Explores medieval history by combining infographics, cartoons, and text to highlight aspects of the diversity and intercultural dynamics of the medieval world, from Europe to the Byzantine, Ottoman, and Islamic empires.

While the medieval period is often written off as a backward and benighted era, it was, in fact, marked by advances in wind and water power, agriculture, navigation, timekeeping, and military technology. The invention of the printing press near the end of the Middle Ages ushered in the early modern period. The achievements of this era—in particular the fabrication of scientific instruments, the development of commerce, rising urbanization, and the invention of the steam engine—laid the groundwork for the Industrial Revolution. Readers will be engrossed by this information-packed title and come away with a real understanding of how technology develops over time, building, by fits and spurts, on the technology already in use.

"Uses a feudal model to analyze contemporary American society, comparing its essential characteristics to those of medieval European societies"--Provided by publisher.

Annotation. Feudal Society discusses the economic and social conditions in which feudalism developed providing a deep understanding of the processes at work in medieval Europe.

Great Medieval Projects You Can Build Yourself brings the Middle Ages in Europe alive through hands-on activities for kids ages 9-12. Addressing various aspects of medieval life, this book provides historically accurate details of the period leading up to the Renaissance. From monastic life to castle living, villages to towns, each section offers a glimpse into the daily existence of the people who lived in medieval Europe. Sidebars and fun trivia break up the text. Readers will expand their knowledge of this era beyond knights, fair maidens, and castles as they learn about siege warfare, life in a medieval village, medieval clothing, markets and fairs, the Plague, medieval medicine, and the Crusades.

Following a remarkable epoch of greater dispersion of wealth and opportunity, we are inexorably returning towards a more feudal era marked by greater concentration of wealth and property, reduced upward mobility, demographic stagnation, and increased dogmatism. If the last seventy years saw a massive expansion of the middle class, not only in America but in much of the developed world, today that class is declining and a new, more hierarchical society is emerging. The new class structure resembles that of Medieval times. At the apex of the new order are two classes—a reborn clerical elite, the clerisy, which dominates the upper part of the professional ranks, universities, media and culture, and a new aristocracy led by tech oligarchs with unprecedented wealth and growing control of information. These two classes correspond to the old French First and Second Estates. Below these two classes lies what was once called the Third Estate. This includes the yeomanry, which is made up largely of small businesspeople, minor property owners, skilled workers and private-sector oriented professionals. Ascendant for much of modern history, this class is in decline while those below them, the new Serfs, grow in numbers—a vast, expanding property-less population. The trends are mounting, but we can still reverse them—if people understand what is actually occurring and have the capability to oppose them.

Pack your bags for a trip that will last one thousand years! Destination: Middle Ages takes you on a guided tour of Europe and the Middle East from the 5th to the 15th centuries. If you think these were the Dark Ages, think again! This was an age of great cultural advances and artistic achievements, of inspiring rulers and courageous warriors, and of bustling towns alive with merchants and entertainers. Follow the trade routes that lead to the Middle Ages. Witness the expansion of trade and commerce that led to the growth of towns and the formation of guilds. Find out how advancements in shipbuilding helped open up the world to merchants such as Marco Polo, who competed to meet the increasing demand for luxury items. Book jacket.