HST 197 Chapter 25-26: Economic Growth and Social Development in Medieval Europe
Document Summary
Economic growth and social development in medieval europe. Regional states were a very effective means of political organization. During the time medieval europe had these regional states, economic growth and social development flourished. Increase agricultural production, urbanization, manufacturing and trade created the powerful european society. In the early postclassical era there were huge increases in agricultural yields, this was the foundation for economic growth and social development. Local lords pacified their territories and put an end to invasions. Serfs and monks cleared forests, drained swamps and increased the amount of land that could be used for agriculture. Some lords opposed this because this reduced the area for hunting. Lords began to realize that expanding agricultural production would yield higher taxes and increase their own wealth. By early 12th century, lords were encouraging the expansion of arable lands. European cultivators refine and improved their techniques to yield higher productivity. They experimented with new crops and different cycles of crop rotation.
