1. Social Classes in World History
Several important social classes in history

2. Medieval Europe 500 AD to 1500AD
Social Classes
Medieval Europe (the Middle Ages) had a social class based called “Feudalism”
Feudalism was the political, economic, and social interaction of upper class knights and nobles with lower class peasants and serfs, all who lived on manors.
Feudalism is also the political and social interaction of the upper class nobles only.

3. Medieval Europe 500 AD to 1500AD
Medieval Europe (the Middle Ages) had a social class based called “Feudalism”
Feudalism was the political, economic, and social interaction of upper class knights and nobles with lower class peasants and serfs, all who lived on manors.
Feudalism is also the political and social interaction of the upper class nobles only.

4. MEDIEVAL LIFE Cooperation and Mutual Obligations
FEUDALISM: POLITICAL SYSTEM
Decentralized, local government
Dependent upon the relationship between members of the nobility
Lord and his vassals administered justice and were the highest authority in their land
MANORIALISM: ECONOMIC SYSTEM
Agriculture the basis for wealth
Lands divided up into self-sufficient manors
Peasants (serfs) worked the land and paid rent In exchange for protection
Barter the usual form of exchange
KING
LORDS (VASSALS TO KING)
KNIGHTS (VASSALS TO LORDS)
Fief and Peasants
Military Aid
Food Protection Shelter
Food Protection Shelter
PEASANTS (SERFS)
Pay Rent
Farm the Land
Homage
Military Service
Loyalty

5. Feudalism
A political, economic, and social system based on loyalty and military service.

6. The Feudal System
Under the feudal system, the king awarded land grants or fiefs to his most important nobles and knights in return for their loyalty and contribution of soldiers for the king's armies.

7. Feudalism:
Manor: estate
Noble: wealthy warrior land owner
Lord: noble. head of manor
Knight: nobles who were warriors
Vassal: noble who serves a lord
Peasants: lower class farmers
Serf: peasants who bound to the land owned by the lord of the castle, they could never leave the manor they lived on; much of their income went to the lord; no chance to change your life if you were a serf; no way to work your way up; no time for theater, etc.
Hierarchical system in which every noble is another noble’s vassal (servant)
Land was exchanged for military service

8. Feudalism KINGS: Kings at top of hierarchy
As God’s deputy on earth (“divine right of kings”), can’t question the king’s authority
BARONS:
Important noblemen
Rich and powerful
Land was almost the only form of wealth; Currency money barely existed: Rank and power were determined by the amount of land you had.

9. Feudalism LORDS (KNIGHTS): BISHOPS:
first and foremost a lord was a knight by profession: provided men and arms for baron and king.
Also often raided each others’ properties.
Chivalry: medieval institution of knighthood; qualities idealized by knights— bravery, courtesy, honesty
BISHOPS:
Of the church
Were often of equal power to barons; had property and wealth
Fief [feef]: grant of land given directly by the king; in return, nobelmen gave the king soldiers in wartime.

10. Nobles and Vassals
Nobles divided their land among the lesser nobility, who became their vassals. Many of these vassals became so powerful that the kings had difficulty controlling them.

11. The Lord of the Manor
For safety and defense, people in the Middle Ages formed small communities around a central lord or master.

12. Feudalism: FREEMEN: FREEMEN: Free Peasants
owned their own land independently of a lord
In early feudalism, freemen were limited to the LORDS’ APPOINTED OFFICIALS, and A FEW MERCHANTS AND CRAFTSMEN (much more in later middle ages as economy changed).

13. Feudalism: SERFS
SERFS/VILLEINS: Peasants who were not free to leave their home.
Lived on the lord’s manor.
Peasants’ work: EVERYTHING—land, animals, animals’ dung, homes, clothes, BELONGED TO THE LORD OF THE MANOR.
Couldn’t leave the manor property without permission
More than 90% of the population were peasants or slaves, according to the Domesday Book (pronounced Dooms-day, and DOES mean that; suggests it is a definitive census).

14. The Serfs
At the lowest level of society were the serfs, also called serfs or villeins.
The lord offered his peasants protection in exchange for living and working on his land.

15. Hard Work & High Taxes
Peasants worked hard to cultivate the land and produce the goods that the lord and his manor needed.
They were heavily taxed and were required to relinquish much of what they harvested.

16. Bound by law and custom…
It is the custom in England, as with other countries, for the nobility to have great power over the common people, who are serfs. This means that they are bound by law and custom to plough the field of their masters, harvest the grain, gather it into barns, and thresh and winnow the grain; they must also mow and carry home the hay, cut and collect wood, and perform all manner of tasks of this kind Jean Froissart, 1395 

17. Feudalism
A political, economic, and social system based on loyalty and military service.

18. How to become a Knight
KNIGHT
SQUIRE
PAGE

19. Chivalry: A Code of Honor and Behavior of knights

20. The Manor
Most people lived on a manor, which consisted of the castle (or manor house), the church, the village, and the surrounding farm land.

