The Decline of Feudalism
What You Will Learn…
 You will learn about events that
contributed to the decline of feudalism in
western Europe.
5.1 Introduction
 Read Page 53 in your textbook
 What events took place from 12th to the
15th centuries that contributed to the
decline of feudalism? How do you think
these events affected people’s lives?
5.1 Preview Experience
 In this lesson you will experience how three events
contributed to the decline of feudalism in western
Europe. You will assume roles of Europeans during
this time.
King John
meeting with
nobles and
Church
officials.
King John
Miss Myers passes out role cards and
students read them.
King John sit on the throne
Knights stand behind the king as if you
are protecting him.
Nobles and bishops remain in your
seats
Tear off “coins” off your role cards
You may be able to trade your coins for
candy at the end of the activity.
King John
 Step 2: Help John pay off the ransom for his brother
Richard, who was kidnapped in Austria after fighting in the
Crusades
King John, tell your knights to collect 5
coins from each bishop and noble
Knights, collect coins from bishops and
nobles
Bishops and nobles, pay 5 coins to one of
the king’s nights
***remember, you can trade in coins for
candy at the end of the activity
King John
 Step 3: Announcement
Over the past several years,
England has accumulated huge
debts by fighting wars in the Holy
Land and against the French. If
these debts are not paid, England
will become bankrupt and will be
vulnerable to conquest by one of
its enemies
King John
 Step 4: Help John pay for the foreign wars in which
England has been involved
King John, tell your knights to
collect 5 more coins from each
bishop and noble.
Knights, collect coins from bishops
and nobles
Bishops and nobles pay 5 coins to
one of the kings’ knights.
King John
 Step 5: Announcement
John’s poor military leadership has
caused him to lose control of lands
in France that were once controlled
by the English. In addition, he has
angered the pope by insisting that
he has the power to appoint new
bishops and confiscate church
property if he wishes.
King John
 Step 6: King John, imprison your enemies and confiscate
church property
Have your knights imprison 2
nobles you feel cannot be trusted.
Tell your knights to take all of the
2 nobles’ coins.
Have your knights take land
(desks) from 2 bishops you feel
cannot be trusted. Tell your
knights to take all of the 2 bishops’
coins.
King John
Step 7: King John, meet outside
with your knights to pay them for
their service
King John
 Step 8: Nobles, while the king is outside, list your
complaints about King John.
Write “Great Charter” at the top of
the paper. List your complaints as
well as the rights that you feel you
should have if John wants to
remain king.
King John
Step 9: March to King John,
present your list and demand
that he put his seal on it.
King John
 Step 10: Respond to these questions
 1.
Why was it necessary to present King
John with the Great Charter (Magna
Carta)?
 2. How did John’s seal on the charter affect
his power? How did his sealing it affect the
power of the nobles?
 3. If you had been King John, would you
have accepted the charter? Why or why
not?
 4. How do you think the acceptance of the
charter contributed to the decline of
feudalism?
READ 5.2 ON PAGES 54-55
COMPLETE ISN NOTES ON
PAGE 28
5.2 Political Developments in England
 Henry II
 Legal reform was main concern
 Jury formally accused a person of serious crimes
 Cases tried before royal judge
 Strengthened the power of royal courts
 This happened at the expense of feudal lords
power
 Trial by judge/jury replaced trial by
ordeal/combat
 Church didn’t like this –Henry wanted to try the
court officials in royal court and not church
court
5.2 Political Developments in England
 Lead to a long quarrel with Thomas Becket,
Archbishop of Canterbury.
 Four nights killed Thomas Becket, maybe for the
king.
 Canterbury Cathedral can see his tomb – many
took pilgrimages there
5.2 Political Developments in England
 King John
 Henry’s son. 1199 became king
 Was not as nice as his dad – threw people in jail at
random
 Taxed his barons heavily
 Lost control of lands that England had controlled to
France
 June 1215 angry barons forced him to sign Magna
Carta
 This said that the king had to observe common law –
follow the law of the people; consult barons and
church officials before imposing special taxes
 Protected the rights of people
5.2 Political Developments in England
 King Edward I
 King John’s grandson
 Parliament – governing body (similar to our
Congress)
 Included commoners and lower ranking clergy
as well as nobles and higher church officials
5.2 Political Developments in England
Impact of Political Developments in England
1) Strengthen royal authority at the expense of
nobles
2) Shifted power to common people – Magna Carta
and Parliament
The Bubonic Plague
You will travel in groups among six
towns and try to avoid
“contracting” the plague.
In each town you will draw cards
to determine whether you
contracted the plague or not.
If you do spread it to other towns
you will eventually “die”
The Bubonic Plague
Step 1: Assume your role.
You will pretend to be a part of a
family living in medieval Europe
during the 1300s. You must travel
with your family among 6 towns
and avoid contracting the bubonic
plague, a deadly illness that is
sweeping the continent.
The Bubonic Plague
Step 2: Visit a city and see
whether you have contracted the
plague
Sit a the group of desks representing
a medieval city
Each student, remove one card from
the envelope
Students who remove a card showing
a skull and cross-bones, report to the
teacher. You have contracted the
plague!
The Bubonic Plague
 Step 3: Visit another city and determine
your fate.
 Move clockwise to the next city.
