World History
Unit 3
An Age of Exchange and Encounter:
500 to A.D. 1500
Chapter 14
The Formation of Western
Europe,
800 - 1500 A.D.
Section 2
Trades, Towns, and Financial
Revolution
Trades, Towns, and Financial Revolution
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Objectives
To describe medieval advances in agriculture.
To identify reasons for the expansion of trade and
finance in the Middle Ages.
To describe how the growth of trade encouraged the
growth of medieval towns.
To explain the new interest in learning in the Middle
Ages.
Vocabulary: three-field system, guild, burgher,
vernacular, Dante Alighieri, Geoffrey Chaucer, Thomas
Aquinas, scholastics
Growing Food Supply
Europe – 100-1300 AD
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Agriculture, trade, finance
Agriculture
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Warming climate
Improved harness for horses
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Three-field system – 800 AD
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Horses replace oxen
Plow more land daily
Winter and spring harvests
2/3 year growing season
Increased food production
Results
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Support larger population
Raise larger families
Clearing of forest land
Trade and Finance Expand
Trade Rejuvenation – 1000 AD
– Fairs
• Towns as primary trade posts
• Replacement of manors
– Guild
• Trade union
– Apprentice / journeyman
• Controlled prices and wages
• Enforced standards of quality
– Financing
• Usury
– Lending money with interest
– Anti-Christian; sin
• Moneylenders
– Primarily Jewish institution
– discrimination
Trade and Towns
Population Boom
– 30m to 42m (1000-1150 AD)
– Challenge to feudal society
• “Town air makes you free.”
• City conditions
– Haphazard, unclean, hazardous
– Burghers
• Town residents
Learning
– Govt. jobs or theology
• Children of burghers
– Vernacular
• Common language of homeland
Scholars and Writers
Dante Alighieri – Italian
– ‘The Divine Comedy’ – 1321
Geoffrey Chaucer – English
– ‘The Canterbury Tales’
• Pilgrimage to shrine of St.
Thomas a’ Becket
• Brought literature to many
non-Latin speakers
– Greek to Hebrew to Latin
Thomas Aquinas – (1267-1273)
– ‘Summa Theologica’
• Christian belief / Greek logic
– Scholastics
• Middle Ages men who studied
together at university
Chapter 14
The Formation of Western
Europe,
800 - 1500 A.D.
Section 3
England and France Develop
England and France Develop
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Objectives
To describe the various invaders who contributed to
English culture.
To explain how England’s government took the first steps
toward democracy.
To describe the contributions of France’s Capetian rulers.
Vocabulary: William the Conqueror, Henry II, Eleanor of
Aquitaine, Magna Carta, parliament, Philip II, Louis IX
Invasions of England
Vikings – 800 AD
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Alfred the Great (871-899)
Turns back invaders
England
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‘land of the Angles’
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Germanic
Danes
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King Edward the Confessor
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Canute (1016 AD)
Germanic / Viking synthesis
Descendent of Alfred
Died w/o an heir
Struggle for throne ensues
William the Conqueror
The Norman Conquest
William the Conqueror
– Duke of Normandy
• King Edward’s cousin
– French language / culture
– Battle of Hastings – (1066)
• Normans defeat Anglo-Saxons
• Harold Godwinson
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William controls all England
– Plus land in France
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King Henry II
– William’s descendent
– Eleanor of Aquitaine
2 Goals
– Maintain land
– Strengthen power
England’s Government
Henry II – (1154-1189)
– King of England
• Royal judges
• 12 man jury of ‘peers’
• Common law
– Vassal to the King of France
Richard the Lion-Hearted
– Hero of 3rd Crusade
King John – (1199-1216)
– ‘John Softsword’
– Magna Carta (June 1215)
• Great Charter
• Guarantee of political rights
– Taxation, due process
• Limit of king’s power
Parliament – (1295)
– King Edward – war taxes
– House of Commons
– House of Lords
Magna Carta
Capetian Dynasty, France
Capetian Dynasty – (987-1328)
– Death of Louis the Sluggard
– Trade routes
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Philip II – (1180-1223)
– Philip Augustus
– Goal: reclaim French territory
• Seized Normandy (1204)
• Tripled size of France
– Bailiffs
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Louis IX – (1226-1270)
– Sainthood
– French appeals court
– Estates-General
• 1st Estate – church leaders
• 2nd Estate - nobles
• 3rd Estate - commoners
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