Serfdom is a labor system under which most European agricultural workers lived during the Middle Ages. ... High platforms over the stove and along the walls were built for the people to sleep on (Hoch, p.61). ... The serfs had to live in such horrible and unsuitable conditions, yet, the masters forced them to pay ridiculously high taxes for the land they worked and lived on. ... They also had to pay fines for inheritance, for having children leave the manor, and for having a son leave the manor to become a priest or monk. ... This however, is based on children that have reached the working age...

• Word Count: 3296
• Approx Pages: 13
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School