II. Life in the Country

A. Feudal nobles might have lived in a castle.

B. Women managed daily life in the manor house or castle.

C. Serfs lived in huts in villages and worked the land on the lord's estate.

D. The clergy often had relatively comfortable lives.

III. Life in the Town

A. After the Western Roman Empire fell, towns almost disappeared from Europe.

B. As trade revived, craftspeople and scholars left the country manor for towns where they could control their own work.

C. Craftspeople banded together with others of their trade to form guilds.

D. Many European Jews also lived in towns, becoming merchants or moneylenders.

IV. The Forces of Change

A. As feudal fiefs gained power in England, disagreements arose between King John and his lords.

B. Renouncing allegiance to John, a band of lords forced him to sign the Magna Carta.

C. The signing of the Magna Carta signaled the decline of feudalism.

Back to Lesson at a Glance