WORLD HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -After the plague, there was a shift in power from nobles to the common people. One reason for this was a desperate need for workers because so many people had died. The workers who were left could, therefore, demand more money and more rights.

Detailed explanation-2: -Due to the fact that so many had died, there were far fewer people to work the land: peasants were therefore able to demand better conditions and higher wages from their landlords. Many advanced to higher positions in society. Thus the Black Death was ultimately responsible for major shifts in the social structure.

Detailed explanation-3: -At the top of the feudal system was the king. Chosen by God, the king had a ‘divine right’ to rule. The king gave his lands and manors (or fiefs – which is where the word feudal comes from) to important lords or tenants–in-chief.

Detailed explanation-4: -Lords and Knights-The lords ran the local manors. They also were the king’s knights and could be called into battle at any moment by their Baron. The lords owned everything on their land including the peasants, crops, and village.

Detailed explanation-5: -The Black Death brought about a decline in feudalism. The significant drop in population because of massive numbers of deaths caused a labor shortage that helped end serfdom. Towns and cities grew. The decline of the guild system and an expansion in manufacturing changed Europe’s economy and society.