What do you think?

            In Medieval times, and today, everyone thinks differently. What exactly do people think? Everyone thinks about something every second. “What should I wear tomorrow?” “Is this the right thing to do?” “Wow, I love her skirt!” In different parts of the world and social classes, the rich think and plan in the future, but the poor think and act in the present.

            In the Medieval times, there was an upper, middle, and lower class. The upper class was the class of kings, knights, and noble men. These people made up a very wealthy class, and they were in control of all the power. Because these people were so wealthy, they were always looking for a way to get more. At that time, wealth meant power, and power was a status that a lot of people wanted. Most of the time, wealth and power are what these people thought about. The kings lay taxes upon people in order for him to gain more wealth. (http://www.canterburytales.org/canterbury_tales.html).  The king wouldn’t get the wealth right away, but he did this so that in time he would be richer than he already was. The rich would plan ways to get more wealth long before it actually was in front of them. These people think about money and power so much, because they know how it feels to be on the upper side of things, and never want to experience being poor.

            The lower class was the poorest group of people in England. They got bossed around by their lords and did anything they said. Besides the king, “every man owned something to a stronger man.” (http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/history/middleages/feudal.html). The peasants did not really own anything. In order to farm or own a business, the man would have to go to the lord and beg for the right to do so. Once the farmer got permission to own land and farm, there were high taxes placed on the profit made from the crops. This gave the lower class little room to gain extra wealth. In order to survive, the poor people would have to buy the necessary things that helped the family live. Because this group of people had such a hard time living, there was no time to think about the future. They had to make decisions at the time the peasants were faced with problems. The lower class had to make decisions then and there that would impact how they would live for a while. In order to survive, the peasant people would have to take actions in the present that would impact them in the long run. (http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/taxesjlem.html).

            Present day, we still have an upper and lower class. In some parts of our world today, there is not a big difference between upper and lower classes, but as a whole it is very easy to tell. In wealthy parts of the United States and other countries, many people there plan long in advance for the future. People have bank accounts set up for their children to go to college, life insurance for when they die, and even a savings account for when times might get tough. In the poorest areas around the world it is a completely different story. These people are much like the peasants in the Middle Ages. They need to make decisions everyday that may influence if they will survive or not. It is a tough decision to buy a mule to help farm and not eat that day, or eat and not be able to make their own food. These type of people are faced with these challenges every day, and it is a majority of what they think about. (http://www.helium.com/items/1005880-comparing-upper-and-lower-class-societies).

            In the Middle Ages, the wealthy people thought about how to get richer quick and fast, but the lower class thought about how to get enough to survive that day. This happens every day in our society today. There are some that can think about what the most expensive thing they want for Christmas is, and how much they are going to spend on the new pair of shoes they decided they wanted two days ago. In other parts of the world, daily thoughts are how they are going to find food, and where they will be in five years. Thought is a powerful thing, and even though its around us every day, we don’t always see it.

"Chaucer's Canterbury Tales ~ Presented by ELF." Chaucer's Canterbury Tales ~ Presented by The Electronic Literature Foundation. Web. 04 May 2010. .

"Choose a Guide." Web. 04 May 2010. .

"Comparing Upper and Lower Class Societies - by Pileated - Helium." Helium - Where Knowledge Rules. Web. 04 May 2010. .

"Feudalism." Web. 04 May 2010.          .

"Medieval Sourcebook: The Taxes of the Kingdom of Jerusalem." FORDHAM.EDU. Web. 03 May 2010. .

Picture From: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mono_pensador.jpg

What was the 12th Century Renaissance?

The twelfth century renaissance was a time that many things changed in the middle ages. There were many social, political and economic changes throughout Europe. At the beginning of the 13^th century, which is included in the Renaissance, many works of literature were translated into different languages. For example, a lot of Aristotle’s scientific writings were translated into different languages, so people could learn of his teachings and findings. During the 12^th century renaissance, there were also many inventions. The windmill, paper, compass, eyeglasses, and rubber was being used at this time. All of these things were new to the people, and it caused cooperation, but in the long run this time period has helped us a lot.

"Renaissance of the 12th Century." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 03 May 2010. .

Picture From: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Liquid-filled-lensatic-compass-hdr-0a.jpg

Medieval Architecture Animoto

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Medieval Stained Glass Animoto

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The Black Death Animoto

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Hundred Years War Notes

Lasted for 116 Years
There were periods of piece
Broken into 3 Phases-
Edwardian War  (1337-1360)
Caroline War(1369-1389)
Lancastrian War (1415-1429)
During the War both England and France became nationalized. "You are from France or England"
Italy remains unified. There is no king. Each city remain in the city-state control well through the Renasance
Canterbary Tales- The height of medieval poetry
1455. Johann Guternberg- prints the bible for the first time

Examples of French Gothic and British Architecture

French Gothic                                                                     British 

Both buildings have two towers at the top and three archways. The archways are pointed at the top. Also, in the middle of both buildings there is a large circular window. 


Pictures From: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Notre_Dame_Cathedral_-_Paris.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/45777493@N06/4474280284/

What's So Wrong With Social Orders?

