daily life in the middle ages
TRANSCRIPT
Daily Life in the Middle Ages
1000 to 1300 Medieval Golden Age
Christianity accepted as the norm over Western Europe.
Invasions and wars are slowing down, Post-Roman power vacuum filled.
Faith in the Middle AgesLow literacy rate led to a rich oral culture (troubadour tales
and passionate sermons)Uncertainty about scripture gives the Church gives them
authority over the text. (Hierarchical)Faith was a constant factor and part of their lives. Personal
and well attended faith.
Life and WorkAgricultural societies: groups of families/clans would live in small villages, share pasture, and
work together.Rural life was more prevalent than urban life. European medieval societies relatively small.
Freemen and Serfs
Freemen: Not bound to any particular plot of land. They worked for themselves. Relatively free economically.
Serf: Not free/watered down version of Roman slavery. They did not own their land, they may rent a small plot and
exchanged taxation for protection. Permanently fixed to the land and lord led to stability for them.
Authority Over Liberty
Tyranny was not the opposite of freedom. Authority existed to bring security. The opposite of tyranny was
legitimate authority for the common good. (Philosopher King)
Urban Life
Not the dominate form of life. Required a bit of wealth because you bought most items necessary for life. People sold goods and services out of the ground floor of their homes. Goods would be out
on display for purchase.
Guild System
Guilds: Professional organizations that trained new artisans (skilled workers) and protected
their professional interests. (prices, labor supply, quality)
Apprentice to Master
Individuals who desired to learn skilled labor apprenticed themselves to a guild and learned the craft from an approved teacher.
You would then become a journeyman, which meant you still worked under a master but were proficient in most areas of your craft.
Master/Masterpiece
When journeymen were ready to graduate a become masters (they regulated the guilds,
received higher earning, open your own shop), they created a masterpiece which demonstrated
the mastery of their particular craft.
Marriage
Economic as well as a emotional consideration. Brides and grooms did not have a lot of say in choosing a spouse.
Dowry- gift that the husband/husband’s family gave to the wife/wife’s family which secured the wife economically if the husband died. (Her safety net if the husband passed) Wife’s family bargained to ensure
the wife’s security
Health
Health was a significant issue. Impacted women more than men. 50% chance of making it to adult hood.
50% of children die between newborn and 4. If you made it past 20’s you had a good chance of making it to old
age.
Women and children die at an extremely high rate. Death was a large part of life. Men would marry often more than
once.
Daily Life in the Middle Ages Video