• 2/25 Focus:– The Crusades and improvements in farming

helped contribute to renewed interest in trade in Western Europe

• Do Now:– How did the Crusades renew interest in

trade in Western Europe?

Improvements in Farming

• Iron Plow – The use of the Iron

plow made farming easier and increased food production

• The Horse Collar and iron horse shoes – allowed farmers to

use horses rather than oxen to plow fields

– Horses were faster and more efficient

•

Improvements in Farming

• The Three Field System – Increased food

production and made soil more fertile

•

Trade Improves

• Rise of trading centers – Italy in

southern Europe• Genoa and

Venice

– Flanders in Northern Europe

•

Trade Improves

• Trade Fairs– Took

place in towns where trade routes met

Trade Improves

• The Hanseatic League – Association

of Germanic cities to protect economic interests

– Protected traders from piracy

Trade Improves

• Improvements in trade led to Commercial Revolution– Increased use of

currency– Banking and

investment increases – Rise of Capitalism

• Economic system where business is owned privately to make a profit

• Competition is a key component

Growth of Towns

• Trading centers and Trade Fairs led to the birth of towns– Walled and

protected near the manor

– King or lord granted charter • Setup the rights and

privileges of a town– People governed

and defended the town

Growth of Towns

• Many serfs left the manors and moved into towns/cities– Could be free in cities

if they hid from their lord for a year and one day

– Increased populations in towns • Towns were often

overcrowded and dirty– Led to a decline in

feudalism

Closure

• Identify one way that farming improved during the Middle Ages

• What were trade guilds?

• 2/26 Focus:–During the High Middle Ages, European

society became more stable and made cultural gains in the areas of art, literature, and architecture

• Do Now: – Identify one effect that the renewal of

trade had on Western Europe

Trade Guilds• Association of

businesses and craftsmen – Set prices for goods,

wages, and standards for quality

– Apprentices worked for 3-11 years under a master

– Strangers had to pay a toll to the guilds to sell their products in a town

– Guilds took care of widows and children of deceased members

Results of Trade Improvements

• Commercial Revolution• Growth of middle class• New jobs titles– Bankers, manufacturers, craftsmen

• Rise of national kingdoms

Revival of Learning• The University– Increased the flow

of Greek learning into Europe

– Goal of attending universities was often to get a job in government or with the Church

– Helped to create a new educated class

•

Literature

• Literacy began to increase in Europe after 1200 AD. – Coincided with growth of cities

• Authors began writing in the language of their countries rather than just Latin

Literature• Epics and Romances

were long poems that tell a story– Epics

• Often related to war and heroes

• The Song of Roland

– Romances• Love stories and chivalry• King Arthur and the

Knights of the Roundtable

Literature• The Canterbury

Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer– Collection of stories

about a group of pilgrims from various social groups

– Provide a description of life in the middle ages

Philosophy• Thomas Aquinas – Studied the works of

Greek philosophers• Aristotle

– Attempted to use logic and reason to prove Christian teachings and prove the existence of God• Scholasticism

Architecture

• Gothic Architecture used to build churches

• Used high spires and flying buttresses

• Replaced Roman style of arches and domes

Architecture• The flying buttress

allowed churches to be built much taller and larger window – Supported walls from

the outside– Allowed for higher

ceilings and large stained glass windows

– Eliminated the need for columns

•

•

•

Illumination

• The process of decorating a written manuscript with pictures or designs– Often used in religious

text

•

Tapestries • Large wool wall coverings that

depicted life in the Middle Ages

Closure

• Identify one example of medieval literature.

• Identify the architectural style that developed in Europe during the High Middle Ages.

• What were trade guilds?