Cities, Culture, War & The Black Death The middle ages Cities, Culture, War & The Black Death

Money & Credit CRUSADES - MILITARY FAILURE, ECONOMIC SUCCESS TIED EUROPEANS TO THE SILK ROAD FOR 1ST TIME Increased trade = Use of coined money Cities began minting their own coins, move to money rather than goods Credit-Promise of later payment “Buy now, pay later” Europe’s 1st Banks Deposit for safekeeping, request loans Religious laws prevented Christians from charging interest, so most money-lenders were Jewish (usary)

Guilds Massive migration of people to cities led to craftspeople organizing Trade Organizations, or Guilds, emerge All members had same occupation Idea-Limit competition, set standards & prices, mutual protection & quality control Present-day Labor Unions?

Apprentices & Journeymen Apprentices were craftsmen who worked under Masters Learn the basic skill of the craft Once learned, apprentices left their masters and became a Journeyman Traveled from shop-to-shop, learning from various masters

Art & Culture Gothic Archictecture Taller & Brighter than earlier Churches (not quite the same as our Goth culture today) Flying Buttress-supported Church’s walls from outside Stained Glass windows Lavishly decorated Cathedrals, inside & out Illumination-decorating written manuscript w/pictures or designs---Very painstaking!

Literature Religious Texts- Few other than priests & monks could read; after 1200 more people became literate Interpretations of Bible verses, sermons, etc Epics & Romances Long poems of Heroes & Villains, Knights & Chivalry Performed by Troubadours, wandering singers Written in the vernacular, or everyday language, not Latin Significance?

Chaucer & The Canterbury Tales Geoffrey Chaucer Collection of stories that tells the tale of a group of pilgrims traveling to the town of Canterbury, England Characters come from a wide range of social backgrounds Depictions of these characters help historians understand what life was like Wrote in English, helped increase the use of this language in England

Dante Alighieri & The Divine Comedy Broken into 3 parts: Hell, Purgatory & Paradise Imaginary trip Dante took through the afterlife Met people from his own life as well as prominent historical figures Served the same role for Italian’s as Chaucer for English

Thinking & Learning Universities increased the flow of Greek learning into Europe Scientific, mathematical, philosophical, astronomical & medical texts translated into Latin Lecturers taught Latin Grammar, Rhetoric, Logic, Geometry, Arithmetic, Astronomy & Music “Liberal Arts” New educated class who spoke & wrote in Latin

Thomas Aquinas & Scholasticism Greek ideas focus on individuals, use Logic & Reason Church preached truth revealed by God & depended on Faith Aquinas one of the 1st to say Science & Religion did not have to be mutually exclusive Scholasticism-Reason & Faith necessary to understand Truth Christian teachings knowable & provable using human logic & reason

Challenges in Late Middle Ages Religious Crises Wars & Conflict -Hundred Years War Black Death

Religious Crises Christianity was the one element that tied most Europeans together Any religious crises served as a grave threat to all of society Heresy-beliefs that opposed the official teachings of the Church Many began de-emphasizing role of the Clergy; Church worried this could disrupt social order within Inquisitions-legal procedures supervised by special judges who tried suspected heretics

Upheaval in the Church “Why did God spare some and kill others?” Schism Split in the Church in 1378 when reformers elected their own pope to rule Rome

Hundred Years War 1337-1453 French & English Monarchs continuously vying for power over one another England invades France, beginning in 1337 English won victory after victory Better weapons---Longbow & Cannon Reached the gates of Paris

Hundred Years War Joan of Arc, French peasant girl Claimed the saints had told her to lead the French into battle Won several battles Captured, Tried & Executed by the English French rallied around her death, defeating the English Result-Growth of Monarchy in France*** Result-Growth of Parliament in England*** Why???

Black Death Swept across Europe from 1347-1351 Bubonic Plague, spread by fleas & rats Pneumonic Plague, spread by air from person-to-person Origins-Mongol armies laying siege to a Black Sea port were struck by Plague Infected rats & Fleas made their way aboard Merchant Ships Where do Merchants go? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZy6XilXDZQ 1/3-1/2 of Europe=dead as a doornail

Black Death-Effects #1---People began blaming God for the Plague Rise in Anti-Clericalism #2---Anti-Semitism increased Jews (Muslims to lesser extent) not impacted as much by Plague- ---Why? Their communities actually bathed! Shocking! #3---Feudal System & Manorial System collapsed Workers died, those who didn’t demanded higher wages Peasants moved to cities, worked in manufacturing