Source Analysis

TEACHER César Bonilla SUBJECT World History

Middle Ages (353 – 373) & The
TOPIC Renaissance (471 - 487 World DATE
History Book)
STUDENT GRADE 8th CLASS

Interprets Diverse Sources Critically:

Source A

To William, most illustrious duke of the Aquitanians, Bishop Fulbert, the favor of his prayers:
Requested to write something regarding the character of fealty, I have set down briefly for you, on
the authority of the books, the following things. He who takes the oath of fealty [faithfulness] to his
lord ought always to keep in mind these six things: what is harmless, safe, honorable, useful, easy,
and practicable. Harmless, which means that he ought not to injure his lord in his body; safe, that
he should not injure him by betraying his confidence or the defenses upon which he depends for
security; honorable, that he should not injure him in his justice, or in other matters that relate to his
honor; useful, that he should not injure him in his property; easy, that he should not make difficult
that which his lord can do easily; and practicable, that he should not make impossible for the lord
that which is possible. However, while it is proper that the faithful vassal avoid these injuries, it is
not for doing this alone that he deserves his holding: for it is not enough to refrain from
wrongdoing, unless that which is good is done also. It remains, therefore, that in the same six
things referred to above he should faithfully advise and aid his lord, if he wishes to be regarded as
worthy of his benefice and to be safe concerning the fealty which he has sworn.

The lord also ought to act toward his faithful vassal in the same manner in all these things. And if
he fails to do this, he will be rightfully regarded as guilty of bad faith, just as the former, if he should
be found shirking, or willing to shirk, his obligations would be perfidious [treacherous] and perjured.
I should have written to you at greater length had I not been busy with many other matters,
including the rebuilding of our city and church, which were recently completely destroyed by a
terrible fire. Though for a time we could not think of anything but this disaster, yet now, by the hope
of God’s comfort, and of yours also, we breathe more freely again.

Ogg F. (1970). ed., A Source Book of Medieval History (New York: American Book Company,
1907), 220–221. Reprinted in David Herlihy, ed., The History of Feudalism (New York: Walker and
Company), 97.

What’s the intention of the author? Who is the target audience?

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What were the six things that a faithful vassal should have always kept in mind?
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What was a vassal expected to do besides avoid injurious behavior?

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According to this letter, what formed the basis of the bond between a lord and his vassals?

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SOURCE: The following source provides a graphical depiction of a Manor during the 10 th
century.

Kime and Stich.(n.d) Global History and Geography, STAReview, N & N Publishing Company

State and explain two economical characteristics of the medieval manor.

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 SOURCE: The following source is about the Manor system in times of Charlemagne.
The manorial system, widespread in the West from Charlemagne’s time onward, was not at first
favorable to the development of agriculture and commerce. Manors tended to be self-sufficient; the
economy was closed. People lived in their small world, in constant fear of the strange world
beyond, from which came only evil. The best they could hope for was to endure; and they endured.
In the eleventh and following centuries things took a turn for the better. Life became more stable;
population increased; new lands were brought under cultivation and old lands rendered [made]
more productive. New agricultural techniques were introduced. The power of legumes [nitrogen-
fixing plants] to nourish and revive exhausted soils was recognized, and the science of manuring
developed—marl [lime-rich mud] and ashes being employed in combination with animal manures.
The quality of herds was improved by selection and crossbreeding. Flowing water was put to work,
operating gristmills and providing power for forges. Windmills whirled on plains and uplands, and
men even attempted, with some success, to construct tidal mills. . . .
Bishop M. (n.d). The Middle Ages, Houghton Mifflin. (adapted).

What was the main reason why Manorialism developed in Europe?

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SOURCE: The following source describes Homage and Fealty during the Middle Ages.
Homage was essentially the acknowledgment of the bond of tenure that existed between the two. It
consisted of the vassal surrendering himself to the lord, symbolized by his kneeling and giving his
joined hands to the lord, who clasped them in his own, thus accepting the surrender. Fealty was an
oath of fidelity made by the vassal. In it he promised not to harm his lord or to do damage to his
property. Although homage had to be rendered directly to the lord, fealty could be given to a bailiff
or steward. The lord then performed a symbolic investiture of the new vassal, handing over to him
some object representing his fief. The whole procedure was a recognition of both the assistance
owed by the tenant to his lord and the protection owed by the lord to the tenant.

What were the main ideas behind feudalism?

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SOURCE: Influence of education and its relationship with trade (during Renaissance).
“The study of Mathematics in particular was disputed by many, because of its strong association
with trade and commerce. Merchants and master craftsmen in many areas in Europe were not
given an identical level of respect or deference as they commanded in Germany. This meant that
sons of the merchant class were taught only in those subjects which would aid them in their efforts
to become statesmen and politicians. What little mathematics was taught in the merchant schools
therefore became highly theoretical and divorced from possible applications in the real world.
To cope with this gap in the educational system, another type of school was founded in Florence
and its surrounding areas. The Scoula d'abaco taught those who wanted to improve their ability in
commercial areas, and hence provided courses in Arithmetic, Algebra, Astronomy, book-keeping,
and the more practical elements of Geometry, which were fast becoming important due to recent
advances in Navigation.”
O'Connor, J and Robertson, E. (n.d.). The teaching of mathematics in The Renaissance. Taken from:
http://www-history.mcs.st-and.ac.uk/Education/renaissance.html

Why was math’s association with trade and commerce seen as negative?

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Predict one benefit of the creation of the new school, Scoula d'abaco.

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SOURCE: Description of a Humanist.

“A year after your departure I had the good fortune to secure the services of a fine, generous,
young lad, whom I am sorry you do not know. He knows you well, for he has often seen you, at
Venice, in your house, where I am now living, and also at the home of our friend Donato, and on
such occasions has observed you very carefully, as is natural at his age. I want you to know him,
too, so far as that is possible at such long range, and to see him with the mind's eye, when you
read my letters, and so I will tell you a little about him. He was born on the coast of the Adriatic, at
about the time, if I am not mistaken, when you were living there, with the former lord of that region,
the grandfather of him who now holds sway. The lad's own family and fortune are humble. He has
a force of character and a power of self-control that would be praiseworthy even in old age; and a
mind that is keen and flexible; and a memory that is rapacious, and capacious, and, best of all,
tenacious.
The lad has a decided leaning toward poetry; and if he perseveres in his efforts, till in due time he
learns to think clearly and vigorously, he will compel your wonder and your congratulations. But so
far, he is vague and uncertain, because of the feebleness of youth, and does not always know
what he wants to say. What he does want to, however, he says very nobly and beautifully. So, it
frequently happens that there falls from him some poem that is not only pleasing to the ear but
dignified and graceful and well-considered, the sort of work that you would ascribe, if you were
ignorant of the author, to some writer of long experience. I am confident that he will develop vigour
of thought and expression, and work out, as the result of his experiments, a style of his own, and
learn to avoid imitation, or, better, to conceal it, so as to give the impression not of copying but
rather of bringing to Italy from the writers of old something new.”
Petrarch F. (1365). Familiar Letters, The Young Humanist of Ravenna to Boccaccio.
What’s the intention of the author? Who is the target audience?
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How does Petrarch describe this young humanist?

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What elements or examples of humanism can be found in the excerpt?

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