Women in the Middle Ages · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.

Women in the Middle Ages

History · Medieval Times · ages 9-11
Name ______________________   Date ____________

  1. Where did nuns spend most of their daily lives?

    • In a castle
    • In a convent
    • On a farm

  2. Which group's day was shaped by long hours of farm work, cooking, and weaving?

    • Peasant women
    • Noblewomen
    • Nuns

  3. Joan of Arc was a peasant girl who led French soldiers into battle.

    Circle one:   True   False

  4. Which of these could most medieval women NOT do?

    • Choose their own husband
    • Cook meals
    • Attend church

  5. A noblewoman's husband left to fight in a war. What did she likely do?

    • Moved into a convent
    • Gave up the castle
    • Ran the estate herself

  6. What made Eleanor of Aquitaine unusual for a medieval woman?

    • She refused to ever leave her village
    • She ruled her own lands and helped govern a kingdom
    • She was the only peasant to become a knight

  7. Today, women can usually choose their own career and property. How is this different from most medieval women's lives?

    • Most medieval women could not own property or choose their path in life
    • There was no difference at all
    • Medieval women had more career choices than women today

  8. A student says: 'All medieval women lived the same kind of life.' What is wrong with this claim?

    • Medieval women all lived in convents
    • Medieval women were not allowed to work
    • A woman's life depended heavily on her class, like noble, peasant, or nun
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Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

Women in the Middle Ages W1-mt_uuB3owTqNY-s1

  1. In a convent · Nuns lived, prayed, and worked inside a convent.
  2. Peasant women · Peasant women worked in the fields and at home from dawn until dark.
  3. True · Joan convinced the king to let her lead an army, even though women were not normally allowed to fight.
  4. Choose their own husband · Marriages were usually arranged by families, not chosen freely by women.
  5. Ran the estate herself · Noblewomen often managed money, workers, and disputes while their husbands were away.
  6. She ruled her own lands and helped govern a kingdom · Eleanor held real political power, which was rare for women at the time.
  7. Most medieval women could not own property or choose their path in life · Most medieval women's lives were decided by their family and class, with far fewer choices than today.
  8. A woman's life depended heavily on her class, like noble, peasant, or nun · A noblewoman, a peasant woman, and a nun led very different daily lives.
Worksheet · LightMySky