List of primary or secondary sources:

Description of research findings:

Eastern Europe
Western Europe
Important
People/Groups

Important
Facts about
the
Development of Feudalism

Important
Dates

Important
Places

Social
Structure

Political
Structure

Economic
Structure

Primary sources:

1. Medieval chronicles and diaries from individuals who lived during the development of feudalism in Europe.
2. Medieval legal documents, such as charters and land contracts, that detail feudal relationships and obligations.
3. Manuscripts of medieval literature and poetry that offer insights into social and political structures during the feudal period.
4. Letters and correspondences between medieval rulers and nobles, providing direct evidence of political events and alliances.
5. Artifacts and archaeological remains, such as coins, pottery, and architectural structures, from feudal societies.

Secondary sources:

1. Historical research articles and books that analyze primary sources and provide interpretations of the development of feudalism.
2. Academic textbooks on medieval history that summarize and analyze various aspects of feudalism.
3. Scholarly articles and journals that discuss social, political, and economic structures during the feudal period.
4. Non-fiction books written by historians that offer in-depth examinations and explanations of feudalism in Europe.
5. Educational websites and online databases that provide scholarly information on feudalism and its development.

Description of research findings:

1. Analysis of primary sources reveals that the structure of feudal society in Western Europe was characterized by a hierarchical system of lords, vassals, and serfs.
2. Primary and secondary sources indicate that the development of feudalism was influenced by a combination of factors, including the decline of centralized Roman authority, the need for protection during tumultuous times, and the agricultural economy of medieval Europe.
3. Research findings suggest that the social structure of feudalism was based on the division of society into distinct classes, with the nobility holding political power and the majority of the population being peasants.
4. Political structures during the feudal period were characterized by decentralized governance, with local lords and vassals exercising authority over their respective territories.
5. Economic structures were primarily based on agriculture, with peasants working the land and producing goods for their lords in exchange for protection and access to resources.
6. Research findings indicate that important dates in the development of feudalism include the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476, the rise of the Carolingian Empire under Charlemagne in the 8th century, and the emergence of feudalism as a dominant social and political system in the 9th and 10th centuries.
7. Important places where feudalism developed and thrived include Western Europe, particularly France, England, Germany, and Italy, as well as parts of Eastern Europe, such as Poland and Hungary.
8. Feudalism played a significant role in shaping the political and social structures of medieval Europe, influencing the power dynamics between rulers, nobles, and peasants.