Technological Innovations and Agricultural Revolution

Key Technological Innovations

Heavy Plow

• Improved efficiency in farming

Horse and Associated Inventions

• Horse Collar: Prevents choking while pulling heavy loads
• Horseshoes: Protect horse feet, especially in harsh climates
  • Allow horses to walk on tougher terrains

Terminology: Dark Ages vs. Medieval Age

• Debate on whether to call this period the Dark Ages or the Medieval Age
• Argument hinges on significant technological inventions during this time

Scientific Innovation: Field Rotation System

• Three-Field System: Rotational farming method
  • Allows one field to lie fallow and animals to graze, adding nutrients to the soil
• Nitrogen-Fixing Crops: Use of peas, beans to enrich soil with nitrogen

Economic and Social Systems

Cost of Innovations

• High costs of new technology for individual farmers

Solutions

• Communal Property: Shared ownership among villagers (e.g., ajidos in Spain)
• Manorial System: Lords providing technology in exchange for loyalty
  • Development of serfdom varied across regions

Military Innovations and Crusades

Lancers and Stirrups

• Stirrup: Invented by the Chinese, essential for stability on horseback
• Enabled heavier armor and more effective knights
• Small groups of knights instead of large armies

Crusades

• Series of military campaigns (11th to 13th centuries)
  • Initial success but subsequent failures
• Led to the exchange of knowledge and technologies
  • Rediscovery of ancient texts like Aristotle

Urbanization and Population Growth

Movement to Cities

• Increase in agricultural output led to population growth
• Migration from rural areas to urban centers
  • Example: Paris had 280,000 people in 1400

Architectural Development: Gothic Style

• Church Construction: Shift from wooden to stone structures
  • Inspired by Gothic architecture
  • Examples: Notre Dame Cathedral

Characteristics of Gothic Architecture

• Pointed Arches
• Flying Buttresses: Support walls of large structures
• Ribbed Vaults: For additional stability
• Gothic Revival: Modern adaptations using new materials
  • Example: Smithsonian Castle in Washington, D.C.