Trade and Towns

1. Trade and Towns 14.2

2. Objectives • Identify which cities saw the initial growth of trade in the Middle Ages • Analyze why those cities saw this growth • Explain why cities grew during the Middle Ages • Appraise daily life in the Middle Ages

3. Growth of Trade • London as case study • Crusades and Trade • Controllers of Trade • Italians • Northern Europeans

4. Italian Trade Cities • First in Europe to build thriving trade economy • Sailors explore Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas • Foreign goods and valuables • Venice – Trading city • Protection from the sea • Trade with Byzantium, Muslim Lands • Acquired goods from further East • Silk, spices (China/India)

5. Italian Trade Cities • Goods arrived in Venice • Loaded onto wagons and brought North • Cost of goods • Reasons for cost • Creation of Trade Routes throughout Europe • Why this creation of trade routes?

6. Trade Routes of Europe

7. Hanseatic League • Italian dominance in Southern Trade • Northern Trade Routes • Hanseatic League • Northern German cities and towns • Promote/Protect Trade • Region of Trade – Russia, Baltic Region, and Europe

8. Trade Fairs and Markets • Getting goods to customers • Trade fairs emerge • Held in towns – drew large crowds • Merchants willing to travel • Trade amongst merchants • Different parts of the economy • Goods traded • Fabrics, spices, animals, etc.

9. Trade Fairs and Markets • Held once a year (in different cities) • Could last multiple months • Provided flexibility for merchants to travel • Fairs for the merchant class • Markets for the average person

10. Trade Fairs

11. Money and Credit • Reemergence of money (not common) • Payment for work was goods • Cities made own coins • Money became central to economic success • Payments, taxes, etc. • Emergence of Credit – promise of later payment • Creation of European banks • Jewish Banks

12. Technological Advances • Technological advances • Farm technology • Heavy plow – increased number of goods on farms • Water mill • Windmill • Farm-life to city-life

13. Free Towns • Conducting trade • Local lords controlled area • Charters for new towns requested • Merchants ran towns in exchange for taxes paid to king/lord of area • Quick emergence of towns • 1300: • Paris and Rome populations 100,000 • London and Florence populations 75,000

14. Guilds • Craftspeople needed protection • Organization into guilds • Same occupation • Restriction of competition • Set standards and prices for products • Mutual protection and quality control • Training of future generations • Apprentices • Journeymen

15. Daily Life in Cities • Small and crowded • Narrow, winding streets • Dark interiors of buildings • Fire, crime rampant in cities • Churches, meeting halls, markets • Entertainment • Great Wide World