1. Coat of Arms Purpose components Project description

2. Purpose If you think of the word “history” as actually a joining of the words “his” and “story”… perhaps that is the best place to start. In the past, very few people knew how to read or write. They were scattered across the countryside, living in tiny communities busily going about the requirements of their daily lives… farming and taking care of the livestock… if they were lucky enough to have any! Family was a very important concept. If all else failed on your farm, you were certain that you could always rely on your family to care for you. Your family name was extremely important… as was your pride in being a member of your family.

3. Stories of important family events and adventures were handed down from one generation to another… over campfires and warm hearths. A bit of exaggeration wove its way into the fabric of these stories as they were told and retold… Tales of family courage, bravery, cunning, and honor resulted over time. To help the children of these family clans or groups remember, pictures were drawn. These pictures represented the ideas behind the stories. Many times they included items from the environment and nature that stood for certain ideas. For example, a lion could represent strength or courage. Along with the pictures were the specific colors that were chosen. Again, not many people could read… but when they saw the color RED, they knew that meant courage… or blood…

4. In addition to the visual representations of animals, environmental images and colors… people also included a short motto, or phrase. This motto would be short and simple to remember, but the words would be carefully chosen, just the same. They would communicate the basic belief of the family or clan.

5. Okay… now move forward a few hundred years. There were more people, more families and clans… more farms… less land…. As always happens when groups of people come together, leaders emerge. That is a very good thing… as long as the leader has the interest of his/her clan or family at heart! But we all know that this isn’t always the case… sadly. People, as a general rule, are quite greedy and self serving. They feel that they are entitled or owed things… the best things… just because…. So, as you can guess, clans and families began to fight over land and water… because these were the most important things of all. Large families would try to take over the land of the smaller or more spread out families…

6. Common sense tells you what happened next… Right, families realized they needed to work together and forge agreements to support one another whenever a threat appeared. Picture it… a bunch of farmers with rakes and axes… a very few with swords all fighting on a rolling field… amid cows and sheep as they grazed. Do you see a problem??? You should… without some type of a uniform, how would you know who was your enemy and who was your ally??? Thus… the coat of arms was developed. It was a banner, or could even just be painted on a shield or woven into your clothing that had your family’s color and/or image on it for all to see. Then… you could shout your motto for everyone to hear, and your clansman would know who to rally behind. GENIOUS!!!

7. Fast forward a few more generations… The Feudal System developed… this is the system by which a king rules over a particular region. He and his soldiers provide protection for all of the farmers and clansmen in the region in return for a payment (tax) usually being food and livestock. The families were usually allowed to keep their individual coats of arms and their family pride. (If the king was smart…) The coats of arms were often displayed mounted on the walls of the Great Room or gathering hall of the castle. This served as a reminder to both the king and the people of their dependence upon one another.

8. components Remember… they used color, images, and words to represent their family or clan. This is the Scottish Coat of Arms. (No one can harm me unpunished.) No one attacks me with impunity.

10. Let’s consider the Hogwarts coat of arms…

11. Here are the 4 Houses and their respective coats of arms… Red and Gold Lion Courage Yellow and Black Badger Loyal Silver and Green Serpent Cunning Blue and Bronze Raven Wisdom

12. Project description You are going to design a coat of arms that represents YOU. I will provide you with: a template to follow a planning sheet for you to gather your ideas a place to hang them on our walls when done. Your personal coat of arms is due next Monday, August 25 th. You will be responsible for presenting your coat of arms to the class prior to it being displayed.

13. Animal representation Plant Representation We will mount your coat of arms on a background of construction paper. This will be the color that best represents you.