1. Aim: Describe the Advances in Agriculture in Medieval Society?

2. A Growing Food Supply
Europe’s great revival and expanding civilization required an increase in food supply
, Warmer climate brought improved farm production
Farmers developed new methods to take advantage of more available land 2

3. Switch to Horsepower
For hundreds of years, peasants had depended on oxen to pull their plows
A Team of horses could plow three times as much land in a day as a team of oxen
Better harnesses were required
900, farmers in Europe began using a harness that fitted across the horse’s chest- Enabled to pull plow
result, horses gradually replaced oxen 3

4. The Three Field System
900- Villages began to organize their lands into 3 fields instead of 2
2 were planted on and the 3rd was left alone (Fallow)
Under Three-Field System, farmers could grow crops on 2/3 of land each year
Instead of on half of it
Results:
Food production increased and villages had more to eat
Children could better resist disease & live longer
European population grew dramatically 4

5. Agriculture and Trade Agriculture most important industry in empire
90% of people engaged in farming
Silver coins called a Denarius was used in Empire
Common coinage made trade easier
Rome had vast trading network
Ships from east traveled the Mediterranean protected by the Roman Navy
Complex network of roads linked empire to places including Persia and Southern Russia 5