The document provides context about daily life and society in medieval England, including the dominant role of the Catholic Church. It describes the architecture of churches, the hierarchy and wealth of the Church, the lives of monks and nuns, and the education of noble women. It also discusses women's roles, marriage customs, appearance and fashion trends. The last few paragraphs introduce Geoffrey Chaucer and provide an overview of his famous work, The Canterbury Tales.

1. WE L C O ME

2. 1 0 8 7 AD

3. The Feudal System during the Middle Ages

8. Being a monk was one way to stay alive during the Middle Ages. Some young nobles became monks to avoid a life of constant battling. Monks lived in monasteries or abbeys. They worked and prayed. Women could also serve a religious life as a nun. Monks were often teachers who taught noble children. Some monks worked the land of the monastery, growing vegetables, herbs, and fruit. Some even had the job of praying for everyone else.

10. Women in the Middle Ages The women of the Middle Ages were totally dominated by the male members of their family. The women were expected to instantly obey not only their father, but also their brothers and any other male members of the family. Any unruly girls were beaten into submission and disobedience was seen as a crime against religion.

22. This siege weapon was designed to protect attackers and their ladders whilst storming a weak area of the castle wall. The tower was usually rectangular with four wheels and a height equal to that of the wall, or sometimes even higher.

23. Polearms - This type of Medieval weapon consisted of a razor-sharp blade mounted on a wooden shaft, or pole which was between 4 and 14 feet long!

27. The Shield Medieval Shields were developed protect a knight or soldier from the direct blows from the weapons of their enemies. Shields used during the Middle Ages were also used as bludgeoning weapons.

30. Con’t 2. (a) An alien, a foreigner, a stranger, a sojourner; an exile for the Christian faith [quot.: c1384]; ben ~ , to dwell as a foreigner or sojourner; taken ~ , receive (a foreigner) as a guest; (b) as adj.: alien, foreign; (c) an unorthodox doctrine; as adj.: unorthodox. 3. Fig. A man or soul as an alien, a sojourner, traveler, or pilgrim; esp. one whose home or destination is heaven, etc. 4. Astrol. A planet which occupies none of the positions in the zodiac that could heighten its influence. 5. (a) The name of a drinking cup; (b) in the name of a horse; (c) as surname and place name.

31. Geoffrey Chaucer

35. An old map of Canterbury Pilgrims Passed To and Fro to Canterbury

53. 10 That slepen al the nyght with open ye Those that sleep all the night with open eyes 11 (So priketh hem Nature in hir corages), (So Nature incites them in their hearts), 12 Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimages, Then folk long to go on pilgrimages, 13 And palmeres for to seken straunge strondes, And professional pilgrims to seek foreign shores, 14 To ferne halwes, kowthe in sondry londes; To distant shrines, known in various lands;

54. 15 And specially from every shires ende And specially from every shire's end 16 Of Engelond to Caunterbury they wende, Of England to Canterbury they travel, 17 The hooly blisful martir for to seke, To seek the holy blessed martyr, 18 That hem hath holpen whan that they were seeke. Who helped them when they were sick.