Socials 8 Medieval 2 - Franks Flashcards
Questions
Answers
What did the Romans call those who lived outside of their boundaries?
Barbarians
What does the Roman word Barbarian mean?
Those who speak another language
How did the Germanic tribes compare to the Celts who lived in Europe?
They took the land and farms off the Celts and brought their own religion, laws and customs
What was the most notable change from the break-up of the Roman Empire?
The population shift to more Germanic tribes living in Europe
What did not survive the fall of Rome?
the roads fell into disrepair with no one to fix them, there was no one to keep the peace after the government withdrew, traders stopped traveling the unsafe roads, no jobs, little taxes
How was education affected by the fall of Rome?
Rich people did not stay rich so could not pay tutors for their children, soon few people could read or write, except Monks in monasteries
How do we describe Barbarians?
originally a non-Roman person, but later it came to mean ‘an uncultured person’ – an insult
Who are Celtic peoples?
a western European culture, including the Scottish, Irish, Cornish, Bretons
How was the population of Rome affected by the fall of the Empire?
From 1,000,000 to 30,000
How did the kings and rulers react to the loss of the Roman government controlling them?
Wars between rival kings/rulers trying to gain control over the land and peasants
How long did the chaos after the decline of the Roman Empire last?
About 450 years, from 410 CE to 768 CE
How were the general people affected by the collapse of the Roman Empire?
It was unsafe to travel because of bandits, and people lived in fear
Who was the first ruler who managed to get control over the warring kings in Europe?
Charlemagne
Who was the king of the Franks?
Charlemagne
What is a social class?
the group that one belongs to in society, it can be determined by money, role in society or parentage
What area did the Franks take over first?
the area now known as France (Gaul)
What were the Franks known for?
Farming and Fighting
What was a francisca?
a throwing axe worn by most men
What were both men and women fond of?
Jewellery and long hair
What did the name Franks mean?
Free, which is still valued by the French who are their descendents
How did the Franks use some of the old Roman arenas?
They used them as forts and they became the towns
What social classes did the Franks have?
Rich and Poor
What groups were the majority?
Poor farmers or Peasants
What right did peasants have?
They could farm a piece of land on the manor where they were born.
What did they have to give their lord in return for the right to farm a bit of land?
Food/produce
What is this system of land/food/peasants/lords caled?
Feudal system
What is the family name of the Frank kings who ruled for about 300 years?
Merovingian,
Who was the most successful Merovingian king?
Clovis 1 from 481-511 CE
What weakened the Merovingian dynasty?
civil wars, violent conflict with neighbours, failure of kings to protect their people
What were the only public buildings supported by the Franks?
Churches and forts
Did the Franks educate their children?
no, they did not create or support schools
How did the Franks get money?
stolen plunder, they did not have a system for taxes, no trade or businesses
What happened because there were no taxes?
The roads fell into disrepair etc
What was the name of the Frank’s law?
Salic code
How did the Salic code differ from the Romans?
oral laws that were memorized by law-givers (not written down).
What was wergild?
a value placed on every person or piece of property within the Salic Code
What was the Frank punishment for murder?
a fine or the victim’s family could demand execution. No punishment for revenge killings
