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 • Depended on oxen for plows • Horses could do 3 times the work • 900 farmers used a harness around the chest

4. The Three-Field System • 800 AD 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

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 • 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, 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. Scholars and Universities • Church or government job • Bachelor's degree in Theology take 5 – 7 years • Master of Theology 12 years • Vernacular- everyday language

21. 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

22. 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

23. Aquinas and Medieval Philosophy • Used knowledge of Aristotle to debate issues • Teachings on law and government had an effect on those institutions today