Economic
CHAPTERS 9 & 10
BYZANTIUM
CONTROL

The central government had a very large
bureaucracy
 For
most of the time it was good
 Constantinople was in control of surrounding areas
 Centralization
 Food
prices were set by the government
THE CLASSES

The very large peasant class was good for
 Products
 TAXES

Large merchant class
 Never
gained significant political power
TRADE

Trade for food was very important
 Usually
a priority to make sure they could feed a
very large urban population

Traded with:
 Asia,

Russia, Scandinavia, Arabs, India
Silk and other luxury goods
KIEVIAN RUSSIA
SCANDINAVIAN MERCHANTS
Vikings
 During the 6th and
7th centuries moved
into the region
 c. 855, monarchy
under Rurik
(Danish)


Center at Kiev
 Prosperous
commercial center
WESTERN EUROPE
AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENTS

Expansion of arable land




Improved farming techniques






Population rises
Cleared forests, swamps
Lords encouraged such efforts
Crop rotation methods
Use of fertilizer
Cultivation of beans increased
More domestic animals
Books on economy, agriculture
New tools and technology



Extensive use of watermills and heavy plows
Use of horseshoe and horse collar, increased land under
cultivation
3-plot rotation of planted land
New farming technologies
And new foods
Before 1000, European diet - grains
After 1000, more meat, dairy products, fish, vegetables, legumes
Increase in food production
Population explosion
Between 1000 and 1300, the population of
Europe doubled
ECONOMY IN WESTERN EUROPE
no market economy (trade) –food production
and land ownership form basis of wealth
 development of better farming techniques
allowed for increased food production, rise in
population, and centralization of authority
 later development of commercial trade (headed
by Italians -access to waterways)

 because
of Christian ethics, views on merchants
were similar to China
TECHNOLOGY IN WESTERN EUROPE

New technologies & contacts
 from
Africa –new crops
 from Asia / Middle East –new farming tools, math,
science, philosophy
 from Eastern Europe –math, science, philosophy
(obviously NOT religion)

**Western Europe takes far more than it
gives**