Chp3 French Society: Peasants Flashcards
Who was at the top of the Feudal pyramid?
The aristocrats
Who was at the bottom of the Feudal pyramid?
the serfs and workers
What privileges did the church and aristocrats have?
paid few taxes
What special privilege did Churches have?
They were allowed to tax peasants 10% of their income as a tithe
In the 17C how big were most French farms?
small plots of land, using medieval farming methods
How did 17C french farms compare to British or Dutch farms at the same time?
Their quantity of production/produce was much lower
Describe a French 17C peasant.
Worked hard, could not read or write, had little to show for their labour
Why did writers of the time describe the peasant life as ‘brutal’?
peasants were uneducated, subjected to famines, epidemics, and had a superstitious view of life.
What rules did French peasants have to follow?
had to work on Lord’s land and government projects, could not kill or drive off animals that destroyed their crops
How did the aristocrats’ pass time of hunting affect peasants?
the aristocrats would trample right through fields of crops destroying the crops w/o compensation to the peasant, wouldn’t allow the peasants to kill any animals that might be hunted.
