DID YOU KNOW? The term ‘Dark Ages’ was originally used by the Italian scholar Petrarch in the 1330s. He was describing what he considered to be the poor quality of literature coming from Europe in the period following the fall of Rome.
SOURCE3 The Domesday Book is an amazing eleventh-century public record of who owned what and how much they had. After conquering the English, the new king, William I, ordered a public survey of his new territory, and the record was written up to become The Domesday Book .
3.2.4 Artefacts, monuments and buildings Artefacts, monuments and buildings from the Middle Ages are valuable sources of information. Artefacts include items like coins, armour, weapons, utensils, tools and goblets. Durable metals like silver, gold and bronze are more common than garments or materials like timber and iron, which tend to rust or rot. Historians use written and pictorial records to understand what these materials looked like. Many buildings from the Middle Ages still exist, such as cottages, churches, monasteries, tithe barns, castles and manor houses. The cottage in SOURCE4 ,made of thatch and stone, is a good example of a fourteenth-century peasant’s home, though it would have needed frequent renovations. In contrast, SOURCE5 , Dover Castle, was built for much wealthier and more powerful people. Its history dates back to pre-Roman times, but its current form began under King Henry II in the late twelfth century. Castles like Dover help historians understand their use as military fortresses and homes for the rich. Comparing cottages and castles shows the class differences between peasants and their rulers. Even ruins can provide clues about life in the Middle Ages.
SOURCE4 These reconstructed cottages date back to the fourteenth century.
SOURCE5 Dover castle in Kent, England, was built in the eleventh and twelfth centuries.
SkillBuilder discussion Using historical sources
1. Look at SOURCE5 . What architectural features of Dover Castle indicate its use as a military fortress? 2. How does the design of Dover Castle reflect the social status and lifestyle of its inhabitants? 3. What can the location and structure of Dover Castle tell us about the historical significance of its site?
52 Jacaranda Humanities Alive 8 Victorian Curriculum Third Edition
Made with FlippingBook interactive PDF creator