European History Notes
Textbook: “Western Civilization Since 1300” by Jackson J. Spielvogel
Pages: 299 to 308
The Later Middle Ages: Crisis and Disintegration in the 14th Century
Major Concepts:
● The Feudal System
● The Manor System
● The Roman Catholic Church
– The Hundred Years’ War
Aided the formation of the Nation-states of England and France
– Introduction of Canons and Longbows
Revolutionized military tactics
– French Papacy and Great Schism
Weakened the Christian Church, and religion and the church are questioned.
– The Black Death
Ends serfdom in Western Europe
Causes millions of deaths, as well as massive social and economic upheaval.
Famine and Population
● Europe enters an “ice age”
● Shortened growing seasons
● Bad weather causes widespread famine and hunger.
● Great Famine of 1315 to 1317 in Northern Europe led to starvation
○ Kills 10% of population of the first half of the 1300s
● Increase in population in the High-Middle Ages
● By 1300, Europe had reached max carrying capacity
● Movement of overpopulated rural areas to urban locations
● Number of poor people increases
Textbook: “Western Civilization Since 1300” by Jackson J. Spielvogel
Pages: 299 to 308
The Later Middle Ages: Crisis and Disintegration in the 14th Century
Major Concepts:
● The Feudal System
● The Manor System
● The Roman Catholic Church
– The Hundred Years’ War
Aided the formation of the Nation-states of England and France
– Introduction of Canons and Longbows
Revolutionized military tactics
– French Papacy and Great Schism
Weakened the Christian Church, and religion and the church are questioned.
– The Black Death
Ends serfdom in Western Europe
Causes millions of deaths, as well as massive social and economic upheaval.
Famine and Population
● Europe enters an “ice age”
● Shortened growing seasons
● Bad weather causes widespread famine and hunger.
● Great Famine of 1315 to 1317 in Northern Europe led to starvation
○ Kills 10% of population of the first half of the 1300s
● Increase in population in the High-Middle Ages
● By 1300, Europe had reached max carrying capacity
● Movement of overpopulated rural areas to urban locations
● Number of poor people increases
