Researching

The Middle Ages

1. Use the books I have gathered for you.
These books will help you with all the topics in your assignment and have great illustrations and
diagrams to help you with your research! Remember that sometimes the topic you need will not have an
entire book devoted to it, and you will need to use the index to find what you are looking for.

Anderson, Mercedes Padrino. Cities and Towns in the Middle Ages. Milwaukee: World Almanac
Library, 2006.

Learn how medieval people set up towns and markets and how the government dealt with
public safety, pollution, and taxes when people began to move off the manors.

Anderson, Mercedes Padrino. Feudalism and Village Life in the Middle Ages. Milwaukee: World Almanac
Library, 2006.

How was medieval life different for a lord and a peasant? Find out the ways things differed, from
housing, clothing, and diet to education and entertainment. Also explains how the villages were set
up with churches, shops, and homesteads and how they grew.

Cels, Marc. Arts and Literature in the Middle Ages. New York: Crabtree, 2005.

This book describes the architecture, sculptures, paintings and mosaics, pottery and metal-
working, manuscripts, and musical instruments of the Middle Ages.

Cels, Marc. Life in a Medieval Monastery. New York: Crabtree, 2005.

What was life like for the monks and nuns of the Middle Ages? This book explains their
silence to encourage thought and prayer, their responsibilities, and their religious education.

Cels, Marc. Life on a Medieval Manor. New York: Crabtree, 2005.

Find out what life was like for the the peasants, tradespeople, stewards, priests,
and lords of the manors in the Middle Ages.

Elliott, Lynne. Children and Games in the Middle Ages. New York: Crabtree, 2004.

This book describes how children’s play and work depended on their parents’ place in society,
how children played board games and sports, how children learned a trade, and more.

Elliott, Lynne. Clothing in the Middle Ages. New York: Crabtree, 2004.

Find out how fabrics were made in the Middle Ages. Also describes the making of women’s
clothing, and men’s clothing, from nobles to peasants.

Findon, Joanne. Science and Technology in the Middle Ages. New York: Crabtree, 2005.

This book describes the improvements in farming, construction, metalworking, and

medicine during the Middle Ages.
 Macdonald, Fiona. Knights, Castles, and Warfare in the Middle Ages. Milwaukee: World
Almanac Library, 2006. Schlitz,
Laura Amy.
How were knights trained? What weapons did they use? Also explains how Good
weapons and warfare evolved to breach castle walls. Masters! Sweet
Ladies! Voices
Macdonald, Fiona. The Plague and Medicine in the Middle Ages. Milwaukee:
from a
World Almanac Library, 2006.
Medieval
This book describes some of the most serious illnesses affecting medieval Village. Illus. Robert
people, including a terrible outbreak of plague, and explores the ways in which Byrd. Cambridge,
doctors tried to cure diseases. Massachusetts:
Candlewick, 2007.
Macdonald, Fiona. Travel and Trade in the Middle Ages. Milwaukee: World Almanac
A collection of short one-
Library, 2006.
person plays featuring
teenage characters living
Trade and travel changed the lives of medieval peoples. This book will explain
in a 13th century English
how. Details the difficulty of traveling in medieval Europe and how
manor brings the history
people coped with the obstacles.
of medieval England
alive, and really gives a
Shuter, Jane. The Middle Ages. Des Plaines: Heinemann Library, 2000. sense of what it was like
to live in the time period.
This book gives an introduction to the various elements of life in the Middle
Ages, including religion, knights, castles, family life, and food.

You may also search the OPAC with the keyword “Middle Ages.”
You will find many of the books on this topic in the Dewey classification
number 940.1 but be careful—they are not all there!
Library Catalog/OPAC

2. Use our library’s databases.

World Book Web Student edition
This is a database that will help you with an overview of the topic and a
lot of helpful information. It can also be searched for more specific topics
relating to the Middle Ages. The articles include illustrations that will
help you in your research and presentation.
Click on the World Book Web icon.
Search for “Middle Ages”
Use the side bar on the left-hand side to navigate through the different
sub-topics you are researching.
You may also search for more specific sub-topics, such as “castle,” “knight,” “serf,” “crusades,” or
“feudalism.”

*Remember, for access from home, the username and password are required.

EBSCO Searchasaurus
Searchasaurus is a great database that you can use to access articles
relating to the topic you are researching for this assignment.
Click on the “Searchasaurus” icon.
Search for “Middle Ages” or any of the sub-topics you are researching, such as “castle,” “knight,”
“serf,” “crusades,” or “feudalism.”

*Remember, for access from home, the username and password are required.
3. Use the trusted websites I have located for you for this assignment.
As we have discussed, we can only use trusted, academic websites for our research assignments. These
websites will help you complete your project with worthwhile information from trusted sources. If you
locate additional websites you believe may be appropriate for your research, show them to me and I will
evaluate them to see if we can add them to the list.
As you look at each website, navigate through the different links pertaining to the Middle Ages
and its sub-topics. Each site has a lot of great information, including illustrations, maps,
timelines, diagrams, and so on.

http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/medieval/
This website gives an overview of the medieval period with many pages of subtopics to choose from. It includes a timeline
and many illustrations. Some of the topics include government, economy, sports and games, religion, environment, and so
on.

http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/history/middleages/
On this website you will be guided through the Middle Ages by your very own tour guide! Before entering the site, you will
be asked to choose your guide, either a knight, merchant, peasant, or nun, and this guide will explain everything that is in
his or her realm.

http://www.learner.org/interactives/middleages/
This is an interactive website that covers many subtopics of the medieval period, including feudalism, religion, homes,
clothing, health, arts & entertainment, and town life. It includes interactive elements such as quizzes and puzzles in each
area.

http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/mefrm.htm
This website provides an overview of the topic, with many articles dealing with various subtopics. The subtopics on this
site are a little more varied than on the other websites and in a lot of the print materials. Some examples are “The
Crusaders Capture Jerusalem,” “The Black Death,” and “Kublai Khan in Battle,” among others. If you can’t find your topic
elsewhere, try this website!

Questions? Ask Your Librarian, Mrs. Storz