Intercultural Exchange and the
Evolution of the
Medieval European World View
What factors led to changes to the World View held by
the people of Europe during the Middle Ages?
Factor 1: The Silk Road
 P 16-17
 What:
 Long road traveled by foot or horse driven caravan.
 Where:
 Started in Europe, through the Middle East and parts of Asia, all the way to
China
 Who:
 Merchants from all over the known world would meet along this trail to make
exchanges
 Why:
 to obtain exotic products unavailable in their own region.
 Products such as silk, spices, porcelain and paper were high in demand by
Europeans and would be traded between merchants.
How did the Silk Road affect the
World View of the European
Population at the time?
 The impact the Silk Road had on the worldview of the European
population went much further than simply providing them with exotic
products and goods.
 Along the way, social interaction with other cultures flourished and
exposed the people to new ideas and technologies in the fields of
religion, science, philosophy, music and mathematics.
 These ideas spread across Europe.
 Exposing the people to these new ideas changed their values and
beliefs and thus altered their world View.
 The exchanges made weren’t always positive, for disease and
illness were also passed along.
.
Factor 2: The Islamic Civilisation
 P 18
 The Islamic Empire was at the centre of the known world and
 Because of their geographic position; they had control of the Silk
Road.
 All goods, products and ideas exchanged were done so through their
commercial centres.
 They became not only the spot for commercial exchange, but they
were the centre of intellectual exchange amongst scholars and
philosophers of the time.
 Scholars from all over would gather to collect study and translate
important documents from various languages, making information
that was once incomprehensible available to diverse cultures.
How did the Islamic Empire affect
the World View of the European
Population at the time?
 The Islamic Empire contributed to the evolution of the
Christian Worldview in that it was a place where people could
gather to exchange knowledge and be exposed to new ideas
that would alter their beliefs and values.
.
Stop right there.
You can’t come
here without my
permission first!
Factor 3: The Crusades
 P 20 - 21
 Near the end of the Middle Ages, European Armies organised
crusades to try and recapture and Christianise areas in the Middle
East that were under Muslim control.
 For the Jewish, Christian and Muslim it was the Holy Land of
Jerusalem where their religious background derived.
 Each of these religions felt that it was their right to have possession
and control over this sacred territory.
.
.
MINE!!!
How did the Crusades affect the
World View of the European
Population at the time?
 Soldiers, religious pilgrims of men, women and children from
all over the known world would travel to the Middle East to
visit the Holy Lands and while there, they would interact with
cultures very different from their own and would become
aware of other cultures.
 There they were encountered new ideas, beliefs and
knowledge and thus, would return to their homeland with new
ideas, values and beliefs that led to new ways of thinking
about their own lives and cultures. .
Factor 4: The Black Death
The Black Death contributed to the transformation of
the European World View of the Middle Ages
because
 it forced people to move to cities where they
interacted with new people and exchanged
ideas, knowledge and beliefs.
 The Feudal system fell apart allowing peasants
and serfs to realize they weren't limited by birth
and believe they could take steps to improve
their quality of life.
Was the Black Death the apocalypse?
Nope! It ended the Dark Ages and brought
promise and change … A New Life…
The Renaissance
“french word meaning ‘rebirth’
Factor 5: Urbanization
What Is Urbanisation?
The movement of a population from a rural
area (village) to an urban area (city).
Why did the Population of Europe
Urbanize near the end of the
Middle Ages?
 After the first outbreak of the Black Plague in 1350, the
peasant population was greatly diminished.
 There were no longer enough labourers to cultivate
farmlands leaving many peasant farmers no other choice but
to leave their farmlands to go elsewhere to make a living.
 Many survivors decided that they would leave their livelihood
in villages to move to cities where there was promise of more
opportunities for work.
Please stay! I will give
you more crops from
the yield?!
NAH!
Where do you think
you’re going?
The lady down the
lane made me an
offer I couldn’t
refuse, I am going
to work for her!
Good luck
working
this land on
your own!
I am off to the big
You are my serfs and I
city to make me a
command you to stay!
livin’!
NAH!
What am I supposed to
do to survive? How will
I get crops? I will surely
die.. I don’t know how
to work the land!
Stuff it
Lady!
My whole family is dead
and so is most of the
population of my village!
How does she expect me
to survive and support
her!?
There is no way, I am
moving on… maybe I will
go to the city, where there
is more opportunity!
My landlord survived and
expects me to work as I did
before but there is no way I can
do all of the work alone… I can’t
even grow enough crops to feed
myself.
Where did the rural population of
Europe go?
The rural population moved to the
Italian cities of Venise, Florence,
Genoa and Milan
Italian cities… Here I come!!!
Geographic Reasons
Mountain ranges to the North
protected Italy from invaders
making it a peaceful and
stable location, allowing its
citizens to live in security and
develop socially, politically and
economically.
These cities were located
on important commercial
marine and terrestrial trade
routes, connecting them to
countries to the far east
and west for trade.
Social Reasons;
 The Feudal System had little to no influence here due to a lack of
agricultural land.
 The class system was less rigid, meaning people had more
freedom to pursue a better quality of life.
 The Pope had moved to France, meaning that the people were free
from the oppression of the churches strict rules
Ciao Italy…
Bonjour France!
Economic Reasons
Due
to
their
geographical position on
trade routes they were
already into the import
and export industry for
century’s prior, making
them
wealthy,
established commercial
urban centers.
Factor 6: Increased Trade
 P 29
 Later in the Middle ages the demand for exotic products increased.
 Merchants hired adventurers to open new trade routes which increased
contact with other societies
 Europeans were introduced to new ideas and knowledge
 The numbers of merchants grew, they became wealthy, and powerful.
 They had enough money to influence nobles and leaders.
 They formed a powerful new class outside of the Feudal system.
How did increased trade affect the
World View of the European
Population at the time?
 Increased trade gave the European Population the
opportunity to interact with other societies and exchange
knowledge and ideas.
 Europeans at the time saw that a person’s role in the rigid
structure of the feudal system might be able to change and
that it was in fact possible to move out of the class into which
they had been born.
What three things shape our worldview?
 Geography :
 What geographic events / changes contributed to the evolution of
the European Worldview during the Middle Ages?
 Interaction with others
 What events / changes allowed the people of Europe the
opportunity to interact with others?
 Sharing of ideas and knowledge
 What events allowed the people of Europe the opportunity to
exchange knowledge and ideas?
What three factors are influenced
by our Worldview?
 Culture:
 How did the culture of Europeans change due to their modified
worldview?
 Social Systems:
 How did their social systems change due to their modified
worldview?
 Political and economic systems:
 How did their political and economic systems change due to their
modified worldview?