GE1713 THE RISE AND FALL OF EUROPEAN SOCIETIES PERIOD Medieval • • • Byzantine • • • • • • HISTORICAL HIGHLIGHTS Feudalism became popular as people began to focus their attention to certain groups of people who could defend them and their place o Those who can defend the townsmen became the nobility o The rest of the townsmen either became merchants or serfs (i.e., peasants) who gave a portion of their produce (or upkeep) to the nobles as payment for their services A demand for more produce for the kingdom led the people to devise new ways of farming o Land development can be done either via crop rotation or via the three-field system o Land development and supply transport were made faster due to the invention of the heavy plow and the rise of cross-breeding workhorses 1. The birth of the plow horse allowed for faster land development because it was faster than an ox 2. The plow horse could work for longer hours 3. The plow horse also required less maintenance With more people came the rise of towns o Land development equates to more produce, which was exploited by corrupt people and lost to Viking raids o More produce equates to the expansion of trade o Since serfs began to work their way to earn their freedom from their nobilities, they earned this in one of three (3) ways: 1. They offer payment to the nobility; 2. They betray their lords and ally themselves with kings; or 3. Fight to the death Whichever the case, these actions of the townsmen led to the election of kings and the establishment of the monarchy This period occurred alongside the Medieval Period Constantinople became the capital of the Byzantine Empire opposite Rome, becoming the central capital that connects Asia and Europe The members of the Catholic clergy headed the cityscapes With the rise of German ruler Otto I, came the foundation of the Holy Roman Empire The continents of Europe and Asia were afflicted with the Bubonic Plague, aka the Black Death o Affected countries were (in order): China, Italy, France, England, Scandinavia o It was believed to be carried by Jews, which of course was false o It was caused by overcrowding and the unsanitary lifestyle of the people back then Civil unrest and the rise of the middle class, particularly merchants, earned them a spot in the political circle, causing political anarchy o Surviving Roman cities were newer and more innovative than the ones in northern Europe, due to their strategic location that attracted trade o All Byzantine cities crumbled and lost to history 02 Handout 1 student.feedback@sti.edu *Property of STI Page 1 of 2 GE1713 Renaissance • • • • • • • The Black Death caused a sudden rise of societies and trade due to the revival of towns and cities now spearheaded by merchants Leagues and guilds were established to protect merchants and artisans in their chosen trades and promote their works o The most important leagues of northern Europe were centered in the city of Lubeck near the Baltic Sea, blocking out the competition from the Russians, English, and the Scandinavians o These eventually decline because of capitalist practices, competition from the monarchy, and the ever-shifting trade routes Seafaring saw a gradual rise, with explorations made in Asia, Africa, and the Americas The "revival" of towns drove people to seek knowledge in the ancient civilizations The development of the printing press made the dissemination of information easier Philosophy and the arts became a mainstay in the Renaissance period o Secularism believes that this world, and this life, is worth studying, urging humans to live their lives to the fullest and not just for preparing for the afterlife; o Humanism believes that humans are not merely pawns in the Divine Plan, but are capable individuals who can achieve great accomplishments; o Individualism believes that only an individual can accomplish great things, not just groups of people; and o Skepticism believes that there is nothing wrong in challenging the accepted authorities, values, and/or established secular knowledge Philosophers became prolific in this era, with notable philosophers being Voltaire, Montesquieu, and Adam Smith o Smith noted that the mercantilism of the time was stifling the economy, thus proposing the laissez-faire ("hands-off") policy, where he believed that by reducing monopolies and restrictions, the economy would grow as the people themselves would even out the supply and demand REFERENCES: Butler, J. (n.d.). FC62: Urban revival in Italy (c.800-1200). The Flow of History: A Dynamic and Graphic Approach to Teaching History. http://www.flowofhistory.com/units/west/10/FC62 Butler, J. (n.d.). FC63: The agricultural revolution in medieval Europe. The Flow of History: A Dynamic and Graphic Approach to Teaching History. http://www.flowofhistory.com/units/west/10/FC63 Butler, J. (n.d.). FC64: The rise of towns in western Europe (c.1000-1300). The Flow of History: A Dynamic and Graphic Approach to Teaching History. http://www.flowofhistory.com/units/west/10/FC64 Butler, J. (n.d.). FC65: Leagues & guilds in western Europe. Retrieved February 2, 2018, from The Flow of History: A Dynamic and Graphic Approach to Teaching History: http://www.flowofhistory.com/units/west/10/FC65 Butler, J. (n.d.). FC71: The Black Death and its impact (c.1300-1450). The Flow of History: A Dynamic and Graphic Approach to Teaching History. http://www.flowofhistory.com/units/west/10/FC71 Butler, J. (n.d.). FC76: The Italian Renaissance (c.1400-1550). The Flow of History: A Dynamic and Graphic Approach to Teaching History. http://www.flowofhistory.com/category/export/html/222 Butler, J. (n.d.). FC100: Enlightenment political & social ideas. The Flow of History: A Dynamic and Graphic Approach to Teaching History. http://www.flowofhistory.com/readings-flowcharts/revival-west/theage-enlightenment/fc100 02 Handout 1 student.feedback@sti.edu *Property of STI Page 2 of 2
