This week you will learn:
• How the feudal system worked like a ladder
• The jobs of kings, lords, knights, and peasants
• What daily life was like in a medieval village
• How children lived, worked, and played long ago
In the Middle Ages, everyone had a place, like steps on a ladder. This way of organizing people was called the feudal system.
At the top was the king, who owned all the land. The king gave big pieces of land to lords and nobles. In return, the lords promised to be loyal and send knights to fight for the king.
The knights protected the lords' lands. At the bottom were the peasants — most people were peasants! They farmed the land and gave part of their crops to the lord. In return, the lord kept them safe. Everyone traded work for protection.
1. Who was at the top of the feudal system?
2. What did lords promise the king?
3. What did peasants do, and what did they get in return?
4. Were most people kings or peasants?
Write what each word means in your own words.
Write K (king), L (lord), N (knight), or P (peasant) for each sentence.
| Sentence | K, L, N, or P? |
|---|---|
| I own all the land in the kingdom. | |
| I farm the land and grow food. | |
| I fight to protect the lord's land. | |
| The king gave me a big piece of land. | |
| I give part of my crops to the lord. | |
| I send knights to fight for the king. |
Draw the feudal system as a ladder or pyramid with four levels: king at the top, then lords, then knights, then peasants at the bottom.
Write T for true or F for false in each circle.
Tomorrow we will visit a medieval village and follow a peasant family through one whole day — from sunrise chores to evening stories by the fire.