The Best and Worst Jobs Throughout the Middle Ages

                Throughout the Middle Ages, most professions were gruesome and highly undesirable.  One of the few jobs I would have been willing to have would be a Cathedral builder.  Although their job was highly dangerous, they were given higher wages, interacted with other workers on a daily basis and, most importantly, avoided the battle field.  Cathedral builders did not have it easy; however, their work conditions did not expose them to mass amounts of sickness or death.  Instead, the builders constructed beautiful Cathedrals that still exist in England today.  My least desirable profession would be an Archer.  Unlike the Cathedral builders, Archers were stationed on the battle field.  Before Archers participated in battles, they were expected to survive the harsh traveling conditions as they made their way to the battle field.  Along with the deadly weather conditions, the Black Death spread, and many lives were lost.  If the men survived their expedition, their next threat was capture.  Rather than killing other knights, the Archer’s aimed to kill the opposing horses.  The fairly dull arrow increased the Archer’s ability to be captured.  If captured, the Archer’s fingers were cut off by the enemy.  Once battle had ended, the remaining Archer’s were responsible for surveying the carnage across the field and would have to take wounded knights out of their misery.  This placement was terrifying and lacked the honor it deserved.

Online Field Trip: The Anglo-Saxons

                Whether you are looking to explore the history of the Anglo-Saxons or simply looking to learn more about their lifestyle, visit the interactive site I have provided below.  Not only will you find a wealth of information regarding their heritage, but this website found through the creditable source BBC provides fun, interactive games for students and other teacher resources that could be brought into every learning environment.  Helpful timelines created by this site show the evolution of the Anglo-Saxons throughout history as well as their part in our modern-day world.  Though the Anglo-Saxons diminished due to Viking invasions, historians have been able to collect valid, credible information to provide insight into this early civilization.  Unlike other educational sites, BBC allows the reader to avoid lengthy, time consuming articles and instead provides short, informative explanations to common questions.  To ensure that every visitor benefits from the use of this site, there are quizzes that reflect on the material covered in each article.  Not only are the quizzes short and simple, but they can also be used by teachers that may be concerned that students are not investing the time that they suggest.  This website is user-friendly and easy to use for any age.  This website is also extremely helpful for visual learners.  It is filled with maps and images of historic artifacts that connect directly to the Anglo-Saxons that entered Britain in AD 410 from the North Sea after Roman invasion.  To further their explanation of the Anglo-Saxon people, BBC compares their way of life to the ways of lifestyles that are more prevalent in modern-day society, such as Christianity, to demonstrate and compare their beliefs that evolved overtime as the Anglo-Saxons diminished.  I have found this website to be helpful and informative while searching to learn more about the Anglo-Saxon people.  For more information, visit: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryhistory/anglo_saxons/.