Section 5

I Culture & Daily LifeA. Superstitions

1. used to explain events in lifea. Lived in small towns, not as educated

b. Struggled against nature

2. World of Spiritsa. used spirits as explanation of events

1) Nothing was a accident

2) Bad spirits (demons) make life difficult

3) Roots of superstitions of today

b. Villagers don’t believe priests

1) explain as ‘gods will’

2) thought Punishment of sin

3) Still thought priest could help make things better

i) Bless earth= good harvest

ii) Bless marriages

iii) Baptize newborns to protect them.

c. Also turn to ‘old & wise’

1) had special understanding of world

2) Could explain problem and surrounding events

i) frog jumping

3) Give remedy to ward off evil

i) a chant, potion or charm

3. Witchcrafta. good witches = wise folk

b. bad witch causes misfortune1) made a pact with devil

2) usually widows, easy targets

c. Stories become sensationalized1) flying on brooms

2) Dance with devil at night in woods

d. Priest could perform an exorcism1) drive out demon

e. Could be burned at stake w/ Lords approval

f. Started ↑100 years of witch hunts

g. Secular & religious leaders blame problems on witches

Execution Rates of Witchcraft Trials

B. Daily life in Villages1. Forms of recreation

a. Villages would come together1) To drink, sew, tell stories

2) Play skittles

i) form of bowling

3) Spend holidays & celebrations

2. Violence & protest in villagesa. people identify with own kind

1) Those of a village

2) those of the same profession (guilds)

3) those of large towns

b. If act outside of norms treated harshly1) even violently

III Spread of KnowledgeA. Books for the Masses

1. Few could read

2. Broadsidesa. Single printed sheet

b. Royal decrees

c. News of crimes or events

d. Brought by traders to villages

1) people gathered to be read to

3. Nobilitya. interest in Romances and Epics of classical

era

4. Almanacsa. One of most common

b. published predictions about weather & crops

c. Calendars, maps and medical advice

d. Speaks to beliefs of common people

B. Religious Ideas & Education1. Peddlers sell books on religious themes

a. spread ideas of Luther and Calvin

b. Copies of the bible

2. Churches form primary schools in villages & townsa. more to teach religion, build congregation

b. does not teach tolerance

1) Still religious contention

IV Changes in Daily LifeA. Economy

1. Standard of livinga. measures quality of life

b. environment, health, home, income, work conditions

c. peasants still 85%-90% of pop.

1) end of manoralism, more serfs free

d. black death killed 1/3 of Europe

1) fewer workers

2) demand higher wages

B. Diet1. Food

a. White bread from wheat rare

b. Meat scarce & expensive

c. Salt expensive (food preservation)

d. Cheese & eggs important part of diet

1) cheap protein

e. Spices are luxury items

1) become cheaper as supply increases

f. New veggies introduced

1) asparagus, green beans, lettuce, melons, spinach, tomatoes

g. New luxury items

1) Coffee, tea

h. wealthy people could afford varied diets

i. peasants ate the same stuff every day

2. Utensilsa. Ate with fingers from common dishes

b. Some used wooded plates

c. Guests brought own knives1) forks not till 1500’s

2) Spoons in 1600’s

C. Housing1. Towns

a. Brick & stone becoming common

2. peasantsa. Small thatched roof homes

b. Pot, bench, table, tools

c. few beds

1) slept on sacks filled with straw

3. Glassa. expensive and hard to get

b. most just have shutters

D. Decline of Traditional Culture1. Peasants move to cities to escape poverty

2. Changes to culturea. Food from shops not fields

b. govts. help out after disasters

1) pass out bread in famine

2) hospitals for sick – plague

c. less belief in superstition

1) before understanding of how things happen

2) look to rational explanations for events

i) less need for “wise folk”

d. Called ‘dis-enchantment’

1) removal of magic from nature

Finally…… the End!