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Commercial Revolution in Europe Role Play
Historical Context
The Commercial Revolution was a period in the late Middle Ages/Early Renaissance where Europeans
began extensive trade that had not happened since Ancient Rome. In order to trade, Europeans from
different social classes needed each other’s help - peasants, lords, knights, and merchants. The people
needed to be in towns and cities that had access to ports on rivers and seas. The people also needed
currency like gold and silver coins for trading with Arab and African Muslims to get goods from Mali,
North Africa, the Middle East, Persia, India, and China.
Roles
Peasant
Lord (aristocrat)
Merchant
Knight
Situation
In a Western European manor during the late Middle Ages, life could be better. There are new
commercial opportunities in towns and cities that people could benefit from if they leave the manor. On
the manor, streets are made of dirt, peasants live in small huts, most people’s clothes are linen and wool,
food doesn’t have much flavor (usually just salt), and nobody owns a lot of stuff except the lords. But
the knights who return from the Crusades speak of cities like Genoa, Venice, Damascus, Cairo,
Constantinople, and Jerusalem with streets made of stone, huge houses and buildings, clothes made of
silk and cotton, delicious spices like garlic, pepper, and herbs, and beautiful objects in people’s homes
(art, furniture, carpets, tools). Peasants, knights, and lords could leave the manor to trade for those items,
but they’ll have to deal with merchants and soldiers from the Byzantine Empire, Muslim Abbasids,
Muslim Ottoman Turks, and the Mongols. One person can’t do it alone; they to cooperate and help each
other.
Your Task
You are a ___________________________. Based on your background information, you must find
other people in the room who can help you gain wealth from these trade routes. Write out a plan with
those people (you all must agree on it) so that everyone benefits from this Commercial Revolution in
Western Europe.
If you speak to many people to see what they have to offer, you will make the best possible plan.
You can use more than one lord, knight, or peasant for your plan. Lords can contribute their own
money and supplies, knights can add more protection, and more peasants means more workers.
Make sure your plan includes details about how each person will be used, where you want to travel
to (places outside of Europe) and what goods you want to trade for.
You are a knight. You owe your loyalty to a lord or king. But your life is the same every day, and you are
bored. Obeying the Code of Chivalry takes patience and respect. But other knights gave up on chivalry - they
have tournaments against each other, but they often turn into real fights. Some knights have been leaving for
Crusades in the Middle East to gain wealth, freedom, and adventure by capturing land from Muslims. Other
knights try to gain wealth through trade. You also want to gain wealth through new commercial trade. The
problem is knowing the best trade routes – knights stay on their manors most of the year, so only the
merchants truly know how to get through the trade routes. Even if you could travel with a merchant, you
might need more horses, peasants (to help you), and weapons, so you would need to borrow money from
your lord (or maybe a different lord).
Brainstorm: Who are you going to try to find? What do you need from them?
List the roles/people you’re cooperating with, how you’re helping them, and how they’re helping you:
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