Merriman Teacher Notes 4 Summer 2023 PDF

### Religious and Popular Culture * Christianity as a unifying factor, shaped the general system of beliefs and values. * Set parameters for how Europeans viewed themselves and the world around them. * **RCC** clergy: great prestige and moral authority. * Distributed sacraments (e.g. penanc...

### Religious and Popular Culture * Christianity as a unifying factor, shaped the general system of beliefs and values. * Set parameters for how Europeans viewed themselves and the world around them. * **RCC** clergy: great prestige and moral authority. * Distributed sacraments (e.g. penance). * Without sacraments, salvation was not possible (belief at the time). ### Pilgrimages to Shrines * Santiago de Compostela in NW Spain (burial site of St. James). ### Religious Themes to Almost All Art * 12th Century Gothic Cathedrals (Chartres) * Built and lasted as long as 100 years. * Church bells tolled houses and called people to mass. ### Jewish Enclaves * Strong Jewish enclaves in Spain, Poland. * Muslim enclaves in Spain, Ottoman Empire. ### 15th Century Venice * Created the 1st Jewish Ghetto. * Anti- Semitism strong in Middle Ages. ### Kinship & Village Solidarity * Some regions more extended family. * Europeans believed in all kinds of magic & superstitions. * **England** focus on nuclear family. * Lower class children began work at 14. * Usually left home to find work. * Turned to neighbors in times of need. * Storytellers/bards/troubadors kept oral traditions of pop culture. * Passed on tales during evening gatherings. * Sense of community. ### A Subsistence Economy * Land ownership = social status & wealth. * Most peasants lived at subsistence level. ### Black Death * After the Black Death, many peasants in W Europe gained freedom. * Still had to pay $ to lords to grain, brew beer, or bake bread. * Mill, grain, brew beer, or bake bread. ### Serfdom * Peasant legally bound to land. * Disappeared in France and England by 1400s. ### Kings Encouraged * The end to serfdom (free peasants could be taxed). ### In W Europe * Peasant's ability to own land and protect it by Civil & Common Law. ### E Europe * Different story. * Serfdom remained entrenched. ### The Black Death * Led nobles to secure labor force. * Nobles grew grain on estates to sell in towns/cities of W Europe; needed serfs to grow it. ### Nobles Retained * Greater power against monarchs. * Peasants/tradesmen/shepherds had to save 1/8-1/5 of income & pay a tithe (%10) to the RCC. * Peasants had to save 1/8-1/5 of income & pay a tithe (%10) to the RCC. * Increasingly monetarily funded. ### The Crop Cultivation * Across Europe. * 3 Field System (field in thirds, 1st crop in 1/3, second crop in 1/3, and 1/3 left to rest). ### Massively Used * On large estates.