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    In medieval England, society was divided into lower and higher socioeconomic classes. The lower classes, made up of free tenants, serfs, and slaves, comprised the majority of the population but had little land and high population densities. The higher classes of nobility, church, and crown owned most of the land and lived in greater comfort with more resources. Living conditions and quality of life were significantly better for the higher classes compared to the overcrowded and resource-scarce lower classes.

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    In medieval England, society was divided into lower and higher socioeconomic classes. The lower classes, made up of free tenants, serfs, and slaves, comprised the majority of the population but had little land and high population densities. The higher classes of nobility, church, and crown owned most of the land and lived in greater comfort with more resources. Living conditions and quality of life were significantly better for the higher classes compared to the overcrowded and resource-scarce lower classes.

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    39 views5 pages

    5 4and5 5classinmedievallondon

    Uploaded by

    api-287802720
    In medieval England, society was divided into lower and higher socioeconomic classes. The lower classes, made up of free tenants, serfs, and slaves, comprised the majority of the population but had little land and high population densities. The higher classes of nobility, church, and crown owned most of the land and lived in greater comfort with more resources. Living conditions and quality of life were significantly better for the higher classes compared to the overcrowded and resource-scarce lower classes.

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    of 5

    Name:_______________

    SocioeconomicClassinMedievalEngland

    Peopleoflowerclass=freetenants,serfs,andslaves.Mostofthesepeoplewereserfs.

    From:
    TheHistoryBook
    PlRydberg,GittanJnsson,AnnikaElmquist,AnnMariLangemar

    Peopleofhigherclass=crown,nobility,andchurch.Theyownedtheland.

    1.Inthe1200s,therewere315hundredpeopleoflowerclasslivinginLondon.Therewere
    35hundredpeopleofhigherclasslivingthere.

    Howmanytimesmorepeopleoflowerclassweretherethanpeopleofhigherclass?

    2.Londonhasanareaofabout600squaremiles.Duringthe1200s,thepeopleofhigher
    classalllivedon450squaremilesofthatland.Thefreetenantsallrentedandlivedon120
    squaremilesoflandofLondon.Finally,alltheserfslivedandworkedononly30square
    milesoflandinLondon.

    a.Howmanytimesmorelanddidpeopleofhigherclassliveonthanfreetenants?

    b.Howmanytimesmorelanddidpeopleofhigherclassliveonthanserfs?

    3.Populationdensityexpressestheamountofpeoplesharingaunitofspace.Weknow
    fromthepreviousquestionsthat31,500peopleoflowerclasswerelivinginLondoninthe
    1200s,andtheyworkedonatotalof150squaremilesofland.Wealsoknowthattherewere
    3,500peopleofhigherclasslivingon450squaremilesofland.

    a.Howmanypeopleoflowerclasswerelivingandworkingper1squaremileofland?

    b.Howmanypeopleofhigherclasswerelivingper1squaremileofland?Roundup.

    c.Howmanytimesmorepopulationdensity(measuredinpeopleper mi2) didthepeopleof


    lowerclassexperiencecomparedtothepeopleofhigherclass?Useyourworkfromparta
    andb,andwriteyoursolutionasamixednumber.

    4.Inthe1300sinLondon,apersonneededtofarmatleast2acresoflandtogrowwheat
    andfeedhimselfoverthecourseofayear.Onaverage,familiesoflowerclasshadaccessto
    13acres.(Forreference:Ittakes640acrestomakeup1squaremile.)

    a.Howmanypeoplecouldafamilyoflowerclassaffordtofeed?Doesitmakesenseto
    rounduporrounddown?

    5.IntheMiddleAges,peopleoflowerclasslivedinfamilyunitsofonlyahusband,awife,
    and13children.Theycouldnteasilyhavemorechildrenbecause20%ofwomenand5%of
    babiesdiedduringchildbirth,andpeoplehadshorterlifespansthanwedonow.Inaddition,
    lowerclassfamiliescouldntaffordtohavemorechildren.

    a)Basedonyouranswerfor#4,doyouthinktheaveragefamilyoflowerclasscouldaffordto
    feedtheirchildren?

    b)Sometimeswhenwelookattheaverage,weforgetaboutindividualdifferences.During
    the1300sinLondon,themostpoorfamiliesoflowerclasssurvivedononly5acresofland.
    Weretheyabletofeedtheirchildren?

    6.DoyouthinkyourcharacterintheMiddleAgeslivedacomfortablelifeorstruggled?You
    canwriteaboutfood,shelter,andfamily,oranythingelsethataffectstheirhappiness.

    7.WhatdoyounoticeabouteconomicclassintheMiddleAges?Whatdoyoufeelis
    important?

    Source:

    WebsiteName:MedievalEnglishSociety
    WebsiteAddress:http://faculty.history.wisc.edu/sommerville/123/123%2013%20Society.htm

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