synthesis question Asher p2 t4

In Medieval period, improvement in agricultural tools, such as the heavy plow and the innovation of new methods for harnessing animal power enabled farmers to work effectively and use less labor. The innovations in agriculture and development of population resulted in great increase on availability of products and consumption of materials. As people’s lives became better and better, especially in good quantity and quality of food they had to sustain their families, more people moved to cities and started trades, burgeoning urbanization and growth of markets. The chain reaction of improved economy allowed many people to raise their standards of living: these people then became an independent and wealthy class. The tradesmen were respected by both the church and the noblemen, and they were famous for their feats. One of the most outstanding Gothic Sculptures was Chartres Cathedral, which also functioned as an important marketplace for tradesmen. Before the Gothic cathedral was built, Chartres was a place of pilgrimage, and its main focus was devotions of pilgrims. The central theme of the Royal Portal of Chartres Cathedral is Christ en Majesté, which represented harmony, grace and elegance. The architects used remarkable innovations such as flying buttresses and stone vaulted ceiling instead of flammable wood and hay roofs, and tradesmen inscribed their names on the stones within the cathedral. Many different commercial activities centered around it, especially during some regular fairs. Textiles, meat, vegetables, wine, and fuel and were all sold around Chartres cathedral. Not only as a representative of Gothic Sculpture, Chartres Cathedral also played an important role in economy with the influence of tradesmen.