6.2 power to the cities

• Geschiedenis
• Middelbare school
• havo
• Leerjaar 1

Setting up your own(medieval)guild

• Which trade are you going to practise for this task?
• You are going to set up a guild. For this you need a suitable name.
• Guilds often had their own sign or shield. Design a guild sign of your own. Make sure that people are able to see what craft your guild represents.
• You do not want just anybody to become a member of your guild. Make up at least 3 basis conditions for craftsmen to conform to before they can become amember of your guild.
• An important step is to set up fixed rules f.i about prices, hours, material, members in times of need. Make up five rules that should be followed in your guild.
• GOOD LUCK......THE BEST GUILD WILL BE REWARDED WITH....!?

6.2 power to the cities

After this lesson you will be able to:

• Explain how both cities and rulers profited from city rights..........
• but first: Let's draw !!!!

What words do you need to describe a city?

The importance of cities

Due to the growth of trade, cities became richer. This meant that the landlords were able to collect more taxes from the cities. The landlord collected these taxes for his king. They were used for special events, upholding laws and to pay for the defence of the country. 

Of course, cities did not like paying high taxes. They discussed this with their landlords or bishops. In return for their financial support, they wanted a number of privileges. These were special rights, such as the permission to organise markets, store goods, build or expand city walls or receive exemption from military service. 

City charter. This was a special contract with city rights. City rights gave cities some degree of self-government. They were allowed to uphold and create their own laws.

The Hanseatic League

To improve trade over long distances, cities and merchants started to work together. In the thirteenth century, a number of cities in Northern Europe joined together to cooperate in the Hanseatic League. 

The league became a powerful network of trading cities. Many Dutch cities joined the Hanseatic League. Examples include: Groningen, Nijmegen, Venlo, Arnhem, Kampen, Zwolle and Harderwijk. Most of them had easy access to the Zuiderzee. 

Main trading routes of the Hanseatic League.

City People

Living in a city was very different from living on the countryside. People who lived in cities were free. They were called burghers. 

In the cities, there were huge differences between rich and poor people. The burghers can be divided in three groups. 

• Merchants and masters of a guild were among the richest people. They were often part of the city council and controlled the cities. Important positions were kept in the family. 
• The middle class, made up out of craftsmen and shopkeepers. 
• Common workers and beggars.

6.2 power to the cities

After this lesson you will be able to:

• Describe lif in medieval cities and explain how they were ruled..........
• but first: Let's do a listening exercise !!!!

Give a description of  a medieval city. Use the following words;

Burghers - guilds - masters

Black Death

In the fourteenth century, millions of people died an early death. These people died from the Black Death. This sickness, also called ‘the plague’, swept across Europe between 1346 and 1353. It spread mainly in cities where people lacked hygiene and lived close to one another. 

At the time, people called the sickness the ‘Black Death’. One of its symptoms was that it caused swellings on your body. After some time, these swellings turned black and looked like bruises. In some cities, such as Paris, more than half of the population died.

When a place was hit by the plague, between one third and a half of the people died.

At the time, no one knew what caused the disease and how it was spread. Some believed that it was a punishment from God. Others blamed the Jews for putting poison in drinking water. We now know that the disease was caused by bacteria. It was spread by fleas on rats.

A priest prays while corpses from plague victims are carried outside the city for burial.

Time to work...

• Read par  6.1 and 6.2
• 6,1: 1 up until 11 and 13
• 6.2: Exercise: 1 up until 12 and 14.