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Social Classes In The Middle Ages Essay

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During the Middle Ages, the prevailing system of government was feudalism. Under feudalism, there was the use of a definite social structure. People were born into a social class and usually stayed in that class for the rest of their life. The three social classes were the nobility, clergy, and peasantry and each of these classes had different roles to perform in the society. The nobles were at the top of the social hierarchy. Their job was to provide work, land, and protection to the peasants. They also provided funding, supplies, and military service to the king. The nobility often engaged in warfare for entertainment and protection to the citizens. After being hit by inflation due to the Hundred Years’ War, many nobles robbed other people as a way to raise money. This was known as the Fur-Collar …show more content…

For them, life was difficult. They had to work long, hard hours on the manor that belonged to their lord. Most peasants were farmers. Peasants did not have good food or clothing. They did not have the right to be educated. After the Black Death killed many workers, peasants were in demand for their labor. The nobles and the clergy all lived off on the produce of peasant labor. They received higher wages for their labor. However, criminal activity by nobles, persecution by lords, war, and disease eventually caused oppressed peasants to revolt. In 1358 during the Hundred Years’ War, French taxation fell heavy on the peasants. The peasants exploded in a big uprising known as the Jacquerie. There were many other peasant revolts across Europe, such as the Peasants’ Revolt in England in 1381. These revolts reveal the frustrations and the general socioeconomic crises of peasants. Today in the US, everyone has the right to be educated regardless of their social class. Even the lower classes can get an education, whereas in the Middle Ages, the peasants were not allowed to be

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