          Social Classes have been in history for a very long time. In England, social orders were very strict. If you were a noble, priest, or a knight, you had a lot more power than a serf or a peasant. A social class is a set way of living, “that enforce normal ways of relating and behaving.” (http://www.statemaster.com/encyclopedia/Social-order). In England, there were three main groups of people or classes, the working class, middle class, and upper class. The social classes kept a level of organization and control in the government, but the lower class people were left with without power.

            The three classes of people in England can be broken down farther. The upper class was the people that inherited wealth. Kings, knights, and priests were a part of this class. The middle class was the biggest group of people in England. They were shop owners, teachers, and business people. The lower or working class were farmers, miners, or worked in factories. (http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/questions/class.htm). The lower class was made up of serfs and peasants. In England, during this time, peasants were considered free and serfs were not. The serfs were like the slaves of the town. Villagers in a higher class could make them do anything as they pleased. The working class families would live in a one to two bedroom house. (http://serfboy11.tripod.com/).  Inside of the house, there wasn’t much furniture or cooking utensils. On a normal day, a serf would work all day to support his family, while the wife cooks, sews, or took care of the children. Once the working day was over, the worker would get paid a small amount, but a lot of taxes were placed upon this income. (http://medieval-castles.org/index.php/1_day_of_being_a_peasant_1). The life of a serf was very hard, because they didn’t have much power, and were bossed around, but without them, the village would not function correctly.

            In social classes, there is no jumping from class to class. If a peasant family had a child, no matter what circumstances, that child would be a peasant for the rest of his or her life. It is the same with a king; their son will become the next king. It is a privilege for the kings to be able to always keep their dynasty going, but for serfs it is a different story. They would never be able to become rich or have any power. The social classes kept a level of control in the government. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RS8za4eBPVQ).  If the kings and knights didn’t belittle the serfs and peasants, they might begin to lose some of their power. In social classes, the serfs were left without power, and weren’t allowed to gain any, but it helped the kings keep the civilization organized.

            In June 1381, a large rebellion took place. It was called the Peasant’s Revolt. The lower class of people was so mad; they decided to form an army. The rebellion marched into London and took over the Tower of London. They killed many people, and at age fourteen, King Richard II decided to meet the army and Wat Tyler, the leader at Mile End. The peasant’s rebelled, because during the Black Death, they got paid more to risk their lives working in manors and on the farms, the peasants believed that after the pandemic was over, they would go back to getting the same amount they did before. By doing this, they wouldn’t have enough time to work on their own farm to get food. Also, England just ended a war with France. The money the army used was from taxes paid by the peasants. The peasants wanted to have a life that didn’t include working for other people for low pay. (http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/peasants_revolt.htm). On June 14, King Richard II went to Mile End. Wat Tyler was being very disrespectful to the king. He was spiting water in his face, and acting rude. Because of this, Richard II decided to arrest him. Tyler was not happy so, he took out his dagger and stabbed the Mayor of London. The Mayor was wearing plenty of armor, he was left unharmed. Mayor simply took out his sword and killed Wat Tyler, then and there. After the small brawl, the king ordered that all of the rebels be arrested as well, for they had no leader. (http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/anon1381.html ). The revolt was over, but the king didn’t win. For over one hundred years, there weren’t many people in the working class, and it was hard for the higher noble people to get food.

            In England, the social classes were very strict. It didn’t matter how much you wanted power or how badly you wanted to be free, if you were born into a class, you had to stay there. The lower class people had a hard life and lived in uncomfortable conditions. In 1381, they had had enough, and rebelled against King Richard II. The reason social orders were established, was to keep a level of organization and control in the government.

1 Day of Being a Peasant." Web. 20 Apr. 2010. .

"Medieval Sourcebook: Anonimalle Chronicle: English Peasants' Revolt 1381." FORDHAM.EDU. Web. 21 Apr. 2010. .

"Peasants Revolt." History Learning Site. Web. 20 Apr. 2010. .

Serfs & Peasants in Mediveal Times. Web. 20 Apr. 2010. .

"Social Class in England and Britain." Woodlands Junior School, Tonbridge, Kent UK. Web. 20 Apr. 2010. .

"StateMaster - Encyclopedia: Social Order." StateMaster - US Statistics, State Comparisons. Web. 20 Apr. 2010. .

YouTube - Inside the Medieval Mind-POWER-Pt.1. YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. Web. 20 Apr. 2010. .

Picture From: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Richard_II_meets_rebels.jpg

Creative Horror Story

      The United States, 2032, a mysterious sickness hit the country. The people that were infected showed no symptoms at all. They claimed they were in serious pain and couldn’t see. By looking at the victim, they looked completely normal so almost everyone thought they were crazy. Within two days, that person would die. Because no one could see the characteristics of the strange disease, it was hard to tell how it was transmitted and how you could stop it. In five years, half of the human race had died. Doctors around the world frantically tried to get to the bottom of this mess. In 2041, a man named Fredrick Hooglepop looked in the digestive tract of one of the victims and found a living parasite, still feeding off of the body. Hooglepop concluded that there was a parasite living in cows. Once the person ate anything dairy, the parasite would transfer into his or her body. How did some people not get it? 65% of the still living, were lactose intolerant.

