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

The characteristics of feudal Europe center around a system of reciprocal obligations that defined the social and political structure during the Middle Ages. Feudalism was characterized by a hierarchical system where the king granted land to nobles in exchange for military service, while peasants and serfs worked the land in return for protection and a place to live. This system created a network of loyalties and obligations that structured society, governance, and the economy.

In feudal Europe, local lords held significant power over their lands and the people within them. Vassals pledged loyalty and service to their lords and received land (fiefs) in return, which was central to feudal relationships. This arrangement facilitated local governance and maintained order in a time when centralized authority was weak, leading to the fragmentation of power.

The other options refer to specific historical events or different regions that do not encapsulate the broader characteristics of the feudal system in Europe. The Spanish Reconquista deals with the expulsion of Muslims from the Iberian Peninsula, the Italian city-states focused on urban centers with republican governance and trade, and the Glorious Revolution pertains to a significant shift in political power in England. None of these directly describe the feudal characteristics that defined much of medieval European life