Changes in medieval society Chapter 14 Section 2

VOCAB Three field system Guild Commercial Revolution Burgher Vernacular Thomas Aquinas Scholastics

Growing food Supply Warmer climate 800-1200 in Europe led to more available farming lands Horsepower: horses replaced oxen for plowing fields Horse could plow 3x as much in one day as oxen Farmers also changed how they organized their farming land, Three field system emerges…

Three fields system Farmers plant on two fields at a time leave one field resting for a year. “Resting” field given chance to become fertile again. Food production increased. more food allowed for dramatic rise in Europe’s population. Field 1 Field 2 Field 3

Guilds and the commercial Revolution First unions Helped workers in the same area control pricing Also offered protection for each other and how to train new workers Europe’s economy begins to grow; brings about the return to urban life and the downfall of the manor system. Commercial Revolution Increased trade routes after the crusades made a variety of products available to new people Fairs: people would travel to towns on “fair days” to trade with people from across the world Towns start to grow to cities, people of Europe have new ways to make money

Urban life flourishes Problems in the cities: Between 1000-1150 population of Europe rose from 30-42 million people As trade grew so did towns and cities Serfs would run-away to towns for a better life. Living in a town for a year and a day made you a free man Problems in the cities: Narrow streets filled with animals and animal waste No sewers many most people dumped human waste into the streets Poor hygiene; lack of clean water Houses made of thatch constant fire hazard

Revival of learning During the Crusades Christian interaction with Muslin and Byzantines greatly expanded. Muslim libraries housed copies of the works of Greek philosophers; works that all but disappeared in Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire

Revival of Learning Muslim Connection Scholars and Universities 1100s Christian scholars visited Muslim libraries in Spain Gained knowledge of science, philosophy, law, mathematics etc. Crusaders brought back superior Muslim technology in shipping, navigation, and weapons Scholars and Universities ‘university”- group of people who met whenever they could People not buildings made up European unis 1100s schools arose and filled by sons of burghers, wealthy merchants. Writers started writing in vernacular instead of Latin

Dante Aligheri – The Divine Comedy (1308-1314) Written in Italian Geoffrey Chaucer – The Canterbury Tales (1386-1400) Written in English

Believed he could prove the most basic religious truths through logic. Thomas Aquinas Believed he could prove the most basic religious truths through logic.