By the early Middle Ages, many different Western European landowners had started organizing society in a new way. Historians call this new way of organizing society feudalism. Read the passage about how feudalism began. Then complete the text. Feudalism is a system where _____________.
Feudalism is a system where land was owned by powerful lords, who would grant portions of that land to lesser lords in exchange for loyalty and military service. These lesser lords, known as vassals, would then govern and protect the land on behalf of the powerful lords. In return, the vassals would receive protection and support from their lords. This system of land ownership and loyalty formed the basis of feudalism in the early Middle Ages.
