A.D. 500 - 1500

MIDDLE AGES

CHANGES IN MEDIEVAL SOCIETY

I. AGRICULTURE – Expanding civilization required increased food supply; climate became warmer between 800-1200 AD

*Switch from Oxen to horses*Three Field System – separated fields into 3

instead of 2 ; rotated crops*Food Production increased*People Lived Longer

http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/guilds-in-western-culture-and-economies-in-the-high-middle-ages.html#lesson

CHANGES IN MEDIEVAL SOCIETY II.TRADES:*Development of GUILDS *Made up of workers who did same job*Worked to improve economic/social conditions*Set Standards and Prices/Made Rules*Merchant Guild; Craft Guild

CHANGES IN MEDIEVAL SOCIETY

III. FINANCE – COMMERCIAL REVOLUTION*Expansion of trade and banking; more workers were needed*borrowing money led to creation of banks by Catholic Church *Jews became chief sources of loans*Merchants’ wealth and power expanded

CHANGES IN MEDIEVAL SOCIETY

IV. Urban life renewalV. Revival of learning

* Centers of learning established- Universities

* Contact with Muslims during Crusades increased available knowledge

http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/the-rise-of-universities-and-displacement-of-monarchies.html#lesson

THE BLACK DEATH

What really happened during the outbreak of the Bubonic Plague?

BUBONIC PLAGUE – “BLACK DEATH”

Revival of trade, but trade sometimes carried more than goods.

Highly Contagious Disease Spread by fleas that lived on rats Called the black death because once

bitten by flea, people developed swellings and black bruises

Quickly became epidemic – no cure

Physician lancing a bubo, or lymph node swollen by infection with bubonic plague

bacteria

BUBONIC PLAGUE – “BLACK DEATH”

Began in Asia – 1300’s – carried by Mongols along Silk Road; spread to Middle East and North Africa

1347 plague swept through Italy; brought by traders to Europe (Spain, France, Germany, England)

Spreads Quickly – in 4 years spreads all through Europe

A town crier calls on the people to “bring out your dead” in a medieval street scene from the time of the Black Death. The victims were then hauled away for burial in mass graves.

EFFECTS OF PLAGUE

Population Loss – about 1/3 of European pop.

Trade Declined – prices rose, production fell

Feudalism Declined – peasant revolt Church Suffered – questioned faith Jews were Blamed – persecuted/killed

http://podcasts.howstuffworks.com/hsw/podcasts/symhc/2009-02-18-symhc-black-death.mp3

MOMENTS IN TIME: THE CURSE OF THE RAT