The Middle Ages:The Middle Ages:Economics, Politics and the Economics, Politics and the

ChurchChurch

Advances in AgricultureAdvances in Agriculture(1000s – 1100s)(1000s – 1100s)

The water mill and The water mill and windmill allowed farmers windmill allowed farmers to have larger cropsto have larger cropsNew farming tools like New farming tools like heavy plows, horseshoes heavy plows, horseshoes and collar harnesses and collar harnesses helped farmers be more helped farmers be more efficientefficientSerfs began to get more Serfs began to get more freedom with the freedom with the development of new development of new landslandsPopulation grew due to Population grew due to more food productionmore food production

Growing TradeGrowing Trade

New trade routes developed New trade routes developed due to population and land due to population and land growthgrowthContacts were now made all Contacts were now made all over Europeover EuropeLed to the rise of new business Led to the rise of new business practices like:practices like:*Partnerships-expanded *Partnerships-expanded business and increased profitsbusiness and increased profits

*Bankers-exchanged money *Bankers-exchanged money between regions, gave credit between regions, gave credit and held money for and held money for safekeepingsafekeeping

GuildsGuilds

Organizations of skilled Organizations of skilled merchants (carpentry, merchants (carpentry, shoemaking, etc.)shoemaking, etc.)Set regulations and Set regulations and protected members and protected members and discourages competitiondiscourages competitionApprentice: for 2 – 7 Apprentice: for 2 – 7 years, trained under a years, trained under a master artisanmaster artisanJourneyman: day laborer, Journeyman: day laborer, worked for master for worked for master for daily wage—created daily wage—created masterpiece to become a masterpiece to become a master craftsmanmaster craftsman

Rise of Towns and the Middle Rise of Towns and the Middle ClassClass

By the 1000s, towns began to By the 1000s, towns began to spring up in Europe due to spring up in Europe due to expansion of trade and expansion of trade and increased food supplyincreased food supplyTownspeople created charters Townspeople created charters and became self-governing and became self-governing city-statescity-statesLed to a decline in serfdom as Led to a decline in serfdom as serfs fled manors to live in serfs fled manors to live in townstownsTowns gave rise to a new Towns gave rise to a new social class—the middle class social class—the middle class (artisans, merchants)(artisans, merchants)Prosperity came from trade Prosperity came from trade and industry, participated in and industry, participated in local government local government

Rise of the Middle ClassRise of the Middle Class(1050 – 1270)(1050 – 1270)

CAUSES:CAUSES:Revival of tradeRevival of tradeChanges in the ways Changes in the ways of doing businessof doing businessGrowth of guilds and Growth of guilds and specialized craftsspecialized craftsExpansion of townsExpansion of townsDecline of serfdomDecline of serfdom

EFFECTS:EFFECTS:Greater participation Greater participation in town governmentin town governmentGrowing belief in Growing belief in individual rightsindividual rightsNew emphasis on New emphasis on property rightsproperty rightsTransfer of loyalties Transfer of loyalties from lords to from lords to monarchsmonarchs

The Power of the ChurchThe Power of the Church

The Structure of the Church:Power within Church is organized by status; Pope-- supreme authorityClergy—religious officials—includes bishops, ,priests, and othersBishops supervise priests, settle Church disputes

Religion as a Unifying ForceReligion important in Middle Ages; shared beliefsbond peopleClergy administers the sacraments—rites to achieve salvationVillage church is place of worship and celebration

The ClergyReligious officials had different ranks within the church structure

The Law of the ChurchThe Law of the Church

The Church has system of justice to guide people’s conductAll medieval Christians expected to obey canon law—Church lawCanon law governs marriages and religious practicesPopes have power over political leaders through threat of

excommunication—banishment from Church, denial of salvationKings and emperors expected to obey pope’s commandsHeresy (going against Church beliefs) was the greatest crime in the Middle Ages, seen as treason against GodThe Inquisition: 1233, Church court searched for heretics and put them on trial.

The Magna CartaThe Magna Carta

During the 1100s, a series During the 1100s, a series of monarchs imposed of monarchs imposed heavy taxes on people and heavy taxes on people and became oppressivebecame oppressiveKing John (1199 – 1216) King John (1199 – 1216) was a disliked ruler and was a disliked ruler and continued to impose heavy continued to impose heavy taxes upon the peopletaxes upon the peopleIn 1215 King John was In 1215 King John was forced to sign the Magna forced to sign the Magna Carta to limit his power Carta to limit his power and give more rights to the and give more rights to the peoplepeople

The Magna CartaThe Magna Carta

Laid foundation for modern British and Laid foundation for modern British and American governmentsAmerican governments

Three principles of the Magna Carta:Three principles of the Magna Carta:

1.1. Taxation only with representationTaxation only with representation

2.2. Right to trialRight to trial

3.3. Limits to power (eventually developed Limits to power (eventually developed into Parliament)into Parliament)