| A | B |
|---|
| Middle Ages | "medieval times" or dark ages; time period between the fall of Rome in 476 to about 1500 |
| feudalism | agreement between kings and nobles; nobles are given land from the king in exchange for loyalty and protection of the people who live on the land |
| fief | name for the land given by a noble or lord |
| vassal | a person who received land from a lord |
| cathedrals | very large churches that were built during the middle ages; churches featured tall steeples or bell towers that pointed towards heaven and stained glass windows |
| monasteries | home of the monks; self-sufficient place where bread and beer could be made |
| nobles | "lords", nobles were the wealthy land owners in the feudal system of the Middle Ages |
| knights | warriors during the MIddle Ages who protected the people and fought for nobles and kings while on horseback. |
| chivalry | behavior code for knights; in this code, knights promised to be loyal, brave, and courteous. They were to protect: God, their Lord, and their lady. |
| manor | the land a noble ruled over; manors were self-sufficient |
| self-sufficient | the ability of an area to take care of itself by growing and making everything it needs without having to rely on trade |
| peasants | also known as "serfs", peasants were poor people who worked on farms for the nobles in exchange for protection |
| castles | large buildings built for nobles; they also served as forts for protection during attacks |
| Charlemagne | King of the Franks in 768; conquered and ruled over much of Western Europe |
| Three Field System | system of farming developed during the Middle Ages, in which fields are divided into three and planting is rotated giving relief to one field every season |
