4. The Middle Ages in Europe was a difficult time period. Everyday life was hard, and thieves and wild animals presented dangers. For protection, communities grew around central places called manors.
5. Manors consisted of a castle, a church, a village, and farmland. Every manor had a lord, who was in charge. Most of the people who lived on the manor were peasants. The manor system allowed the peasants to have land to farm, but the lord forced the peasants to pay high taxes. The peasants had to give him most of their crops.
6. In exchange the lord protected the peasants from thieves and soldiers who passed through the manor. This protection was important in those dangerous times. This system of society was called feudalism. The lord was at the top of the system, and the peasants, or serfs, were at the bottom.
7. Children also had to work. When a boy reached 10 years of age, he accompanied the men in the fields. Girls stayed with their mothers and learned to do chores. Peasants ate whatever they could grow, so it was very important for them to work hard. Their main crops were corn, beets, and wheat. Sometimes the weather was poor, and peasants lost their crops. Many people starved to death.
8. Most peasant homes were cold and dark. They had dirt floors and thatched roofs made from plants. Peasants built walls from wood, stone, or mud-covered branches. If a home had windows, the windows were very small. This was because only wealthy people could afford to buy window glass. In the winter, peasants moved their livestock inside for warmth. Homes usually had only two rooms. The main room had a kitchen hearth, or fireplace. People used the hearth both to cook food and to heat the room. Peasants commonly ate breads, as well as vegetables from their gardens. They slept on stacks of straw. In the fall, they slaughtered their animals, and they used the meat for the whole year.
9. Many celebrations took place, however. People celebrated births and marriages, and they had feasts on religious holidays. Sometimes the lord of the manor provided food for the feast. At those times the people danced, and everyone had food.