In the first centuries of the period, around 200 AD to around 800 AD, the stability, population and prosperity of the people saw a significant decline. After this time there was a steady increase until around 1350 AD, the time known as “Black Death”. Over this time it is estimated that over a third of the population was lost. Many of the regions did not reach their former population levels until around the 17th century. The regions were short on agricultural labor and there were large amounts of unused land until around the 11th century when the Medieval Warm Period benefitted the agriculture until around 1315 AD.
Along with new farmers came new products that the United States (US) could ship out to other countries as a profit. While farmers were moving West and gaining more land, they soon figured out that they needed a quick and easy way to transport their goods back east for sale. Shortly after, the invention of steam boats, rail roads, and thoughts of canals came into play. Canals allowed products to be shipped to the
Feudal laws generated by kings, by popes, and by God's authority in the belief of salvation in heaven, and the balance of power that standardized heavenly and earthly kingdoms, created a wealth of common interests and ideas, and common regulations, which, in turn, inspired the consent of the governed. Barbaric tribal European chaos faded away as early Christian medieval empire slowly transitioned into order and a more structured feudal government of kings. When this new and more structured government and authority of regional kings generated the common law, citizens loyal to the king were agreeable to abide by the king's law. Feudal dominions’ kings granted land to regional lords, who supplied freemen for the king’s military, and taxes from their serfs’ production from the land. As serf population grew, society was fed and protected by wealth from the land they harvested: “Here is subscribed the inquisition of lands as the barons of the king .
As mentioned earlier on, the dynasty played a pivotal role in uniting most of Western Europe and the man who was behind all this was called Charles Martel. Martel was a Frankish ruler and the Mayor of Austrasia (714-741 A.D) which was located on the eastern part of the Frankish empire. He emerged to be a strong leader and was regarded as a king. He established a power base that marked the foundation of the Carolingian dynasty. This was achieved by defeating the Muslims in 732 A.D in the famous Battle of Tours near Poitiers.
From 1799 to 1815, how far did Napoleon maintain the aims of the French Revolution? The main aims of the French revolution before Napoleon came to power was to promote “Liberty, equality and fraternity” by putting an end to feudal privileges and the absolute rule of the monarchy and the king. Napoleon made many reforms in France which mainly supported the ideas of the revolution. However he also made several steps in securing himself as an absolute ruler of France, going against the ideas of the revolution. In October 1799 Napoleon became first consul of the government and in so being became the most powerful man in France.
This was mostly due to his policies of collectivisation which made economic sense and forced a lot of peasants to leave the land, which was a process needed in order to change an agricultural rural society to an urban and industrial one as well s the fact that his industrialisation plan increased massively the heavy industry in Russia; the production of raw materials such as iron, coal, steel and oil all increased successfully. There were other successes in his economic policy of rearmament, which also improved labour productivity and the transport in the country. However, it would be incorrect to say that all what Stalin did during this period was a success since he also presented various failures, for example not being able to boost the production of consumer goods as well as creating a huge man made famine. It was clear at the time that Russia needed a change, as Stalin said: ‘’ We are fifty or a hundred years behind the advanced countries. We must make good this
Chapter 22: The Early Industrial Revolution 1760- 1851 I. Causes of the Industrial revolution i. Population Growth * Many factors caused the increase in population growth, some including, reliable food supplies, high birthrates and immunity to diseases * Children were the majority of the population * Migration also allowed population growth; people move from the country side to the cities * Industrial Revolution: The Industrial Revolution was the transition to new manufacturing processes that occurred in the period from about 1760 to sometime between 1820 and 1840. ii. Agricultural Revolution * Agriculture Revolution: The agricultural revolution was a period of agricultural development between the 18th century and the end of the 19th century, which saw a massive and rapid increase in agricultural production * It began before the 18th century .Farmers increased agricultural production, milk production, and the addition of new crops * Many wealthy landowners invested in new farming techniques and new crops * The wealthy secluded their lands to apply new methods on their farm crops iii. Trade and Inventiveness * Demands for goods increased in Europe * Population growth and agricultural production increase were added to the growth and trade and technology demands * Eli Whitney and John Hall invented the machine tools that were capable of making other machines * Benjamin Franklin and others experimented with electricity iv.
The age of the absolutist monarch was waning as Parliament’s freedoms and powers increased – their hold over the monarch’s finances was a particular strength. A symbiotic relationship emerged, as monarch and the people began to rule together – Parliament drafted legislation for approval by the monarch. This growth of the power of the people was also reflected in the dissolution of the feudal system. Peasants were, by the end of the period able to move freely from manor to manor and receive pay for the work they provided. New groups like merchants and townsmen gained in stature and wealth.
When Witte placed emphasis on industrialisation, it meant that jobs were created in towns and cities. Serfs came from rural areas in the hope of a better way of life, which led to urban areas quickly expanding. The populations of Moscow and St. Petersburg more than doubled between 1881 and 1910. A large textiles industry grew around Moscow
The university, like other medieval institutions, was organized as a guild. Universities had charters from the Church or King that gave students and scholars certain liberties. Two of the most famous medieval universities were at Bologna in northern Italy and at Paris. Due to the fame of Irnerius, who taught civil law, Bologna acquired a reputation as the leading center for the study of law. The university at Paris grew out of the cathedral school of Notre Dame, and specialized in liberal arts and theology.