History (Towns in the Middle Ages pg 42, 43) Flashcards
Describe the towns in the Middle Ages
There were not many towns in the Middle Ages. These towns did not belong to a noble like a village did. Instead, the king gave the town a charter which said that the townspeople were free and could rule themselves. So, the people of the town chose a mayor and officials to rule them, but had to obey the king’s laws as well. The mayor’s court tried people who had done small crimes. Twice a year, the king’s judges would come to the town to try people who had done big crimes. Everyone had to help run the town, by mending roads and walls, and men taking turns in keeping watch at night, etc.
What were the good things about the towns in the Middle Ages
Hint: ppl could buy stuff and there was a lot to do
Firstly, in the towns people could buy all the things that they needed from shops. Each shop sold only one separate thing - like shoes, bread, pots or jewellery. The owner of the shop sold what he and his apprentices made. Secondly, there was a lot to do in the towns, so people could be entertained. There were many inns where people could gamble. Once a year the craftsmen did plays for the people. Sometimes wandering musicians, dancers acrobats and jugglers came and played in the market place. They also brought news and stories that were often not true. Though life in the towns seemed better than life in a small village, there were some bad things as well
What were the bad things in the towns in the Middle Ages?
Hint: Dirt, no clean water, disease, crime
Dirt - The towns were very dirty in the Middle Ages. There were a lot of people living packed closely together, which made things worse. The roads were very dark, People had no toilets or drains. The townspeople and shopkeepers threw all their rubbish, waste and sewage into the street. Everywhere there were lots of rats. There was no clean water nearby either.
Disease - There were always terible diseases in the towns due to the dirt, filthy water and rats. Half of the babies born died before they were a year old. In a bad plague a quarter of the people died because there was no proper medicine or doctors.
Crime - There was a lot of crime in the towns as well because people were not friendly with each others, like in little villages. There were no policemen and the watchmen did not want any trouble. However when the robbers and criminals were caught, they were punishhed very cruelly.
