Medieval Homes, Education, & Jobs
Town were usually very small, crowded, and busy. As always, poor and rich lived different lives meaning they also had different types of homes.
EDUCATION
Growing up in a medieval town was not easy. About half of the children died before they became adults. Those who survived, learned to become adults at a young age. This was around the age of 7. Some boys and few girls went to school. If they did go to school, they learned to read and write. Children from wealthier families also learned to play an instrument like the lute or learn to paint. If children did not go to school, they began to work as apprentices (We will get to that soon).
In general, people of the medieval ages believed in an orderly society. Meaning, everyone knew their place from men, to women, children, the rich, and the poor. Most boys grew up to do the same work as their fathers. Some girls did train for a craft, but most were married off at around the age of 15 and started to raise their own children and take care of the home. They usually learned that domestic science we have learned about. Because everyone knew their place in society, the society generally ran in a peaceful, purposeful, and functioning way.
The medieval guilds were generally one of two types: merchant guilds or craft guilds. Merchant guilds were associations of all or most of the merchants in a particular town or city. These men might be local or long-distance traders, wholesale or retail sellers, and might deal in various categories of goods.
Craft guilds, on the other hand, were occupational associations that usually comprised all the artisans and craftsmen in a particular branch of industry. There were, for instance, guilds of weavers, dyers, painters, blacksmiths, bakers, butchers, leatherworkers, soap makers, stone-makers for the cathedrals, and so on.
Guilds provided help and protection for the people doing a certain kind of work.
Guilds were held to high standards, and held themselves to high standards. They set the hours, the prices, and dealt with customer complaints. Customer complaints were taken very seriously because it would not only impact their business, but the same type of business or trade all over a town. Meaning, if a glassmaker received a complaint the guild master/owner would handle the matter seriously to protect their own reputation ad all other glassmakers reputations.
Guild members/workers paid guild fees to the guild master/owner. The fees paid for the construction of guildhalls/shops, guild festivals, take care of members and their families if they became ill, and more!
GUILDS
Here are some pictures of the inside of guilds and the outside of guilds. Each guild was full of different guild workers, apprentices, masters, or journeymen. The outside banners were colorful and generally with little to no words because most people could not read.
HOW TO BECOME A GUILD MEMBER?
It was not easy to become a member of a guild. At the age of 12, a boy, sometimes a girl, became an apprentice. First, the parent's of the child signed an agreement with the master of the guild trade. The master agreed to house, feed, and train the apprentice. Apprentices did not get paid for their work. They did this apprenticeship for seven years to learn and master that one trade. At the end of their seven years, they had to prove they were a "master" by producing a "masterpiece" in that trade. Similar to a final test. If the guild master/owner felt the apprentice was ready to become a master, they became a master and were able to set up their own guild-shop to become their own guild shop owner. Starting your own business was very expensive, so they often became journeyman instead to save money to open their own shop.
JOBS FOR PEOPLE
Jobs were based on your gender, wealth, apprenticeship, and generally what your parents did before you. Again, people were satisfied with the orderly society they abided by in their towns.
MORE PICTURES OF TOWNS
