The Three Main Groups

Who Were Peasants?

1. ​The majority of the population lived in the countryside in the

2. Middle Ages and could be described as peasants.

3. Peasants worked the land to produce food, fuel, wool and other resources.

4. There was even a social order that divided the peasantry.

Life as a Peasant

1. ​In the early Middle Ages, under the feudal system, the life of a peasant was hard.

2. Even in the later Middle Ages, the medieval peasant’s life was hard and the work was back-breaking.

3. Work began at dawn, preparing the animals, and it finished at dusk, cleaning them down and putting them back into the stalls.

Life as a Peasant

1. ​Peasant food was mainly vegetables plus anything that could be gathered.

2. The most difficult time was when food stores were running out and new food was not yet ready to be eaten. A poor harvest meant that some of the villagers would starve to death.

1. ​These were the people who fought

2. They were professional soldiers

3. They were expected to defend their people.

4. They were responsabile to keep law.

5. Some were very powerful.

6. Some were advisors to the king.

1. ​All Noble people led a comfortable life.

2. They did not do any manual work.

3. They devoted their time to training.

1. ​Their time was spent riding, hunting and hawking.

2. These people and their families lived in beautiful castles and have a lot of servants.

1. ​Many of them worked as priests in Parish Churches.

2. Almost every village had its own Church.

3. The priest had the power to force people go to Church.

4. The priest could also collect any products the Peasants had produced during the year.

1. ​The priest used to christen the people of the village, marry them, visit them when ill and bury them when they die.

2. The priest was also consulted when the villagers need advice.

1. ​Other members of this group were monks, nuns and friars.

2. They lived in abbeys.

3. They spent most of their time praying.

4. Many gave money and land to the abbeys.

5. In return to this the monks and nuns prayed for the wealthy who supported them.

6. Monks and Nuns also provided schools and hospitals.