Picture From: http://www.flickr.com/photos/michellelyles/156927986/

Job Application to Become a Knight

1.    Prior expierence with horseback riding?

      A: Yes, I ride horses everywhere I go. In order to get into town, I need to ride a horse.

2.    Who have you worked for? Kings/ Queens?

     A: I have worked for King Henry II. He made me stand at the gate of his castle and make sure no intruders came in.

3.    Do you own a horse?

                  A: Yes, I have owned this one horse for quite some time that is very well trained.

4.    Have you ever taken part in a battle?

      A: No, I have never been in a battle before. King Henry II never made me a soldier. I want to get this job to protect the people and the king. If that means participating in war, I wouldn’t mind a bit.

5.    What are some good qualities that you think would make you a good knight for King Arthur?
      A. I think that I am intelligent, and well-prepared for battle, if I need to be in it. I can do many jobs, and I am very handy. Though King Henry II never made me a soldier, I think that I would be good at that as well as any other job.

6.     Would you be able to work with any horse that King Arthur gives you, regardless of any previous experience with it? (instead of a horse you bring with you).
     A. Yes. I can work with trained or untrained horses, so either way, I can work well. However, if possible, I would like to work with my own horse, because we have had time to get to know each other, and I believe that I would be most productive with my own animal.

7.     What sticks out most about you that would make you a better knight above other applicants?
     A. I think that I am particularly good at adapting to any situation. I can move from being a soldier to guarding a castle, to almost anything else. If you need me to do a job, I can try to the best of my ability to fulfill that task in the most productive way possible. Many people are not able to do this, and I think it is one quality that makes me a more superior candidate.

8.    What are your expectations out of this job?
     A. I hope to serve the people and King Arthur to the best of my ability by being a Knight of the Round Table. Since I was young, I have always wanted to be in such a noble position as a knight, and this would be the ideal job for me.
you can use all of them, or replace some of them, it doesn't matter to me. just let me know in the end, what to put all together.

9.    Do you know how to handle and work with weapons?
      A.I have never been in battle and had to handle weapons but I do know how to handle things like knives and swords.

10.  Do you have any family you will be leaving while your at battle?
        A.I do have a family. I am married and have three children. I have prepared my family in case that I get this job for me not being home and told them everything. They want me to have this job and wish for me to fulfill my dreams

11.  Do you know the responsiblities of a knight and that you are responsible for protecting yourself and the rest of the army.
       A.Yes, I realize that I am responsible for protecting myself and the rest of the army. They are like my family and once I become a knight I will look out for them and protect them like there are my own family.

Picture From: http://www.flickr.com/photos/robertmiller/303841516/

Why is Twitter a Good History Resource?

            Twitter is a good source, because many people around the world can post other great sources. If you have a twitter account, you can follow history sources. For example, I follow History Today and the History Channel. These help me to find great sources about the things I am learning, but also know what is happening in my everyday world. Twitter is a great website to use to find other history sources.

Source: www.twitter.com

Picture From: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Twitter_logo.svg

Submission for Class Blog

WHAT COMPELS SOMEONE TO LEAD OTHERS?

    A leader is “a person who influences a group of people towards the achievement of a goal.” They are compelled by the thought of their group, nation, or club succeeding. Someone like Abraham Lincoln was defiantly compelled to lead others towards the freedom of the United States. By being elected as president, he made some states secede from the Union. People not agreeing with him on the subject of slavery didn’t stop him. Lincoln was compelled to create a nation that was on the same page, and believed what he had to say. Abraham Lincoln was a great leader, and was one hundred percent compelled to lead his people them to be because he wanted successful.

  

Picture From:http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Abraham_Lincoln_head_on_shoulders_photo_portrait.jpg

"Abra"Abraham Lincoln." PERSONAL WEB PAGES - Home.att.net. Web. 04 Mar. 2010. .

"Definition of a Leader." Virtual Teacher Aide. Web. 04 Mar. 2010. .

1066 A.D. A Year In Review

Do human beings have an innate instinct to be free?

       Yes, I believe that all humans want to be free. We all want to be able to whatever we want when we want. As we grow up, we are granted more freedom. We have the freedom to pick out our clothes, go out by ourselves, and make more important choices that impact our life. The United States of America is an example of being free. Many people immigrated here from countries all over the world to become free. Emma Lazarus said that Europe was over populated and crowed, so people wanted space. This wasn’t the main reason people moved. This large immigration of people to the United States was for freedom. All of the people that moved want to be free from something, whether it was slavery or religious persecution. I believe that if not all, many people in the world want be free.

Primary Source: http://www.theatlantic.com/past/docs/unbound/flashbks/immigr/immigint.htm

Secondary Source: http://web.riverdeep.net/current/2002/09/090902_m_freedom.jhtml

Image From: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:American_flag_waving.jpg