APW DBQ Practice

DBQ

Manorialism and Feudalism in Medieval

Europe

Aim: How did Manorialism and Feudalism come to dominate Medieval Europe?

Name

Historical Context: Europeans developed Feudalism and Manorialism as political and economic systems to promote alliances and relationships to support European societies during the Middle Ages.

Do Now: The Aim is based on the accompanying documents. As you read the documents, analyze the source of the document and the sources’ points of view. In addition, follow these steps: 1. Read over the Aim. What do you know already about this topic? How could you answer the Aim without any documents? 2. Read or look over each document carefully, and underline key phrases and words that address the Aim. In addition, use the margins to make notes. Answer the question(s) that follow each document before moving on to the next document. 3. Based on your answer to the first document, and on the information in the documents, draft a thesis that directly answers the Aim.

Aim: How did Manorialism and Feudalism come to dominate Medieval Europe?

Write down your initial answer here.

Document 1 detail of illustration

Image courtesy of Wikipedia

What activities most dominated life on a manor in Europe?

Why could the castle be important for this society?

Document 2 is an illustration of medieval society

What were the mutual obligations, as illustrated in this diagram?

Who benefitted the most from Feudalism? Who had the more intensive labor?

Document 3 is from the poem Piers Plowman, by the 14th century writer William Langland

What by spinning they save, they spend it in house-hire, Both in milk and in meal to make a mess of porridge, To cheer up their children who chafe for their food, And they themselves suffer surely much hunger And woe in the winter, with waking at nights And raising to rock an oft restless cradle…

Based on this excerpt, write down two problems that peasant families faced in Medieval Europe.

Document 4 is a map of barbarian invasions across Medieval Europe.

Map courtesy of Wikipedia and edited by All Things History Lesson Plans. City names and routes are approximate.

Why were the Viking, Magyar, and Muslim invasions perceived as threatening to Europe?

Document 5 is from the Homage Oath, as taken by John of Toul … I, Jolm of Toul, make known that I am the liege man of the lady Beatrice, countess of Troyes, and of her son, Theobald, count of Champagne, against every creature, living or dead, saving my allegiance to lord Enjorand of Coucy, lord John of Arcis, and the count of Grandpre. If it should happen that the count of Grandpre should be at war with the countess and count of Champagne on his own quarrel, I will aid the count of Grandpre in my own person, and will send to the count and the countess of Champagne the knights whose service I owe to them for the fief which l hold of them. But if the count of Grandpre shall make war on the countess and the count of Champagne on behalf of his friends and not in his own quarrel, I will aid in my own person the countess and count of Champagne, and will send one knight to the count of Grandpre for the service which I owe him for the fief which I hold of him, but I will not go myself into the territory of the count of Grandpre to make war on him...

What obligations did John promise to uphold, according to this document?

Document 6 is an excerpt of a poem, “In Praise of Combat”, from Bertran de Born, a French nobleman “And well I like a noble lord When boldly the attack he leads, For he, whenever he wields his sword, Inspires his men by his brave deeds, Their hearts with courage filling. When tides of Battles’ at the flood, Each soldier then, in fighting mood, To follow should be willing, For no man is accounted good Till blows he’s given and withstood.”

Write down what were de Born’s observations of warrior.

How did this passage support the Feudal concept of loyalty?

Expanded thesis:

Aim: How did Manorialism and Feudalism come to dominate Medieval Europe?

Draft your thesis statement here: