Peasant Life and Manorialism in Medieval Europe

These flashcards cover key concepts related to peasant life, manorialism, the rise of universities, the Columbian exchange, the Reformation, the Enlightenment, and the Industrial Revolution.

Manorialism

The social and economic system by which a lord of the manor exploits his landed estate and the peasants who work on the manor.

Demesne

The lord’s land in a manorial system.

Serfs

Unfree peasant farmers who worked the land in exchange for protection.

Three-Field System

Agricultural system where land was divided into three fields: one for winter wheat, one for spring crops, and one left fallow.

Organic Economy

An economy primarily dependent on the agricultural production and natural resources.

Lords of the Manor

Individuals who controlled the manor, usually members of the feudal class or church leaders.

Great Famine

A massive famine between 1315-1322 in northern Europe that caused the death of 10 to 15% of the population.

Columbian Exchange

The widespread transfer of animals, plants, cultures, populations, and diseases between the Old World and the New World after 1492.

Syphilis

Commonly referred to as the 'revenge of the New World' due to its introduction to Europe after contact with the Americas.

Justification by Faith Alone

Luther's theology asserting that faith is the only means to salvation.

Indulgences

Payments made to the church to reduce punishment for sins, heavily criticized by Martin Luther.

Seven Liberal Arts

The seven subjects that were the foundation of a liberal education in medieval universities, divided into the Trivium and the Quadrivium.

Divine Right of Kings

The doctrine that kings derive their authority from God, exemplified by Louis XIV.

Atlantic Revolutions

The series of late 18th and early 19th-century revolutions that included the American, French, and Haitian Revolutions.

Industrial Revolution

A period of major industrialization from the late 18th to the 19th century that transformed economies from agrarian to industrial.

Luddites

Groups of English workers who destroyed machinery, especially in cotton and woolen mills, in protest of mechanization.

Separation of Powers

The principle of dividing government responsibilities into distinct branches to limit any one branch from exercising the core functions of another.