AP WORLD HISTORY POD #14 – Age of Transition

1. AP WORLD HISTORY POD #14 – Age of Transition Commercial Revolution

2. Class Discussion Questions McKay – “Towns and Economic Revival”, pp. 346-356

3. What was the essential pre-step in the rise and development of towns? • “Without increased agricultural output there would not have been an adequate food supply for new town dwellers. Without a rise in population there would have been no one to people the towns. Without a minimum of peace and political stability merchants could not have transported or sold goods.” • Home to a new social class of artisans and merchants – the middle class (bourgeoisie) • This new class came from the peasantry as a land shortage drove younger sons into new lines of work

4. What theories have been proposed to explain the rise of medieval towns? • Towns were areas of defense from Viking invaders • Long distance merchants needed forts for protection • Cathedrals and monasteries created a population center as merchants and students relocated to these areas

5. Describe the town and its environment. • Walls for protection • A marketplace – nearly every street • Had a mint for coining money • Had a court to settle disputes • Space was limited – upward expansion • Housing lacked light and fresh air • Housing of wood and straw were fire hazards

6. Who are the bourgeoisie? • This is the new rising middle class • Composed of the merchant and artisan class • Gained a new wealth not attached to land and property holdings (nuvo riche) • Cities served as a place of opportunity – economic advancement, upward social mobility, improved legal status

7. What liberties were present in the town? • The clergy and nobility were suspicious of the middle class • Nobles started to warm to the middle class merchants • 11th – 13th – middle class attempted to gain new liberties or privileges • Most important privilege – personal freedom • Personal freedom meant being free from servile obligations and citizenship • Citizenship – brought the right to buy and sell goods • Full citizens were exempt from market tolls and taxes

8. What was the role and function of the guilds? • A union of workers • Merchant Guild – united enterprise / lessened financial risk by pooling resources / greater investment security • Craft Guild – controlled the number of workers –apprentice, journeyman, and master / controlled the quality of goods, controlled the quantity of goods / controlled the price of goods • Craft Guilds provided greater opportunity for women than did merchant guilds • Guild leaders became the oligarchy of the town

9. What was the Hanseatic League? • Mercantile association of towns • Members had exclusive trading rights • A monopoly was established when possible • Created mutual security agreements • 13th-16th Century – controlled trade along the Novgorod-Reval-Lubeck-Hamburg-Bruges-London Axis • Factories were created where all facets of trade business could be housed

10. What new business practices facilitated the commercial revolution? • Expanding international trade • New money was put into circulation as new silver deposits were discovered • Mutual confidence – this was an early form of credit • Led to bill of exchange • This made trade safer as large amounts of money were no longer needed

11. What was the social, political, and economic impact of the commercial revolution? • While only 10% of the population, the commercial class became influential • New wealth – higher standard of living • Kings could tax new wealth – a strong monarch could evolve • Serfs could improve status by becoming merchants • Europe was changing from rural to urban