Middle Ages Dbq Essay

People in our world, whether it’s in the past or present, are constantly influenced by their surroundings. They live their lives based on what’s around them and how they are brought up. The people in the Middle Ages were often exposed to a variety of different things that affected what they did. Their relationships with one another, and the way they were brought up to interact with each other greatly modified each individual’s lives. In addition to that, their daily jobs affected how they lived as well. All of these things were majorly influenced by feudalism, the form of government that the people in the Middle Ages lived by. They were exposed to this government every day, and it was the base of their values and as a whole. There were many

The major portions within this were the life on the manor, and the trade and commerce in the time period. First off, the life on the manor itself was the entire “economic side of feudalism” (Document 2). The work of the serfs (peasants tied to the land) for the lords was the support of the economic system of manoralism, and the Middle Ages as a whole. The serfs had to go through tedious and excruciating work in order to continue living on the land (Document 2). On top of all the work they did, they also had to pay taxes to the lord in order to continue living on the land. The peasants often gave chicken, eggs, etc. in payment to their lords. In addition to the serfs, there were also artisans and people who worked in the chapel (Document 2). All of the people within the manor were extremely important for the survival of all the social classes, and everyone depended on the hard work produced by the people who worked the land. Also, as trade and commerce began to grow, the lives of the people in the Middle Ages also changed. Trade was at first brought up by the non-Christian merchants in Europe who traveled along the Silk Road. (Document 4). Items traded include imported spices, Egyptian paper, pearls, and many other things. The economic development of trade in the Middle Ages greatly impacted the lives of the people through gaining knowledge of new products, and enabling people to obtain new

First off, documents and ideas created had a big influence on the people’s lives. For example, the Code of Chivalry for the knights in the Middle Ages affected people’s interactions with one another. They gave people values, and illustrated to them what a truly chivalrous person would appear to be. It gave structured rules for the knights to follow that would obligate them to respect others, their country and their religion. For example, when it states within the code that, “Thou shall love thy country in which thou was born” (Document 5). Another one of its big rules is, “Thou shalt be generous and give largess to everyone” (Document 5). The ideas within the code elucidate the social upbringing of the knights, and the structure, which they were given to interact with one another in their lives. They were mandated to be these models of chivalry, bravery, and respect. Also, the religion of the people contributes to their social lives. The Church and religious life had a great appeal to the way the people interacted with one another, as well as the way they lived their general lives. Religious events are a very important part in a civilizations culture, and majorly affected the way the society worked. For example, in the Medieval Ages, people often paid taxes to keep the Church supported and running (Document 4). Also, people voluntarily gave gifts to the Church in order to get special favors or even a certain