Societies of Europe

1. Societies of Europe U.S. History Ms.Swearingen

2. Societies of Europe • Main Idea: • By 1500, Europe was going through a period of social change that sparked interest in learning and exploration. • Why it Matters : • The changes taking place in Europe led to the exploration of the Americas.

3. Background History The fall of the Roman Empire around the late 400s led to the rise of Germanic tribes. • These tribes destroyed the roman cities and trade networks. • No trade = People stopped using money. They paid in goods like chickens and eggs. European Middle Ages lasted from about the late 400s to about the 1300s. Not much documentation aka “the dark ages” Between 800-1000 Vikings swept through Europe carrying out lightning raids, looting villages, and racing back to sea. After the Viking raids, European governments changed to Feudalism…..

4. Feudalism- a political system in which a king allows nobles, or lords, to use the land that belong to the king. In return, the lords owe the king military service and protection for the people living on the land.

5. Feudalism in Europe Along with Feudalism, Europeans developed the manor system. Lords divided their lands into manors, or large estates, that were farmed by serfs. Serfs were landless peasants who were not allowed to leave the manor. In return for their work, the lords promised to protect them. They constructed heavily walled castles.

6. Feudalism in Europe The Roman Catholic Church also gained much power during this period. They took on roles once filled by government like collecting taxes, aiding the sick, and punishing criminals.

7. Revival of Trade and Towns Feudalism brought stability to Europe. New farming techniques, like the three-field crop rotation, led to a food surplus. Serfs began to run away from the manor and populate towns. They became merchants and craftspeople, forming a new social class, the middle class. Had fewer rights and privileges than lords, but far more freedom than they had as serfs.

8. Trade with the East During this time of growth, trade increased both within Europe and also abroad. Coastal countries with ports had an advantage.

9. War also contributed to the growth of trade…. Many European Christians were upset that the “Holy Land” was controlled by Islamic peoples. • In 1096, European Christians launched the Crusades, a series of wars where the goal was to control the “Holy Land.”

10. Trade with the East Italians continued to trade with Muslims in other Mediterranean cities even after the crusades. An Italian merchant, Marco Polo, spent 24 years traveling through China. A book written about his travels sparked interest throughout Europe. People began to wonder what goods and riches China had to offer.

11. Decline of Feudalism With the growth of trade, the feudal system in Europe became weakened. Lords had fewer people under their control. A decrease in laborers caused the demand for work to rise, and lords began to pay for the labor. Furthermore… By 1347 a deadly disease also weakened feudalism... The Bubonic Plague swept through the continent killing about ¼ of the population.

12. The Renaissance Because of flourishing trade, Italy became the birthplace of the Renaissance. French, for “rebirth.” • A time of of increased interest in the arts and education. • From 1300-1600, began in Italy and spread throughout Europe. With so many changes, people began to question what life meant. Also led to revival of the classics… The School of Athens, Raphael

13. The Renaissance • Humanism- the study of human worth, ideas, and potential. • Rising interest in history, philosophy, and literature. • Classical art- European art became more realistic. Resulting in the worlds finest paintings and statues. The Birth of Venus, Botticelli Duomo, Brunalleschi Pietà, Michelangelo • Revival of interest in mathematics and science. • Muslim scholars held classical manuscripts in science and research.

14. The Renaissance In about 1455, German printer Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press. People no longer had to copy books by hand. Printers could now create hundreds of copies of a book cheaply and accurately. More people read, spread ideas quickly. • Why could this be so important? • The spread of the Bible

15. The Reformation By the early 1500s ideas of the Renaissance had weakened the Catholic Church. Corruption “The sale of indulgences” Martin Luther, a German monk, publicly posted his 95 theses that criticized practices of the catholic church. Reformation, a movement to correct the problems in religion.

16. Changes in Trade Renaissance also resulted in changes in trade… As trade grew, Italians needed to improve the way they did business. Began keeping track of a business’s income and costs. Income – Costs = Profit. Italians made huge profits by trading Asian goods. Italians had done business with Islamic peoples in the past, so they had a standing relationship. They also used military to control trade on the Mediterranean. This caused other Europeans to want to trade with the east in and they needed a non-Mediterranean route.