Social Studies 8, Worldviews: Contact and Change, Ch. 1, Renaissance Europe, Times of Change

What did the Black Death cause on feudal estates?

severe labor shortages, many estates went bankrupt

What did the Black Death force nobles to do?

sell or rent land to serfs

What did the high want for freemen cause them to do?

demand higher wages from the nobles

How many people were killed in the Black Death?

half of Europe's population died; some towns/villages were wiped out

Why did knight's armor become less effective?

longbow, cannons, crossbow, and guns

How could people change their social level?

through wealth

Why were mechanical clocks made?

people were becoming more dependent on time

How did people display their wealth?

clothing, furniture, and meals

What did showing your wealth mean?

worldly pleasures were becoming more important

What new class was created?

middle or merchant class

What did peasants revolt against?

high rents and taxes

What new laws were created?

sumptuary laws

What were sumptuary laws?

told each class what possessions and clothing they could have

What did towns offer?

freedom and new opportunities

What was society?

less rigidly organized

What was available in towns?

goods from other countries

What was the economy based on?

trade and commerce, less on agriculture

What was religion like?

religious focus was diminished

Who passed on learning to Europe?

Muslim and Jewish scholars that weren't allowed in universities

What place became a center for medieval learning?

Islamic Spain

Why did Jews in western Europe focus on academic studies?

they were barred from most professions

How did new ideas arrive in Europe?

with trade goods, travelers, and scholars

What jobs could Jews do?

merchants, jewelers, money traders, and doctors

What did labor shortages cause the owners of the manors?

they got less money and there was a possibility of their rank being lowered

What is a serf?

a peasant who worked on a manor

What is a monastery?

church in the countryside where monks lived and worked

What are freemen?

a serf who had paid off his debt

What is an allegiance?

a promise to serve a person

What did art shift to from God?

death

What was the Divine rule of kings?

A concept that a king is divinely appointed by God and is accountable to God alone, giving him absolute or near-absolute power over his people.

Refer to the feudal triangle of social classes, how were people ranked on the feudal pyramid?

A hierarchy based on their role in society.

Hierarchy

a system or organization in which people or groups are ranked one above the other according to status or authority.

Where did universities spring up and why?

In the Monastery because they were great centres to teach in.

The most important thing a serf could do was to?

Show loyalty/allegiance to the Lord.

 What were some benefits from belonging to a guild? What was a guild?

A guild is a medieval association of craftsmen or merchants, often having considerable power. Benefits were increased productivity, increased wages, and higher standards of living.

What are some things that were of concern back in the middle ages and is also a concern now?

working in order to take care of your family, paying taxes, farming to produce the largest crops.

In relation to the church, what is a tithe?

one tenth of annual produce or earnings, taken to support the Church

These two events lead to a weakening of the Feudal system. (Peasants had more opportunities in towns, black death reduced the workforce).u

The black death and the peasants revolts

During the feudal era, noble women were permitted to: 

Have their marriages arranged, often at birth, for the family’s political or economic gain.

List similarities between the middle ages and the 21st century.

Both the Middle Ages and the 21st century involve major technological changes, strong religious influence, social inequality, political power struggles, and global pandemics that disrupt societies.

List differences between the middle ages and the 21st century.

In the Middle Ages, life was simpler with basic technology, kings ruling, and little education, while in the 21st century, we have advanced tech, democracy, modern medicine, and global connections.

What was true of the role of women?

In the Middle Ages, women had limited rights, worked mostly in the home or on farms, and their roles were defined by their social class, with little opportunity for education or independence.

What changes would a peasant experience when moving from manor to town?

Work and Economic Changes, Social Structure, Independance.

What are some things that were a concern back in the middle ages and are a concern now.

Working in order to take care of your family, paying taxes, farming to produce hat largest crops.

so why would anyone live in a nasty, dirty town.