It was incredibly dangerous to travel along the Silk Road

There were three main routes, and all were dangerous.

bruise-like purple blotches, called buboes, on the victim's skin. It is from this word, buboe, that the bubonic plague takes its name. The hemorrhaging causes an intoxication of the nervous system, which produces neurological and psychological disorders, including insomnia, delirium, and stupor

Septicaemic plague is, like the bubonic plague, carried by insects. Its distinguishing feature is its rapidity - death occurs within a day of infection, even before buboes have had time to form. This form of the plague is the rarest rare, but is almost always fatal

victims suffer a sharp drop in body temperature, which is followed by sever coughing and discharge of a bloody sputum

airborne transmission.

None of these plagues are native to Europe.

bacteria normally resides in Central Asia, Yunan China, Arabia, East Africa, and limited areas of Iran and Libya.

Their spread to Europe from these areas has always been through global commerce - trade which carried with it plague- bearing rats and fleas.

From China, the plague is known to have been carried along the Silk Road into Central Asia, where there are records of outbreaks in 1339.

Serfs could buy their freedom from the manor, but where would they get the money?

If a new lord took over the manor, he would need the serfs for labor.

Peasants were free to leave if they wished

Peasants worked the land and made the goods in exchange for protection.

Other than that, their life was just like a serf's life.

A few peasants escaped the hard work on the farm by joining the church. But most lived and died on the manor where they were born.

Everyone had to pay taxes to the lord

To pay the crop tax, some crops went to the lord, and some they kept. To pay the bread tax, some bread they made went to the lord, and some they kept. To pay the coat tax, some of the warm coats they made went to the lord, and some they kept.

Everything was paid in barter. Coinage or money did not exist on the manor. 

People believed that the only way to get to Heaven was to follow the teachings in the Bible.

The common people could not read or write.

The priest told them who they must marry and when. You had to do everything the priest said if you wanted to get to heaven. 

peasants and serfs were mostly content with their lot.

work kept everyone on the manor fed and comfortable, including themselves. 

They were not slaves. These people could not be bought and sold. But they could not leave the manor without permission.

six daughters and four sons

Married: Matilda of Flanders in 1052

Accomplishments or why William the Conqueror was famous: Victory at the Battle of Hastings in 1066.

Cause of the Death of William the Conqueror: Riding accident when he fell from his horse

Character of William the Conqueror: Tough, brave, inspirational and religious

crowned King of England in January 1067 at Westminster Abbey, London

Building great castles in England, including the Tower of London

Battle of HastingsBayeux Tapestry

Nickname William the Bastard

fought off the Viking invasion led by King Hardrada in the North of England

instituted his strategy for medieval warfare of building castles

Tower of London

The Doomsday Book which was begun in 1086 and contained detailed records of 13,418 settlements in England