CHANGES IN MEDIEVAL SOCIETY
Chapter 14 Section 2
Key Terms Three field system Guild Commercial Revolution Burgher Vernacular Thomas Aquinas scholastics
A Growing Food Supply 800-1200 climate
warmed Depended on oxen
for plows Horses could do 3
times the work 900 farmers used a
harness around the chest
The Three-Field System 800 three fields
instead of two Two planted one
fallowed Grow up to 2/3’s
land each year Food production
increased Children could
better resist disease
The Guilds 2nd change in
economy Guild- an
organization of individuals in the same business or occupation working to improve economic and social conditions of its members
Merchant guilds 1st
The Guilds Artisans,
wheelwrights, tailors, winemakers began craft guilds Control number of
goods Keep prices up
Husbands and wives worked together
More women in cloth guild
The Guilds 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
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
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
Commercial Revolution Cloth, bacon leather,
dyes, rope commonly traded
Not everything was made on the manor
Good from foreign lands Trade routes opened
because of the crusades Sell at a profit
merchants reinvested the profits
Business and Banking Traders needed
large amounts of cash or credit
Bills established exchange rates
Letters of credit made trade easier
Trading firms and associations offered these services
Business and Banking Merchants looked
for new markets Merchants
purchased items from distant lands
Church not allowed to charge interest (ursury)
Banking important business in Italy
Urban Life Flourishes 1000-1150 population
30 to 40 million Towns grew and
flourished Compare to
Constantinople, European towns were unsophisticated
Paris 60,000 people in 1200
Towns 1200 to 2500 people
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
Grew into cities Life changed from the
manor
Trade and Towns Grow Together Towns sprung up all
over Living in town had
its drawbacks Narrow streets Filled with animals Household and
human waste in the street
Little bathing Danger of fire
Trades and Towns Grow Together
Many serfs ran away
If a serf lived for a year and a day in town they were free
Had better lives in town
Merchant Class Shifts Order
Did not fit into social order
Feudal lords ran early towns
Burghers-merchant class town dwellers demanded privileges Freedom from tolls Right to govern
town
Revival of Learning Muslim connection
Christian scholars visited Muslim libraries
Few Scholars knew Greek
Jewish scholars translated Arabic and Greek into Latin Science, philosophy,
mathematics, law
Scholars and Universities Meant a group of
scholars meeting People not
buildings made up the university
Paris and Bologna were first
Oxford and Salerno Most students were
sons of burghers
Scholars and Universities Church or
government job Bachelor's degree
in Theology take 5 – 7 years
Master of Theology 12 years
Vernacular- everyday language
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, printed in the vernacular
Aquinas and Medieval Philosophy
Christian scholars excited about Greek philosophy
Thomas Aquinas- argued most religious truths could be proved my logic
Scholastics- scholars who met at the university called this or schoolmen
Aquinas and Medieval Philosophy
Used knowledge of Aristotle to debate issues
Teachings on law and government had an effect on those institutions today