Wiki Responses Showing Critical Thinking Middle Ages: The Church

jwanner2 Mar 2, 2014 What is the role of the church in medieval life? How is the role of the medieval church different from today?

Suzie Unlike today's government, the government during the Medieval Ages relied heavily on the Church in political matters. During the early Medieval Ages the Church provided services for the local community; baptisms, wedding ceremonies, or funeral rites. Nuns spent their time educating the young and treating the ill. Monks spent their time copying Greek and Roman literature. In a time of warf the Church told each rival party to uphold a temporary truce, causing warfare to decline in Europe. However, as the Church grew in power, the entire system was corrupted. Monks no longer followed the Benedictine Rule, and could own land or have a family.Owning a manor's worth of land gave them as more political leverage, and broke the rule of poverty. Luckily Pope Gregory VII reformed the Church in 1073.

Mary : Everyday life during the medieval times revolved around the Church. As more people turned to the Church, the more power it gained, till it was the strongest force in Europe politically and religiously. The pope even grew stronger than leaders of countries. It grew so strong to a point that if you were not Christian, you were under suspicion. The Church set standards in all parts of life. They told people how to morally live, how to worship God, how much to pay in the tithe, and what laws that they should live by. Today, the Church decides what people must do within the religious community. Even then, most people have to follow their countries' laws before they can follow the laws of their religion. Today, the Pope has religious power, but not as much political power as in the past. Also, the Church does not have as much control on people's everyday life in modern times. Middle Ages: Feudalism and the Manor
jwanner2 Feb 24, 2014 How did the system of feudalism and the manor economy shape medieval life?

Lacy: People needed protection for themselves, their homes, and their lands. They needed feudalism. Feudalism developed in Europe in response to the need to protect against outside invasion and maintain order. Warfare was a way of life in the feudal age. The political and economic relationship between lords and vassals was based on the exchange of land for loyalty and military service. Lords and Nobles trained to become Knights. Also Noblewomen took over the duties of the lord when he went off to war. In the later Middle Ages, knights adopted a code of conduct called chivalry, however, chivalry also dictated that knights protect the weak and

that included both peasants and noblewomen. The manor was the heart of the feudal life and the system worked by mutual obligation. Most of the populations were serfs, also most manors were self-sufficient producing everything the people needed there. Life was harsh and short for peasants. Its shocking for them to live past thirty-five because they weren't treated the way they were treating others and the environment around them wasn't healthy.

Mary: Feudalism and the manor economy shaped medieval life because it structured the social system, and gave a purpose to all the people within the social pyramid. Feudalism came about in that time period because of the warfare. Invasions from different groups people caused a need for protection. Knights or lords who had power over knights could offer this to people who needed. This lead to reciprocal relationship throughout the pyramid. Lords gave peasants land to farm in return for the products that came from farming. The produce farmed was used to feed the lord's estate. If ever attacked, peasants could seek refuge within a castle's walls, but the peasants must swear loyalty to the lord. The lord of the manor was able to promise protection by sending having knights on his manor. Knights were sent off at the age of seven to train and enter knighthood to one day protect land. Craftsmen, blacksmiths, and artisans could find jobs on a lord's land in return for loyalty and responding to any needs that these freeman could help with. There was a strong sense of loyalty on each manor because they each depended on each other to survive, and keep life going. This created a manor life that was self sufficient. Since each manor was self-sufficient, each piece of land had its own economy like little kingdoms instead of one country. Monarchs factor into this because they had complete power over all kingdoms of his land. The medieval life and manor system worked through mutual obligation.