Chapter8:CentralMiddleAges(PartI)Pre-readingA.Skimandscanthefollowingpassageandanswerthefollowingquestions.1.WhataretheeconomicfeaturesoftheCentralMiddleAges?2.WhatchangestookplaceineducationintheCentralMiddleAges?3.WhatfactsdemonstratethegrowthofchurchpowerintheCentralMiddleAges?ReadingIINTRODUCTIONFromthe11thcenturythroughthe13thcentury,Europeansremadetheirworld.Theyrevivedoldcitiesandbuiltnewones,createduniversities,reformedthechurch,wagedaggressivewars,andmadeandunmadepowerfulkingsandemperors.AlthoughstillweakerandlessprosperousthantheIslamicworldandlesssophisticatedthantheByzantineEmpire,theWestbecameanimportantworldpower.IIAGRICULTUREANDTHEGROWTHOFTOWNSAChangesinAgricultureFromthe10thcenturythroughthe12thcentury,astheinvasionsofEuropebyoutsideforcesendedandthepopulationbegantogrow,theEuropeancountrysidewastransformedbypeasantlabor.Farmersmadenewlandsavailableforcultivationbydrainingmarshesandcuttingdownforests.Suchnewlyclearedlandswerecalledassarts.Thepeasantswhodidthisbackbreakinglaboroftengainedfavorabletermsforthemselvesfromtheirlordsinexchange.Manypeasantsadoptedanew,heavyplowthatdugdeeperfurrowsandincreasedcropproduction.Atfirsttheseplowswerepulledbyoxen.Later,withtheinventionofthehorsecollar,peasantswereabletomakeuseofhorses,whichweremoreefficientthanoxen.Inthecourseofthe12thcentury,peasantsbegantousemetaltoolsandtoreinforcetheirwoodentoolsandplowshareswithiron.Femalepeasantsbenefitedfromtheintroductionofwatermillsandwindmills,whichfreedthemfromgrindingflourbyhand.Territoriallordsencouragedagriculturalimprovementsbecausetheyprofitedfromthemasmuchasthepeasantsdid.Theyofferedtoreducetheobligationsofpeasantswhocleareduncultivatedlands.Theyturnedyearlyduesofhens,eggs,andfarmlaborintoafixedmoneyrent.Thisbenefitedthepeasants,whocouldattendtotheirownplotsofland.Italsobenefitedthelords,whocouldemployworkerswhenneededandspendtherestoftheirmoneyonluxuries.Someofthelords'newwealthcamefromtheirmonopolyonmillsandovens.Thepeasantswereobligedtousethelords'mil