Middle Ages Research Project 

Sophia Lloyd

Encounters 6

Ms. Damante

March 31, 2026

The Many Wonders of the Middle Ages

Introduction

Imagine you’re a knight in shining armor, protecting the king’s castle. Suddenly, you hear yelling… Oh no! You’re being attacked. You run into the castle and pull a lever that deactivates a bridge. The bridge slowly goes up making it impossible for the intruders to enter, the only way they can cross was jumping in a ring of water. They throw their spears and weapons at the castle, but nothing happens. The stone walls only damage their own weapons. This was why medieval buildings were constructed in a specific way. Feudalism, architecture, and lastly the Black Plague all existed in Europe. Which was a popular occurrence to see in the Middle Ages which is what made Europe now. The Middle Ages were a very serious and interesting time in history.

Feudalism

Feudalism was the most popular form of ranking throughout the ninth and fifteenth century. Feudalism provided better security, stability, economy, and communication. Feudalism took place in Western Europe, and it was created to maintain better stability while empires and invaders rose. Feudalism was organized by a complex system. 

Kings and Queens were on the top, second were Nobles, then the Knights, and lastly were peasants. The King owned all of the land which they could grant to Nobles in exchange for protection. Ducksters states, “ It started at the top with the king granting his land to a baron for soldiers all the way down to a peasant getting land to grow crops.” (Middle Ages Feudal…)

 The Nobles maintained land provided by the King, and they were in charge of military service and council. The majority of people were classified as a peasant/ serf, and they worked for the Knights and Lords. Surfers worked for a Lord, Nobleman, or Knight, exchanging labor for protection. These rankings are given to people at birth, and it is nearly impossible to change ranks.

 Although it was a government system which everyone followed, most people did not benefit from it. Most being serfs, peasants, and outlaws. Who only had very few rights. Outlaws had no rights, meaning if they were killed, no penalty or protection was given. Serfs and peasants had strict rules while working on land, such as being married, leaving the land, and changing professions without permission. According to Duckers, “Some peasants were considered free and could own their own businesses like carpenters, bakers, and blacksmiths. Others were more like slaves. They owned nothing and were pledged to their local lord. They worked long days, 6 days a week, and often barely had enough food to survive.” (Middle Ages Feudal…)

 Feudalism ended because of many reasons. One reason being the Black Plague. The Black Plague caused people to die, affecting the population and labor demand. Another reason is from political problems and wars. Wars lead to deaths of many knights and caused the feudal system to weaken. Other causes were from technology,  Magna Carta, etc.

The Black Plague

The Black Plague was a quick-spreading disease that affected more than 200 million people throughout Europe. It started in the early 1340s to the early 1350s. Although the plague originated in Asia first, it affected Europe the most. It was caused by a bacteria called “Yersinia pestis” which spread on rats and fleas boarding trade routes. 

The Black Plague worked by first attacking the bloodstream or lungs, causing crucial symptoms like high fever, extreme fatigue, and swollen, liquid-filled lymph nodes. The text states,  “The Black Death was characterized by painful swelling in the lymph nodes known as buboes so it was generally considered to be an outbreak of the bubonic plague.” (History…) If it were to affect the bloodstream first, the symptoms would be internal bleeding, necrosis, abdominal pain, and organ failure. If it were to attack the lungs first, the signs would be chest pain, and a severe cough.

Surviving workers and serfs most likely benefited from the Black Plague. This was because of all the other workers dying, their wages and paychecks raised. Another benefit was better working conditions. The area wasn’t so cramped and crowded so serfs and workers could work more freely. This decrease in population also helped serfs migrate, and buy cheap land. The people who suffered the most were peasants and lower classes. This group of people had the most deaths that were caused by the black plague. It was more likely to catch this disease if people lived in poor, unhealthy, cramped, unhygienic areas. Places like these were prone to fleas and dirty animals, causing more casualties than any other place. The black plague also made disadvantages for the economy. Wikipedia states, “The plague created religious, social and economic upheavals, with profound effects on the course of European history.”

The Black Plague ended mainly by putting up a strict rule about quarantining ships. This rule required ships and boats to anchor for 30-40 days to ensure the disease hadn't infected crew members. Quarantine helped the infected die out or get better before getting off the boats and infecting more people. Ducksters states, “Historians think that black rats living on European merchant ships caught the disease, eventually bringing it to Europe.” (Middle Ages the Black…)

Architecture

Architecture is a type of art, science, engineering, technical discipline, and technique in designing buildings or structures. According to Ducksters, “Originally towers were built with square tops, but later were replaced by round towers that offered better defense and visibility.” (Middle Ages Castles…)  In the medieval times, buildings were built to maintain durability and security. Most buildings were castles and cathedrals, and mainly took 2-10+ years to build. Castles are built as a symbol of power, prestige, and control for those in the higher rankings. France currently holds the highest number of castles built.

Castles were primarily made with stone, rock, and timber. Castles were made with rough material mainly to stop intruders from breaking through and to be fireproof. Ducksters states, “Originally castles were made of wood and timber. Later they were replaced with stone to make them stronger. .” (Middle Ages Castles…) It was also used a lot in castles because it was cheaper and faster to build. The main structure of normal houses were built with timber logs or beams, though they were often left exposed. Houses for people in the lower classes were built with dirt for floors, thatched roofs, and woven twigs as walls. 

In the Middle Ages, architects were tilted as master stonemasons or master builders. To be able to get this job it was required to be a craftsman to slowly make the way up with experience and talent to be promoted to a higher position as a builder. The best architects were named “Master Masons” meaning they could build cathedrals and other more advanced or complex buildings. Medieval architecture ended in the late 15th to 16th century.

Conclusion 

In conclusion, the Middle Ages sure was a hard era to live in. From needing to be a part of a strict government system to distancing yourself from everyone in case they had the black plague. Can you imagine living in the Middle Ages now? 

Works Cited 

“History of Black Death.” All About History. allabouthistory.org/history-of-black-death.htm. 

Accessed 22 January 2026.

“Medieval Castle Layout.” Exploring Castles. www.exploring-castles.com/castle_designs

/medieval_castle_layout/. Accessed 22 January 2026.

“Middle Ages Castles.” Ducksters. www.ducksters.com/history/middle_ages_castles.php.

Accessed January 22 2026.

“Middle Ages Feudal System.” Ducksters. www.ducksters.com/history/middle_ages_feudal _system.php  

Accessed 22 February 2023. 

“Middle Ages: The Black Death Plague.” Ducksters. www.ducksters.com/history/middle_ages_b 

lack_death.php. Accessed January 22 2026.

Ross, David. “Feudalism and Medieval Life.” Britain Express. www.britainexpress.com 

/History/Feudalism_and_Medieval_life.htm Accessed 7 February 2023.