Towns & Life

1. Towns & Life How did towns run and what did they accomplish?

2. What did Towns Look Like? • Towns served a purpose, but they were also small and smelly. • London (8 million today) had only 50,000 people in 1300. • Towns were the centres for farm communities. • Towns grew around a defensive structures (castle or monastery) • They were surrounded by walls of stone

3. Towns had gates that were shut at night • As a town grew to a city larger rings of walls were built. • These walls were good for defense but it crowded the living conditions of the people. • Houses were several stories high, with floors overhanging the streets. • Streets were narrow and winding.

4. There was no plumbing • Garbage was dumped in the streets. • Pigs were sent through town at night to eat up the waste. On a more positive note there was also: • Pageants and plays • Sports and entertainment

5. Social Changes: • In the feudal system the important feature was land, but with trade increase, money became the focus of power. • People became independent b/c they could make money. • Towns were the home of the medieval middle class (merchants and skilled tradespeople.) • Some merchants became wealthier than the lords on the manors.

6. Nobility thought trade was beneath them but still wanted the finer things only found in towns. • The middle class, with its power, money and desire for freedom, would end feudalism.

7. FREEDOM • Towns drew people wanting out of the restrictive feudal system. • People had the freedom to do what they wanted, marry who they wanted, and make money as they wanted. • Runaway serfs could gain their freedom by staying in town for a year and a day without being discovered (according to law)

8. Feudal lords or courts could not control people living in towns. • Medieval towns were chartered (by the monarch) which meant they governed themselves. • Wealthy citizens and the guilds controlled the town government.

9. POWER • Members of guilds were the most powerful. • These guilds funded ships for trading and many other things by pooling their money. • The Hanseatic League (a guild) supported their own army and navy. The guild became so wealthy that by threatening to cut off all trade with a country could force that country’s ruler to do what they wanted.

10. Question Groups • 1: Compare the medieval fair with a shopping mall. Consider the days and hours of operation, goods sold, type of consumers. What does this tell you about the two societies. • 2: Compare the life of a serf and a guild member. What are the benefits and drawbacks of each? • 3: What factors lead to the growth of trade? How did this lead to the need for towns?

11. 4: Examine the map on page150. How did water impact trade routes? How did physical features of Europe affect trade routes? • 5: Why is it that medieval towns always had walls? What did that say about society? • 6: Explain guilds. Why were they needed? Why did they work? What did they do for their members?