62Notespg.

2 February10,2017

Trade and Cities

Trade during the Middle Ages gave rise to a new
class of people the Middle Class.

Cities in Italy and Europe became major trading

spots for goods from all over the world.

Banks started becoming important as gold and silver

coins became the currency instead of bartering for
goods.

City Life
Most cities were built on land owned by the noble so
they received taxes from the cities.

In return the cities were able to make their own laws,

buy property.

Cities started to setup the own governments called

councils.

Craft guilds set the standards for quality and price for
goods in a city.

Cities were dirty, disgusting places. The houses were

built close together, with waste in the streets and
pollution in the air from the burning of coal and
wood.

Women in the cities were the head of the household,

they took care of the home, managed the finances and
helped out in their husbands workplace.