Middle Ages Regents Practice Exam 2025 - Free Regents Practice Questions and Study Guide

In the European feudal system under manorialism, land was the most significant economic commodity. This system was fundamentally structured around the ownership and control of land, which was the primary source of wealth, power, and sustenance. The manorial system revolved around large estates, known as manors, that were owned by lords and worked by peasants and serfs.

The lords would grant portions of their land to vassals in exchange for military service and other obligations, creating a hierarchy based on land ownership. The peasants who worked the land provided agricultural produce, which was essential for survival and sustaining the local economy.

While livestock, gold, silver, and exotic commodities like sugar and spices were valuable, they were secondary to the importance of land in this system. Land was vital not only for agriculture but also for asserting social status and political power. Its control defined the relationships between the different classes in feudal society and was the foundation of economic activity in the Middle Ages.