HIS-1700 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Crop Rotation, Child Labour, Feudalism
Document Summary
Western europe took more scientific based ideas in politics and religion from the greco- Faith was used to create hope and comfort in harder times. Holy roman empire was made of small principalities. Villages were made up of 400-800 people. Feudalism- landowners protected peasants in exchange for working on their land. Most peasants were free from serfdom by 1600. Subsistence farming was the main form of farming. Open field method of farming including crop rotation. Bubonic plague, 1340"s, passed via flea bites, introduced through trade. Family was the basic unit of labor. Marriage was arranged to receive economic advantage. Some choice of what to do and when. Big city populations usually ranged from 10,000- 20,000. Spectrum of material life, social class, and educational level. Centers of economic, political, intellectual, and artistic activity. Administered functions now ran by the state. Decadence and sloth in monasteries and convents. Lack of vocation and careerism of priests and church administrators.
