Discussion Topics

Economics

1. Jensen, on p. 280, says "What caused Latin Christendom to reverse the trend of a thousand years and launch a vigorous exploration and conquest of much of the world?" Do you agree that for a thousand years before the 15th century Christendom was not vigorously exploring and conquering? If not, is there anything that sets the explorations of the 15th century apart from those of earlier centuries?

2. What were the motives of the explorers of the 15th century?

3. Why did Spain colonize (in the New World) but Portugal did not (in India and the Far East)?

4. What was a bank in the Renaissance? How would you use one?

5. Explain usury and ways around it. Why were merchants so opposed to it?

6. How does your picture of the Renaissance economy accord with Burckhardt's picture of the Renaissance in general? How does it contradict it?

7. Using only economic criteria, periodize 1300-1550.

8. Italy, Italy, Italy -- with a nod toward Flanders and Castile. What was going on in the economy of the rest of Europe?

9. Trade and finance dominate our texts' treatment of economics. What can you find out about trends in agriculture, mining, or non-textile manufacturing?

10. Jensen (p. 11) says that manorialism underwent many changes in the Late Middle Ages. Name some.

11. Jensen talks (pp. 85-88) of economic collapse and recovery. Neither collapse nor recovery affected all regions and all classes equally. Who was hit hardest by the hard times and who benefitted most from the good times?

12. Compare Jacques Coeur with Jakob Fugger or Cosimo de' Medici.

13. What were the most significant economic innovations of the Renaissance? When and where did they occur?

14. What were the foundations of the Florentine economy? Did other cities have similar foundations? How did those foundations change over time?

15. Compare the training, skills and activities of a great merchant of the Renaissance with those of a modern international businessman.

16. Jensen talks of economic recovery in the 15th century, Brucker of decline. Who is right?

17. Characterize the economy of the Renaissance.

18. Does exploration belong here? Where would you put it?

19. What aspects of the economy of late medieval Europe absolutely could not be left out of any account of the period?