AP Modern World History Flashcards: Developments in Europe
Written by AP Content Team, Verified for 2026 AP Exams, Last updated: May 2026
Review key ideas with interactive flashcards. This set includes 10 cards to help you master important concepts.
What is feudalism?
Feudalism was a political and social system in decentralized Europe where land was exchanged for military service and loyalty between lords and vassals.
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What is feudalism?
Feudalism was a political and social system in decentralized Europe where land was exchanged for military service and loyalty between lords and vassals.
How did agriculture influence social organization in Europe from c. 1200 to c. 1450?
Agriculture created a hierarchical social structure based on land ownership and labor, with landowners at the top and a large population of free and coerced laborers, like serfs, at the bottom.
Define serfdom as it existed in Europe c. 1200-1450.
Serfdom was a form of coerced labor within the manorial system where peasants were legally bound to the land they worked.
What was the dominant political structure in Europe from c. 1200 to c. 1450?
Europe was politically fragmented and characterized by decentralized monarchies, feudalism, and the manorial system.
What was a major consequence of political decentralization in Europe from c. 1200 to c. 1450?
A major consequence of political decentralization was the prevalence of feudalism and the manorial system as ways to organize power and agricultural production.
What was the economic foundation of European society from c. 1200 to c. 1450?
Europe was largely an agricultural society, with its economy and social organization dependent on agricultural production by free and coerced labor.
Why would a king in 14th-century Europe have limited direct control over his entire kingdom?
Due to political decentralization and feudalism, a king's power was limited as powerful local lords controlled their own lands and owed allegiance but not absolute obedience.
How did the predominant religions shape European societies during this period?
The core beliefs and practices of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam were foundational in shaping the social structures and cultural norms of European societies.
A peasant in 13th-century France works land owned by a lord and cannot leave without permission. What systems does this exemplify?
This situation exemplifies the manorial system and the practice of serfdom, a form of coerced labor common in Europe's decentralized, agricultural society.
What types of labor were prevalent in Europe's agricultural society from c. 1200 to c. 1450?
European agricultural society depended on a mix of both free and coerced labor, with serfdom being a prominent form of the latter.