CHANGES IN MEDIEVAL SOCIETY

Chapter 14 Section 2

Key Terms Three field system Guild Commercial Revolution Burgher Vernacular Thomas Aquinas scholastics

A Growing Food Supply 800-1200 climate

warmed Depended on oxen

for plows Horses could do 3

times the work 900 farmers used a

harness around the chest

The Three-Field System 800 three fields

instead of two Two planted one

fallowed Grow up to 2/3’s

land each year Food production

increased Children could

better resist disease

The Guilds 2nd change in

economy Guild- an

organization of individuals in the same business or occupation working to improve economic and social conditions of its members

Merchant guilds 1st

The Guilds Artisans,

wheelwrights, tailors, winemakers began craft guilds Control number of

goods Keep prices up

Husbands and wives worked together

More women in cloth guild

The Guilds Set quality and

standard of work Set wages and

working conditions Bakers required to

sell loaves of certain size and quality

Supervised training of new workers

The Guilds 1000’s merchants and

artisans made goods for local and long distance trade

Powerful force in medieval society

More and better products

Wealth helped establish influence over government and towns

Commercial Revolution Was the expansion of

trade and business Fairs and Trade

Needed cash and credit to exchange goods

Bills of exchange established exchange rates

Letters of credit eliminated carrying cash

Commercial Revolution Cloth, bacon leather,

dyes, rope commonly traded

Not everything was made on the manor

Good from foreign lands Trade routes opened

because of the crusades Sell at a profit

merchants reinvested the profits

Business and Banking Traders needed

large amounts of cash or credit

Bills established exchange rates

Letters of credit made trade easier

Trading firms and associations offered these services

Business and Banking Merchants looked

for new markets Merchants

purchased items from distant lands

Church not allowed to charge interest (ursury)

Banking important business in Italy

Urban Life Flourishes 1000-1150 population

30 to 40 million Towns grew and

flourished Compare to

Constantinople, European towns were unsophisticated

Paris 60,000 people in 1200

Towns 1200 to 2500 people

Society Changes Changes had major

affect on European lives

Two important changes Involved what people

did for a living and where they lived

Towns attracted new workers

Grew into cities Life changed from the

manor

Trade and Towns Grow Together Towns sprung up all

over Living in town had

its drawbacks Narrow streets Filled with animals Household and

human waste in the street

Little bathing Danger of fire

Trades and Towns Grow Together

Many serfs ran away

If a serf lived for a year and a day in town they were free

Had better lives in town

Merchant Class Shifts Order

Did not fit into social order

Feudal lords ran early towns

Burghers-merchant class town dwellers demanded privileges Freedom from tolls Right to govern

town

Revival of Learning Muslim connection

Christian scholars visited Muslim libraries

Few Scholars knew Greek

Jewish scholars translated Arabic and Greek into Latin Science, philosophy,

mathematics, law

Scholars and Universities Meant a group of

scholars meeting People not

buildings made up the university

Paris and Bologna were first

Oxford and Salerno Most students were

sons of burghers

Scholars and Universities Church or

government job Bachelor's degree

in Theology take 5 – 7 years

Master of Theology 12 years

Vernacular- everyday language

Scholars and Universities Most writing had

been in Latin Some are read

today Dante’s Inferno Canterbury Tales

Since most people could not read Latin, printed in the vernacular

Aquinas and Medieval Philosophy

Christian scholars excited about Greek philosophy

Thomas Aquinas- argued most religious truths could be proved my logic

Scholastics- scholars who met at the university called this or schoolmen

Aquinas and Medieval Philosophy

Used knowledge of Aristotle to debate issues

Teachings on law and government had an effect on those institutions today