6.1 The revival of trade and cities

• Geschiedenis
• Middelbare school
• havo
• Leerjaar 1

The crusades, Charlemagne, the Franks, the fall of the roman empire, the black death, Columbus, Jeroen Bosch, the manor system, the feudal system, an agricultural society, a agrarian-urban society, monks and knights, craftsmen like shoemakers, the emergence of den bosch, the attacks of the vikings, the pope gains more power, the era of cities and states, the age of exploresrs and conquerors, the battle of Hastings, 

Introduction Chapter 6 Late Middle Ages

We are going to start with a game: which topics belong to the early Middle ages (red), which belong to the late Middle ages (blue) and which belong to another era.....

Ch 6.1: The revival of trade and cities

After studying this section, you will be able to:

6.1 Explain the causes of urbanisation in the Late Middle Ages

6.2 Describe how merchants and craftsmen worked together in guilds

What caused the agricultural 

revolution? 

Heavy iron plow

The invention of the padded horse collar

6.1 The revival of trade and cities

Urbanisation

Farms started to produce more food than they needed: the surplus food was sold or exchanged at markets. Many towns grew up around marketplaces. Because of growth in trade, small towns were transformed in cities

Farming improvements meant that more work could be done by fewer people. People from the countryside moved to towns and cities =urbanisation. 

Europe gradually developed from a mostly agrarian society into an agrarian society with an urban character. The food surplus caused people in the countryside to live healthier and longer. The population could grow.

urbanisation

By 1200, large Northern European towns such as London and Ghent had more than 30,000 or 40,000 residents. At the same time, cities such as Venice had twice that number of residents.

The Italian city of Genoa. 15th century drawing.

Specialisation: Crafts and guilds

In towns, people started to trade products or specialised in a craft: they became blacksmiths, shoemakers, bakers or carpenters. Before, the local carpenter had his own land and cattle. Now, he would specialise in a craft. 

From the twelfth century onwards, traders and craftsmen in Northern European cities often joined together in guilds. 

Guilds controlled who could become members and practice a craft in a town. They organised the training of new craftsmen and regulated working hours, prices and the quality of products. Members of a guild also helped each other if someone died or became ill.

A craftsman. What does he do? This image was made in 1524.

Get to work...

• Read par  6.1
• Exercises 6,1: 1 up until 11 and 13
• Make a summary

Listening exercise: the return of the city (memo 5.1)