Which of the following was the purpose of mendicant orders? A. to shape chivalry B. to advise the king C. to fight heresy D. to beg for food

Which of the following led to the growth of towns during the Middle Ages?

A.

the need for craft guilds

B.

a greater number of merchants

C.

expanded trade

D.

demand for lumber

Answer #1:

D. to beg for food

Explanation:

In Latin, the word for a beggar was mendicus, and the word for begging was mendicant. So if you know a little Latin (which was the language of the church in the Middle Ages), then you already know that "mendicant" orders were religious groups that relied on begging for their daily needs. These groups had rejected the usual monastic lifestyle of a group of monks living in a monastery. Though the monasteries did not have lavish lifestyles, to the mendicant orders, the mere ownership of a monastery and its furnishings seemed like a step above poverty. They were devoted to living a Christian life in full poverty and devoting themselves to serving the needs of others. Thus for their own needs, they needed to beg in order to have food or other basic necessities.

Answer #2:

C. expanded trade

Explanation:

As farmers cleared forests and developed better farming methods, they were able to produce surplus crops to sell to markets in towns. In addition, trade and banking were increasing. These factors led to grown of towns and cities.