BEFORE YOU WATCH: Guilds, Wool, and Trade — Medieval England in a Global Economy

Use the “Three Close Reads” approach as you watch the video below (next in the lineup!). If you want to learn more about this strategy, click here.

First read: preview and skimming for gist

Before you watch, you should skim the transcript first. The skim should be very quick and give you the gist (general idea) of what the video is about. You should be looking at the title, thumbnails, pictures, and first few seconds of the video for the gist.

Second read: key ideas and understanding content

Now that you’ve skimmed the video transcript and taken a quick peek at the video, you should preview the questions you will be answering. These questions will help you get a better understanding of the concepts and arguments that are presented in the video. Keep in mind that when you watch the video, it is a good idea to write down any vocab you read or hear that is unfamiliar to you.

By the end of the second close read, you should be able to answer the following questions:

How do Nick and Trevor describe the Afro-Eurasian trade system in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries?
Why did people in Flanders and northern Italy buy English wool?
Who produced wool in England?
How did the wool trade empower the merchant classes? What role did guilds play in this process?
Why was wool important for England?

Third read: evaluating and corroborating

Finally, here are some questions that will help you focus on why this video matters and how it connects to other content you’ve studied.

At the end of the third read, you should be able to respond to these questions:

English wool is one example of a local good that was traded across extensive regional networks. The trade reshaped both communities and networks in England and across Western Europe. Can you think of anything that is or was once made in your community? Where does that good get distributed? Who produces it? How does that industry affect your community, and how do you think it impacts other places?
How would you tell the story of the Worshipful Company of Woolmen differently in each of the three course frames? How were they a community? How did they shape networks? What impacts did they have on production and distribution in England and the larger region?

Now that you know what to look for, it’s time to watch! Remember to return to these questions once you’ve finished watching.

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bentley.schulten
Posted 7 months ago. Direct link to bentley.schulten's post “How would the black death...”
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ealmaguer
Posted a year ago. Direct link to ealmaguer's post “How would you tell the st...”
How would you tell the story of the Worshipful Company of Woolmen differently in each of the three course frames? How were they a community? How did they shape networks? What impacts did they have on production and distribution in England and the larger region
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Selvin Rios
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What impacts did they have on production and distribution in England and the larger region?
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