The Formation of Guilds Guilds Controlled Business Life in Medieval Europe

What is a guild?  Guild: association of people in the same craft or trade who set rules to uphold standards and protect members (blacksmiths, bakers, etc.)  Here is a typical artisan shop in the middle ages: Blacksmith ShopBlacksmith Shop  Do we have guilds today? Sort of… Modern unions, like PSEA (teacher’s union) uphold standards and protect members like guilds Masons: fraternal organization that gets its origins from the idea of guilds

Types of Guilds (pg. 221)  Craft Guilds: made up of male and female artisans in various trades (making products)  Merchant Guilds: these guilds controlled the selling of products

Role of Guilds  Regulated business dealings and allowed people to learn the rules of trade  How is this possible? –If someone wanted to learn a trade, they became an apprentice and studied how to master the craft –Journeyman: next step after apprentice meaning they learned the trade. –Master Artisan: last step where the person mastered the craft

Were prices always fair?  Guilds usually tried to charge fair prices…  THAT IS…a price that THEY and the Church thought was fair…  Problem: This allowed for no competition since prices were set and no bargaining  Products were also ONLY made on demand, so oversupply was not common

Craft and Merchant Guilds had Different Purposes

Which guild was more powerful?  Merchant guilds were more powerful because they controlled the sale of items  Because merchant guilds were wealthy by controlling trade, they played a part in government –They urged cities to improve sewer and sanitation systems (this would keep people healthy and trading/buying)

Guild Protection?  Sometimes, the guilds served as a sort of policing force  Guilds could punish members who did not follow directions and could force nobles to stop being unfair  Guilds looked after the welfare of their members by providing: –Old age benefits (like today’s retirement programs) –Fire and Theft Insurance (like today’s home insurance) –Building hospitals and orphanages

Medieval Europe was Male Centered… …but Women did achieve recognition

What was the view of women in medieval Europe?  Women were considered “inferior” to men by both society and the Church (pg. 222) – (Church even said only man was made in God’s image…not women)  Thomas Aquinas: theologian (one who studies Christianity) tried to help the image of women  Women were considered second class to men and Aquinas wanted to show people that ALL people were equal

Were there any good things for women?  Marriage was important and women often married young to start a family  According to the church, men were supposed to protect their wives but could punish them for doing things against the man’s will  Physical punishment to women (although EXTREMELY unfair) was common at this time  Also, women’s jobs were very limited

What did women do?  Most women worked at the home or in the fields  Most women received a lower wage than men doing the equivalent job because once again, they were looked at as inferior  Women, although members of a guild, never usually reached the master level as an artisan

Women and Education  At this time, formal education was not important for women  Some (mostly noble women) did receive some reading and writing lessons, but none to the same extent as men

Women’s Life  Most women worked long hours caring for home and family (and really never getting the respect deserved)  Women were kept down in a lower social status (this last many more centuries even up into the early 1900s)  Even though chivalry improved the treatment of women, women were still kept below men in both education and society