HIS109Y1 Lecture Notes - Feudalism, Middle Ages
Document Summary
Agriculture - was the greatest industry at the time. Early middle ages - 450 -750 - pop of europe declined. Barbarians, plague, collapse of the roman imperial system. This resulted in a europe that was in decline. Decline meant that ppl didn"t need to experiment on the lands. Certain crops could be used as food, nutrients, and animal food. Lime was put into the soil to increase the soils nutrients. Old plows wouldn"t work well in the north. Metal plows began to be used, created bigger furrows and better for seeds to germinate. However, they were heavy and put on wheels - heavy wheel plow. Horse collars made it easier for horses to pull objects. Main people ate mainly grain, nobles ate to much meat. Peasants would have lived in villages, b/c medieval agriculture was based on cooperation. These places were called villas or manors - were estates that were self sufficient.
