middle ages
DESCRIPTION
Chapter 14 Sections 1 and 2TRANSCRIPT
Middle AgesTurn to page 394Make sure you are reading the chapter!
What were the Middle Ages?Between 500 and 1500 A.D.As a result of the fall of the
Roman Empire and invading groups, Europe fragmented into smaller groups with different languages.
CharlemagneAround 800 AD, a Frank named
Charlemagne united most of Western Europe
The Pope declared him Emperor.His accomplishments:
◦Reuniting Western Europe◦Education◦Economy◦Christianization
VikingsFrom Norway, Sweden, and
DenmarkSeafaring PeoplePillaged and plundered through
Europe from 800 to about 1100 AD
On a positive note, they reopened trade routes.
Feudalism Emerges as a Government System
King
Barons, Nobles, Lords, Princes
Peasants or serfs
Vass
al
s
Protectionknights
The Manor System of Economy
Peasants or serfs
King
Barons, Nobles, Lords, Princes
•Vas
sals w
ork
the
land
, rai
se li
vest
ock
•Pay
tax
es a
nd fo
od to
the
Lord
of t
he M
anor
•Wor
k to
pay
way
out
or es
cape
after
a y
ear an
d a
day
•Kings give land (fiefs) to
Lords
•Lords are vassals to the king,
expected to collect taxes and
goods from it for the king
•Lords are protectors and
judges for the manor
SELF-SUFFICIENT!!!
Section 2The Church and Rise of Cities
Most people in Western Europe in the Middle Ages were Roman Catholic.
Religious and Economic PowerPeople were constrained by the
idea of punishment-hell, and reward-heaven.
Clergy (church leaders) collected taxes and fiefs from Lords for performing various religious services-baptisms, weddings, church services, etc.
Church Political PowerPeople who were
excommunicated were left out of everything.
Church officials advised kings and lords.
Church organization
Parish PriestsBishops
Archbishops
Pope
EverydayPriests were in every communityThey performed various religious
rites and took confessions from parishoners.
Monasteries and ConventsMonasteries – Monks –developed
better ways to farm; copied religious writings
Convents- Nuns helped with education and health
ScholasticismUsed reasoning to explain things
that had always been explained by faith alone.
Trade and TownsPeople were beginning to feel
safer. They opened up the ancient trade routes. European merchants bought and sold goods from afar.
Towns began as manors became overcrowded; lords allowed serfs to buy freedom and move to towns.
Towns developed where local goods were traded
•Small markets that grew into larger trade fairs•Along rivers and highways•Near monasteries and fortified places
Towns and CitiesBy 1300, there were some large
cities.Paris had 300,000 people!
(largest in world at that time)
Middle Class DevelopsMerchantsTradersCraft workers
Guilds of certain occupations began to:◦Set quality standards◦Set price controls◦Pay dues to support those of their
number in need
Steps to Becoming a Guild MemberAges 8-14: Be an apprentice. Live
with someone who can teach you the trade, but you are not paid a salary. You are there to learn.
After apprenticeship: Become a journeyman. You are paid for your work, and eventually you create a reputation for yourself that makes you worthy of acceptance into the guild.
Overcrowding in CitiesExtremely unsanitary conditions
led to lots of disease, such as the Black Death, that ravaged Europe from 1347 to 1351.
It was transmitted by fleas on rats.
Medieval CultureLarge cathedrals built in gothic
styleStained glass artworkCathedral schoolsChivalry- the code of good
conduct for knightsTroubadors- traveling
entertainers who parlayed stories of great knights winning over beautiful ladies into music