HIST 1011 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Subsistence Agriculture, Feudalism, Gutenberg Bible
Document Summary
Incredibly decentralized, politically fragmented, soooo many teeny countries/duchies/principalities/etc. Feudalism reigned, subsistence agriculture, too poor to participate in market economy. 1/3 to 1/2 of western europe died. Made it much more difficult for lords to demand that serfs remain on their lands, under their control. Move from serfdom > free labor created more motivation for innovations. Construction boom > extraordinary cathedrals built all across. Traders begin to develop tools of modern capitalism. Banks, record keeping, private shareholding companies (precursors to corporations) Roots of western traditions in greek and roman cultures. Became interested bc. increased contact with muslim scholars thru trade who kept up studies of greco-roman culture, philosophy, etc. Idea from islamic world, islamic universities/centers of learning = mold for european ones. By 1800, 80 universities all over europe. Made possible by tuition, donations > symbol that. Possible to spread knowledge to much wider audience. By 1500 almost every town had a printing press (10 mil printing presses)
