Constructing Castles Students will: • Explore the three major styles of castle construction in the Middle Ages (motte and bailey, stone keep, and concentric) • Compare and contrast the positive and negative features of each type of castle • Use clues from photographs and illustrations to determine how castles evolved over time • Assessment: Research and compose a five-paragraph essay about one castle type of their choice. Included should be information on when and where it was used, basic features of each castle, the rationale behind its design, what preceded or came after it (when applicable), and whether the student would like to live in this type of castle and why or why not. Time Requirement: 60 minutes Supplies: 3 castle cards (included) Castles poster (included) Guided Discussion: 1. Long ago, what were castles used for? Though they were used as residences, they were more often used for military purposes, to protect an area from enemy armies. 2. Castles were built over hundreds of years, and as time went on, the style and design of castles change to adapt to changes in warfare, and to better protect the soldiers and civilians inside the castle walls. 3. Hang up the Castles poster on the board, preferably not in correct chronological order as listed below (motte and bailey, stone keep, concentric). One by one, go over the names and ask about the features of each. Pass around the individual castle cards as you discuss them. Below is a brief description of each type of castle for teacher use/reference. Why were they designed the way they were? Were there any potential problems from the design? a. The motte and bailey castle includes a wooden or stone keep, which is a very strong and highly protected tower, standing at the top of an earthen mound called a motte, which was surrounded by a ditch. The motte was created to allow defenders to better see an approaching enemy, and fighting from a greater height would give defenders an advantage over attackers. Next to the motte would be at least one bailey, which is an enclosed courtyard with additional buildings and structures, similar to a small village. The motte and keep were separated from the bailey by a wooden bridge, which could be burned if the bailey was held by enemies. The bailey itself was surrounded by a ditch and wooden wall, making it difficult for enemies to approach. Since many keeps were initially built of wood, the motte and bailey design was designed to be temporary, since they were prone to fire and other forms of destruction. The motte and bailey style was

slowly abandoned as stone became an increasingly popular (and permanent) material in castle construction. As keeps got larger and heavier, mottes were unable to bear the weight of the stone, and the motte itself was used less and less, and keeps were constructed on the natural landscape. b. The stone keep castle, as its name suggests, developed in the wake of stone construction. Whereas the wood largely used in motte and bailey castles was prone to fire, stone protected inhabitants from this danger. Stone, being stronger and more durable, also allowed builders to build taller, larger structures. The increased height of castles (and the towers that were built into the stone wall—called a curtain wall—at regular intervals) also gave guards better views of the surrounding landscape. Like the bailey, the area outside the keep but within the walls contained workshops, stables, and other structures that were important to the daily running of a castle. A ditch or moat surrounded the entire structure, and entrance was often by drawbridge, which could control who had access to the castle gates. c. The concentric castle features two or more surrounding, or curtain, walls. These extra walls make it increasingly difficult for enemy armies to invade the heart of the castle, and the increased wall space allowed more men to be posted around the castle’s perimeter. Each wall was built at a different height, so archers could still fire effectively over and around one another without risking injury. Because of the extra size and building materials, however, concentric castles were very expensive, meaning that only a few of the wealthiest families in the land could afford to construct them. Classroom Activity: 1. Ask students, as a class or in small groups, to come up with the order in which these castles were designed. Why did they choose the order that they did? Extension Activities: • Have students choose a famous castle to research, and on which they will compose a fiveparagraph essay about its location, history, famous battles and/or owners, and interesting facts. Which of the above construction styles (if any) do they think it fits? Have students share their essays in a future class period. • Learn about life in and around the castle walls using primary source illustrations in a medieval Book of Hours in As the Seasons Change (Fine Arts). • Learn more about the architectural and defensive features of castles, and design or promote your vision of an ideal castle in Royal Real Estate (Communication Arts). Missouri Grade Level Expectations (GLEs): Social Studies 3b. Knowledge of continuity and change in the history of the world 6. Knowledge of relationships of the individual and groups to institutions and cultural traditions

7. Knowledge of the use of tools of social science inquiry (such as surveys, statistics, maps and documents) Communication Arts – Reading 1. Develop and apply skills and strategies to the reading process Communication Arts - Writing 1. Apply a writing process in composing text 2. Compose well-developed text 3. Write effectively in various types of writing Communication Arts – Listening and Speaking 1. Develop and apply effective listening skills and strategies 2. Develop and apply effective speaking skills and strategies for various audiences and purposes Communication Arts – Information Literacy 1. Develop and apply effective research process skills to gather, analyze and evaluate information

Motte and Bailey Castle

Stone Keep Castle

Concentric Castle