FEUDALISM
1
In feudalism, powerful lords would provide land to
peasants and offer protection in the event of attack. In
exchange, the peasants, called
vassals
, would turn over
to the lords a portion of what they grew on the land.
2
When a lord granted land to a vassal, there was a
ceremony to make it official. Instead of a lease, the
tenant was given a symbolic clod of dirt, called a
seisin
.
3
In some parts of Europe, individual
towns that grew rich from trade built
impressive buildings to showcase
their wealth. An Italian town
called Pisa built the famous
Leaning Tower in 1173.
Although it seems like,
with all that money,
they could have
fixed the tower!
5
