Exercises on Commercial and Urban Renaissance

Read the following excerpt and answer the question:

To the north, […], a broad commercial confederation, which quickly acquires political strength, dominates exchanges in a wide range of action […]. At the end of the 13th century it extended its influence from Flanders and England to northern Russia.

LE GOFF, Jacques. The Civilization of the Medieval West. Petrópolis:Vozes, 2016, p. 69.

The above passage made reference to a trade association that emerged in Europe with the rebirth of commerce. The snippet references:

a) to Italian cities.

b) to the fairs that took place in the Champagne region.

c) to the merchants of Rus.

d) to the Hanseatic League.

e) to Flemish bankers.

From the twelfth century onwards, Champagne fairs were organized, held annually in this region of France and which brought together the main traders in Europe. They were an important meeting point and a significant commercial enterprise that grew thanks to important incentives carried out by the local counts. Champagne fairs were held in the following locations EXCEPT:

a) Provins.

b) Troyes.

c) Bar-sur-Aube.

d) Marseille.

e) Lagny.

The increase in agricultural production in the transition from the High Middle Ages to the Low Middle Ages is one of the main factors for understanding the population growth that took place in medieval Europe. This population growth is directly related to the development of commerce, but also to the emergence of large cities in Europe. In the period of the Late Middle Ages, the largest existing city in Europe was:

a) London.

b) Barcelona.

c) Venice.

d) Florence.

e) Paris.

Concerning the urban and commercial Renaissance in Europe during the Late Middle Ages, select the INCORRECT alternative.

a) Historians say that many people moved to cities to escape feudal obligations.

b) In the Late Middle Ages, the urban population surpassed the rural population.

c) Trade in medieval Europe gained great momentum through sea routes.

d) A phenomenon that was noticed with the commercial Renaissance was the rise in price of goods.

e) With urban and commercial growth, the power of cities was progressively transferred from bishops to the bourgeois, the inhabitants of the burgs.

LETTER D

The Hanseatic League, also known as the Hansa Teutonic, is the name of the trade confederation that formed in northern Europe. It emerged as a trade association in the 12th century and turned into an association of cities from the 14th century onwards. Among the cities that were part of this association are Hamburg, Bruges, London, Lübeck, among others.

LETER D

The city of Marseille (Marseille, in Portuguese) is not in the Champagne region, so it didn't host Champagne fairs. The city of Marseiile was located in the region of Provence and also had a very strong trade, but more related to maritime navigation, since it is a coastal city.

LETTER E

According to historian Jacques Le Goff, in the Late Middle Ages, Paris was the largest European city and the only one with a population of around 200,000. Cities like Florence and Venice also had expressive populations, reaching about 100 thousand inhabitants. Barcelona had around 50,000 inhabitants, while London had around 60,000.

LETER B

Despite the remarkable urban growth from the Late Middle Ages, the majority of the European population still lived in rural areas. Only about 20% of the European population lived in cities. Medieval Europe was therefore a rural world.