Chess: A Game or Rules of Society?  This particular lesson is a one day activity that can be used almost any time during a Western European History Unit. At the conclusion of the lesson, each student will be able to identify the social classes of medieval Europe, and utilize the chess board and pieces to understand their relationship to each other.

Europe in the Middle Ages
This unit focuses on the development of European civilization during the Middle Ages in Europe. The social studies focus will include geography, feudalism, chivalry, Norman Conquest, growth of towns, England, and plagues from the time period of 400 A.D. to 1500 A.D.

Feudalism in Japan and Europe: A Webquest
You are about to travel back in time and across the continents to examine two distinctively different cultures with a similar social structure. This will not be an easy assignment, and at the end you must judge which system had greater negative consequences upon the people, culture, and future development of the region. So hop a board, pack a lunch, put your thinking cap on, and get ready for some history!

Sworn to Serve
You are a member of a wealthy family in 10th century England. The Roman Empire has long since fallen and feudalism is now prevalent in England. Your family seeks to become the vassal of Lord Whinesalot. As vassals, you'll get land, protection, power and wealth. In return you must provide the lord with loyalty, taxes, and soldiers.

The Middles Ages
In this activity, you will explain to the class that they are going to pretend they are medieval lords, knights, and ladies who keep diaries (or journals) so that future generations can read about what their lives are like.

Medieval Feasts
With this great motivational set students become familiar with a social aspect of the Middle Ages, with great feast being the focus of this lesson.

The Decameron Web
This site is an interactive project by Brown University students designed to prompt investigation and discussion of the Decameron texts -- stories from people escaping Florence at the time of the Plague.

Spartacus Internet Encyclopedia
An encyclopedia-style online free resource focused mostly on British history, medieval era on. Contains some useful images and text selections.

Medieval England
Topics include the Battle of Hastings, the Bayeux Tapestry, castles, feudalism, the lifestyle of the medieval peasant, the Domesday Book; the medieval church; Magna Carta, the Black Death, the Crusades and much more.

The Monarchs of England
The site contains biographies and portraits of kings and queens who have ruled England since 829. Links to other websites appear next to the biographies.

The Bayeux Tapestry
Contains color images of the tapestry as well as explanatory text.

Wars of Independence
This BBC website includes an overview of Anglo-Scottish conflict plus detailed biographies of William Wallace and Robert the Bruce.

Battle of Hastings 1066
This mammoth website contains of 850,000 words and 300 graphics. The contents are well organized under headings such as: Why did the Battle Happen, The Build up to the Battle, Harold's Battle Force, William's Battle Force, The Battle, The Aftermath, and Norman Rule After 1066.

Voices of the Powerless: Norman Conquest in York
This BBC site follows a long historical exploration of the Routes of English with Voices of the Powerless, in which Melvyn Bragg explores the lives of the ordinary working men and women of Britain at six critical moments across the last 1,000 years. This audio-episode deals with the decade following the conquest of the north of England in which William's men inflicted - the so-called harrying of the north, which began in 1069.

Secrets of the Norman Invasion
This site contains many articles on the landing of the Normans in England and provides several Domesday Maps that relate to the area where the Normans landed in 1066.

Vikings: The North Atlantic Saga
This Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History site was created around an exhibit commemorating the 1000th anniversary of the Viking landing in the New World. Besides a cool Flash-generated introduction, the site contains extensive documentation on the contents of the exhibit, as well as a Virtual Viking Voyage, a multimedia feature including 3D animations of ship building, runes and sagas, video interviews with leading experts in the field, and detailed histories of Viking settlements and journeys from Scandinavia to Newfoundland.

Mr. Dowling's Electronic Passport: Middle Ages
Mr. Dowling's Electronic Passport helps kids browse the world in his virtual classroom. He introduces you to many civilizations with clear explanations, engaging graphics for kids, and "cool links". His study guides, homework assignments and exams are free and available for you to print or to edit.

Medieval Pilgrimage
This European Virtual History Department project introduces students to the world of the medieval pilgrim. There are links to other 'pilgrimage' websites and eventually there will be a range of activities.

Jousting Game
Jousts were carefully organized events and in this simulation students get the chance to take part in a joust.
 

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