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What are some characteristics of serfs?
Serfs were workers who were bound to a piece of land, called a fief, during the European Middle Ages. They were unable to leave this land and had to be loyal to a vassal above them in social standing, usually called a lord or noble.
How might you describe the life of a medieval serf?
The daily life of Medieval serfs was hard. Medieval Serfs had to labor on the lord’s domain for two or three days each week, and at specially busy seasons, such as ploughing and harvesting, Medieval Serfs had to do do extra work. The daily life of a serf was dictated by the requirements of the lord of the manor.
What was one characteristic of life as a serf under medieval feudalism?
Serfs were technically free but they were tied to the land they farmed. Serfs were allowed to sell the land they farmed. Serfs were not expected to give some of what they grew to the lords. Serfs were allowed to leave the manor without the lord’s permission.
Which statement best describes medieval serfs?
(Willis) M. Europe
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Which statement best describes medieval serfs? | They were bound to the land but were not slaves. |
| A medieval manor was | a self-sufficient unit. |
| Rules to regulate monastic life, written by a monk named Benedict | Benedictine Rule |
| A pope’s authority over all secular rulers. | Papal supremacy |
What are two characteristics of serfs?
1. Serfs had to life in small, crowded cottages. 2. Serfs had to share their cottages with livestock and other animals.
What kind of work did serfs do?
Serfs were the poorest of the peasant class, and were a type of slave. Lords owned the serfs who lived on their lands. In exchange for a place to live, serfs worked the land to grow crops for themselves and their lord. In addition, serfs were expected to work the farms for the lord and pay rent.
What did serfs have to pay to use?
Serfs had to pay to use the lord’s grain mill and bread oven . They had to pay to use the lord’s carts to carry their produce. The serfs were very angry about that. Many peasants had to pay a fine because they used their own grain mill.
What were the duties for serfs?
The serfs would work for their lord for 5-6 days per week. They used the rest of the time to work on their land. Some of their responsibilities to their lords included digging ditches, plow the fields, repair fences, and harvest the crops. The other duty of the serfs was paying taxes and fees to the landlord.
What did the serfs receive from their lord?
Serfs who occupied a plot of land were required to work for the lord of the manor who owned that land. In return, they were entitled to protection, justice, and the right to cultivate certain fields within the manor to maintain their own subsistence.
Nevertheless, serfdom was largely seen as an oppressive system that possessed characteristics of partial freedom and slavery. Within the middle ages manor or village where the serfs lived and worked, there were further stratifications. The freemen did not owe labor to their lords but they paid rent in the form of agricultural products or money.