Changes in Medieval Society

1. Changes in Medieval Society Chapter 14 Section 2

2. Key Terms • Three field system • Guild • Commercial Revolution • Burgher • Vernacular • Thomas Aquinas • Scholastics

3. A Growing Food Supply • 800-1200 climate warmed, causing improvements is farm production. • Oxen lived in very poor conditions, making them the easy to take care of • Horses could do 3 times the work, but required 3 times the work • Around 90 AD, farmers used a harness for their horses

4. The Three-Field System • Around 800 AD Farmers started to use three field system instead of two field • Farmers would plant one filed, and let the other rest • Under Three Field System, Farmers would Grow up to 2/3’s land each year • Food production increased • Higher yields allowed Children to resist disease

5. The Guilds • 2nd change in economy European economy was the development of the Guild • Guild- an organization of individuals in the same business or occupation working to improve economic and social conditions of its members • Merchants were the first guilds

6. The Guilds • Artisans, wheelwrights, tailors, winemakers began craft guilds • Guilds would Control number of goods • This would Keep prices up • Husbands and wives worked together in Guilds • More women worked in cloth guild

7. The Guilds • The creation of Guilds helped worker and consumer rights • 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

8. 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

9. Commercial Revolution • 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

10. Commercial Revolution • Cloth, leather, dyes, rope commonly traded • Not everything was made on the manor • Some Goods came from foreign lands • Trade routes opened because of the Crusades • Sell at a profit merchants reinvested the profits

11. Business and Banking • Merchants looked for new markets • Merchants purchased items from distant lands • Church not allowed to charge interest (usury) • Banking important business in Italy

12. 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 causing them to Grow into cities • People adjusted to city life instead of life on the manor

13. Urban Life Flourishes • 1000-1150 European population rose from 30 to 40 million • Towns grew and flourished • Compare to Constantinople, European towns were unsophisticated • Paris 60,000 people in 1200 • Typical Towns had 1200 to 2500 people

14. Trade and Towns Grow Together • Towns sprung up all over Europe with the increase of people • Living in town had its drawbacks • Narrow streets • Filled with animals • Household and human waste in the street • Little bathing • Danger of fire

15. Trades and Towns Grow Together • Many serfs ran away from manor and moved to cities • If a serf lived for a year and a day in town they were free • Had better lives in town because they made their own choices

16. Merchant Class Shifts Order • Originally the Merchants and Craftspeople did not fit into social order • Feudal lords ran early towns creating taxes and collecting rent from people • Burghers-merchant class town dwellers demanded privileges • Freedom from tolls • Right to govern town

17. Revival of Learning • Muslim connection • Christian scholars visited Muslim libraries in Spain • Few Scholars knew Greek , but did know Latin • Jewish scholars translated Arabic and Greek into Latin • New advances in Science, philosophy, mathematics, law

18. Scholars and Universities • At the Center of European institution was the University • University: Meant a group of scholars meeting • People not buildings made up the university • Paris and Bologna were first places to have Universities • Oxford and Salerno first Universities in England • Most students in Universities were sons of burghers

19. Scholars and Universities • Goal for most students was to obtain a Church or government job • Bachelor's degree in Theology take 5 – 7 years • Master of Theology 12 years • While education thrived, many scholars started to use their own language (Vernacular) • Vernacular- everyday language of their homeland

20. 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, Stories were printed in the vernacular

21. Aquinas and Medieval Philosophy • Christian scholars excited about Greek philosophy • Thomas Aquinas- argued most religious truths could be proved by logic • Scholastics- scholars who met at the university called this or schoolmen

22. Aquinas and Medieval Philosophy • Scholastics would debate many issues of their time using the knowledge of Aristotle • Teachings on law and government had an effect on those institutions today