Crafstmen, Guilds Flashcards
What was a guild
The craftsmen of each town formed guilds, organisations of people who worked in the same trade.
Girls charged a fee for membership.
A guild set standards for the quality of members work (You could be fined), set prices and wages, decided who could trade in the town and cared for old and sick members and the family of the dad.
What was a craftsman
Craftsman would open a shop on the ground floor of his house.
As most people could not read, his shop sign was a picture, not words (a fishmonger might use a fish).
Shops in the same trade were often found in the same street.
Becoming a master craftsman (1)
Girls were tough by their mothers to cook, clean, make clothes and look after household.
They were often married around the age of 12 to a man their father had chosen.
However, boys usually took up their father’s trade.
Becoming a master craftsman (2)
An apprentice lived with a master craftsman, slept in the workshop, received no pay and was often treated harshly.
After seven years, he became a journeyman.
Now he could be paid for his work and could travel to different workshops and times for work experience.
Becoming a master craftsman (3)
He created a masterpiece (the best example of his work)
If the guild decided it was good enough, he was accepted and could open his own workshop trying apprentice and sell his work.