 Students who contracted the plague, place the
card you were given by the teacher in the
envelope in this city. Then lie in the “graveyard”
to show that you were killed by the plague.
 Remaining students, remove on card from the
envelope.
 Students who get a card with a skull and cross
bones, report to the teacher. You have now
contracted the plague!
The Bubonic Plague
Step 3: Visit another city and
determine your fate.
Sit a the group of desks representing
a medieval city
Each student, remove one card from
the envelope
Students who remove a card showing
a skull and cross-bones, report to the
teacher. You have contracted the
plague!
The Bubonic Plague
Step 4: Visit the remaining
cities and determine your fate.
Follow the procedure in Step 3 at
each city you visit.
The Bubonic Plague
Step 5: Respond to these
questions

1. How did you think the plague spread
across Europe?
 2. How might people treat visitors to their
town during an outbreak of the plague?
 3. How do you think the plague could
contribute to the decline of federalism?
READ 5.3 ON PAGES 56-57
COMPLETE ISN NOTES ON
PAGE 29
5.3 The Bubonic Plague
 Started in Central Asia and traveled along the
Silk Road – see page 56
 Started on a ship to Italy and then went north
and west
 Awful and Gross!
 Fever, sneezing, sores the size of eggs, vomiting
and fever
 Dirty conditions spread the plague
 Falsely accused the Jews for this happening
5.3 The Bubonic Plague
 Impact
 Population plummeted
 China – reduced by half; Europe 24 million dead
– 1/3 of the population
 Trade and commerce slowed down
 When people got better common people could
demand better wages and working conditions
because there were not enough people to work
 Manor system weakened because serfs left for
jobs in cities
 Peasant rebellions
The Hundred Years’ War
You will be divided into 2 groups –
English archers and French
knights.
We will recreate the battle of
Crecy from the Hundred Years’
War.
You will “fight” the battle by
pretending to fire longbows and
crossbows at each other.
The Hundred Years’ War
The image shows French knights
with crossbows (on left) fighting
English archers with longbows (on
right).
The Hundred Years’ War
Step 1: Assume your role
Pretend you are either a French
knight or an English archer at the
Battle of Crecy in 1346.
At this battle the French are trying
to drive the English from their
position.
The Hundred Years’ War
Step 2: Learn how to use your
weapon.
French knights, pretend to hold a
crossbow in your hands like the knight in
the illustration. Practice firing your
weapon by pretending to pull the trigger
on the crossbow and saying “phew”
English archers, pretend to hold a
longbow in your hands like the archers
in the illustration. Practice firing your
weapon by pretending to pull back and
release the string on your longbow and
saying “whoosh”
The Hundred Years’ War
Step 3: French knights advance
toward the English.
French knights, shout “Attaquons”
and take one step toward the
English.
The Hundred Years’ War
Step 4: English archers, fire
arrows from your longbows.
English archers, shout “Fire”! And
pretend to fire a volley of arrows into
the sky so that they will rain down on
the French knights.
Have the teacher roll the die to
determine the casualties your arrow
have inflicted.
French knights “hit” with arrows, sit
on the ground to represent that you
are wounded.
The Hundred Years’ War
 Step 5: Remaining French knights, continue
to advance toward the English.
 French knights who have not been wounded,
shout “Attaquons!” again and take another step
toward the English.
 All English archers, shout “Fire!” and pretend to
fire another volley of arrows at the French knights.
 Have the teacher roll the die to determine the
casualties your arrows have inflicted.
 French knights “hit” with arrows, sit on the ground
to represent that you are wounded.
 Repeat the process until some French knights are
in range (have reached the firing line) to fire at
the English.
The Hundred Years’ War
Step 6: French knights who are in firing
range, fire arrows from your crossbows.
French knights who have crossed the firing
line, pretend to load your crossbows.
Now pretended to fire your crossbow at any
English archer you choose. Say the name of
the archer at whom you are firing.
English archer(s) fired at, sit on the ground
to represent that you are wounded.
The Hundred Years’ War
Step 7: Repeat Step 5 and Step
6 until one side claims victory
The Hundred Years’ War
Respond to these questions:
1. Who do you think won the Battle of
Crecy, the English or the French?
2. Why do you think the longbow
gave English archers an advantage at
Crecy?
3. How might weapons such as the
longbow have made knights obsolete?
4. If knights became obsolete, how
would that contribute to the decline of
feudalism?
5.4 Hundred Year’s War
 1337-1453
 Fought for control of lands in France – between
France and England
 Philip VI of France declared the French fiefs of
England’s King Edward III, war broke out.
 English were successful at first
 Battle of Crecy – English won because of the
longbow – could fire further, faster and more
accurate
5.4 Hundred Year’s War
 French Fight Back
 1415 – after a long truce, Henry V invaded
France
 French had gotten better at fighting and had
save advancements at the English
 Joan of Arc inspired the French to fight – said
God told her to in a dream
 She was captured and burned at the stake
 Later became a saint
5.4 Hundred Year’s War
 Impact of the Hundred Years War
 Shift power from feudal lords to monarchs and
common people
 Kings had collected taxes for armies and didn’t
need nobles or knights
 Military technology made noble’s knights and
castles less useful
 Nationalism – power to common people, loyalty
to local lords, not king
 Peasants were forced to fight and pay taxes
 Common people had a great influence because
were needed to fight