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Social Class During The Middle Ages

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Thesis: In Europe, during the Middle Ages, every social class had a certain lifestyle and some classes struggled more than others.
Section 1:
Feudalism was a system that exchanged military protection and shelter for farming. The lord of the manor would give land to serfs. Land was limited so it was very valuable, especially when it was well located. As a result, the higher class and wealthy people were landowners. Owning land was the key to obtaining power. The arable land was used to produce food, clothing, provide shelter, and crops for domestic trade and exports. Also, crops were harvested and minerals were mined from beneath them. Serfs would provide the labor in exchange for protection and loyalty from lords.
The feudal system introduced a social hierarchy. First, the lower class included peasants and serfs. They made up a majority of the population, in fact, "About 90 percent of men and women fell into this group" (Abbott). Next, he middle class consisted of knights. "Knight's tenure traded military service for land rights" (Cosman, Jones). Of …show more content…
The nobility, middle and upper class, had similar lifestyles. "The peasants worked farmland on the manor as part of their obligatory service" (Streissguth). A peasant's life would be constant labor on a manor. Serfs would be bound to a narrow acre of land their whole lives and were not permitted to leave. Their back-breaking and exhausting labor lasted from sunrise to sunset. At least, they had Sundays to rest and participate in activities like the nobles did. Children were especially enthusiastic to finally play their favorite sports. For example, folk-football, a wild game where members of a town would compete with members of another town. Although serfs and peasants were not permitted to participate in the tournaments of the nobles, they would gather to watch it instead. Peasant women were also encouraged to participate in footraces and ball

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