The Medieval European Recovery

For centuries after the Roman Empire’s fall in the fifth century c.E., economic activity in western Europe was negligible compared to that of civilizations to the east. Agricultural production suffered from repeated invasions, which seriously disrupted the economy and society. Moreover, the decay of urban centers resulted in decreased industrial production and trade. By the tenth century, however, political stability served as a foundation for economic recovery, and western Europeans began to participate indirectly in the larger trading world of the Eastern Hemisphere. 

 

With the establishment of the Frankish kingdom and later the Carolingian Empire between the sixth and the ninth centuries in what is now part of France and Germany, the European center of gravity shifted from the Mediterranean to more northern lands, particularly France. But the agricultural tools and techniques inherited from the classical Mediterranean world did not transfer very well. In light, well-drained Mediterranean soils, cultivators used small wooden plows that basically broke the surface of the soil and disrupted weeds. This type of plow made little headway in the heavy, moist soils of the north. About the sixth century a more serviceable plow became available: a heavy tool equipped with iron tips that dug into the earth and turned the soil so as to aerate it more thoroughly and break up the root networks of weeds. The northern plow was more expensive than the light Mediterranean plow, and it required cultivators to harness much more energy to pull it through heavy soils. As a result, it was slow to come into wide use. Beginning about the eighth century, however, the heavy northern plow contributed to increased agricultural production.

As the heavy plow spread throughout western Europe during the ninth and tenth centuries, cultivators took several additional steps that increased agricultural production. Peasants cleared new lands for cultivation, and they also constructed watermills, which enabled them to take advantage of a ready and renewable source of inanimate energy, thus freeing human and animal energy for other work. Moreover, they experimented with new systems of rotating crops (systems for alternating the particular crop grown in a particular field). As a result, peasants could cultivate land more intensively than before, as key soil nutrients were less likely to be depleted.

The agricultural surplus of medieval Europe was sufficient to sustain feudal lords and their subjects, but not substantial enough to support cities with large populations of artisans, craft workers, merchants, and professionals. Whereas cities had thrived and trade had linked all regions of the Roman Empire, early medieval Europe was almost an entirely rural society that engaged in little commerce. Manors and local communities produced most of the manufactured goods that they needed, including textiles and heavy tools, and they provided both the materials and the labor for construction and other large-scale projects. Towns were few and sparsely populated, and they served as economic centers for the areas immediately surrounding them rather than integrating the economic activities of distant regions.

By the tenth century, however, political stability and increased agricultural production had begun to stimulate trade and the development of urban settlements in western Europe. This revived trade took place in the Mediterranean, the North Sea, and the Baltic Sea. Merchants from the coastal cities of Italy regularly traded with Muslims in Sicily and Tunisia, who linked Europe indirectly with the larger Islamic world of communication and exchange. Even more prominent was trade in the North Sea and Baltic Sea, where Scandinavian seafarers played the role of trader as well as raider.

In c.E. 200, before the Roman Empire began to experience serious difficulties, the European population had stood at about thirty-six million. It fell sharply over the next four centuries, to thirty-one million in c.E. 400 and twenty-six million in c.E. 600-a decline that reflected both the ravages of epidemic diseases and the unsettled conditions of the early Middle Ages. Then, gradually, the population recovered, edging up to twenty-nine million in c.E. 800 and thirty-two million in c.E. 900. By c.E. 1000 the European population once again amounted to thirty-six million-the level it had reached eight centuries earlier. By this time, western Europe was poised for extraordinary economic and demographic expansion that occurred in the late Middle Ages.

 

 

1

For centuries after the Roman Empire’s fall in the fifth century c.E., economic activity in western Europe was negligible compared to that of civilizations to the east. Agricultural production suffered from repeated invasions, which seriously disrupted the economy and society. Moreover, the decay of urban centers resulted in decreased industrial production and trade. By the tenth century, however, political stability served as a foundation for economic recovery, and western Europeans began to participate indirectly in the larger trading world of the Eastern Hemisphere. 

