On Tuesday April 26,2016, our teacher assigned us to watch a video about medieval times. The video is called, Castle by David Macauley. He gave us a worksheet with questions and we are suppose to answer them as we watch. This is the second part to our fiefdom project. Here are the 36 questions and answers.
1. Who were the people dependent upon?
The people dependent upon the Lord or the Manor.
2. Where did they choose to build? and why?
They chose to build the castle by the shore and river because they work as a natural defense.
3. What was the first ring of the castle called?
The first ring of the castle is called a moat.
4. How long will the walls be on the outer curtain?
The walls on the outer curtain are 300 feet on each of its side.
5. How thick was the inner curtain? How high?
The inner curtain was 12 feet thick and 35ft high.
6. Make a sketch.
7. What's the center of the inner ward?
The center of the inner ward is the living-quarters for Lord Kevin and lady Catherine.
8. How many entrances in the town wall? How are they protected?
There are three entrances in the town wall and they are protected by double-town gate houses.
9. Why did people move to towns?
Lord Kevin sent constables to several English cities to find workers that Master James needed. Over 500 diggers were forced to work for him to build the castle.
10. What are the walls filled with?
The walls are filled with rubble.
11. How are the windows designed, starting from the bottom to the top of the towers?
The windows are designed small, so that any intruders can't climb through. All of the windows are protected by iron grills closed with wooden shutters from the inside. They are also fitted with glass.
12. What are the crenulations used for?
The crenulations weren't used for decorations. They are used so that soldiers can shoot in two directions.
13. Why are the gate houses not lined up from the inner to the outer ward?
The gate houses are not lined up from the inner to the outer ward because if someone tries to break through the outer wall, they wouldn't be able to just go through. They would have to find another entrance.
14. How are the tower levels divided?
The upper rooms are for living and working places, and below is for storage and the dungeons.
15. What defenses are in a gate house?
Heavy timber forms were used to block the entrance. A set of wooden doors cannot be open unless the drobot is slidden in place. Murder holes are cut in the ceiling so if any intruders come, BOOM! Any soldier can attack anyone who comes. The inner end is weighed and when the support under it moves, the drawbridge swings down, so that any intruders or murders can't come in the castle.
16. What are the buildings made from?
The buildings were made from stone and sticks. They also used mud and straw, as well cow tongue.
17. What lived on the bottom floor of the barracks? The top?
The soldiers live on the bottom floor of the barracks while the basement is for stables and castle's weapons.
18. What is a garderobe?
A garderobe is a medieval toilet used back then and how it works is that basically when you need to go, it sends it through a round long hole cut in the slabs, leading to the separett below.
19. Why were nicer rooms higher in the town?
The nicer rooms were higher in the tower because you could safely have larger windows.
20. How thick were the walls?
The walls were 8-10ft thick
21. What was used to heat the rooms?
A stone in the center of the floor was a hearth used to heat the rooms or used for cooking.
22. How many rooms were in a tower?
There are 3-4 rooms in a tower. They were stacked on top of each other and each room had a different function.
23. What was the most important room in a castle?
The most important room in a castle is the Great Hall. It is where people usually socialize and ate food there.\
24. How did peasants live?
They live by working, selling merchandise, and following orders. They also had to follow the lords and manor's rules.
25. What was the main material that was used to build medieval homes?
The main material that was used to build medieval homes are called wattles and daubs.
26. What is wattle? What is daub?
Wattle is a woven ladder of sticks which is covered on both sides with a daub, while a daub is a mixture of mud, cow tounge, and straws.
27. Why did people settle in towns?
People settle in towns because Lord Kevin needed a lot of workers and diggers to help build his castle. They were forced too.
28. What was the best location in a town?
The best location in a town is near the well.
29. What were the floors (bottom) made from?
The floors were made from path dirt covered with reeves.
30. What were the windows covered with?
The windows were covered with oil and cheap skin to keep out the chill.
31. What was the main source of heat and light?
The main source of heat and light was fire.
32. Why would no one want to be live behind the butcher shop?
No one wanted to be live behind the butcher shop because of the dogs that live behind the butcher shop that the owner owned.
33. What does a barber do? (besides cut hair)
The barber cures people by bleeding out the bad humors besides cutting people's hair.
34. Are there sewers?
Yes, there were sewers.
35. Are their toilets?
Yes, they did have toilets. It was called garderobes back then.
36. Where does the waste goes?
The waste goes down a round long hole that cuts in the stone slabs which leads to the seperatt below.
