The "feudal system" (or what we call the feudal system), was based on a system of lords and vassals. I lord gave out a fief, a income producing territory (sometimes a land to grow crops on, sometimes a road with permission to tax it), and that created loyalty to the lord in return for protection. The agricultural revolution led to a boom in population and because of that, these rural estates ran by lords could no longer support every child being born, so there was an urbanization that took place during this time. As a result, towns could produce goods outside of the essentials for survival and they became the center of economy. The majority of the population remained farmers, but the center of an area shifted from the rural estate to that of the city. As a result, lords lost a lot of the power they had had under the "feudal system" and the royalty began to regain a lot of the control they had lost during the rural based system some still call the "feudal system
Feudal systems depended on people working the land, paying for protection, & being dependent. Towns provided more autonomy. call chon 19562727668
Feudal warfare
1) An expansion of manufacturing. 2) An increase in the importance of towns and cities. 3) A decline of the feudal way of life.
The growth of towns during the Middle Ages weakened the feudal system by fostering a new economic and social structure that emphasized trade and commerce over land ownership. As towns developed, a burgeoning merchant class emerged, gaining wealth and influence independent of feudal lords. This shift enabled serfs and peasants to leave manorial lands in search of better opportunities in urban areas, diminishing the power of feudal obligations. Additionally, the rise of centralized monarchies often aligned with these towns, further undermining feudal allegiances.
Andrew Carnegie's steel mills and the surrounding mill towns shared similarities with feudal towns in that both systems relied on a hierarchical structure of labor and economic dependency. In Carnegie's mills, workers depended on the company for wages and housing, akin to serfs who relied on lords for land and protection. Both environments fostered a sense of loyalty and obligation, with workers often facing harsh conditions in exchange for job security, reminiscent of the feudal system's rigid social stratification. Ultimately, both models highlight the interplay of power, labor, and economic control in shaping community dynamics.
The development of towns and financial reform led to the development of the working class.
The growth of towns diminished the power of feudal lords by fostering economic independence and creating a new social class of merchants and artisans. As towns developed, they often gained charters that granted them self-governing rights, which reduced the lords' control over local affairs. Additionally, the rise of a cash economy allowed townspeople to pay for goods and services directly, diminishing their reliance on feudal obligations. This shift in economic power contributed to the gradual decline of the feudal system.
The "feudal system" (or what we call the feudal system), was based on a system of lords and vassals. I lord gave out a fief, a income producing territory (sometimes a land to grow crops on, sometimes a road with permission to tax it), and that created loyalty to the lord in return for protection. The agricultural revolution led to a boom in population and because of that, these rural estates ran by lords could no longer support every child being born, so there was an urbanization that took place during this time. As a result, towns could produce goods outside of the essentials for survival and they became the center of economy. The majority of the population remained farmers, but the center of an area shifted from the rural estate to that of the city. As a result, lords lost a lot of the power they had had under the "feudal system" and the royalty began to regain a lot of the control they had lost during the rural based system some still call the "feudal system
A Strong Central Government
During the Middle Ages, the growth of towns weakened the feudal system in several crucial ways. For one thing, it shifted the focus-point for communities from the feudal manor to the local town itself, which was becoming more and more important. For another thing, the wealth of the small but growing "middle class" gave them more and more power with which to use as a new, independent force in the governance of lands once solely governed by the feudal lords.
A feudal town is a settlement that developed during the medieval feudal system, characterized by a hierarchical structure where land was owned by lords and worked by serfs or peasants. These towns often served as centers for trade, governance, and craftsmanship, emerging around castles or manorial estates. The economy was typically agrarian, with local markets facilitating the exchange of goods. Feudal towns played a crucial role in the social and economic life of the period, reflecting the power dynamics between different social classes.
During the Middle Ages, Europeans living in towns typically enjoyed four basic rights: the right to buy and sell goods, the right to freedom from feudal obligations after a year and a day of residence, the right to a fair trial, and the right to govern themselves through local councils. These rights contributed to the growth of commerce and the rise of a middle class, as towns became centers of trade and self-governance, distinct from rural feudal systems.