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# Medieval Life and Guilds ## What Did Guilds Do? Guilds were organized groups of craftspeople or businesspeople in medieval towns. Each craft had its own guild. Guilds controlled business and trade within a town. They set prices and quality standards for products. Guilds also determined who cou...

# Medieval Life and Guilds ## What Did Guilds Do? Guilds were organized groups of craftspeople or businesspeople in medieval towns. Each craft had its own guild. Guilds controlled business and trade within a town. They set prices and quality standards for products. Guilds also determined who could join a trade. An apprentice (trainee) learned a trade from a master artisan. The apprentice lived with the master and received no pay during their training. Upon completion, the apprentice became a journeyman who earned a daily wage. ## Life in a Medieval City Medieval cities were enclosed by stone walls. Inside the walls, buildings and homes were close together. Candles and fireplaces were used for light and heat. Homes and shops often filled the air with smoke and ash. Sewers were often open, and sanitation was poor. Women in the city ran households, cared for children, managed finances, and sometimes helped their husbands in their trade. ## Government in Cities The rise of trade and cities created a new middle class in medieval Europe. People in the middle class, such as merchants, bankers, and artisans, gained wealth and became important leaders. Eventually, medieval towns established self-governments. Only males were considered citizens. Citizens elected officials to serve as local lawmakers and judges. Towns were often part of a lord's territory in the feudal system. Townspeople disliked owing taxes and services to nobles. They desired the freedom to manage their affairs. ## Flanders as a Trade Center The region of Flanders (modern Belgium) became a major European trade center, especially for wool. Merchants from all over Western Europe traveled to towns like Bruges and Ghent to trade goods. Trade fairs were also established in northern France to facilitate this commerce.