The Decline of Feudalism

Habeas corpus

the legal concept that an accused person cannot be jailed indefinitely without being charged with a crime

The Hundred Years' War was a conflict between:

England and France.

How did the Hundred Years' War start?

English monarchs had long claimed lands in France. This was because earlier English kings had actually been feudal lords over these French fiefs. French kings now disputed these claims. When Philip VI of France declared that the French fiefs of England's King Edward III were part of Philip's own realm, war broke out in France.

Symptoms of the Black Death?

Fever, vomiting, coughing, sneezing, egg-sized swellings called buboes

The bubonic plague was spread by:

Fleas fed on the blood of infected rats and then bit humans.

The name Magna Carta means what?

Great charter

How was the plague spread?

It was carried by fleas that bit rats that were infected with the plague bacteria. The fleas then bit people and infected people.

Why had castles become less useful by the end of the Middle Ages?

They now offered little protection because armies used cannons to blast holes in their walls.

Why was the model parliament created?

It was created to include more people in the government. It included commoners and lower-ranking clergy, as well as high-level Church officials and nobles.

How did the plague change the lives of survivors?

Common people gained more power, peasants and serfs left manors and moved to cities, peasants rebelled when nobles tried to return things to the way they had been before the plague.

Political changes in England, the bubonic plague, and the Hundred Years' War:

Contributed to the decline in the feudal system.

Who was Joan of Arc

A 17 year old peasant girl who fought for france. She led the French to victory in the battle of Orleans. A year later she was captured by the English. The English pushed church leaders to accuse her of being a witch and burn her at the stake.

How long did people generally suffer from the bubonic plague before they died

A few days

What changes did Henry II make to the English legal system?

A jury must formally charge a person of a crime. People could no longer be jailed or executed for no reason.

What impact did the bubonic plague have on the population of Europe?

About a third of the population died.

In England the Magna Carta contributed to ideas about

An individuals rights and liberties.

The principal of Habeas corpus means that an accused person:

Cannot be jailed indefinitely without being charged with a crime.

How did the plague get to the Black Sea?

Carried along the Silk Road trade route

How did the plague get to Italy?

Carried on a boat from the Black Sea and then it was spread to England France, Germany and the rest of Europe.

Where did the bubonic plague originate?

Central Asia or China

Historians believe the bubonic plague originated in:

Central asia

What important legal reform did Henry II enact?

He insisted that people accused of crimes had to be formally charged and stand trial at court.

Why was the Magna Carta significant?

It affirmed that monarchs should rule with the advice of the governed.

What did the model parliament do?

It established that common people should have a say in government.

What changes did the Magna Carta bring about in English government?

It protected the rights of the nobles and the church. The monarch agreed to observe the common law, for example the monarch could no longer collect special taxes without the consent of nobles and the church. No free man could be jailed except by lawful judgement.

How did Henry II changes to the legal system affect feudalism?

It weakened the power of the feudal lords since they were the ones who used to act as judge and jury.

In both England and France the Hundred Years' War caused a rise in:

National pride and identity.

What effect did Joan of Arc have on the Hundred Years' War?

She inspired the French to drive the English out of the country.

The bubonic plague was a disease also known as:

The Black Death

What is one reason the English were victorious in many of the early battles of the Hundred Years' War?

They had archers armed with longbows.

Why were the English able to defeat the French in Early battles like Crecy even though they were outnumbered?

The French wore heavy armor with swords on horseback and could hardly move they were only effective at short range. The English had light armor and long bows that was effective at long ranges. The long bows were more accurate and could be fired more quickly so they won.

How did political events like the Magna Carta and the model parliament lead to the decline in feudalism?

The Magna Carta weakened the power of the monarchs by establishing the idea of rights and liberties that even the monarchs cannot violate. It also said that the monarch should rule with the advice if the governed. The model parliament gave a voice in government to commoners as well as nobles, shifting the power to the common people and weakening feudalism.

How did the Hundred Years' War affect the importance of knights on the battle field?

The effectiveness of knights was reduced by the English longbow which could pierce their armor

Why was the plague called the Black Death?

The swellings that appeared on the victims were black and blue

How did the Bubonic Plague lead to a decline in Feudalism?

There was a huge decline in the population and a need for workers. The workers who were left could demand more money from the lords. Many peasants left the feudal manors for cities and better opportunities. This led to a weakening of the feudal manor system and loss of power for the lords.

How did the Hundred Years' War lead to a decline in feudalism?

There was a shift in power from lords to monarchs and common people because during the war monarchs did not rely on the lords to supply knights to fight. Because of advances in technology knights and castles were not useful in the war. Commoners fought in the war so if they survived they had more influence and power after.

Bubonic Plague

a deadly contagious disease caused by bacteria and spread by fleas; also called the Black Death

Model Parliament

a governing body created by King Edward I that included some commoners, Church officials, and nobles

Heretic

a person who holds beliefs that are contrary to a set of religious teachings

Hundred Years War

a series of battles fought between France and England from 1337 to 1453

Magna Carta

a written legal agreement signed in 1215 that limited the English monarch's power