According to paragraph 1, life in western Europe changed in the first centuries after the fall of the Roman Empire in all of the following ways EXCEPT:

AAgricultural production slowed.

BCountries were attacked again and again.

CUrban centers increased in importance.

DTrade played a smaller role in the economy.

 

2

With the establishment of the Frankish kingdom and later the Carolingian Empire between the sixth and the ninth centuries in what is now part of France and Germany, the European center of gravity shifted from the Mediterranean to more northern lands, particularly France. But the agricultural tools and techniques inherited from the classical Mediterranean world did not transfer very well. In light, well-drained Mediterranean soils, cultivators used small wooden plows that basically broke the surface of the soil and disrupted weeds. This type of plow made little headway in the heavy, moist soils of the north. About the sixth century a more serviceable plow became available: a heavy tool equipped with iron tips that dug into the earth and turned the soil so as to aerate it more thoroughly and break up the root networks of weeds. The northern plow was more expensive than the light Mediterranean plow, and it required cultivators to harness much more energy to pull it through heavy soils. As a result, it was slow to come into wide use. Beginning about the eighth century, however, the heavy northern plow contributed to increased agricultural production.

Why does the author mention that the northern plow “required cultivators to harness much more energy to pull it through heavy soils” than the Mediterranean plow did?

ATo explain why a more serviceable plow became available in the sixth century

BTo help explain why the northern plow was slow to be adopted in northern Europe

CTo show that soils in the north were poorly suited for cultivation by the Mediterranean plow

DTo explain why the northern plow was able to aerate soil so thoroughly

 

3

With the establishment of the Frankish kingdom and later the Carolingian Empire between the sixth and the ninth centuries in what is now part of France and Germany, the European center of gravity shifted from the Mediterranean to more northern lands, particularly France. But the agricultural tools and techniques inherited from the classical Mediterranean world did not transfer very well. In light, well-drained Mediterranean soils, cultivators used small wooden plows that basically broke the surface of the soil and disrupted weeds. This type of plow made little headway in the heavy, moist soils of the north. About the sixth century a more serviceable plow became available: a heavy tool equipped with iron tips that dug into the earth and turned the soil so as to aerate it more thoroughly and break up the root networks of weeds. The northern plow was more expensive than the light Mediterranean plow, and it required cultivators to harness much more energy to pull it through heavy soils. As a result, it was slow to come into wide use. Beginning about the eighth century, however, the heavy northern plow contributed to increased agricultural production.

Paragraph 2 suggests that the northern plow differed from the plow used in the classical Mediterranean in that the northern plow

Acould not be used on dry soils

Bhad fewer metal parts

Cdestroyed weeds more effectively

Dcould be used for purposes other than cultivating fields

 

4

As the heavy plow spread throughout western Europe during the ninth and tenth centuries, cultivators took several additional steps that increased agricultural production. Peasants cleared new lands for cultivation, and they also constructed watermills, which enabled them to take advantage of a ready and renewable source of inanimate energy, thus freeing human and animal energy for other work. Moreover, they experimented with new systems of rotating crops (systems for alternating the particular crop grown in a particular field). As a result, peasants could cultivate land more intensively than before, as key soil nutrients were less likely to be depleted.

Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.

ABecause of the energy produced by watermills, humans were free to raise animals on newly cleared land.

BAfter new farmland was cultivated, peasants used animals to construct watermills.

CPeasants cleared new lands for cultivation with the help of energy from watermills and animals.

DPeasants cleared land and freed up energy for other work by constructing watermills.

 

5

As the heavy plow spread throughout western Europe during the ninth and tenth centuries, cultivators took several additional steps that increased agricultural production. Peasants cleared new lands for cultivation, and they also constructed watermills, which enabled them to take advantage of a ready and renewable source of inanimate energy, thus freeing human and animal energy for other work. Moreover, they experimented with new systems of rotating crops (systems for alternating the particular crop grown in a particular field). As a result, peasants could cultivate land more intensively than before, as key soil nutrients were less likely to be depleted.

