Medieval Trade and Commerce
What economic system dominated medieval Europe before trade revived?
Manorialism
What was a town charter?
A document granting a town self-governance and special rights
What was the purpose of a guild?
To regulate trade, set prices, and protect members
What was the main language used in medieval universities?
Latin
What was the dominant social and economic system of medieval Europe?
Feudalism
What were the associations of merchants and craftsmen called that regulated trade and set standards?
Guilds
What group of people benefited the most from town charters?
Merchants and artisans
What were the two main types of guilds?
Merchant guilds and craft guilds
What were the two earliest universities established in medieval Europe?
University of Bologna and University of Paris
What document, signed in 1215, limited the power of the English king?
Magna Carta
What major event in the 11th century contributed to increased trade between Europe and the Middle East?
The Crusades
What financial obligation did towns often have to fulfill in exchange for a charter?
Paying taxes or fees to the lord or king
What was the first stage in becoming a skilled worker in a guild?
Apprentice
What group of people controlled most medieval schools and universities?
The Roman Catholic Church
Who was the French king known for strengthening royal power and improving administration?
Philip II or Philip Augustus
What were the large market gatherings where merchants from different regions exchanged goods?
Trade fairs
How did town charters weaken feudal lords?
They transferred power from nobles to merchants and kings
What title was given to a worker who had completed an apprenticeship but was not yet a master?
Journeyman
What method of learning, combining faith and reason, was popular in medieval universities?
Scholasticism
What series of conflicts between England and France lasted over a century?
The Hundred Years' War
Which Italian city became a major center for trade between Europe and Asia?
Venice
What was the phrase that meant a runaway serf could gain freedom by living in a town for a year and a day?
“Town air makes free”
What did a journeyman have to create to become a master?
A masterpiece, which had to be approved by the guild
Name the medieval scholar who wrote Sic et Non and encouraged logical debate in theology.
Peter Abelard
What major event in the 14th century drastically reduced Europe’s population and disrupted the economy?
The Black Death or Bubonic Plague