KS3 History - Year 7 History: Medieval Life

Key Questions:

• What was life like for the rich and poor in Medieval Britain?
• What different jobs did the peasants do during the year?
• What were medieval trials like?
• What punishments did people receive?

Get some ideas about the peasants job all year round in Medieval Britain from the chart:

Daily life of a peasant in Middle Ages can be:

• Reaping - to cut crops for harvest with a scythe, sickle, or reaper

• Sowing - the process of planting seeds

• Ploughing - To break and turn over earth with a plough to form a furrow

• Binding and Thatching

• Haymaking - cutting grass and curing it for hay

• Threshing - to beat the stems and husks of plants to separate the grains or seeds from the straw

• Hedging - creating boundaries

• Making tools and utensils using wood, leather and the horns from cattle

   In medieval Britain, the society was like a pyramid. At the top of the pyramid was the king. Below him were the barons or tenants-in-chief. The king granted them land and in return they had to provide so many soldiers to fight for so many days a year. They also had to swear an oath of loyalty to the king and they became his vassals. The barons granted land to knights. In return they had to fight for so many days a year.  The king, the barons (lords) and knights were the rich people in medieval times as they collected money and enjoyed food, labor and service from the peasants. They lived in stone built castles or manors with many servants, ate delicated food with meat and fish.

   At the bottom of society were peasants, most of them were serfs or villeins. They were not free and could not leave their land without the lord's permission. He had to pay rent for his land to his lord and had to pay a 10% tax to the church. As well as working on their own land they had to farm the lord's land for 2 or 3 days a week. They also had to work extra days for him at busy times like harvest. They lived in poor conditioned huts together with animals, ate a simple and monotonous diet with little meat. For all peasants, life was poor and harsh.

(Original source of video: youtube)

(Original source of video: youtube)

   Law and order was very harsh in Medieval England. Those in charge of law and order believed that people would only learn how to behave properly if they feared what would happen to them if they broke the law. Even the ‘smallest’ offences had serious punishments.

How is medieval life compared with today's? Try the following activity to find out!

Watch the video to explore more about medieval lifestyle for the rich and poor in Britain!

(Original source of video: youtube)

There are two kinds of trials in medieval times:

1. The Manorial Court (Trial by Jury)

   The manorial court dealt with all but the most serious crimes. The Lord’s steward was in charge of the court. A jury of 12 men was chosen by the villagers. The jury had to collect evidence and decide whether the accused was guilty or not guilty and, if found guilty, what the punishment should be.

2. The King's Court (Trial by Ordeal)

   Serious crimes were heard by the King’s court. The accused faced trial by ordeal to decide whether they were guilty or not guilty.

• Ordeal by Fire
  The accused had to pick up a red hot iron bar and hold it while they walked 4 paces. After 3 days they had to return to the court where the bandages were removed. If the wound was beginning to heal they were innocent, otherwise they were pronounced guilty.
• Ordeal by Water
  The accused had their hands and feet tied together. They were then thrown into water. If they floated they were guilty but if they sank they were innocent.
• Ordeal by Combat
  Noblemen would fight to the death in combat with their accuser. The winner of the battle would be considered to be in the right.

   After 1215 Trial by Ordeal was replaced by Trial by Jury.