1918

Experiencing Feudalism Page 19 Lesson 6

Lesson 6: Experiencing Feudalism L 18 W ARM- U P Now draw a scroll. On the bottom, define loyalty in your own words. Describe a situation, either from your own experience or from a news report, in which someone’s loyalty was very important. Just as loyalty can be important today among friends and family, in business, and in politics, promises of loyalty once helped to hold European society together after the fall of the Roman Empire. By creating the feudal system based on relationships, the western Europeans hoped to create political order and a stable form of leadership, as well as providing local protection and security from outside threats.

R 19 L EARNING T ARGET:  I can empathize with the different levels of the vassal-lord relationships that defined European feudal society. Lesson 6: Experiencing Feudalism WELCOME to The K ingdom of W esteros

Lesson 6: Experiencing Feudalism Your “birth” and position. The K ingdom of W esteros You are members of European society during the 11 th century. During this time, people were born into different classes. (Sit around the edge of the room and read your role card.) All hail the monarch of Westeros! (applaud) Your grace, ___, of the house ___, the first of his name.

Lesson 6: Experiencing Feudalism The K ingdom of W esteros “Serfs” were peasants who did not have the freedom to leave their lord’s land without permission. Step 1: Serfs go to your designated manors Go to your manor, sit on the floor, and hold onto one leg of a chair. You MUST always be in contact with one of the chairs of your “kingdom.” Begin producing food by neatly coloring in the seeds and cutting out the tokens.

Lesson 6: Experiencing Feudalism The K ingdom of W esteros Step 2: Lords, present yourselves before your king! (Lords come forward and “bend the knee” before the king) The king will select THREE of his lords to be his vassals. (Send the others to join the knights to watch silently) Vassals (lords) kneel respectfully before the king and say: Oh, powerful monarch, I humbly request land for my family.

Lesson 6: Experiencing Feudalism The K ingdom of W esteros Monarch, give each lord a fief (smaller kingdom) one at a time, and have him repeat the following oath: In taking this oath of loyalty, I swear to be loyal to you all the days of my life, serve you in as you command, and never make war against you. Monarch, tap the lord on the right shoulder than the left, and say “Arise sir ___.”

Lesson 6: Experiencing Feudalism The K ingdom of W esteros Step 3: Lords take command of your manor and collect payment from your serfs. Demand payment from your serfs by saying: I have let you live on and farm the land of my manor. In exchange you must give me a large portion of the goods you produce. In return, you can farm and live on this land safely. Take as many tokens (candy) as you desire but leave at least one piece for the serf. Note that if the serfs do not pay, they will be executed.

Lesson 6: Experiencing Feudalism The K ingdom of W esteros Step 4: Monarch demand payment from your lords by saying: I have let you live on and profit from the land of my kingdom. In exchange you must give me a portion of the goods you produce. (King decides how much each manor will pay).

Lesson 6: Experiencing Feudalism The K ingdom of W esteros Step 5: Knights seek land and food by offering military service to lords. Lords try to attract the knights you need to defend your manor by offering them payment and a place to live. You may offer a knight as many tokens (as much candy) as you wish, as long as you keep some for yourself. Knights decide which lords you will serve.

Lesson 6: Experiencing Feudalism The K ingdom of W esteros Knights kneel before their lord and repeat this oath: In exchange for the goods and land given to me, I promise to be loyal to you, to serve you as needed, and fight in defense of your manor, your kingdom, and your person. Pay your knights tokens (candy). Knights under the lord’s direction, build the WALLS of the manor (string, tape, and paper). 5 minutes!

Lesson 6: Experiencing Feudalism The K ingdom of W esteros Step 6: Monarch demands from his lords knights to serve as the “king’s guard.” Serfs continue working. Rest of the knights guard the manors.

Lesson 6: Experiencing Feudalism The K ingdom of W esteros Step 7: The manors are “attacked!” Monarch – watch as the different manors are attacked. Your guard protects you if you are attacked. Lords – try to calm the people at your manor as the attacks happen. Knights – use your shields (oak tag) to prevent the balls of paper from striking your lord or serfs in your manor. Anyone who is hit by a paper ball is dead and goes to the cemetery (you have been eliminated).

Debriefing the Activity Attach your Debriefing Sheet. Think about each question and answer each question as it applies to your experiences. R 19 Lesson 6: Experiencing Feudalism Debriefing the Experience 1.How did it feel to be a monarch? A lord? A knight? A serf? 2.In what ways were the lords, knights, and serfs interdependent? 3.Do you think loyalty oaths were necessary? What do you think would happen if someone broke a loyalty oath? 4.What are the benefits of this type of society? The challenges or drawbacks? 5.How well did feudalism establish order in Europe in the Middle Ages?

Debriefing the Activity R 19 Lesson 6: Experiencing Feudalism 1.How did it feel to be a monarch? A lord? A knight? A serf? 2.In what ways were the lords, knights, and serfs interdependent? 3.Do you think loyalty oaths were necessary? What do you think would happen if someone broke a loyalty oath? 4.What are the benefits of this type of society? The challenges or drawbacks? 5.How well did feudalism establish order in Europe in the Middle Ages?