COMMERCIAL
REVOLUTION
Between 1000 and 1300
Agriculture
Trade
Finance
Towns and cities grew
Population growth
Territorial expansion
Growing food supply
Need better ways of farming
Switch to horsepower
Oxen were easy to keep
Horses could provide better
production
Three-Field System
Organize lands
Two were planted, one lay fallow
(2/3 vs 1/2)
Villagers had more to eat
Population grew, life expectancy
increased
The guilds
Organization of individuals in the same business or occupation working
to improve the economic and social conditions of its members
Merchants
Craft Guilds
Control the number of goods being traded
Provided security
Skilled artisans
Quality of work
Wages
Working conditions
Established wealth and position in society
Craft Guilds
- Wheelwrights
- Glassmakers
- Winemakers
- Tailors
- Druggists
Apprentice
Parents paid for training
Lived with a master and his
family
Required to obey the master
Trained 2-7 years
Was not allowed to marry
during training
When trained progressed to
journeyman
journeymen
Day worker
Worked for a master to
earn a salary
Worked 6 days a week
Needed to produce a
masterpiece (his finest
work) to become a master
Had to be accepted by
the guild to become a
master
master
Owned his own shop
Worked with other
masters to protect
their trade
Sometimes served in
civic governments
Guild services
To Members:
To the Community
Set working conditions
Built almshouses for victims of misfortune
Covered members with a type of health
insurance
Guaranteed quality work
Provided funeral expenses
Took turns policing the streets
Provided dowries for poor girls
Donated windows to the Church
Fairs and trade
Most trade took place in the towns
Fairs held during religious festivals
Cloth was the most common trade item
Self-sufficient manor system no longer
needed
Goods from foreign lands
Trade routes from England to Italy
Merchants willing to take risks
Buying merchandise that they could sell
at a profit
Reinvested the profits in more good
Business and banking
Needed cash and credit to exchange different types of
currencies
Established exchange rates
Letters of credit
Eliminated the need to carry large amounts of cash
Made trade easier
Trading firms started to form
Had to borrow money
Increased Trade
More Workers
Needed
Serfs move to town;
workers paid for
labor
More cash, banking,
and lending
services available
More money
available for
building businesses
Merchants’ wealth
and power expand
Merchants’ taxes
increase the king’s
power and wealth
Urban life
Population grew from 30 million to 42
million within 150 years
As trade grew – cities and towns grew
Streets narrow and dirty
No sewers
Little bathing and no clean or fresh
water
Many people wanted better
opportunities
Revival of learning
New interest in learning
Europeans able to acquire new
knowledge
New European institution – The
University
Vernacular
Brought literature to many
people
Medieval Fashion
Integral to status
Wool clothing
Linen undergarments
Signs of wealth
Brighter colors, better materials, longer jacket length
Peasants
Stockings or tunics
Wimples for hair
Outer clothing rarely washed
Fur was used often
Homework!!!!
Read pg. 244-247 in the textbook
Create
a flow chart or graphic organization
about the new government systems
Read p. 260 in the textbook
take
notes
Due: Tomorrow!