1. An Introduction to the Middle Ages and Geoffrey Chaucer
English 12 & English 12 Advanced
Woodland Hills High School
Mr. Brown
By Dr. Moschetta

2. Warm Up
If you lived around the year 1350, what job do you think you would have?
Why?
2-4 sentences

3. Warm Up
Grab a “guided notes” Introduction to the Middle Ages and Geoffrey Chaucer worksheet from the back of the projector cart.
Try and fill in the first section

4. Literature from This Unit
The Canterbury Tales
By Geoffrey Chaucer
“Father of English Poetry”
First author to write in English (Middle English) [previously Latin]
Educated
Government official – work took precedence over writing
Worked on Canterbury Tales for 22 years; never finished

5. The Middle Ages – Norman Invasion
1066 – Duke William of Normandy
One-day long battle
Defeated and killed King Harold of England
William felt entitled to the English throne (Edward, previous king, left no heirs)
Combined Norman emphasis on law and order with Anglo Saxon democracy and culture

6. Feudalism Caste system (social class) Military system Property system
System of social behavior
Top of the Ladder: William the Conqueror
Barons, vassals, lower vassals, landless knights, serfs

7. City Classes
Eventually many people left the country and moved to the cities
City classes not defined by the feudal system
Upper, middle, lower
Middle class = merchant class who could afford what they wanted

8. Knighthood and Chivalry
Chivalry was a system of ideals that governed knights
Loyalty to overlord
Rules of warfare
Adoration of a lady

9. Crusades & Hundred Years’ War
Series of religious wars to spread Christianity throughout Europe
Struggle against Muslims
Ultimately a failure
Europe benefited from contact with higher civilization of Middle East
Hundred Years’ War
Battles between England and France
Lasted over 100 years ( )
Feud stemming from Norman Invasion
Militarily unsuccessful for Britain; did increase sense of nationalism

10. Black Death Highly contagious plague
Spread through cities from fleas of infested rats
Killed 1/3 of people in England
Gave more power to people in lower classes
Caused labor shortage
Lower class workers willing to work could negotiate wages and working conditions

11. Martyrdom of Sir Thomas a Becket
Thomas was a Norman who had great power in England as well as Catholic church (prime minister and Archbishop)
Sided with the Pope rather than the King
King Henry II (half joking) said he wanted Thomas put to death
Henry’s knights killed Thomas in the cathedral at Canterbury

12. Martyrdom of Sir Thomas a Becket
Saint Thomas the Martyr
Made a saint and martyred by a cult following who opposed the king
People made pilgrimages to Canterbury to honor Saint Thomas’s memory
The Canterbury Tales are a fictional collection of stories from a group of people making this pilgrimage to Canterbury

13. Homework Read and outline: “Development of English” p90-91
“From Canterbury Tales” p92-93

14. Worst Jobs in History Middle Ages jobs
(part 1)
(part 2)