According to paragraph 3, what is one reason that agricultural production increased in western Europe in the ninth and tenth centuries?

AThe number of people who worked in agricultural production increased significantly.

BCultivators began growing the same crop in the same field year after year.

CCultivators began to plant new kinds of crops that were easier to grow.

DFarming changed in ways that helped keep nutrients in the soil.

 

6

The agricultural surplus of medieval Europe was sufficient to sustain feudal lords and their subjects, but not substantial enough to support cities with large populations of artisans, craft workers, merchants, and professionals. Whereas cities had thrived and trade had linked all regions of the Roman Empire, early medieval Europe was almost an entirely rural society that engaged in little commerce. Manors and local communities produced most of the manufactured goods that they needed, including textiles and heavy tools, and they provided both the materials and the labor for construction and other large-scale projects. Towns were few and sparsely populated, and they served as economic centers for the areas immediately surrounding them rather than integrating the economic activities of distant regions.

The word “integrating” in the passage is closest in meaning to

Aconnecting

Bimproving

Cdepending on

Dcontributing to

 

7

By the tenth century, however, political stability and increased agricultural production had begun to stimulate trade and the development of urban settlements in western Europe. This revived trade took place in the Mediterranean, the North Sea, and the Baltic Sea. Merchants from the coastal cities of Italy regularly traded with Muslims in Sicily and Tunisia, who linked Europe indirectly with the larger Islamic world of communication and exchange. Even more prominent was trade in the North Sea and Baltic Sea, where Scandinavian seafarers played the role of trader as well as raider.

According to paragraph 5, which of the following was true of the increased trade that occurred in western Europe by the tenth century?

AIt helped to create greater political stability.

BIt took place mainly by sea.

CIt was heaviest between Sicily and Tunisia.

DIt occurred in the North Sea and Baltic Sea before in other locations.

 

8

In c.E. 200, before the Roman Empire began to experience serious difficulties, the European population had stood at about thirty-six million. It fell sharply over the next four centuries, to thirty-one million in c.E. 400 and twenty-six million in c.E. 600-a decline that reflected both the ravages of epidemic diseases and the unsettled conditions of the early Middle Ages. Then, gradually, the population recovered, edging up to twenty-nine million in c.E. 800 and thirty-two million in c.E. 900. By c.E. 1000 the European population once again amounted to thirty-six million-the level it had reached eight centuries earlier. By this time, western Europe was poised for extraordinary economic and demographic expansion that occurred in the late Middle Ages.

According to paragraph 6, which of the following best describes the changes in the European population between c.E. 200 and c.E. 1000 ?

AIt fell sharply and had still not begun to recover in C.E. 1000.

BIt fell sharply but began to grow again around C.E. 1000.

CIt fell sharply but eventually returned to its level under Roman rule.

DIt fell slightly but quickly grew past its earlier high point.

 

9

Look at the four squaresthat indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage

 

Several changes made the economy of the West relatively weak.

Where would the sentence best fit？Click on a square  sentence to the passage.

 

10

After the Roman Empire fell, Europe experienced a period of significant social and economic decline.

ABetween the fall of the Roman Empire and the establishment of the Carolingian Empire, the European center of gravity shifted back and forth between the Mediterranean and more northern lands.

BThe increases in agricultural productivity achieved in northern Europe beginning in the eighth century would not have been possible without the revival of trade and the growth of urban settlements.

CWith increased political stability and agricultural production, the population gradually recovered and western Europe once again established trade links with more distant parts of the world.

DImproved agricultural tools and techniques in northern and western Europe led to an increase in agricultural production in the Carolingian Empire several centuries after the fall of the Roman Empire.

ECities thrived in the Roman Empire, but in the Middle Ages, European society remained largely rural until agricultural surpluses increased enough to support urban populations again.

FIn part because the European population had begun to decline well before the Roman Empire ended, it did not regain its previous levels until long after the Middle Ages ended.

 

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