Post on 14-Dec-2015
AP WORLD HISTORY POD #14 – Age of Transition
Commercial Revolution
Class Discussion Questions
McKay – “Towns and Economic Revival”, pp. 346-356
What was the essential pre-step in the rise and development of towns?
• “Without increased agricultural output there would not have been an adequate food supply for new town dwellers. Without a rise in population there would have been no one to people the towns. Without a minimum of peace and political stability merchants could not have transported or sold goods.”
• Home to a new social class of artisans and merchants – the middle class (bourgeoisie)
• This new class came from the peasantry as a land shortage drove younger sons into new lines of work
What theories have been proposed to explain the rise of medieval towns?
• Towns were areas of defense from Viking invaders
• Long distance merchants needed forts for protection
• Cathedrals and monasteries created a population center as merchants and students relocated to these areas
Describe the town and its environment.
• Walls for protection• A marketplace – nearly every street• Had a mint for coining money• Had a court to settle disputes• Space was limited – upward expansion• Housing lacked light and fresh air• Housing of wood and straw were fire
hazards
Who are the bourgeoisie?
• This is the new rising middle class
• Composed of the merchant and artisan class
• Gained a new wealth not attached to land and property holdings (nuvo riche)
• Cities served as a place of opportunity – economic advancement, upward social mobility, improved legal status
What liberties were present in the town?
• The clergy and nobility were suspicious of the middle class
• Nobles started to warm to the middle class merchants• 11th – 13th – middle class attempted to gain new liberties
or privileges• Most important privilege – personal freedom• Personal freedom meant being free from servile
obligations and citizenship• Citizenship – brought the right to buy and sell goods• Full citizens were exempt from market tolls and taxes
What was the role and function of the guilds?
• A union of workers• Merchant Guild – united enterprise / lessened
financial risk by pooling resources / greater investment security
• Craft Guild – controlled the number of workers –apprentice, journeyman, and master / controlled the quality of goods, controlled the quantity of goods / controlled the price of goods
• Craft Guilds provided greater opportunity for women than did merchant guilds
• Guild leaders became the oligarchy of the town
What was the Hanseatic League?
• Mercantile association of towns• Members had exclusive trading rights• A monopoly was established when possible• Created mutual security agreements• 13th-16th Century – controlled trade along the
Novgorod-Reval-Lubeck-Hamburg-Bruges-London Axis
• Factories were created where all facets of trade business could be housed
What new business practices facilitated the commercial revolution?
• Expanding international trade
• New money was put into circulation as new silver deposits were discovered
• Mutual confidence – this was an early form of credit
• Led to bill of exchange
• This made trade safer as large amounts of money were no longer needed
What was the social, political, and economic impact of the commercial revolution?
• While only 10% of the population, the commercial class became influential
• New wealth – higher standard of living
• Kings could tax new wealth – a strong monarch could evolve
• Serfs could improve status by becoming merchants
• Europe was changing from rural to urban