Mr. Sakowich Period 7
Medieval Churches The Medieval Church had a large role in the Middle Ages and everyone's daily life revolved around the church. In the Middle Ages, when there was a weakened government, the church rises in power and becomes more of a political role. The church had all control over the people. Peasants worked for no pay on the church land. Also, the church didn't pay any taxes which saved them a lot of money making them more wealthy than any king of England at this period of time. Some of the money the church received was spent to build cathedrals, churches and monasteries, and by constructing these buildings, it showed the church's wealth. The church dominated everyone's life hence why all the medieval people believed that God, Heaven and hell existed. All people were taught that the only way they could possibly get their entry to Heaven was if the Roman Catholic Church allowed them too. Everyone was afraid of Hell and people were told of the terrible things waiting for them in Hell in the weekly services. On the church land, peasants worked for free leaving them less time for them to work on their own lands on their farms to provide for their family. Peasants was required to pay 10% of what they earned in a year through taxes also called tithes to the church. Tithes could be paid in two ways which were either money or in goods produced by the peasant farmers. Peasants had very little money, so they almost always pay their taxes in seeds, harvested grain, animals and other things. Usually, this caused a peasant a lot of problems because for example, seeds would be needed to feed a family the following year. Whatever the church got in tithes was stored in huge tithe barns and most of the stored grain would have been eaten by rats or poisoned by their urine. Peasants were told by the church that if they are unable to pay tithes, then their souls would be going to Hell after they die.