Quiz: The Feudal System

Subject: History | Year: 7

Questions (Student Sheet)

Name: _________________________ Class/Set: ____________ Date: ____________

Q1: Following the Norman Conquest in 1066, what was the primary reason William I introduced the Feudal System to England? a) ☐ To ensure every person in the kingdom had a fair and equal amount of land. b) ☐ To establish a clear hierarchy that allowed him to control the land and the people. c) ☐ To encourage peasants to move into the towns and start their own businesses. d) ☐ To abolish the role of the monarchy and create a democratic government.

Q2: Under the Feudal System, the King technically owned all the land in England. What was the specific term for a piece of land granted to a nobleman in exchange for loyalty? a) ☐ A Shire b) ☐ A County c) ☐ A Fief d) ☐ A Tithe

Q3: Which group of people sat directly below the King in the feudal hierarchy and provided him with knights and advice in exchange for land? a) ☐ Merchants and Traders b) ☐ Peasants and Serfs c) ☐ Knights and Squires d) ☐ Barons and Bishops

Q4: A knight's primary duty was to provide military service to his lord. How many days of service per year was a knight typically expected to provide? a) ☐ 365 days b) ☐ 40 days c) ☐ 10 days d) ☐ 100 days

Q5: Most people in Medieval England were peasants. What was the main difference between a 'freeman' and a 'villein' (serf)? a) ☐ A freeman owned his own castle, whereas a villein lived in a monastery. b) ☐ A freeman could move and work where he chose, while a villein was 'bound' to the lord's land. c) ☐ A villein was a professional soldier, whereas a freeman was only allowed to farm. d) ☐ There was no difference; both terms were used to describe the King's personal guards.

⇨ The following extract describes the "Act of Homage," a ceremony where a tenant promised loyalty to their lord.

"I become your man from this day forward, of life and limb and of earthly worship, and I will be true and faithful to you and bear you faith for the tenements I claim to hold of you."

Q6: Based on the extract above, what was the most important quality a person promised to their lord during the Act of Homage? a) ☐ Financial wealth and the payment of gold. b) ☐ Physical strength and the ability to build castles. c) ☐ Loyalty and faithfulness ("being true and faithful"). d) ☐ Expert knowledge of farming and crop rotation.

Q7: What was the purpose of the Domesday Book, commissioned by William I in 1085? a) ☐ To record the names of all the knights who died during the Battle of Hastings. b) ☐ To provide a storybook for the King's children to learn about English history. c) ☐ To survey the land and livestock to calculate how much tax people owed him. d) ☐ To create a map of the secret tunnels leading out of London.

Q8: Why was the "Feudal Pyramid" structure effective for a King who was often away at war? a) ☐ It meant the peasants were responsible for making all the big decisions for the country. b) ☐ It allowed the King to delegate local control and security to loyal Barons. c) ☐ It forced every person in England to live in the same village near the King. d) ☐ It stopped the Barons from ever having enough power to raise an army.

⇨ Study the table below showing the estimated social distribution in Medieval England.

Social Group	Estimated % of Population	Primary Duty
Monarch and Nobility	1%	Governing and Protection
Knights and Clergy	4%	Military Service and Religious Care
Peasants (Freemen and Villeins)	95%	Agricultural Labour

Q9: According to the table, which statement best describes the structure of Medieval society? a) ☐ The nobility made up nearly half of the entire population. b) ☐ Knights were the largest group and did most of the farming. c) ☐ The vast majority of the population provided the labour that supported the higher ranks. d) ☐ The Monarch and the Nobility were equal in number to the Peasants.

Q10: If a Baron failed to provide the required number of knights to the King, what was the most likely consequence? a) ☐ The King would reward the Baron with more land to help him find more knights. b) ☐ The Baron would be promoted to the position of King. c) ☐ The King could strip the Baron of his land (the fief) for breaking his oath. d) ☐ The Baron would be forced to become a peasant and work the fields for a week.

Score: _______ / 10

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⚠ TEACHER’S GUIDANCE

💡 Pedagogical Pulse

• Model: When discussing the Feudal System, use the "Land for Loyalty" mantra. Students often struggle to understand that land was the currency of the Middle Ages.
• Explain: Address the misconception that peasants were "slaves." While villeins were not free to leave, they had rights to land and protection, which distinguishes them from chattel slaves.
• Check: Ensure students understand that the Church (Bishops) sat within the Nobility bracket, as they were major landowners.

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⚠ TEACHER KEY / MARKING SCHEME (DO NOT PRINT FOR STUDENTS)

Answer Key & Explanations

Q1: b

Explanation: William I needed a way to control a rebellious English population with only a few thousand Normans. The Feudal System provided a strict military and social structure to maintain this power.

Q2: c

Explanation: A fief (or feud) was the land granted by a lord to a vassal. Distractors like 'tithe' refer to the 10% tax paid to the Church.

Q3: d

Explanation: Barons (Tenants-in-chief) were the King's immediate vassals. They divided their large fiefs further to give land to knights.

Q4: b

Explanation: 40 days was the standard length of service. If the King needed them for longer, he usually had to pay them or provide special provisions.

Q5: b

Explanation: This is the defining feature of manorialism. Villeins were "tied to the soil," meaning they could not leave the manor without the lord's permission, whereas freemen had more mobility.

Q6: c

Explanation: The extract focuses on being "true and faithful." This religious and legal oath was the "glue" that held the Feudal System together.

Q7: c

Explanation: The Domesday Book was a massive administrative undertaking. It allowed William to know exactly what his kingdom was worth and who held which resources.

Q8: b

Explanation: By granting land to Barons, the King ensured that local areas were managed and defended without him needing to be physically present everywhere at once.

Q9: c

Explanation: The table highlights that 95% of people were peasants. This demonstrates that the entire system relied on the agricultural output of the lowest class.

Q10: c

Explanation: The Feudal System was a contract. If a vassal broke their end of the deal (their oath), the King had the legal right to forfeit their land.