b2215and16

Theme: Social/Economic History- The shift in social structures from hierarchical orders to modern social classes: the changing distribution of wealth and poverty. Communes + Republics **1400’s** The Italian communes maintained business, controlled order and guarded their cities. The rise in wealth of the communes made the nobles marry with the communes, which formed urban nobility. The combination of the two led to a new force called the popolo, a group that sought power after the communes and nobles. Although the popolo couldn’t control its powers, it paved the way for signori and oligarchies. The oligarchies were similar to modern day politics with the use of constitutions and exercised the use of judicial, executive and legislative functions of the government, but more controlling. Only the wealthy would be able to take part while the underclasses would not.

McKay, John P., Hill, Bennett D., Buckler, John //__ A History of Western Society __// Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2003.