School, these illustrated articles written by students are all about life in the middle ages.
Middle Ages 2000: Student-created site on the Middle Ages. Contains information on cathedrals, castles, the Black Death, people, fashion, and daily life.
Magnificent Medieval Times: Elementary school students write about the daily life in Medieval times. Includes information on all people groups, from royalty to peasants.
A Journey Into Medieval Fiefdom: Learn about the social statuses, buildings, and houses of the middle ages.
Online Study of Medieval Times: Page lists activity sheets matched to specific Web pages for a study of medieval times.

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Medieval

Castles were primarily structures of war and were built in strife ridden lands. Thus, it was almost inevitable that they would come under attack. Because castles were made with such massive defense fortifications, it was extremely hard to destroy them. Thus, the goal of a siege army was not to destroy a castle, but to penetrate it. However, this task was also extremely hard. Sieges often lasted for months and could even last for years! Castles were protected by at least two walls, and often a moat. The defender's only hope was that either a friendly army would come to help them, or that they could somehow defeat the attackers by themselves.

NOVA: Medieval Siege

My boys enjoy this movie and cheer with the craftsmen as they launch their trebuchets. Excellent for teaching material on life in medieval times. Watch this and then view Peter Jackson's depiction of the attack on Minas Tirith in LOTR with new appreciation, since he shows the orcs with catapults and the city with trebuchets. Then buy "The art of the Catapult" and make your own (providing you have a large backyard and a helmit, of couse) We made our model with popcycle sticks.

Amazon Price: $17.99 (as of 12/15/2009)

Dark Age of Camelot Epic Edition

Amazon Price: (as of 12/15/2009)

What Life Was Like: In the Age of Chivalry : Medieval Europe Ad 800-1500

From School Library Journal
YA?A volume of stunning images of medieval people and places. Enlargements of figures from manuscripts, art reproductions, and photographs of artifacts and buildings are arranged on pages that alternate from ivory to parchment backgrounds. The text presents an overview of life in the Middle Ages through descriptions of noble and notable individuals such as Charlemagne, Heloise and Abelard, Thomas Becket, and William Marshal. A typical life story is charted for Abrahil the peasant, and the letters of the Italian townsman Francesco Datini and his wife Margherita reveal life within the rising middle class. The female sex receives attention in the well-known persons Hildegard von Bingen, Christine de Pisan, and Joan of Arc as well as in the section on childbirth and children. The book is divided into four chapters that center on the people of the church, the knightly class, peasants and rural landowners, and town dwellers. The coverage, while interesting and comprehensive, is traditional in its scope and is focused on the areas of England, France, and Italy.

Amazon Price: (as of 12/15/2009)

Medieval Times (If You Were There)

by: Antony Mason

Amazon Price: (as of 12/15/2009)

Time, Work, and Culture in the Middle Ages

by: Jacques Le Goff

The rise of oratores, bellatores, and laboratores

Amazon Price: $33.00 (as of 12/15/2009)

Learn About Google Earth ( My Passion )

Google Earth is a 3D graphics application enabling the viewing of aerial photography and satellite images to show views of the Earth from above in great detail. Google has taken the features Google Maps and merged it with the capabilities...

The Black Death

Culprit: Oriental Rat Flea

Dead littered the streets everywhere. Cattle and livestock roamed the country unattended. Brother deserted brother.

The Black Death was one of the worst natural disasters in history. In 1347 A.D., a great plague swept over Europe, ravaged cities causing widespread hysteria and death. One third of the population of Europe died. "The impact upon the future of England was greater than upon any other European country." (Cartwright, 1991) The primary culprits in transmitting this disease were oriental rat fleas carried on the back of black rats.
100 Hot Books On Amazon Canada

Merchant

Merchants arose when the population grew and manors could not accomodate everyone.

Many people resorted to carrying and selling their wares in places far away. Traveling merchants spurred the development of skilled artisans, whose products were sold in far away places.

Eventually, merchants and artisans organized and established towns to live and to do their business. Pestered by religious figures and lords of manors, these towns eventually bought their political and economic independence from monarchs.

To maintain prosperity, artisans formed guilds to ensure the quality of their products. Eventually, members of guilds became part of many towns' ruling body.

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Learn About The Middle Ages (Medieval times)

Headlong charges into bloody battles

Monastics

Warriors

Links

Medieval

The Black Death

Merchant

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