21. The Medieval Manor

22. Life on the Medieval Manor
Serfs at work

23. Self-Sufficiency
Each manor was largely self- sufficient, growing or producing all of the basic items needed for food, clothing, and shelter.
To meet these needs, the manor had buildings devoted to special purposes, such as:
The mill for grinding grain
The bake house for making bread
The blacksmith shop for creating metal goods.

24. Question 6
What is the difference between feudalism and serfdom?
Feudalism ties people to the land but serfs can move around freely.
Feudalism is an agreement between upper class individuals and serfs, who are lower class peasants.
Serfs are able to own land if they serve in the army but feudal lords must pay their soldiers.
None. They are different terms for the same thing.

25. Medieval Japan 500 AD to 1500AD Social Classes
Medieval Japan also had a social class based on “Feudalism” like Europe, but also on Chinese “Confucianism”
Feudalism was the political, economic, and social interaction of upper class knights and nobles with lower class peasants.
Confucianism was a Chinese philosophy which stressed respect for elders and for authority. It also emphasized education.

26. The emperor reigned, but did not always rule!
Feudal Society

27. Feudalism
A political, economic, and social system based on loyalty, the holding of land, and military service Japan:
Shogun
Land - Shoen
Loyalty
Land - Shoen
Daimyo
Daimyo
Loyalty
Samurai
Samurai
Samurai
Food
Protection
Peasant
Peasant
Peasant
Peasant

28. Japanese Feudal Society
Name
Characteristics
Samurai
Warriors. Could carry two swords. Had power of life and death. Were also educated and did government jobs
Peasants
Due to Confucianism respect for farming, peasants were the second highest class. They could own land and produce food, but were not allowed to own swords.
Artisans/Craftsmen
Artisans had skills to make useful items, such as furniture, pottery, jewelry, bread, or any other items. They could make more money than peasants, but could not own land.
Merchants
Merchants were the lowest class and were hated because they seemed to cheat others. They did not make anything, only sold what others made.

29. Japanese Feudal Society
Other Vocabulary
Definition
Emperor
Not really the leader of japan. More like a religious leader. Similar to the Pope in Europe
Shogun
Real military leader of japan. Like the king in Europe.
Daimyo
Wealthy nobles and land owners. They employed samurai
Samurai
Warrior knight and government workers who were employed by daimyo

30. Shogun Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536-1598)
Unifies Japan
Creates strict social class. Samurai top, but cannot own land
Tries to invade Korea, but fails.

31. Toyotomi Hideyoshi
Four-class system laid down with marriage restricted to members of the same class! 
Top class: Samurai. Can carry swords but not own land
Second Class: Farmers. No swords, but can own land
Third Class: Artisans, made things.
Bottom class: Merchants. Very low. Like modern drug dealers

32. Full Samurai Attire

33. Full Samurai Attire
Two swords: katana (long sword) and wakisashi (short sword).
Long bow: yumi
Light, flexible, armor: yori
Helmet: kabuto

34. Samurai Sword

35. Early Mounted Samurai Warriors: mainly archers. Mongols anyone?

36. Samurai Charging with Yari (spear with sword head)

37. Seppuku: Ritual Suicide if a samurai lost honor or was disloyal
Kaishaku – his “seconds”
It is honorable to die this way.

38. Feudalism in Europe
A political, economic, and social system based on loyalty, the holding of land, and military service European Feudalism:
King
Land - Fief
Loyalty
Land - Fief
Lord
Lord
Loyalty
Knight
Knight
Knight
Food
Protection
Peasant
Peasant
Peasant
Peasant

39. Medieval Warriors vs
Japanese Samurai
European knight

40. Medieval Warriors
vs.
Samurai Armor
Knight’s Armor

41. Hiroshima Castle

42. Japanese Peasants

43. Japanese Village and Rice Paddies

44. Japans Native Religion: Shinto
Shinto (神道) is the indigenous religion of Japan. It is a set of practices to establish a connection between the living and spirits (kami) which inhabit everything.
Japanese emperors were the head of Shinto (like the Pope in Western Europe) and they performed the most important Shinto rituals.
Amaterasu

45. Shinto
Shinto Priests and archery

46. Japanese borrowed Religion: Zen Buddhis
A Japanese variation of Buddhism, which came from India through China.
It reinforced the Bushido values of mental and self-discipline.

47. Zen Buddhism
Seeks sudden enlightenment through meditation, arriving at emptiness .
Samurai followed Zen because it required intense concentration, just like warfare did.
Beauty, art, and aesthetics:
Gardens.
Archery.
Tea ceremony.
Calligraphy.

48. Zen Buddhism
Intense concentration doing activities in a precise manner can trigger sudden enlightenment.