1. Unit 2: What is the most important part of a society?
Today’s question:
what is the role of government? (part 2)

2. Today’s learning objectives:
Know:
That in the European Middle Ages, monarchies were the predominant form of government.
The political, social and economic roles of the monarchy in the European Middle Ages.
What heraldry is and the significance of some heraldic conventions.
Do:
Take notes on the role of the monarchy.
Study Canadian heraldry and coats of arms
Create your own heraldic crest
Critical Thinking Activities
Writing Skill Activities
Content Knowledge Activities

3. Once the Western Roman Empire fell (collapsed), who took over?
Critical Thinking Activities
Think On it:
Once the Western Roman Empire fell (collapsed), who took over?
Talk the students through the map, showing the different tribes that came into the former Western Roman Empire. Remind them that Rome controlled all this area- i.e. was the government. So, who took over once Rome was gone?
Critical Thinking Activities
Writing Skill Activities
Content Knowledge Activities

4. Minilecture: royal power
Content Knowledge Activities
During this section of the class, you should take notes on your notes page. Notes should be in your own words and neat (so you can read them later).
When the Western Roman Empire collapsed, some people say a “power vacuum” occurred, where there was no formal, organised form of government.
Over time, individual groups took control of certain lands and established monarchies, or kingdoms.
How did the map of Europe change from 500 C to 1300 CE?
Monarchies were established in what is now Europe.
The borders between kingdoms changed through peaceful agreement, conquering, war, etc.
Also can add: Especially in the Middle Ages, monarchs ruled with “divine right”.
Related terms: monarch, royalty, constitutional monarchy.
- this advanced over time, and it was these forming kingdoms that manors serviced
Critical Thinking Activities
Writing Skill Activities
Content Knowledge Activities

5. How was royal power demonstrated?
Content Knowledge Activities
Read pages in your text.
As you read, look for how the monarchies were powerful in the three categories of:
Social (culture, religion, language, trends)
Political (laws, government, relations with other monarchs)
Economic (jobs, currency/money, taxes, trade)
Might be a good time to prompt the students to remember the three categories

6. How was royal power demonstrated?
Content Knowledge Activities
Political
Centralised power
Replaced feudal courts with royal courts
Growing emphasis on written documents (regularised legal system and codes)
Rise of representative assemblies
Operated within the feudal contract
Social
Attempted to reduce influence of the aristocracy
Set important trends- i.e. Eleanor of Aquitaine
Beginnings of national identity and loyalty
Might be a good time to prompt the students to remember the three categories
Economic
Taxes
Agreements
Coordination under authority

7. How was royal power limited?
Content Knowledge Activities
Critical Thinking Activities
Roland pledges his fealty to Charlemagne
King John signing the Magna Carta June 15, 1215
Magna carta- pg 67 under King John (image linked)
Feudal contract (could relate to the notion of social contract today) (image linked)

8. How was royal power symbolised?
Content Knowledge Activities
How was royal power symbolised?
What are symbols?
Images that stand in for a concept, idea, company, product, person.
Cause/prompt us to remember the concept, idea, company, product, person.
May be used to encourage us to think, act, feel or respond in a certain way.
What are some examples of symbols in your life?

9. For each symbol a) identify b) record your reaction3 2 1 8 5 4 7 6

10. How was royal power symbolised?
Content Knowledge Activities

11. How was royal power symbolised?
Content Knowledge Activities
"First use of heraldry in Canada. Jacques Cartier raises the Arms of Francis I of France at Gaspe in 1534."
How was royal power symbolised?
Heraldry is a short-hand of history
Used to identify knights whose faces were obscured by armour.
Granted by the sovereign to one person.
Symbolically represented allegiances and identity.
Prompt to add soveriegn to vocab words

12. Canada
British Columbia
Rt. Hon. Michael Jean
City of Vancouver

13. Content Knowledge Activities

14. Who was it?
Critical Thinking Activities
What symbols are represented in this example and what do they mean?
Is there a theme or message portrayed from the combination of symbols?
How is this coat of arms a “short hand history” of the person, organisation or body represented?
Prompt to add soveriegn to vocab words
Supporting documents giving background of the individual/location

15. Who are you?
Introduce assignment, supporting documents

16. Put the pieces together
What is the purpose/role of government?
What are responsibilities of governments?
What are different types of governments?
How is the Canadian government organised today?
What functions did monarchies fulfill in the Middle Ages in Europe?
How were monarchies limited in their power in the Middle Ages in Europe?
What are ways that royal power was communicated?

17. Today’s learning objectives:
Know:
That in the European Middle Ages, monarchies were the predominant form of government.
The political, social and economic roles of the monarchy in the European Middle Ages.
What heraldry is and the significance of some heraldic conventions.
Do:
Take notes on the role of the monarchy.
Study Canadian coats of arms
Create your own heraldic crest
Critical Thinking Activities
Writing Skill Activities
Content Knowledge Activities