World History

Unit 3

An Age of Exchange and Encounter:

500 to A.D. 1500

Chapter 14The Formation of Western

Europe, 800 - 1500 A.D.

Section 2

Trades, Towns, and Financial Revolution

Trades, Towns, and Financial Revolution

Objectives• To describe medieval advances in agriculture.• To identify reasons for the expansion of trade and

finance in the Middle Ages.• To describe how the growth of trade encouraged the

growth of medieval towns.• To explain the new interest in learning in the Middle

Ages.• Vocabulary: three-field system, guild, burgher,

vernacular, Dante Alighieri, Geoffrey Chaucer, Thomas Aquinas, scholastics

Growing Food Supply

Europe – 100-1300 AD– Agriculture, trade, finance

• Agriculture– Warming climate– Improved harness for horses

• Horses replace oxen• Plow more land daily

– Three-field system – 800 AD• Winter and spring harvests• 2/3 year growing season• Increased food production

– Results• Support larger population• Raise larger families• Clearing of forest land

Trade and Finance Expand

Trade Rejuvenation – 1000 AD– Fairs

• Towns as primary trade posts• Replacement of manors

– Guild• Trade union

– Apprentice / journeyman

• Controlled prices and wages• Enforced standards of quality

– Financing• Usury

– Lending money with interest– Anti-Christian; sin

• Moneylenders– Primarily Jewish institution– discrimination

Trade and Towns

Population Boom– 30m to 42m (1000-1150 AD)– Challenge to feudal society

• “Town air makes you free.”

• City conditions– Haphazard, unclean, hazardous– Burghers

• Town residents

Learning– Govt. jobs or theology

• Children of burghers

– Vernacular• Common language of homeland

Scholars and Writers

Dante Alighieri – Italian– ‘The Divine Comedy’ – 1321

Geoffrey Chaucer – English– ‘The Canterbury Tales’

• Pilgrimage to shrine of St. Thomas a’ Becket

• Brought literature to many non-Latin speakers– Greek to Hebrew to Latin

Thomas Aquinas – (1267-1273)– ‘Summa Theologica’

• Christian belief / Greek logic

– Scholastics• Middle Ages men who studied

together at university

Chapter 14The Formation of Western

Europe, 800 - 1500 A.D.

Section 3

England and France Develop

England and France Develop

Objectives• To describe the various invaders who contributed to

English culture.• To explain how England’s government took the first

steps toward democracy.• To describe the contributions of France’s Capetian

rulers.• Vocabulary: William the Conqueror, Henry II, Eleanor of

Aquitaine, Magna Carta, parliament, Philip II, Louis IX

Invasions of England

Vikings – 800 AD– Alfred the Great (871-899)– Turns back invaders– England

• ‘land of the Angles’– Germanic

Danes– Canute (1016 AD)– Germanic / Viking synthesis

• King Edward the Confessor– Descendent of Alfred– Died w/o an heir

• Struggle for throne ensues

William the Conqueror

The Norman Conquest

William the Conqueror– Duke of Normandy

• King Edward’s cousin

– French language / culture

– Battle of Hastings – (1066)• Normans defeat Anglo-Saxons• Harold Godwinson

• William controls all England– Plus land in France

• King Henry II– William’s descendent

– Eleanor of Aquitaine

2 Goals– Maintain land

– Strengthen power

England’s Government

Henry II – (1154-1189)– King of England

• Royal judges• 12 man jury of ‘peers’• Common law

– Vassal to the King of FranceRichard the Lion-Hearted

– Hero of 3rd CrusadeKing John – (1199-1216)

– ‘John Softsword’– Magna Carta (June 1215)

• Great Charter• Guarantee of political rights

– Taxation, due process• Limit of king’s power

Parliament – (1295)– King Edward – war taxes– House of Commons– House of Lords

Magna Carta

Capetian Dynasty, France

Capetian Dynasty – (987-1328)– Death of Louis the Sluggard– Trade routes

• Philip II – (1180-1223)– Philip Augustus– Goal: reclaim French territory

• Seized Normandy (1204)• Tripled size of France

– Bailiffs

• Louis IX – (1226-1270)– Sainthood– French appeals court– Estates-General

• 1st Estate – church leaders• 2nd Estate - nobles• 3rd Estate - commoners