HIST 332 Chapter reading: Reading Rural Economies
23 Jan 2019
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The husband and wife argue over who does most of the work. The man plows all day and the woman milks the cows, makes butter and cheese, raises poultry, bakes bread, brews ale, processes flax and wool into yarn, weaves cloth and does housework. The women"s work involved hard labour and skill. More than 90% of the european population lived in the countryside in small towns. With little mechanical power available, all aspects of the economy depended on human labour. Europe experienced a significant economic change between 500 and 1500. There is evidence of improved agricultural productivity provided by population growth with urbanization and increased industrial production. Population growth and economic growth slowed in the 14th century with the famine in 1315-1318 and there was a reduction in population because of the black death (1347-1351) Female peasant tenants were more common in the period before the black death than in the 16th century.
