William was the illegitimate son of the previous Duke of Normandy and the cousin of the English king Edward the Confessor. Edward died childless and was replaced by Harold, the earl of Wessex William claimed Edward had promised him the throne He decided to invade England to seize what he believed was right- fully his

Occurred in October 1066, after a battle near Hastings, England. Duke William of Normandy defeated King Harold of England William the Conqueror The Normans brought their language and culture and had a profound influence on England

The Norman rulers in England formed a small elite class French became the language of prestige William divided the land seized from English land- owners among his own followers They established the social system known as feudalism in England

After William the Conqueror triumphed at the Battle of Hastings, England changed because of its a. Defeat of the Germanic tribes. b. Adoption of the Norman social system. c. Acceptance of the superiority of Anglo-Saxon culture. d. Emergence as the leading European political power.

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The feudal system included a sense of form and manners that permeated the life of the Middle Ages. Boys from the serf class were trained to be of military service to their lords When training was complete, boys were knighted and given the title “sir”, as well as the full rights of the warrior caste Knighthood required a strict adherence to the chivalric code - a set of rules involving loyalty and respect towards women

Feudalism’s religious concept of hierarchy featured a. A caste system of overlords, vassals and serfs b. Strict treatment of knights in training c. An emphasis on international warfare d. Romantic attitudes towards women

Women had no political rights and had to be subservient to their husbands, brothers, or fathers The degree of respect she was given was based solely on her husband’s or father’s social standing They might be allowed to manage the estate when their husbands were away on business or war, but had to relinquish all control upon his return Their lives focused on childrearing and domestic duties

The Chivalric code required that knights be deeply loyal to their overlords and observe certain rules of warfare Adoring a particular lady (not necessarily one’s wife) was a means of achieving self-improvement Through courtly love, a knight might wear a lady’s colors in battle, speak highly of her and be inspired by her, but would never cross the line to damage a lady’s honor The lady was always admired from afar – always beyond reach

In the Middle Ages, women of rank a. Had political rights concerning domestic affairs b. Were never allowed to manage their husband’s estates c. Held social positions determined by the status of their husbands or fathers d. Improved their social positions through negotiation

As populations grew, more people began living in towns and cities These cities would eventually render the feudal system obsolete The development of a merchant class established a system of lower, middle, and upper classes for the first time in England The Middle class developed their own art; it was not aristocratic but it was “people’s art”, such as the ballad and the mystery play

The growth of cities in the Middle Ages led to all of the following except a. A revival of courtly love and a system of chivalry b. The development of lower, middle, and upper classes c. The rise of “people’s art” such as the ballad and the mystery play d. The eventual collapse of the European feudal system

The Crusades were a series of wars waged by European Christians against Muslims from They were fighting for the rights to Jerusalem and the Holy Land Even though Europeans ultimately failed to hold Jerusalem, they benefitted enormously from contact with the higher civilization of the Middle East Eastern mathematics, astronomy, architecture and crafts greatly enriched European civilizations

The Crusades influenced everyday life in England by a. Causing writers to publish in many different languages b. Exposing the English to other civilizations c. Recapturing Jerusalem for the Christians d. Affecting the creators of the Magna Carta

During most of the Middle Ages, all Christians belonged to the Church of Rome Even the king of England was subordinate to the Pope The power of the Church led to corruption and abuse One positive effect of the medieval Church was that it fostered cultural unity between the otherwise very different cultures of Europe

Thomas à Becket was the archbishop of Canterbury (head of the Roman Church of England) during the reign of King Henry II Becket took the pope’s side during disputes, infuriating the king After he raged, “Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest?” Four of King Henry’s knights took him literally and murdered Becket in his own cathedral Public outrage over the murder made Thomas à Becket a martyr and created a backlash against Henry

This event actually strengthened the people of England’s loyalty to the Church of Rome Thomas à Becket was eventually made a saint, and it was to his cathedral in Canterbury that the pilgrims of Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales were traveling

The 1170 martyrdom of Thomas a Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury, led to a. Hardships for the common people of England b. The establishment of a new religion c. Changes within the Church of Rome d. Greater power for the Church of Rome

The signing of the Magna Carta by King John in 1215 heralded a return to older, democratic tendencies in England It took away some of the Church’s power over government It still gave few rights to commoners, but did establish trial by jury and legislative taxation

The signing of the Magna Carta by King John at Runnymede signaled the a. Alliance of the English barons with Pope b. King’s heightened power over the people c. Aristocrats’ interest in the rights of commoners d. Renewal of older, democratic ideals

Fought between England and France because two English kings – Edward III and Henry V tried to lay claim to the French throne England was unsuccessful The war was an important factor in the gradual development of a British national consciousness

The bubonic plague struck England in Spread from fleas from infected rats Reduced England’s population by one-third Impacted feudalism because with fewer workers available, the ones who remained had more leverage over their overlords

The Black Death ultimately resulted in a. Increased attention to problems of health and hygiene b. Freedom for the serfs and greater power for the lower classes c. Victory for the Lancasters over the Tudors d. The reemergence of Anglo-Saxon religious practices