1. Experiencing European Feudalism

2. Experiencing European Feudalism
You are members of European society during the 12-century (A.D to 1199)…
Answer the following two questions in your folder. Be sure to date and label your entry.
Define loyalty in two or three sentences.
Describe a situation in which it is important for someone to be loyal.

3. Experiencing European Feudalism Activity 3.1
After the fall of Rome there were various waves of barbarians who attacked Europe from every side except the west, where the Atlantic ocean protected the continent.
Most feared were the invaders who sailed down from Scandinavia (Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland now) in the north to raid the coasts of England, Ireland, and France.
These fierce warriors were known as Norseman, Vikings, or Danes
They stole everything they could carry off and destroyed what they could not.
Because there was no central government to provide protection against these invasions people looked to powerful lords and bands of knights for security.
Though notorious for their fearsome Viking raids, Scandinavians were also farmers and craftsmen. Find out more about this complex society that began in Norway, Sweden and Denmark and spread to Iceland, Greenland, Russia, much of Europe and even the Americas.

4. Experiencing European Feudalism
Read the background information you’ve been given in your medieval scroll. This is the description of the role you are playing—either monarch, lord, knight, or serf. Read your information at least twice until you are familiar with it.

5. Experiencing European Feudalism
Read the background information you’ve been given in your medieval scroll.
It is time for your monarch to assume the throne. Please take your throne monarch. As a feudal society, it is your duty to respectfully watch your monarch take up his/her duties.

6. Experiencing European Feudalism
Read the background information you’ve been given in your medieval scroll.
Please take your throne monarch.
Serfs go to your manor. Look for the labels. Bind yourself to your manor. You do this by sitting on the floor and holding a table leg at all times with one hand or tying your shoelace to the table leg. You will remain bound to the land for the rest of this activity. There is nothing that can be done to change your destiny.

7. Experiencing European Feudalism Activity 3.1
Read the background information you’ve been given in your medieval scroll.
Please take your throne monarch.
Serfs go to your manor. Bind yourself to your manor.
Lords (4) approach your monarch in a respectful manner.
Kneel before your monarch—this is your duty as a lord.
Make your request using these words—”Oh powerful monarch, I humbly request land for my family”– to your monarch
Monarch, dictate the fealty oath to each of the lords.
Lords, repeat the fealty oath “In taking this oath of fealty, I swear to be loyal to you all the days of my life, and I swear never to make war against you.”
Monarch tear off “Fief Tokens” from your medieval scroll and give one to each lord.

8. Experiencing European Feudalism Activity 3.1
Read the background information you’ve been given in your medieval scroll.
Please take your throne monarch.
Serfs go to your manor. Bind yourself to your manor.
Lords take fealty oath and receive fief tokens granting land and manors from monarch.
Lords go to your manors as designated on the Fief token given to you by your monarch
Lords sit on top of the table of your manor.
Tell your serfs the following… “I have allowed you to live on and farm the land of my manor. In exchange for this privilege, you must give me a large portion of the food you have grown. In return, you can farm and live on this land safely, as I promise to protect you from harm. Give me three food tokens now.”
Serfs—you must give your lord three of your four food tokens. If you refuse you will lose all points for this activity and you will be unprotected against barbarians.

9. Experiencing European Feudalism Activity 3.1
Read the background information you’ve been given in your medieval scroll.
Please take your throne monarch.
Serfs go to your manor. Bind yourself to your manor.
Lords take fealty oath and receive fief tokens granting land and manors from monarch.
Lords exchange promises with serfs for food tokens.
Knights, you now must go from lord to lord to try to gain permission to live on a manor. You must find a place to live and food to eat in exchange for your military service. Lords, you must have military protection for your manors.
Lords, you will offer food tokens—as many as you think are necessary—for the knight’s military service
Knights, you are free to choose which manor you want to live on.
Once negotiations are concluded and you have chosen your Lord , you must kneel on the floor next to your Lord until all the other knights have found their lords.
Lords, you will give the fealty oath to the knights. “In exchange for food and land given to me, I promise to always be loyal to you. I swear to fight to the death in defense of this manor and the kingdom.”
Knights, you must repeat the oath to your Lord.

10. Experiencing European Feudalism
Read the background information you’ve been given in your medieval scroll.
Please take your throne monarch.
Serfs go to your manor. Bind yourself to your manor.
Lords take fealty oath and receive fief tokens granting land and manors from monarch.
Lords exchange promises with serfs for food tokens.
Knights, you now must go from lord to lord to try to gain permission to live on a manor. You must find a place to live and food to eat in exchange for your military service. Lords, you must have military protection for your manors.
Lords, knights, and serfs remain at your manors and monarch on your throne, while holding a debriefing session on what you’ve learned about the feudal system today.

11. Experiencing European Feudalism Activity 3.1
Discussion Questions
How does it feel to be a monarch? A lord? A knight? A serf?
How does it feel to be born into a role you could not change?
What are the basic needs of all the groups? Who provided the land? The military protection? The food?
In what ways are the lord, knight, and serf dependent on each other?
Why are loyalty oaths necessary? What would happen if someone broke their loyalty oath?
Who has the most power in this society? Who has the least?
What are some advantages of organizing society this way? disadvantages?
Why do you think western European societies developed this system after the fall of the Roman Empire?
What factor(s) do you think could destroy the security of this society?

12. Experiencing European Feudalism Activity 3.1
In your notes create a T-chart that compares your experience in this activity with what historians know about European feudal society. Be sure to date and label the chart. Put it in your file in the crate.
Classroom Experience
Historical Reality
Notes
Notes

13. Experiencing European Feudalism Activity 3.1
Classroom Experience
Historical Reality
role in activity randomly determined by teacher
students could not trade or switch roles
the student playing the monarch controlled all of the desks in the classroom
students playing lords received land tokens after kneeling at feet of the student playing the monarch
students playing serfs were required to tie their shoelaces to desks or hold a leg
students playing serfs had to give their food tokens to the lords
students playing knights promised to protect the manors of lords in exchange for food tokens
social class determined by birth
no social mobility
monarch controlled all of the land in the kingdom
monarch rewarded loyal supporters with land
serfs not free to leave lord’s manor
serfs produced food for manor
knights offered military services to lords in exchange for land and food

14. Experiencing European Feudalism Activity 3.1
Create an annotated diagram (drawing with labels) that describes feudal society in western Europe. The diagram should be labeled with these words: monarch, lords, knights, serfs, loyalty, and protection. Arrows should be used to show the relation ships that existed among the different social groups. Label this annotated diagram Feudal Social Hierarchy.

15. Experiencing European Feudalism Activity 3.1
Feudal Social Hierarchy
monarch
promised land to lords
promised to support monarch with knights
Provided serfs with land and protection
lords
provided knights with food and land
promised to fight for lord
knights
Produced food for the kingdom
serfs