A first book in American history with European beginnings . Norman Church in England. William was a harsh king. He taxed the peopleheavily, keeping account of all their property in a greatrecord called the Doomsday book. Other hated thingswere the use of the French language; the curfew, whichmeant that all fires must be put out when the curfewbell sounded at dusk; and the destruction of many villages 43 A FIRST BOOK IN AMERICAN HISTORY to furnish ground for great forests where none but theking might hunt. Yet in spite of these harsh laws the Norman conquestwas, after all, a good thing for Engl
A first book in American history with European beginnings . Norman Church in England. William was a harsh king. He taxed the peopleheavily, keeping account of all their property in a greatrecord called the Doomsday book. Other hated thingswere the use of the French language; the curfew, whichmeant that all fires must be put out when the curfewbell sounded at dusk; and the destruction of many villages 43 A FIRST BOOK IN AMERICAN HISTORY to furnish ground for great forests where none but theking might hunt. Yet in spite of these harsh laws the Norman conquestwas, after all, a good thing for England. The rudebuildings which stood before the conquest were replacedby the more elaborate Norman architecture. The Nor-. Vassal Taking Oath. mans were a quicker, more intelligent race than the stolidAnglo-Saxons, and the gradual intermingling of the twotypes made the great English nation of to-day. Underthe Normans England was more alive, more up with thetimes than she had ever been before. The system of land grants and obedience to an over*,lord used by William was the great method of govern-ment in England and on the continent for many was known as the Feudal System. 44 BRITAIN, OR ENGLAND Under the Feudal System the king was supposed toown all the land in his kingdom, vast tracts of which hegranted to his great and loyal nobles. In place of payingrent for their land these nobles knelt before the king and,putting their two hands between his, solemnly swore tobe faithful to his service and to defend his cause evenunto death. Just so long as they kept this oath, the landwas theirs, and they were known as vassals of the a vassal lived on his land in a great castle which,though it conta
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, bookidfirstbookina, bookyear1921
