Women and the medieval Church | History | Quizalize & Oak National Academy

Starter quiz

The medieval period is sometimes called __________.
- the Middle Ages ✓
- the Early Modern period
- the Modern period
- the Dark Ages
In the medieval period, the dominant Church in Western Europe was the ______ Catholic Church.
- 'Roman' ✓
Starting with the most powerful, place these medieval social groups into a hierarchy.
- 1
  
  ⇔
  
  King
- 2
  
  ⇔
  
  Nobles and bishops
- 3
  
  ⇔
  
  Knights
- 4
  
  ⇔
  
  Peasants
Which of these statements best describes medieval England?
- an urban society with a great many large towns and villages
- a mostly rural society with most people living in villages or hamlets ✓
- a completely rural society with no towns or cities
Match the social group to its role in society.
- King
  
  ⇔
  
  Made laws and ruled the country ✓
- Nobles
  
  ⇔
  
  Helped the king to rule and gave him advice ✓
- Bishops
  
  ⇔
  
  Ran the Church and gave the king advice ✓
- Knights
  
  ⇔
  
  Fought in war for their lord and the king ✓
- Peasants
  
  ⇔
  
  Farmed their lords' land ✓
Medieval society was very ______; nearly everybody believed in God and attended church regularly.
- 'religious' ✓

Exit quiz

______ oversaw the most important moments in people’s lives, such as baptisms.
- 'Priests' ✓
In what areas of life did the Church have power and influence?
- warfare
- the law courts ✓
- land ownership ✓
- taxation ✓
- law making
Medieval Britain was a ______ society in which men had more power, control and opportunities than women.
- 'patriarchal' ✓
Which of these best describes women's lives in medieval England?
- Centred on the home ✓
- Sometimes involved making a selling things ✓
- Involved no commercial activity
- Some helped their fathers or husbands in business ✓
- Were not allowed to conduct business
In medieval towns, the ______ system was often used to exclude women from crafts and trades.
- 'guild' ✓
One way in which women were able to achieve greater independence was to become a...
- wife
- mother
- nun ✓
- guild member

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Lesson Details

Key learning points

The medieval Church was extremely powerful and had a significant influence on people's ideas about the role of women.
Medieval Britain was a patriarchal society in which men had more power, control, and opportunities than women.
The work completed by medieval women was partly determined by whether they lived in the countryside or in towns.
The medieval Church represented one route to greater independence for women.
Some medieval women became literate through the Church.

Common misconception

Medieval women completed no work other than housework and looking after children.

Although they were responsible for housework and childcare and did not have the same opportunities to work as men, women in the medieval period completed a range of other work; the type of work they completed was determined by where they lived.

Keywords

Church - the Church is the organisation of the Christian religion
Priest - a priest is a religious leader who performs ceremonies, rituals and provides guidance
Patriarchal - patriarchal relates to a society that is controlled by men
Guild - a guild is a group of a certain type of craftsmen with their own rules
Nun - a nun is a woman who has withdrawn from normal life to dedicate her life to God