The Late Middle Ages HH World Studies

The Late Middle Ages  Black Death  Hundred Years War  Rise of Towns/Revival of Trade  Creation of Nation-States

The Black Death

True or False? 1.The Black Death was transferred by rat bites. 2.The Black Death killed roughly 15% of the European population. 3.The Black Death is a simple disease that was later known as the Bubonic Plague. 4.The Black Death has been completely eradicated today. 5.The Black Death spread from Asia (China) to Europe.

True or False 6. The Black Death affected only the poor. 7. The Black Death decreased the amount of farming communities. 8. Many serfs migrated to cities for better work due to the Black Death. 9. The Black Death can be found in America today. 10. The Black Death is a treatable disease.

1. The Black Death was transferred by rat bites fleas. FALSE Bacterial disease of rodents spread to humans/animals by infected fleas. Infected fleas jumped from rats to humans.

2. The Black Death killed roughly 15% 25-50% of the European population. FALSE Killed between 25-50% of European Population between

3. The Black Death is a simple disease that was later known as the Bubonic Plague TRUE There are three forms of the plague: – Bubonic plague – Septicemia plague – Pneumonic plague

4. The Black Death has not been completely eradicated today. FALSE Cases still exist No vaccine

5. The Black Death spread from Asia (China) to Europe. TRUE The disease traveled in rats aboard ships and along trade routes First arrived in Europe via Italy

6. The Black Death affected only the poor people of all social classes. FALSE Everyone was susceptible Medieval peoples didn’t understand bacteria and how diseases spread

7. The Black Death decreased the amount of farming communities. TRUE Feudalism collapsed Fewer serfs demanded more benefits Serfs moved to cities for new opportunities.

8. Many serfs migrated to cities for better work due to the Black Death. TRUE There was a high demand for workers Peasants could improve their situation

9. The Black Death can be found in America today. TRUE Found mostly in rural areas, southwest

10. The Black Death is a treatable disease. TRUE It is treatable with antibiotics if detected early

Hundred Years War

The Hundred Years War ( ) Series of conflicts between England and France that were fought on and off over a hundred years and have become known as the Hundred Years War

CAUSES OF THE WAR Succession French Lands National Unity Economic Rivalry

succession French king died without an heir Two claims to the throne Edward III of England (direct claim to the throne) Philip of Valois (the French choice)

French Family Tree

French Lands King of England was a vassal to the French king Proximity led to overlapping political and economic interests

French lands English monarchs owned lands in Normandy (since the conquest) and Aquitaine (through marriage) France was not a united country. The king only controlled about half of his own lands.

National Unity French Kings sought to centralize their power. Loyalty to sovereign kings gave Europeans a sense of national identity. This is a large factor in the decline of feudalism

Economic Rivalry England and France competed for economic control of Flanders, the leading industrial center of Europe

STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES Before the War

French Advantages Larger population (about 16,000,000) Home-field advantage Far richer than England At one point, the French fielded an army of over 50,000  at most, Britain mustered only 32,000.

French Disadvantages Internal disunity and social conflict Lack of good leadership

English Advantages Strong Centralized Government Military discipline Technological/weapons superiority Relied on strategy rather than numbers Avoided pitched battles Preferred quick raids

The Longbow One English technological advantages was the longbow. Could pierce an inch of wood or the armor of a knight at 200 yards! A longbow could be fired more rapidly. 6 arrows per minute.

The British Longbow: The Battle of Poitiers, 1356

The Use of the Cannon at Orleans

THE HUNDRED YEARS WAR IN 3 PARTS 1.English Advances into France 2.Internal Struggles 3.French Rally, Joan of Arc

I. English Advances England advances into France France suffers from internal conflict Aristocracy demand political rights Peasants revolt in 1358 English momentum ends with the death of Edward III

Early English Victories Height of English dominance

II. Internal Struggles Both nations experience peasant revolts (peasants were taxed most heavily to pay for the war) Weakened by the plague Resulted in a temporary truce

III. The French Rally French rally around Charles VII Joan inspires the French to a series of victories 1453, French expel English from the mainland (except for port city of Calais)

Joan of Arc French peasant girl Spoke of messages from God Mission to restore the heir to the throne Captured and executed by the English as a heretic Became an inspiration to the French Resistance and a symbol of national identity

EFFECTS OF THE WAR

French Outcomes Awakened French nationalism Helped the state become more centralized Heavy taxes fell on the peasantry

English Outcomes War of the Roses – Civil War between two nobles houses competing for the throne Develop their own clothing industry

Larger Impacts Burden falls hardest on peasants Downfall of feudalism Revolution in European warfare English longbow meant the end of knights Gunpowder and cannons could take down castle walls Allowed strong and wealthy king to centralize power at the expense of rebellious nobles

Rise of Towns

Increased Trade Increase Population and Prosperity led to expansion of trade, beginning in 12 th /13 th centuries Italian cities on the Mediterranean dominated with the Middle East Europeans also traded internally

Decline of Feudalism Feudal Lords discouraged trade by charging high fees to merchants Kings granted merchants royal charters to set up new towns This benefitted both king and merchants

Town Life Merchants: governed through elected mayors and town councils Artisans: Organized themselves into guilds to protect and regulate trade Manuel Laborers

Centralized States

Decentralized to Centralized Feudalism was characterized by a decentralized political system where individual lords held considerable local power Strong kings sought to centralize their power – at the expense of the nobility

Benefits of Centralization Centralized states were better equipped… to protect and defend the nation Create a sense of national identity and unity

Centralized States of Europe England: Centralized it’s power under strong kings, with the aid of Parliament France: the Hundred Years War did much to aid France in national unity and centralization Holy Roman Empire: Central Europe remained political fractured and decentralized