Changes in Medieval Society Flashcards
three-field system
two of the fields were planted the other lay fallow
guild
an organization of individuals in the same business or occupation working to improve the economic and social conditions of its members.
Commercial Revolution
Increased availability of trade goods and new ways of doing business changed life in Europe.
burghers
merchant-class town dwellers
vernacular
the everyday language of their homeland
Thomas Aquinas
a scholar who argued that the most basic religious truths could be proved by logical argument. Between 1267 and 1273, Aquinas wrote the Summa Theologicae. Aquinas’s great work, influenced by Aristotle, combined ancient Greek thought with the Christian thought of his time.
scholastics
another word for Aquinas and his fellow scholars who met at the great universities were known as schoolmen
How did medieval society change between 1000 and 1500?
Increased availability of trade goods and new ways of doing business changed life in Europe
How did guilds influence business practices in medieval towns?
Craft guilds formed an important part of town life during the medieval period. They trained young people in skilled jobs, regulated the quality of goods sold, and were major forces in community life.
How were Muslim scholars linked to the revival of learning in Europe?
In the 1100s, Christian scholars from Europe began visiting Muslim libraries in Spain. Few Western scholars knew Greek but most did know Latin. So Jewish scholars living in Spain translated the Arabic versions of works by Aristotle and other Greek writers into Latin. All at once, Europeans acquired a huge new body of knowledge. This included science, philosophy, law, mathematics, and other fields. In addition, the Crusaders brought back to Europe superior Muslim technology in ships, navigation, and weapons.
In what ways did burghers expand their freedom from landlords
They organized themselves and demanded privileges. These included freedom from certain kinds of tolls and the right to govern the town. At times they fought against their landlords and won these rights by force.
