1. Introduction
Chapter Introduction
This chapter will introduce you to A Changing Medieval World. You will learn about the growth of medieval trade and towns, the role of religion, and the disasters of the 1300s.
Section 1: Revival of Trade and Towns
Section 2: An Age of Faith
Section 3: Breakdown of Medieval Society

2. The Revival of Trade and Towns
Academic Vocabulary
draft—adj., drawing or pulling, as of a load The farmer depends on his draft horse.
cease—v., to stop The traffic congestion didn’t cease until after midnight.

3. The Revival of Trade and Towns
Key Ideas
Better farming techniques increased Europe’s food supply and population.
Expanding trade created wealth in the towns and led to the rise of banking.

4. The Revival of Trade and Towns
Key Ideas
As towns and cities grew, guilds became important to the medieval economy.

5. The Revival of Trade and Towns
Key Terms
crop rotation—the practice of changing the use of fields over time
fallow—unplanted

6. The Revival of Trade and Towns
Key Terms
three-field system—a method of crop rotation that involves dividing land into thirds, with one third allocated to a spring crop, one third to a winter crop, and one third unplanted
guild—a group of workers practicing the same craft, who have joined together to protect their economic interests

7. From Farming Advances to Population Growth
The Revival of Trade and Towns
From Farming Advances
to Population Growth
Larger draft animals, harnesses, horseshoes, and iron plows enabled farmers to bring more land under cultivation.
The three-field system of crop rotation protected farmers from crop failure.
The resulting increase in food supplies
fueled population growth.

8. Developing Towns Craftworkers and merchants set up shops in towns.
The Revival of Trade and Towns
Developing Towns
Craftworkers and merchants set up shops in towns.
Craftworkers established guilds to regulate the quality of their goods and protect their economic interests.
Greater opportunity and freedom attracted rural peasants to towns.

9. An Age of Faith
Academic Vocabulary
establish—v., to set up The townspeople plan to establish a new government.
dramatically—adv., greatly The population increased dramatically in fifty years.

10. Key Ideas Religion dominated medieval society and culture.
An Age of Faith
Key Ideas
Religion dominated medieval society and culture.
Religious faith shaped the art and architecture of the Middle Ages.

11. Key Ideas Medieval universities were centers of both faith
An Age of Faith
Key Ideas
Medieval universities were centers of both faith
and learning.

12. An Age of Faith
Key Terms
mendicant order—a Christian community founded to fight heresy and to preach to ordinary people
university—a school, or group of schools, that train scholars at the highest level
natural law—principles that do not change over time or from one society to another

13. Religion’s Central Role
An Age of Faith
Religion’s Central Role
Religion deeply affected life in medieval cities and towns.
Across Europe, new religious communities drew followers.
The mendicants took a vow of poverty and aimed to follow a life devoted to God.
The Franciscans and Poor Clares were important mendicant orders.

14. From Cathedral Schools to Universities
An Age of Faith
From Cathedral Schools to Universities
Cathedral schools were set up to train young men to become priests. Over time, these schools evolved into universities.
University classes were taught in Latin, the universal language of the Church and of scholars.
Monastery libraries preserved and collected many kinds of books.
Universities attracted Europe’s greatest scholars, including Thomas Aquinas.
Help students to focus on the factors that encouraged the development of influential universities from cathedral schools.

15. Breakdown of Medieval Society
Academic Vocabulary
invisible—adj., not visible Germs are so small that they are invisible to the naked eye.
network—n., a system that connects places
or things A highway network crisscrosses the country.

16. Key Ideas Starvation and warfare shook the stability of
Breakdown of Medieval Society
Key Ideas
Starvation and warfare shook the stability of
medieval society.
A terrible illness known as the Black Death
spread across Europe in the 1300s.

17. Key Ideas The Black Death helped destroy the medieval social order.
Breakdown of Medieval Society
Key Ideas
The Black Death helped destroy the medieval social order.

18. Key Terms Hundred Years’ War—the conflict between
Breakdown of Medieval Society
Key Terms
Hundred Years’ War—the conflict between
the kingdoms of England and France that
lasted from 1337 to 1453
bubonic plague—a deadly and contagious
infection that brought on epidemics during
medieval times

19. Key Terms Black Death—a name given to the
Breakdown of Medieval Society
Key Terms
Black Death—a name given to the
bubonic plague, known during medieval times as the Great Dying
Peasants’ Revolt—a 1381 revolt in which English peasants killed lords and burned manors
OWEN!!!! Please confirm that these definitions are still correct as your EP asked about them.

20. The Great Famine From 1315 to 1317, devastating rain wiped out crops.
Breakdown of Medieval Society
The Great Famine
From 1315 to 1317, devastating rain wiped out
crops.
This severe wet weather contributed to loss of
cattle.
Resulting food shortages caused many deaths.

21. The Bubonic Plague Infected travelers carried the plague along
Breakdown of Medieval Society
The Bubonic Plague
Infected travelers carried the plague along
trade routes from China to Europe.
The plague killed tens of millions of people.
Nobody understood how the disease was
transmitted.
People found scapegoats, especially the
Jews.
Invite students to offer details about each topic.

22. The Plague and Population
Breakdown of Medieval Society
The Plague and Population
With millions dead from the plague,
European society took generations to recover.
Remind students that this graph appears in their textbooks. While this graph focuses on the death toll in England, help students understand that the devastation changed European society and left tens of millions dead.

23. Changes in Medieval Life
Breakdown of Medieval Society
Changes in Medieval Life
Remind students that this graphic organizer may be found in their Student Journals. Ask them to use what they have read in Section 4 to write the effect(s) of each cause on the chart.