Trade and Town

1
Trade and Town

• The Basics

2
THE BEGINNING

• The Crusades marked the beginning of trade in
  Europe.
• People were tempted by goods such as silk,
  spices, tapestries, and sugar.
• Those with money to pay for the expenses of a
  trip went into the trading business (who would
  that be??)

3
EXPANSION

• Western Europeans began sending ships in search
  of the goods they desired.
• Originally traders sold their goods in regular
  local markets or fairs.
• Fairs were social events were people gathered and
  browsed, but could also shop.

4
EXPANSION

• People began to see what other areas offered
• Serfs saw that they could sell things in exchange
  for money (ticket out of the bottom of the feudal
  system)
• People began building their skills to make the
  goods to be sold in fairs.

5
THE END OF FAIRS

• As expansion happened, fairs were unable to
  satisfy all the needs of traders and consumers
  because
• Fairs were NOT held in winter
• People travelled great distances to be there
• Travelling was dangerous (why??)

6
TOWNS

• Fairs lead way to the development of towns for
  the following reasons
• They provided stability (year round)
• Shops were permanent (could be set up)
• Towns were protected by a wall (security)

7
CRAFT GUILDS

• Towns were populated by people specializing in
  trade bakers, tailors, tanners, sword and armor
  makers, etc.
• Every trade was controlled by the experts in that
  trade (called guilds)
• Guilds were organizations that set standards for
  the quality of their products. (what do we have
  today that mimics this?)

8

• Guilds controlled prices for products, kept out
  unskilled crafts people, and eliminated
  competition.
• They controlled trade activity that took place in
  towns.
• They handled any accidents that occurred.
• If a member was sick the other members would
  provide him with food, etc.

9

• Trades people could only work if they were a
  member of a guild
• They could only become members if they had been
  trained.
• Think of modern jobs, does this process still
  hold true and in what ways?

10
BECOMING A MEMBER

• Acceptance into a guild followed this process
• The apprentice learned the most simple tasks,.
  He or she received training, room and board, and
  a small allowance
• Then they were sent to live and work under a
  particular master (at age 8 or 9).
• After years of work the apprentice would take a
  test to become a journeyman and would be admitted
  into the guild.

11

• After more years as a journeyman (who are paid),
  they created a master piece to be judged by
  masters for quality.
• If accepted they became a master and they could
  take apprentices.
• WOMEN were limited to guilds in the brewing and
  textile industries.