Outlines for “A History of the Modern World” 9th Edition

Palmer, Colton, and Kramer

 

Chapter One Section Three:  The High Middle Ages:  Secular Civilization

 

1.     Agriculture and the Feudal System after 1000

a.     The 11th century was a period of fast paced change

                                                              i.      towns grew

                                                            ii.      population increased

                                                          iii.      increased security

                                                         iv.      germinal components of modern age exist

b.    Agricultural changes and innovation reflect a “faculty” for technology

                                                              i.      heavy plow

                                                            ii.      harnesses

                                                          iii.      windmills

c.     As Christianity grew slavery diminished

                                                              i.      lack of new sources of slaves

                                                            ii.      development of new technologies

d.    Communication improved

                                                              i.      bridges were built

                                                            ii.      settlers filled in wilderness between communities

                                                          iii.      communal, nucleated villages verses American “rugged individualism”

e.     Three field system increased food supply

2.     Feudalism is a political system that used Manorialism as its economic infrastructure

a.     Lord, Duke, Counts, etc.

3.     Hugh Capet

a.     Frankish dukes elect Hugh Capet as their king 987 A.D.

4.     German king is crowned HRE 911 A.D.

5.     England is conquered by William of Normandy 1066 A.D.

a.     strong, secure, organization, centralized power

b.    allowed the growth of self-governing institution

c.     contractual nature of feudalism contributed to concept of constitutional government s

6.     Manorialism

a.     bound serfs supported the lord and the clergy for protection

b.    as methods improved surpluses appeared and populations grew

c.     idle hands were burdensome and so left to the cities

7.     Cities and Commerce

a.     Early trade

                                                              i.      Flemish woolens for Italian eastern goods

                                                            ii.      Cities began to repopulate with traders, loose hands from the manors

1.     symbiotic relationship builds between the manors and the cities

                                                          iii.      towns (definition) began to earn political rights

1.     laws of commerce

2.     independence grows

                                                         iv.      High traffic towns quickly become city-states

b.    Hanse:  league of cities to deal with widespread problems

                                                              i.      similar leagues were suppressed in other regions

                                                            ii.      fierce independence of the city states slowed nationalism

c.     Corporate liberties for towns

                                                              i.      protect towns people

                                                            ii.      coin money

                                                          iii.      regulate trade

                                                         iv.      tariffs, tolls, fees

8.     Guilds

a.     existed to regulate supply and demand

9.     Growth of towns caused liberties for serfs to increase

a.     obtain money

b.    obtain personal freedom

c.     own land (with rents)

d.      Serfdom begins to disappear in western Europe

  1. The Growth of National Monarchies
    1. Monarchies became inherited positions

                                                               i.      stability (HRE)

    1. Courts
    2. Administrative structure
    3. Taxation was based on fees

                                                               i.      Magna Charta 1215 A.D. King John

1.      council/parliament

2.      power to tax

    1. Organization of the estates

                                                               i.      First estate was the clergy

                                                             ii.      Second estate was the nobility

                                                            iii.      Third estate was everyone else

1.      becoming more important

    1. England’s parliament

                                                               i.      House of Lords

                                                             ii.      House of Commons

                                                            iii.      Votes to tax were commitments