1. Rural Growth and
The Latin West Crisis
1200-1500
Peasants Population
• 1200 C.E. • Europe’s population more than doubled
– Most Europeans were peasants between 1000 and 1445.
– Bound to land in serfdom • Accompanied by new agricultural
– Used inefficient agricultural practices technologies in northern Europe
– 15-30 heavily taxed families supported – Three-field system
each noble household – Cultivation of oats
– Women labored in fields with men but were
subordinate to them
Black Death
• Plague was brought from Kaffa to Italy Poster
and Southern France in 1346.