The Italians had a thriving trade economy. They sailed to faraway ports in search of valuable goods. Italian cities, especially Venice, became quite wealthy from this trading. Meanwhile, in northern Europe, the Hanseatic League controlled trade between Europe, Russia and the Baltic region.
Merchants sold their goods to customers at trade fairs that were held in certain places annually. These fairs could last for long periods of time, and merchants were easily able to travel from one to the next. However, for everyday items, people went to weekly local markets. Money became more commonly exchanged as cities began making their own coins. Some merchants let customers purchase goods on credit. The use of both money and credit led to the creation of banks in Europe. |
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The heavy plow, the water mill and the windmill were all invented, decreasing the number of people needed to work the farms. Cities and towns grew, and many peasants began working in them as laborers. Merchants chartered new towns, and under their leadership, these trading towns grew quickly.
Craftspeople created guilds. The members of each guild worked together to restrict competition, provide mutual protection and insure the quality of their products. The guilds trained children in their craft as apprentices. Eventually, apprentices became journeymen and began traveling between workshops to learn from multiple masters. |
City streets were narrow and crowded. Tall buildings blocked the sunlight, and trash and waste accumulated on the streets. The people in cities were threatened by diseases, and the city itself was a fire hazard. Crime was also common.
On the brighter side of things, the city provided meeting places where people could socialize. Guilds provided entertainment in the form of plays, festivals and team sports, such as ball games. |