Origins (cause-effect)

• More technological advancements

• Ex. iron plow

• View iron plow flow chart.png

Guilds

• Organizations of people of the same trades

  • Like unions

• Set standards of work quality, wages, and working conditions

• Trade was increased for long-distance

• Helped the economy

• Helped influence power over the government

Benefits/Downsides

• Pros

  • More economic opportunities

  • Increased education

  • Serfs had opportunities to become free

  • Social mobility

  • Improvement of legal status

  • Sharing of ideas

  • Opportunities for specialization

• Cons

  • Unclean and crowded → disease

  • Loss of self-sufficiency 

  • Lack of fresh air

    • Light

    • Clean water

  • Human and waste dumped into streets

Effects on feudalism

• Lords lost serfs

• Lords used taxes, fees, and rent to control people

• Merchants fought against ↑ 

  • Won rights with force