Western Civilization free essay sample

Advances in transportation networks and the creation of new business were just as important for trade and transporting goods which proved costly. Technical innovations formed the agricultural revolution, which amplified the amount of food available. With more food available, people were better nourished than they had been in more than 500 years, and the population began to grow (Levack, Muir amp; Veldman, 2011, p. 300). The population grew so quickly that Europe went from 14 million people in the seventh century, to 74 million in 1300, and continued to grow a possible 500 percent by the fourteenth centuries. The prized possession of the agricultural revolution was the carruca, a heavy plowing tool that required six to eight horses to maneuver it; however the carruca cut deeply into the dirt allowing minerals to surface for plant development. As no peasant family could afford this many animals the farmers would come together creating a plow team which required communal planning and collaboration. We will write a custom essay sample on Western Civilization or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page With Europe plummeting in size, communities proved to be a handful for newly flourishing authority figures. In many places the citizens of the new enlarged towns attempted to rid themselves of their lords to establish self-rule or, at least, substantial autonomy for their city (Levack et al. , 2011, p. 302). In the northern central Italy, groups known as communes formed, they seize control of surrounding areas and created a culture of self-rule. Although not all democratic, the communes created institutions which consisted of mostly male citizens. These institutions embraced public speech and having an input in important verdicts. The other two reasons were just as important: advances in transportation networks and the creation of new business techniques (Levack et al. , 2011, p. 304). Trading items such as, food and cloth heavily depends on water transportation. Where there were neither sea-ports nor navigable rivers, drovers’ hauled goods cross-country by pack train, a very expensive enterprise (Levack et al. , 2011, p. 304). In Europe, with no land transportation routes, governments and local aristocrats repaired and built new Roman roads that had been unkempt for years. Long distance trade also proved useful for new business techniques. References Levack, B. , Muir, E. , amp; Veldman, M. (2011). The West: encounters amp; transformations (3rd ed. , Vol. 1). Boston: Longman