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Lasted from 1000 to 1300 was Europe’s economic revival. Began in the country side with peasants adopting new farming technologies to make fields more productive – New iron plows instead of wooden ones carved deeper into the heavier soil – New harnesses to allow horses to pull plows instead of oxen – Horses moved faster allowing peasants to farm more land – Windmills were implemented to grind grain into flour – Lords pushed peasants to clear forests & drain swamps for more farmland – They used a 3 field method 1 st field was for grain 2 nd for legumes (beans & peas) 3 rd was allowed to fallow (unplanted to recover) These new methods allowed for new food & during this period the population of Europe doubled

The growing population needed food that was not available on the manor, peasants needed iron, & the wealthy wanted wool, furs, & spices from Asia. Traders traveled in armed caravans for safety They followed regular trade routes In Constantinople merchants bought Chinese silks, Byzantine gold & jewelry, & Asian spices Trade fairs took place once a year near navigable rivers or where trade routes intersected – People flocked to these with peasants trading farm goods & animals & enjoyed food & entertainment (jugglers & acrobats). They could not buy swords, sugar, or silks.

Trade fairs closed in Autumn when the weather made roads impassable. Small trade centers developed into the first real medieval cities. Populations ranged from 10, ,000 Towns this size had not been seen since to Roman Empire Italy & Flanders – Two of the richest towns – Centers of wool & textile industries Merchants would set up a charter (written document used to set up rights & privileges of the town) – Most granted townspeople the right to chose leaders – Most declared people who lived there over a year and a half free

Banks grew with the reappearance of money due to people wanted capital (money for investment) Merchants joined into partnerships (group pulled funs to finance large-scale ventures) – Reduced risks because no one had to use all of their capital Insurance for shipments emerged as well Bill of exchange was invented (merchant deposited money with a banker in his home city & was issued a bill of exchange to be used in another bank in another city)

New ways of doing business were part of the commercial revolution that transformed the economy The use of money undermined serfdom – Peasants sold goods and paid rent in cash instead of labor so that lords had money to buy fine goods By 1300, most peasants were tenant farmers who paid rent for their land By 1000, a middle class of merchants, traders, & artisans formed between nobles & peasants that was despised The Church forbade lending money at interest during the Middle Ages

Merchants & artisans formed guilds to pass laws and levy taxes. To become a member: – At age 7 or 8 a child became an apprentice (trainee) for 7 years. The apprentice was not paid wages, but was provided bed and board – They would then most likely become journeymen (salaried workers) for the guild – Women worked in dozens of crafts mostly the same trade as her father, & when he passed away would inherit his workshop

 Towns were protected by high walls  Jumbles of narrow streets were lined with tall houses.  Even the richest towns had no garbage collection or sewer systems. People flung their waste into the streets  Some had laws requiring butchers to dump waste at the edge of town.