1. Reasons for the Decline of Feudalism during the High Middle Ages

2. Decline of Feudalism--Crusades
Feudalism weakened after the Crusades:
Lords sold off some of their lands to raise money for Crusades
Pope lost respect because the Crusades were unsuccessful

3. Decline of Feudalism—Trade
Merchants saw new, exotic products as a result of the Crusades & began to trade them in Europe
Increased trade led to cities & weakened feudal relationships:
New opportunities for serfs
Kings gained power because they could tax the merchants

4. Decline of Feudalism—Black Death
In 1347, a trade ship arrived in Italy bringing cargo from China—on ship was disease called the Plague (Black Death)
Swept rapidly throughout Europe along trade routes

6. Steps for Spread of Bacteria:
The rat is infected with the bacteria
The flea gets on the rat and bites the rat, and through the rat’s blood the bacteria is contracted
Bacteria multiplies in the flea
Flea's gut gets clogged with bacteria
The flea bites a human, regurgitates blood into open wound
HUMAN is INFECTED!!

7. Flea full of Plague-Causing Bacteria

9. Modern-Day Images of the Plague!!
This is why your mother makes you clean your room!!

11. Here are some of the CRAZY ways they had to cure the Plague:
Bathing in human urine
Wearing of human excrement
Placing dead animals in the home
Use of leaches
Pomanders
Chop a snake up everyday
Try to fall asleep on the left side of the bed
Don't sleep during the day
Do not exercise
Do not eat any desserts

12. Decline of Feudalism—Black Death
Plague killed 25 million people in 5 years (1/3 of Europe’s population)
Plague would disappear, then reappear in the 1600s
Effects: wiped out 1/3 population, but those who survived could demand higher wages for labor because there were fewer people to do work—lower & middle classes gained more rights

14. 100 Year’s War

15. Decline of Feudalism—100 Years War
Beginning in 1337, England invaded France to take over lands that belonged to William the Conqueror (a Frenchman who ruled England in 1066)
Began 116 years of turmoil
But there were major effects of 100 Years War:

16. New Weapons
Longbow—6-foot bows that could fire length of 3 football fields (replaced feudal fighting technique of using exclusively knights on horseback)
Cannons—used Chinese technology of gunpowder to shoot 20-inch stone balls (replaced feudal practice of relying on castles for protection)

18. Nationalism
People looked at the King as a national leader fighting for the glory of the nation-state
English people were proud when England defeated France in battle; French people were proud when France defeated England in battle
England
France

19. Joan of Arc
England & France traded victories for 92 years, but in 1429 a young girl named Joan of Arc had a vision that she could lead France to victory
Under her leadership, France defeated England
BUT, Joan was captured & condemned to die by fire; Joan of Arc is considered a French hero & religious saint

21. The Hundred Years War
VS.
England
France

25. “Staircase” from Early to High Middle Ages
On the graphic organizer provided, describe the characteristics of the Early Middle Ages & the High Middle Ages
Think of as many reasons as possible for the shift from the Early to the High Middle Ages & create a separate staircase for each reason
The person/group with the most accurate “staircases” wins!!